Dark pigmentations of the knuckles can be as a result of various factors. It may be the reaction to a certain intake of drugs, It may also be inherited and could be a sign of vitamins the body is lacking.

Nevertheless, the factor associated most with black knuckles is as a result of the strong acidic substance found in products used on the skin, breaking down the melanin present in it. These products are commonly referred to as bleaching creams.


Drug reactions
Other than bleaching creams usage of these drugs is linked to why the knuckles could get darker than other parts of the fingers.

These drugs are:

Nicotine acid
Estrogen therapy
Growth hormone therapy
Protease inhibitors
Drug containing these substances causes the knuckles to have darker pigmentation.

Lack of Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin that helps to create red blood cells. The red blood cells help to carry oxygen through the body. When the body does not have enough Vitamin B-12, it could cause the knuckles to start losing its color and get darker.

The symptoms of lack of vitamin B-12 include:

Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headache

The body system extracts this vitamin from foods such as egg, milk, cheese, and meat. When the body gets little of these foods the skin starts to lose its glow and the knuckles amidst other areas of the body that has higher pigmentations get darker.

Skin lightening products

Many skin lightening products contain Hydroquinone or Lipohydroxy acid which is derived from salicylic acid. These acids bleach the skin by breaking down the number of melanocytes which produces melanin that helps to give the skin a brown color. These compounds are artificial and are recommended mostly to be used for treating skin issues like; melasma, acne scars, eczema and dark spots.


When products containing these acids are used other than for skin treatment, the skin reacts to it especially parts of the skin that have hyperpigmentations. The knuckles are part of the body parts that have hyperpigmentations, so it proves really hard for bleaching products to penetrate and lighten them.

There are more natural ingredients and simpler ways to get rid of dark knuckles, they are as follows:

Soy
The varieties of soy can help lighten the knuckles, It could be either in the bean or milk form. for use, it is recommended to apply on the surface of the knuckles and rinse out after a couple of minutes or leave in longer as desired. The nutrients in soy suppress skin pigmentations from surfacing.

Ellagic Acid
This is extracted from fruits like cherries, pomegranates, and strawberries. Often intake of these fruits and making scrub mixtures with it brightens the knuckles. The acid stops one of the enzymes that helps in the secretion of melanin in the skin.

Sugar and olive oil
Sugar and olive oil mixed together as a scrub helps to exfoliate the dead skin cells on the knuckles. Sugar removes the dead skin cells on the surface of the knuckles while olive oil moisturizes the skin, giving it the glow you desire.

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