But it’s time to think differently.

79% of women think face care is more important than a body skin care routine.
In reality, any skin anywhere on your body can become dry and unhealthy. Though your face is what you show to the world, other body parts are just as likely to experience moisture loss and damage. To have truly healthy skin, it’s important to practice good skin care everywhere. It’s your first line of defense against the outside world and needs to be healthy in order to protect you effectively.

When it comes to body care, here are a few particular areas to keep in mind:

1. Our elbows
   They’re one of your most-used, most-exposed body parts. Elbows bend and lean and prop you up constantly throughout the day. All of this motion contributes to thick, dry skin that can become scaly and discolored. To heal the damage, first give the skin a light cleansing, then moisturize as part of a body care routine. Do this regularly for visibly healthier elbows.
   
   
2. Your Feet
   The skin of your feet is naturally drier than anywhere else on your body. It has no oil glands, so it uses sweat glands to provide necessary moisture. Though this skin is already dry, it can still be damaged by dry weather and hot showers. Very dry feet can feel itchy and become cracked. Because bare feet are exposed to a variety of surfaces, protecting the skin on your feet is important.
   
   
3. Your Hands
   Our hands are always exposed and we use them to perform many daily tasks. Hand skin is very thin—thinner than the skin on your face—and it’s one of the first body parts to reveal signs of aging. Dry environments play a role, but frequent hand-washing (especially with hot water) will also weaken your skin’s protective lipid layer and reduce its ability to retain moisture.
   
   
4. Your Knees
   Like your elbows, your knees bend constantly and often exposed to the air (depending on the season). The skin on your knees is strong but it’s often affected by the same dryness, scaliness and discoloration that affect elbows. Luckily, the same body skin care routine you use for your elbows will also work for your knees: mild cleansing, followed by a healing moisturizer.
   Take care of your face, but remember that when it comes to skin health, it’s important to care for your entire body.
   
   Expert Advice
   The advice in this article does not constitute medical advice, it is solely available for information purposes.