Brown spots on your knees--like brown spots on your face and hands--happen because of too much sun exposure. Like suntans and freckles, they show up in areas where the sun has overstimulated production of melanin, creating blotchy dark patches that can be pin-sized or large and very visible. The best way to prevent them from occurring on your knees is to wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day and cover your knees between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun is at its hottest.
Be Cautious with Bleaching Creams
Dermatologists may prescribe bleaching creams with hydroquinone to fade brown spots, but be careful about applying them, warns Doris Day, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the New York University Langone Medical Center, in Real Beauty online magazine. Too often, people extend bleaching cream beyond the spot itself, leaving pale circles of skin around dark spots that only draw more attention to them.
Try Over-the-Counter First
Creams containing niacinamide, glucosamine or vitamin C can help to fade brown spots on your knees, according to Elle magazine. Try creams with alpha hydroxy acids or glycolic acids, which can have a lightening effect, says Benjamin Barankin, M.D., dermatologist from Toronto's Cosmetic Dermatology, in Canadian Living magazine.
Be Treatment Savvy
Retinol treatments and hydroquinone, two of the most potentially effective treatments for brown spots on your skin, both increase your skin's sun sensitivity. If you use them to fade existing brown spots on your knees, you'll need to be extra vigilant about wearing sunscreen and protecting your knees from the sun, says Day in Real Beauty.
Don't Undo Your Good Work
If you use microdermabrasion or laser therapy to restore an even skin tone to your knees, don't view the improvement in the appearance of your knees as license to go bare. Just one hour unprotected in the sun can return your knees to their pre-treatment appearance, according to Day in Real Beauty magazine.
Talk to a Dermatologist
Many skin-lightening treatments have intense effects and may cause side effects, so it's a good idea to check with a dermatologist before using them on your knees, says Barankin in Canadian Living. A dermatologist can also determine whether any of your dark spots are malignant and need medical treatment.
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