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What Causes Rough Patches on Knees?

Although rough patches on the knees do not usually qualify as a medical emergency, they can be very unsightly. Treating the cause of the rough patches and not just the symptoms themselves can prevent future costly skin treatments and further embarrassment. There can be several different reasons for having rough patches on the knees and knowing the specific cause will direct the treatment.

  1. Excessive Friction

    • The pressure of another force against the knee can cause the skin to thicken there and have the appearance of dry patches. People who work jobs or perform hobbies that keep them on their knees a great deal of the time suffer from this cause. Wearing knee pads can help to alleviate the rough patches in this case.

    Poor Hygiene

    • Improper hygiene can allow the dead skin cells and skin oils to build up on the knees. This is an area of skin that is covering a joint; therefore, the skin has numerous folds in it, and these folds catch and hold the debris if it isn't washed away. Soaking in a warm bath and exfoliating the knees with a soft-bristled brush can slough off the dead skin cells and dirt.

    Specific Skin Conditions

    • There are some specific skin conditions such as eczema, or dermatitis, that can cause the skin on the knees to become scaly and rough. The cause of the eczematous condition is not certain, but according to eczema.com, many doctors attribute this itchy, scaly condition to allergens in food, clothing and chemicals. The treatment of choice for this condition is almost always a topical lotion or ointment that has medication in it designed to repair the skin and minimize infection from the broken skin.

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