Skin Rejuvenation for Elbow and Knee Wrinkles - Melissa Toyos, MD Cosmetic Surgeon

Elbows and knees are parts of our body that don’t get much attention. Most women use facial products daily. Many of us have learned to swipe the extra lotions on our necks and hands to spread the anti-aging goodness to these areas while our elbows and knees can start to look elephant-like with layers of wrinkles and sagginess. 

Because elbows and knees move and bend constantly, they have become the new hands—the places where people can look to determine our real age. That’s why it is important to know how to take care of these areas so that those parts look as young as the rest of us.

Topical collagen building products are always the best place to start.  Topical retinoids, or vitamin A, is the workhorse of skin rejuvenation because it increase cell turnover, turns on collagen and improves skin tone and texture.  Used daily, clinical studies tell us that skin will show visible improvement in two months. Because retinoids often cause skin redness or irritation, consider the iScience brand that is microencapsulated to minimize common side effects while maximizing rejuvenation.  If you still experience skin irritation, peptide products like Hydrapeptide from iScience can replicate many of the actions of topical retinoids without creating skin inflammation.  Hydrapeptide contains not only peptide but also hyaluronic gel to immediately volumize and rehydrate skin.

Retinoids  or peptides work best when paired with vitamin C but remember not to combine the two unless your product is specially formulated. Otherwise, they cancel each other out.

If you are using these products and still avoiding short sleeves, skirts or shorts because you don’t like the look of your knees or elbows, hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm can be injected to replace lost volume.  Injections can be done in the office over lunch with immediate improvement. Results last about one year. Average cost is 650 for elbows or 850 for knees.

If you need or want more skin tightening and aren’t on a time crunch, the MIXTO CO2 laser is a great way to naturally tighten aging elbows and knees. Depending on the amount of loose skin and desired results, 1-3 treatments one month apart are needed. Skin tightening with the laser is immediate and continues to improve for one year. Skin treated with the MIXTO begins to age in reverse—thickening and tightening—for a year after a single treatment. Results last 5 years and prices start at 500 per area per treatment.

Fall is a perfect time to take stock of some of our often-ignored areas and start new treatment plans that will have them tuned up in no time.