These 10 Neglected Body Parts Need Your Love (Before It’s Too Late)
Your body is a wonderland. In case the song wasn’t able to sweet talk you into loving your own body, we’re here with some added facts to persuade you even more.
Did you ever notice how your face glows when you constantly do your skincare routine? Great results come from equally consistent efforts. It’s a rewarding fruit of labor after developing a set of good habits to live by.
But you are more than just that face – you have your whole body to represent yourself. Here’s a guide that can walk you through these neglected body parts that need your love before it’s too late
1. Neck and décolletage
The neck and décolletage a.k.a. the skin on our neck and chest are parts of the body that show the quickest signs of sun damage and aging. And if you’re a lady accustomed to wearing low neckline or off-shoulder tops and dresses, this can be an area of concern.
But no worries, ladies. There’s always a way to work around every problem. If you’re bound to be out and about under the glaring sunlight, make sure that you:
- Cleanse: Just like how your face needs cleansing, the neck and décolletage need to wash away dirt and stay clean.
- Moisturize: Dryness of the skin can make you prone to sun damage and aging.
- Exfoliate: It helps to get rid of dead skin cells and brightens the surface of the skin.
- Use sunblock: Your neck and décolletage is just as delicate as your face, protect it!
2. Hands
Good facial appearance is great and all, but have you ever heard of a fine-looking pair of hands? The appearance of your hands reveals a lot of your habits and lifestyle. There will be changes in your hands as you age. One of these will be how it looks. Veins will become obvious due to the loss of soft tissues and age spots will also be part of the dilemma.
There are ways you can do every day to maintain your hands younger-looking and healthy.
- Wash your hands: This goes without saying. The cardinal rule in any part of the body is to keep it clean. Make sure that the hand soap that you’re using is gentle on the skin.
- Find a good moisturizer: With consistent use, your hands will be smoother and softer.
- Use of gloves: Your hands are tools used every day. Give them the luxury of protection, especially when you’re doing hard labor or using cleaning products that may damage your skin.
3. Knees
Back when we’re young, looking at our darkened and dry knees seems to be natural for a kid. It’s because we tumble, fall and walk on our knees a lot due to our playfulness.
Here are some remedies you can try to keep your knees soft and smooth:
- Use lotion: If you notice, moisturizing is always part of the answer in most skin problems. Because it solves dryness of the skin, and dryness is one of the common causes of dark skin.
- Avoid hot water: This is one of the common mistakes that are giving you dry skin. Tempting as it is during the cold weather, hot water can remove essential oils in the skin that usually leads to dryness.
- Wear sunblock often: This is to prevent sun damage and hyperpigmentation of the skin on your knees.
- Exfoliate. This can remove dead skin cells that make the skin on your knees dark and dry.
4. Feet
In the list of these neglected body parts that need your love before it’s too late, your feet can be the toughest contender. Most of us may not care as much because it’s always hidden in socks, sandals or shoes, but it needs just as much attention as the other parts of your body.
Foot care is also routine. Similar to the hands, you need to develop good habits into maintaining them.
- Keep it clean: Wash and scrub it with soap. It prevents half of your feet problems once you learn to do it every day. Don’t forget to moisturize it too after washing it.
- Wear clean shoes and socks. Your feet have more sweat glands per inch than anywhere else on your body and may excrete up to half a pint of moisture a day. That makes it a perfect breeding ground for microorganisms to thrive, causing that funky smell.
- Trim your nails: Having properly cut nails makes it less likely for dirt to accumulate under your nails.
5. Elbow
Just like the knees, elbows are parts of the body that stretches and bends a lot. Unsurprisingly, one of the most frequently asked questions about skin problems is what causes it?
A dry and dark elbow can be;
- Skin condition such as psoriasis and eczema
- Dead skin cells
- Hyperpigmentation
- A side effect of a medication
This skin trouble can also be handled by a simple exfoliating and moisturizing habit. Scrubbing off flaky skin cells and using the right moisturizer after is the easiest way to deal with it.
6. Belly button
Believe it or not, belly buttons can collect dirt and breed bacteria. It can cause skin infections and even result in bad odor. Thus, learning the right way to clean it can be advantageous for your body.
- Dip a cotton q-tip in mild soap before swabbing it to clean your belly button.
- After cleaning, re-swab it with dry q-tip to keep the skin surface dry.
- If you want to use lotion to moisturize it, keep it away from your inner belly button as it might cause bacteria to breed in there.
7. Behind ears
You’re probably wondering why there are acne and cysts behind your ear, and sometimes it even smells! It’s because we don’t give it much attention even when we’re doing our hygienic routines. These troubles can be prevented by;
- Washing behind your ears with soap for sensitive skin.
- When sweating, wipe it with a warm or soft cloth.
- An exfoliating wash every week can get rid of any smell.
8. Back
Your back is the hardest part of your body to reach. And let’s admit it, we often neglect it because of that. Just as how often we can get acne in our faces, our backs can too. It is vulnerable to sweat that eventually swells up to bacteria as it is often hidden under our clothes.
If you found yourself having skin trouble at your back, maybe it’s time to give it some TLC and see what happens.
- Watch out for your hair: All the dirt clogging up on your back can be from chemicals of hair products that you put on your hair.
- Exfoliate: Use a body wash that contains ingredients like salicylic acid or lactic acid. If your skin is not broken or sensitive, try dry brushing regularly to encourage cell turnover.
9. Butt
Oh, butts. Who wouldn’t like a butt so looking smooth without even touching it? As much as we like to show it off through tight yoga pants and cute swimsuits, it takes quite an effort to maintain this asset.
But here are some tips in keeping that booty looking good.
- Don’t scrub it roughly. You may exfoliate it, but the skin can be a bit sensitive and may cause irritation when you’re not careful enough.
- Don’t scrub it roughly. You may exfoliate it, but the skin can be a bit sensitive and may cause irritation when you’re not careful enough.
- Shower after sweating. Letting sweat sit on your buns is like inviting dirt to clog up your skin. It may result in irritation of the skin.
10. Bikini area
If you prefer to keep your lady bits fuzz-free, you're prone to skin troubles like; ingrown hair, razor burn, discoloration and many more. But if you’re wondering if there’s a way to not experience those at all, it's time to give your bikini line some love.
- Make sure to use a mild exfoliator before and after hair removal.
- Apply toner and moisturizer to prevent ingrown from appearing. Use a non-alcohol based astringent to prevent dryness.
- Don’t shave on dry skin. Make sure that the area is clean and hydrated when shaving or it may cause irritation on the surface of the skin.
Your skin is the first layer of your body protection. It is intertwined with your emotional, physical and mental health.
All of these may sound intimidating at first, but it’s worth a try. If you’re still confused about which products to use or how to begin your skin care journey, you can start off by using an all-over body scrub.
Learning how to love each and every part of you is hard, but when you do - it’ll show. You’ll glow in the light you’ve never expected. It won’t be an easy journey, but consistency is always the key. Make it a habit to check on yourself. There’s no harm in trying a new way of caring for your body.
- By Hanna G.
February 18, 2020
