Am I Not Scrubbing Correctly?

if he is dirty he will come clean...but if it is just the way his skin is, my goodness don't scrub him raw. ALL my life I have dealt with my skin being "different" I am very pale complected and I have freckles, but my knees and elbows are significantly darker than the rest of me and I have no idea why. Pretty much if you wipe it with a wet wipe and it is still there no amount of scrubbing is going to change it, it has to do with pigmentation not dirt.

The skin on knees (elbows, soles of feet) is thicker and tougher to start, and anything you do that increases friction, like lots of scrubbing, can actually encourage it to grow thicker and tougher yet. Even though he's not crawling, I'll bet he still spends a great deal of his play time on his knees. He needs that tougher skin there.

Many people also have more melanin (tan) in all those extra layers of skin, too, so the skin is simply darker. Less scrubbing and more moisturizing might be the best you can do, but there's nothing 'wrong' with those knees! I've noticed in summer clothing catalogs that even models often have darker knees.

my knees look like I spend my days crawling around on them, it's just the way they are. I shower in the mornings, exfoliate, shave, use lotion, and take a bath every night before bed, so I know it's not dirt, i don't however know what it is.

sometimes knees get darker than other parts...my son's hands and the small of his back tan really fast and there are times when they look dirty or black...it's just him!!

One time I was giving him a bath when he was younger and he said "mommy you're hurting me" I said "I'm sorry!!! I'm TRYING to get the dirt off!!! (small of his back) and it was just his "tan"!!!

you know he's clean - don't scrub anymore mama!! you're good!

My 11 yo granddaughter has very dark dirty looking knees and elbows. She's part black and I've thought it was just the way the pigmentation came thru. I do know she's clean. She soaks in the tub for an hour or so and now that it's summer swims and they're still dark and dirty looking. She has eczema and perhaps that's related. The back of her knees and front of her elbows are both red and scaly while the fronts are dark and dirty looking.

My knees are darker than the rest of my legs. I think it's normal and may be related to build up of tissue to protect the skin. My knees got darker after I worked as a motel maid and was required to wash floors on my hands and knees. I thought the tough dark skin would go away but it didn't.

I think boys are like that! Now, if it's knees & elbows, you can try cutting a lemon in half & rubbing it in, but he's a boy, it's gonna be how it is! Mine is 8 and sometimes I think his knees are dirty and after the shower they look the same!

I would stop scrubbing him. Just use a regular soapy wash rag. If that doesn't do the job I would check with his pedi. It sounds like a skin condition of some sort, not dirt.

You might try a little rubbing alcohol. But also check with your pediatrician.

Try moisturizing and only gently wash the skin. Lemon juice or alcohol after scrubbing might not be well tolerated. With time this will take care of itself in the meantime put on long pants that are breathable (like linen) if it bothers you too much.

There is a skin condition that causes this - and I can't for the life of me think what it is called right now - I will have to think. It is either some sort of eczema, or a fungal infection

Alot of kids have darker knees, elbows etc. It is meant to protect them when they come in contact with the floor etc. I wouldn't worry about scrubbing too much--as long as you wash him all over, he's not dirty anymore!

M

Lemon Juice- put some lemon juice on a cotton ball and rub in on the "dark " places it is just dry skin, my sons get really dark elbows and ankles this does the trick. Rub them with the juice until the dark is gone you dont need to scrub just rub briskly