Elbows are more prone to dryness than other parts of the body. One of the main reasons for this is that, as the elbows are more exposed to friction, the skin of the elbows is thicker than the skin on the rest of the body to help protect them. The elbows are in contact with different surfaces a lot more than other areas – whether you are leaning on a desk, holding your head in your hands, or reading a book. They also have fewer sebaceous glands, the oil-secreting components of the skin, so they are less lubricated. 

If your elbows are dry, you may notice some the following:

Dry and ashy elbows may be common, but there are steps you can take at home to keep your skin looking smooth and supple. While you may not be able to get rid of ashy elbows completely, you can help to manage their appearance through the following ways:

• Be conscious of water temperature
  Use lukewarm water when you wash, or shower, as hot water is drying to skin and can worsen the appearance of dry elbows.

• Exfoliation
  Exfoliate your skin to help remove the dry, flaky skin with a gentle body scrub. It is important that the scrub is really gentle on your skin as your dry skin can become more sensitive. Ensure to moisturize afterwards.

• Regularly moisturize
  Moisturize your skin regularly, including after you shower to help lock in moisture to hydrate and nourish skin to help prevent dry elbows.

• Switch up your shower products
  Wash with gentle, nourishing shower gels as some ingredients could be harsh on skin. Creams and gels with shea or cocoa butter such as the NIVEA Cocoa & Shea Butter Body Wash With Nourishing Serum are great for keeping your skin pampered. In-shower body lotions such as the NIVEA Cocoa Butter In-Shower Body Lotion can also be a great option to provide a little extra moisture boost to the skin for a soft and smooth feel.

• Consider what you wear
  Wear clothing made from soft and breathable materials such as cotton, which will be gentle on your skin.

• Be wary of laundry products
  Change your laundry detergent or fabric softener if your skin is reacting or becoming sensitive to it - skin can commonly react to laundry products and cause dry, itchy elbows.

• Apply sunscreen
  Whenever your skin is exposed to the sun, make sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to help protect against UV light. If you are swimming, make sure it is water resistant and after swimming, wash off the chlorine or sea water and promptly reapply. If you leave salty water or chlorine on your skin , you may find you have dry, itchy or rough elbows as the salt and chlorine can be drying.

• Contact a professional
  If problems persist or worsen, you should contact your doctor for advice.

NIVEA understands the discomfort caused by dry and rough elbows, which need that bit of extra care. Drawing on over 100 years of skincare expertise, NIVEA has carefully created skincare solutions that can help moisturize and care for dry, rough elbows. Products are formulated with ingredients such as Almond Oil or Provitamin B5 and provide nourishing, long-lasting moisture.

NIVEA Essentially Enriched Body Lotion with Deep Nourishing Serum and Almond Oil intensely moisturizes dry to very dry skin and provides long- lasting moisture for up to 48 hours. The caring formula leaves rough and dry skin noticeably smoother. Massage this moisturizer over your elbows both morning and evening to help reduce dryness.

If your elbows need a little more support, perhaps opt for NIVEA Intense Healing Body Lotion. Enriched with Provitamin B5, it helps to relieve very dry, rough skin and moisturizes for up to 72 hours.

An alternative would be to use a multipurpose cream such as the rich, intensively moisturizing NIVEA Creme or the refreshing NIVEA Soft Cream. Both are suitable for use on your face, body and hands and come in useful handbag sized formats – perfect for keeping with you on the go for when your elbows may need extra care throughout the day.