It may not be the first place you think of, but your knees are a secret ageing hotspot. Here's how to look after them
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You lavish the skin on your face with expensive serums and in-clinic treatments to erase the last vestiges of age. But what of your knees? Okay, wrinkly knees may not be the most obvious ageing complaint. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s completely natural to have loose skin on your knees, which cushions the joints and gives them the flexibility to move (otherwise they wouldn’t bend). However, if you've found that the problem has become more pronounced or bothersome over the years, it may be as a result of collagen loss that sadly marks out anyone as over the age of 25.
While we talk about collagen banking for the face, depleted collagen levels can affect the whole body. In fact, after that 25th birthday, you can expect skin to start losing one per cent of collagen each year from head to toe. So the same approach of using science-backed skincare, gadgets and professional treatments to shore up a ‘bank’ of collagen while your body is still efficient at making it, applies from the neck down, too.
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Sagging on the knees is due primarily to a natural loss of elasticity but weight loss and, more importantly, sun damage can also play a big part. “UV rays are the biggest contributing factor to premature skin ageing,” says Dr Johanna Gillbro, skin scientist and author of The Scandinavian Skincare Bible, whether it's on our face or on our knees. To prove her point, she recommends comparing the skin on the buttocks, which is the most covered-up area, with the skin on your face and the rest of the body. Due to the lack of sun exposure, "the skin here generally has fewer wrinkles and pigmentation spots," she adds.
At the top end of the market, firming laser treatments are one option for treating knees; at the other end, building up your quads at the gym. But using a dermaroller (also known as a micro needler) over the knees, followed by a firming cream, offers a sweetspot middle ground and a significant improvement to its texture and tone. The idea of rolling tiny, thin needles over the skin may make you balk, but there's no cause for alarm. The 'injuries' from a dermaroller are microscopic and actually work in the skin's favour as it sends a signal to get extra collagen and elastin to the site ASAP for extra plumpness and long-term firmness.
Body care laced in retinol, applied every night, promises the same results on the knees as it does on the face. Alternatively look to peptides, which are amino acids and the building blocks of proteins such as collagen. Applied topically, they act as messengers to the skin, triggering cells to perform certain functions, including producing fresh collagen reserves.
Ahead, the best skin-firming products for your knees.
