Hands are among the first parts of our bodies to show signs of aging. Overwashing, using soap with harsh chemicals and failing to moisturize can all hasten their deterioration.
Over time, the natural fat layer on the backs of our hands begins to thin, revealing bones, veins and tendons. By employing treatments such as laser skin resurfacing, IPL and dermal fillers to reverse this process we can make our hands appear younger.
1. Moisturize
Hands are one of the first areas on your body to show signs of aging, partly because their skin is thinner than elsewhere and they’re exposed to chemicals more regularly than most. But you can reverse these effects by moisturizing regularly – something your hands won’t thank you for later!
After every time you wash your hands, apply hand lotion – keeping a bottle on the sink can ensure you won’t forget! Use gentle soap that won’t strip them of natural oils; alternatively try natural products containing shea butter, coconut oil or jojoba oil which help hydrate skin while replenishing lost lipids which leave hands feeling parched and flaky.
Make a DIY hand mask using olive oil, shea butter, avocado oil and sea buckthorn oil. Wrap your hands in cotton-lined gloves while the mask soaks into your hand skin to make it soft and smooth while replenishing some of the natural fat found beneath its surface. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes! The oils in this treatment will penetrate deeply beneath its surface to restore some of the fat found underneath your hand skin while leaving it with a sense of softness and restoration.
Some lifestyle habits can accelerate the aging process on your hands, such as smoking and poor nutrition. But there are ways to slow it down – such as using anti-ageing hand moisturizer and sunscreen or some facial anti-ageing ingredients which work on hands as well. When searching for serums to address both age spots and wrinkles.
2. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is an essential way to combat signs of aging on skin, such as wrinkles, age spots and dullness. Yet many forget to apply it regularly on their hands – but thanks to hand creams with SPF that combine hydration, skin barrier repair and sun protection into one product!
Our hands are especially susceptible to UV radiation damage due to their lack of fat, making them more delicate than other parts of our bodies and more likely to experience wrinkles or dry and brittleness. Furthermore, UV rays may aggravate our veins making them appear more prominent as part of natural aging processes, yet prolonged exposure to UV light compounds this effect.
When selecting a sunscreen, it is essential that it meets these criteria: it must be broad spectrum with an SPF rating of 30 or greater and water resistant. You have two choices when it comes to physical blockers: zinc oxide or titanium dioxide can reflect UV rays back onto their source; chemical blockers absorb UV rays with chemicals like Avobenzone, Ethoxycinnamate Octisalate Oxybenzone being common examples.
Add extra anti-aging benefits by applying retinol or glycolic acid creams. They can help smooth rough patches, boost collagen production and reverse fine lines and wrinkles for even greater anti-ageing. For optimal results, reapply after every handwashing session or throughout the day for best results.
3. Exfoliate
Hand skin is thinner than that found elsewhere on the body, leading to faster signs of aging than elsewhere on its surface. Sun exposure is one cause; other factors like frequent hand washing or using certain household cleaners may dry out skin more rapidly and accelerate signs of aging more visibly. Some individuals even suffer from hereditary conditions that cause their hands to age faster.
Exfoliation can help keep the skin on your hands healthy-looking, with regular exfoliation helping remove dead skin cells to soothe wrinkled or cracked hands and even out uneven skin tone and age spots. You can purchase commercial exfoliants or make your own homemade scrub using natural ingredients like sugar, coffee or olive oil; for optimal results use at least three times weekly and follow it with a rich hand cream that locks in moisture for soft hands!
Chemical peels can help reverse the signs of aging hands by diminishing age spots and hyperpigmentation and by peeling away layers of skin to stimulate new cell growth. Before embarking on any such treatment regimen, however, it’s wise to consult a dermatologist first.
Other cosmetic treatments can also reverse signs of aging on hands, including laser resurfacing or injectable fillers. While these methods are more invasive than others, trained medical professionals should perform them. Individuals can make lifestyle changes that slow the aging process such as wearing sunscreen and giving up smoking to protect their skin against potential cosmetic changes in later years.
4. Retinol
Retinol, a form of Vitamin A, is an important lipid-soluble compound with numerous health-promoting benefits for skin health and anti-ageing purposes. Retinol’s anti-ageing benefits include stimulating cell turnover to fade brown spots and even out skin tone, smooth wrinkles, strengthen skin barriers and help plump hands by increasing collagen production for firming hands and firming skin – which may explain its use by researchers for eight-week anti-wrinkle trials; stronger prescription products could produce even greater results;
Dermatologists advise starting slowly when it comes to using retinol as it may be irritating for skin, gradually increasing frequency over time and starting from low concentration over-the-counter products like Dr. Garshick suggests. If your skin becomes red or irritated after using, stop until things calm down, Dr. Garshick advises. Ideally she advises applying retinol two to three times weekly for two or three weeks and once per night thereafter before increasing frequency to daily.
Yadav suggests using hand cream with ingredients such as ceramides, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid in addition to retinol for effective relief from dryness caused by this ingredient. She recommends looking for one with an encapsulated retinol formula which releases its active ingredients gradually into your skin without irritation.
Hadley King, MD of New York City recommends this Necessaire formula which combines 0.25% retinol with AHAs for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and dissolving dark spots. This fast-absorbing cream also boasts shea butter and bio-tech collagen to give a silky feeling on skin. She says consistent use will produce noticeable results after six months but says the wait will be worth your while!
5. Botox
Botox may be best-known for smoothing wrinkles on the face, but this neurotoxin also has many uses on hands. Botox can reduce age spots, brighten skin tone and help conceal veins and tendons on hands.
Chemical peels can also be an effective hand treatment. A special solution is applied to the skin in this procedure and causes its top layers to exfoliate off, revealing smoother and younger-looking skin beneath. Chemical peels can be combined with other therapies like dermal fillers or RF microneedling for maximum impactful results.
Laser treatments for hands can also be highly beneficial. A few sessions of IPL photofacials, for instance, can effectively diminish age spots and sun damage on hands as well as diminish discoloration and redness on skin.
Other treatments to increase volume and conceal veins and tendons include dermal fillers containing hyaluronic acid such as Restylane Lyft and Radiesse that have been FDA approved to provide natural-looking enhancement to hands, covering any visible tendons and bones associated with age. Sclerotherapy, another minimally invasive option, involves injecting sclerosing agents directly into visible veins on hands that causes them to close off.
