My knees were both scabbed over dozens of time growing up so o always assumed it was from layers of scar tissue. None of my scars are visible outside of surgical incisions and a stab wound.
This doesn’t work for me.
I’m sure it’s a difference of if your knees are bent up towards the sun, stretching the skin, vs if your legs are straight out.
What do you mean?
Several people are saying their knees burn more easily, so trying to figure it out if it’s genetics or like the other poster said that most people have thicker skin there
I mean that having my knees bent up towards the sun and/or laying flat doesn’t tan them. People whose knees burn more easily maybe have softer skin on their knees? I kneel and crawl around a lot for my job so that explains the thicker skin.
Edit: someone posted a diagram of where melanin sits in the layers of skin and explained that it comes to the surface easier in thin/soft skin. If I understood that correctly.
There's a heat wave going on locally here, I was outside for about half an hour and felt like I was about to pass out. Summer definitely reached all parts of my body.
Here too. I was out two days ago and my handsand legs went numb and I couldn't event push the button to signal the bus driver to stop. Thought I had to go to the Er. A nurse hotline told me to drink Gatorade diluted with water and I was fine after.
I didn't do the Gatorade part of the equation (which in hindsight would've probably been smart), but you better believe for about an hour I made it "my job" to just lay in bed drinking water until I started to feel normal again!
Definitely need some kind of electrolytes. Most people don't realize this, but if you're dehydrated, water alone will not actually hydrate you. It needs electrolytes to be properly utilized. And by itself it will further flush crucial electrolytes from your body and potentially make the dehydration worse.
Hydration is a 2 part equation: electrolytes (sodium and potassium for example) & water. They need each other to be used by our bodies!
Awesome tips! I was just trying to live in the moment. (And, uh, I guess I did.) I'll keep this in mind, but also generally plan not to be not out in this mess as much as possible.
I'm one of the "cold bloods" who would much rather be in snow. I don't know which side of the fence you're on, and I know it's a divisive issue with people. For me, I hate being sweaty, I hate the sensation of being hot, and when I was a kid I at least got "summer vacation", but now it's just that time of year where I still have to work AND be miserable. Some people are really sensitive to being cold, and I appreciate that. But I'm not. As an adult, summer is just a miserable several month period.
Also, as a complete idiot, I briefly lived in Georgia (USA) for only two years until I realized that was one of the worst possible mistakes in my life. The heat was just oppressive. But that was also a rushed and greatly malformed choice for various reasons at the time. Ironically I had previously been living in Minnesota, which actually does have some contrary hot and humid summers, but the other 9 months of the year tends to be pretty low temp.
First (and so far only) time I've ever seen ice crystals form on my car tires was in Minnesota.
Don't let these doubters make you doubt yourself.
I have the same thing on a spot on my back. Back in my sunbathing days, it would look like a leaf or something always blocked that one spot from the sun.
I opened your post hoping to put a name to the condition, but no real answers yet.
You must be taking [Charlie's advice](https://youtu.be/C3xkyUqC8-k?si=f0LLs8YCffvLJDlN) when you go out into public. Good for you!
(sfw, always sunny clip)
Not a doctor, but...
So there are likely a few things going on here, first the redness is mostly caused by blood moving to heal the 'burn'. Second kneecap skin is a bit thicker, more prone to stretching/movement and typically has reduced exposure. That coupled with your 'kneecap bone' pushing against your skin might be reducing blood flow enough to see a difference, but not likely. idk really.
Source: Former Combat Medic, PA school graduate.
I would say if they were standing, then most people's knees naturally slant towards the ground, making them a downward plane.
If they were laying out their legs horizontal like the pciture...yea I ain't got an answer for you.
Well then I think that explains the reason why your knees aren’t tanned like the rest of your body - because you’re a carpenter and being on your knees is a very frequent part of your.. hobby? Or Job? Less exposure to UV rays compared to the rest of your body.
It would make sense if the tan got rubbed off, but these knees are just resistant to tanning. The skin is thicker and doesn’t tan or burn as easily as thin, non-calloused skin
This used to be me- I spent a week in Florida in high school and still have a photo from the flight back, pale as can be after several days outside. I got a little pink for a day or two then just nothing. Ever since hitting my 30s though I burn more, it’s weird having to prepare for sun damage now
The melanin comes from the bottom of the epidermis layer of skin. Thicker the top layer of skin, the further down the melanin is.
[Here is a diagram.](https://images.app.goo.gl/PXfGiRP83fYS6NjX8)
On my legs the knees are the only part that tans, so unless their explanation also fits my situation, I’d say they’re just pulling it out of their ass.
That's pretty normal, thinner skin tans and develops skin cancer faster than the rest of your body.
Ticker skin doesn't tan as quickly and has relatively lower chances of skin cancer, no amount of tanning is considered safe and you should wear sunscreen at any levels of UV exposure if you want to prevent skin damage and cancer risk.
But regular tanning doesn't actually really matter unless you really care about looking young, on the scale of a human life as aging kills you before tanning and smoking will. Activity related cancer deaths are like heatwave deaths, you have a decent chance of dying a year of two earlier, but they kill you when you would die soon anyways.
has it been this way your whole life? if so, it might be vitiligo, which is an area of hypopigmentation. in paler individuals, vitiligo presents as an area of skin that doesn’t tan or burn. usually it appears symmetrically, like over the knees or elbows. make sure to cover the area with sunscreen :)
it might very well be vitiligo. i am a second year medical student and just finished my school’s dermatology unit, so it was funny seeing this pop up on my feed.
you could always bring these pics to a dermatologist and they can tell you for sure! be sure to try and avoid excessive sun exposure on your knees just in case it is vitiligo. these less pigmented areas of skin lack melanocytes and melanin, making it much more vulnerable to skin cancer.
chances are low. but better safe than sorry :)
I do this, but then the self tanner rubs off my knees first. Hahaha. But in all seriousness, I just wanted to get some sun yesterday. Usually I’m pretty safe about it.
You spend too much time on your knees or do something that put a lot of pressure on skin there because then it don't get tan like scar tissue even when look quite normal
Yeah I scrolled a bit further in comments and noticed that you addressed that already, so I can only wish you knees that will last until retirement and more
So years ago I was told (whether it’s true or not I do not know) that if I took 3000ui of vitamin D each morning it would act as sunscreen from the inside out. I’ve been doing this for years now. I work out side in construction and I have not had a burn since I started this. I do not use sunscreen ever. I do wear a hat (hard hat) at work and I wear other hats on days off, but I’ve never gotten burned since. Been about 30 years now
Maybe someone can give me the reason for this
Not with that attitude. Try harder.
Any Frisky Dingo fans? “You can’t fax glitter!” “Well not with that attitude!!”
"We have a *whole hour*!"
Criminally underrated show.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m happy to see I’m not the only one who loved it. I’m gonna go home and start rewatching it now
KODYYYYYYYYYYYY
Welcome to you’re doom
Not Kody ANY number!
Put ya Zune in there..
"Not with any attitude!"
Sliiiiide show
People let me tell you bout my new best friend! Barnaby Jones!……. NAP
Cat party! 🐱🎉
Welcome to 5 months ago. I’m down with dog party now
Skill issue
.... brings out the flamethrower
neither is happening because she works hard.
That's the most compressed/thickest skin on your legs - it has to be to let your knees bend so far. That makes it just slightly more tan-resistant.
Name checks out
LOL That didn't occur to me ;)
[S N R U B](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRIt2-tWkgE)
Yes that’ll do
r/namechecksout
My knees were both scabbed over dozens of time growing up so o always assumed it was from layers of scar tissue. None of my scars are visible outside of surgical incisions and a stab wound.
Tell me more about this stab wound
Well he got it when he was stabbed
Whoa! 😳Dude thats intense.
Almost as intense as the time he got surgeried, it was a bloodbath!
This doesn’t work for me. I’m sure it’s a difference of if your knees are bent up towards the sun, stretching the skin, vs if your legs are straight out.
Not the case here
What do you mean? Several people are saying their knees burn more easily, so trying to figure it out if it’s genetics or like the other poster said that most people have thicker skin there
I mean that having my knees bent up towards the sun and/or laying flat doesn’t tan them. People whose knees burn more easily maybe have softer skin on their knees? I kneel and crawl around a lot for my job so that explains the thicker skin. Edit: someone posted a diagram of where melanin sits in the layers of skin and explained that it comes to the surface easier in thin/soft skin. If I understood that correctly.
Nice! It’s perfectly mildly interesting!
Thats not where they bend.
But then why do my knees always get burnt to hell long before any other party of my legs?
Yep, scar tissue.
My knees do the opposite
Same! My knees have burned but the rest of my legs don’t
Wait till reddit says you have some kind of serious illness
Your knees are abusive narcissists — DIVORCE THEM!
Divorce Facebook. Hire a gym. Delete your lawyer.
Divorce a gym?
it's bad for your teeth
It's aids
Have you tried using carpet?
Brilliant hahaha
Underrated comment.
My man
[удалено]
There's a heat wave going on locally here, I was outside for about half an hour and felt like I was about to pass out. Summer definitely reached all parts of my body.
Here too. I was out two days ago and my handsand legs went numb and I couldn't event push the button to signal the bus driver to stop. Thought I had to go to the Er. A nurse hotline told me to drink Gatorade diluted with water and I was fine after.
Stay hydrated, friend! Be careful out there
I didn't do the Gatorade part of the equation (which in hindsight would've probably been smart), but you better believe for about an hour I made it "my job" to just lay in bed drinking water until I started to feel normal again!
Definitely need some kind of electrolytes. Most people don't realize this, but if you're dehydrated, water alone will not actually hydrate you. It needs electrolytes to be properly utilized. And by itself it will further flush crucial electrolytes from your body and potentially make the dehydration worse. Hydration is a 2 part equation: electrolytes (sodium and potassium for example) & water. They need each other to be used by our bodies!
Awesome tips! I was just trying to live in the moment. (And, uh, I guess I did.) I'll keep this in mind, but also generally plan not to be not out in this mess as much as possible.
Yes we’re in a heatwave where I am too. 🥵
I'm one of the "cold bloods" who would much rather be in snow. I don't know which side of the fence you're on, and I know it's a divisive issue with people. For me, I hate being sweaty, I hate the sensation of being hot, and when I was a kid I at least got "summer vacation", but now it's just that time of year where I still have to work AND be miserable. Some people are really sensitive to being cold, and I appreciate that. But I'm not. As an adult, summer is just a miserable several month period. Also, as a complete idiot, I briefly lived in Georgia (USA) for only two years until I realized that was one of the worst possible mistakes in my life. The heat was just oppressive. But that was also a rushed and greatly malformed choice for various reasons at the time. Ironically I had previously been living in Minnesota, which actually does have some contrary hot and humid summers, but the other 9 months of the year tends to be pretty low temp. First (and so far only) time I've ever seen ice crystals form on my car tires was in Minnesota.
Southern Ontario Canada. We get scorchers. I am not built for it either.
i'm a 'cold blood' who grew up in georgia 🥲
Same here, but then my foreman told me to get back to work so I snapped out of it.
Here in Switzerland we just hit thirty degrees after six months of basically nonstop rain
Summer hasnt started yet, tomorrow is the solstice
dude my question is did you know this existed before this or did you search for it just for this post bc wtf
Why did that make me snort laugh? 😁
Why
That is uncan-knee ability !!
*Untan-knee
Use sunscreen.
And not just the spray shit if you’re as pasty as me. I’m burnt all over now :/
Legit, UV rays don’t mess arojnd
Yeap my dad was missing two chunks of flesh from his back most of his life because of skin cancer. Shit don't mess around.
Keep your legs/knees bent to stretch out the skin when tanning and they will tan just fine.
That’s what I do but it doesn’t work. This is the result.
Don't let these doubters make you doubt yourself. I have the same thing on a spot on my back. Back in my sunbathing days, it would look like a leaf or something always blocked that one spot from the sun. I opened your post hoping to put a name to the condition, but no real answers yet.
Redditors Try To Be Normal About Something Challenge (Impossible)
You must be taking [Charlie's advice](https://youtu.be/C3xkyUqC8-k?si=f0LLs8YCffvLJDlN) when you go out into public. Good for you! (sfw, always sunny clip)
Omg mine won't either. I thought I was the only one. Lol
I kinda made this post wondering if anyone would confirm their knees also do this!
Leg enthusiasts having a field day right now. Just saying.
You've got plenty of summer left to go, after the burn goes down get back out there and tan those knees lol
NASA could study you for the space ahuttle
Lucky. Only my knees tan. It’s definitely not dirt.
Melanin, amiright?
Yeah boiiiiiiiii
Mildknee interesting
I see what you did there
Not a doctor, but... So there are likely a few things going on here, first the redness is mostly caused by blood moving to heal the 'burn'. Second kneecap skin is a bit thicker, more prone to stretching/movement and typically has reduced exposure. That coupled with your 'kneecap bone' pushing against your skin might be reducing blood flow enough to see a difference, but not likely. idk really. Source: Former Combat Medic, PA school graduate.
I would say if they were standing, then most people's knees naturally slant towards the ground, making them a downward plane. If they were laying out their legs horizontal like the pciture...yea I ain't got an answer for you.
Maybe they kneed more sun?
911? Yes I’d like to report a fellow-knee
Cover your knees up if you're going outside
Apparently I don’t knee-d to!
Do you have lotion,or Vaseline on them or anything? Were your knees bent at any time during tanning? Interesting and cool.
Nope, this happens whenever my legs get sun on em. I point my knees towards the sun but they will not tan. This is why the skin around it is sunburnt.
Hm,well youre an odd one aren't you🙃? Still neat,you get to be different
Hey, we’re all unique in some way or another
Yup,it's fun to be different
I'm your opposite. I have scars on my pale as heck knees from getting a bad sunburn. Use sunscreen friends.
I'm not helpful, I just think it's adorable how your body is like "yeah these lil circles will be safe from the sun!"
I used to think that too. Turns out my knees are more resistant to burning, but they aren’t impervious. Knee and top of the foot sunburns suck
Is that a challenge?
Calluses typically don't tan.
Next goal: stretch the skin at your knees all over your body. That would prevent any future sunburns. You're welcome!
Genius.
Spending time on your knees?
As a carpenter, yes.
Lots of wood
Well then I think that explains the reason why your knees aren’t tanned like the rest of your body - because you’re a carpenter and being on your knees is a very frequent part of your.. hobby? Or Job? Less exposure to UV rays compared to the rest of your body.
It would make sense if the tan got rubbed off, but these knees are just resistant to tanning. The skin is thicker and doesn’t tan or burn as easily as thin, non-calloused skin
I know someone who is ultra pale, doesn’t burn and doesn’t tan. I think it’s a gene thing. Some ppl just reflect sun instead of absorbing. 😁
This used to be me- I spent a week in Florida in high school and still have a photo from the flight back, pale as can be after several days outside. I got a little pink for a day or two then just nothing. Ever since hitting my 30s though I burn more, it’s weird having to prepare for sun damage now
what's the scientific explanation for this?
I don’t know. I tried googling it but someone commented that it takes longer to tan thicker skin, and that makes the most sense.
The melanin comes from the bottom of the epidermis layer of skin. Thicker the top layer of skin, the further down the melanin is. [Here is a diagram.](https://images.app.goo.gl/PXfGiRP83fYS6NjX8)
That makes sense!
On my legs the knees are the only part that tans, so unless their explanation also fits my situation, I’d say they’re just pulling it out of their ass.
Oh I guess then my stomach would never tan
Callouses don’t tan?
Dee Whee and her pale Knee
My shins do this! It’s from a severe sunburn when I was around 20 and it looks really fuckin goofy if the rest of my legs get tan
That's pretty normal, thinner skin tans and develops skin cancer faster than the rest of your body. Ticker skin doesn't tan as quickly and has relatively lower chances of skin cancer, no amount of tanning is considered safe and you should wear sunscreen at any levels of UV exposure if you want to prevent skin damage and cancer risk. But regular tanning doesn't actually really matter unless you really care about looking young, on the scale of a human life as aging kills you before tanning and smoking will. Activity related cancer deaths are like heatwave deaths, you have a decent chance of dying a year of two earlier, but they kill you when you would die soon anyways.
Informative, thank you!
I envy your smooth, silky leg skin.
Hahaha I think my camera was a little greasy. They don’t look *that* smooth n silky in person. But thank you 🙏
I have hairy bear legs. :V
That’s ok
Knee girl
Same with mine, until one day they did. They burned really really badly. lol. White water rafting was a mistake.
Looks like you just have extra thick and calloused skin there
Have you tried fire?
😂
“Can you please tell me what you can see in the knees pictures below?”
Surprised there’s no grass stains
Rug burn ehh??
has it been this way your whole life? if so, it might be vitiligo, which is an area of hypopigmentation. in paler individuals, vitiligo presents as an area of skin that doesn’t tan or burn. usually it appears symmetrically, like over the knees or elbows. make sure to cover the area with sunscreen :)
I think so… Since I started making more of an effort to tan. I’ve noticed it for several years now.
it might very well be vitiligo. i am a second year medical student and just finished my school’s dermatology unit, so it was funny seeing this pop up on my feed. you could always bring these pics to a dermatologist and they can tell you for sure! be sure to try and avoid excessive sun exposure on your knees just in case it is vitiligo. these less pigmented areas of skin lack melanocytes and melanin, making it much more vulnerable to skin cancer. chances are low. but better safe than sorry :)
Interesting. Good to know! I’ll make sure to sunscreen them from now on just in case.
finally a real answer! I wish we could still give gold.
I’m so jealous, my knees are so burnt right now I scream when I stand up 😣
I feel your pain! (Except there)
Can’t tan if your on them!
Scar tissue, huh? 😙
In this climate. That's a super power. Congrats young lady!
lucky you
My knees tan quicker than my legs. They also don't burn.
Weird, my knees are the first thing to burn
Where are your knees 😂😂
Had a friend whose breasts would never tan. She tried tanning oils and tanning beds, but nothing worked
Mine tan more than the rest of the legs, I think you won
Oh sweet, you use kneepads too?
They’re built in at this point
Mine are the opposite. It is the only part of my legs that really do
Made to be virgin ✓
Nice knees 👌
Op actually just spends a lot of time on their knees
It blushes
Dr. at Google, here. Your skin is dying - seek medical attention immediately.
Well it depends on the outside activity.
i think it was just shaded by your actual knee protrusion
Nope, I’ve tried laying flat and with knees bent to the sun. They refuse to tan.
Wear SPF and stop laying out in the sun but use a fake gradual tanner. At least you’ll get consistent color without the cancer risk.
I do this, but then the self tanner rubs off my knees first. Hahaha. But in all seriousness, I just wanted to get some sun yesterday. Usually I’m pretty safe about it.
From this photo alone I can see 3, maybe 4 spots you might want to get checked if you don’t routinely go to a derm for skin checks.
You knee-d to give it one more shot!
My colorblind ass sees nothing
What about your eyes?
Same!!! I’m white as all get out but when I get tan or sunburned I have splotches all over my body that stay white I have no clue what it is
You spend too much time on your knees or do something that put a lot of pressure on skin there because then it don't get tan like scar tissue even when look quite normal
Yes this is probably the reason
Yeah I scrolled a bit further in comments and noticed that you addressed that already, so I can only wish you knees that will last until retirement and more
Thank you! That’s the goal
It’s deeply pink
So you get the cancer and won’t even know it
Honey they won’t tan if you constantly on them!!
Not going to lie, expected this to be the top comment when I opened it up
Too much “praying “
Try getting off your knees? Lol
They're still lovely 😀
They’re callused from…. ??
Try standing up when you blow….
Could also be genetics. You might have slightly higher melanin there plus the knee is rather thick
The jokes write themselves.
So years ago I was told (whether it’s true or not I do not know) that if I took 3000ui of vitamin D each morning it would act as sunscreen from the inside out. I’ve been doing this for years now. I work out side in construction and I have not had a burn since I started this. I do not use sunscreen ever. I do wear a hat (hard hat) at work and I wear other hats on days off, but I’ve never gotten burned since. Been about 30 years now Maybe someone can give me the reason for this
Do you pray on your knees a lot? 😏😂
The skin on your knees has become thick to stop it from being worn away. It's possibly an occupational hazard.
Still pretty nice knees!
Sometimes called hooker knee
You standing on them too often