5 Tips To Rejuvenate Your Aging Hands
Photo, thanks to StepsToHealth
At 40 years of age our hands seem less plump, have brown spots and our skin texture is losing that youthful appearance. The aging process escapes no one and the daily use of our hands along with sun exposure may accelerate the process. So, how can we turn back the hands of time? These five tips can help rejuvenate your aging hands.
Moisturizers and Rejuvenation
As we age, our skin becomes thinner and easily dries out. Keeping the skin moist with a cream several times a day will smooth out the texture and rehydrate the surface. CeraVe Cream, LaRoche Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream, Gold Bond Diabetic’s Ultimate Hand Relief Cream, and Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisturizer are my top favorite moisturizers.
Rejuvenating facial night creams with retinol also help the texture of the skin on the back of the hands. I’m a longtime fan of the affordable Roc Antiwrinkle Cream which costs around $15USDs.
Tip: Apply retinal cream to the back of your hands, let it absorb well, then moisturize your hands heavily with your favorite hand cream at bedtime and if possible, wear cotton gloves as you sleep.
Cosmetic Rejuvenation Injectables
The appearance of depressed valleys and elevated veins on the back of the hands can be improved with Radiasse (calcium hydroxyapatite), an FDA approved filler. Radiasse is injected under the skin and above the fascia of the hands and is massaged evenly throughout. The results are immediate and impressive and should be done by a qualified dermatology clinician.
Prevention with Sun Protection
Long-term UV exposure reduces the skin’s elastin (maintains skin flexible and regain its shape), thins the skin and causes brown spots and for some, precancers. Driving and performing outdoor activities is where we accumulate most of our UV exposure. Sunscreens help; however, they migrate onto the palms causes one to lose their grip and frequent hand washing leads to frequent re-application if one remembers. Full glove coverage is optimum; however, the palms lose their dexterity and tactile grip. PalmFree™SunGloves cover the back of the hands over the first knuckles and leave the palm exposed to maintain tactility and provide excellent UPF 50 protection.
Removing Brown Spots Effectively
For brown spots, the IPL (Intense Pulse Light) treatment is the gold standard. This noninvasive light treatment is offered at cosmetic dermatology practices or med spas. Depending on the number of brown spots, multiple treatments may be necessary. However, once treated, they do come back with sun exposure, hence consistent protection afterwards is imperative. Other aggressive options (lasers) are beyond the scope of this blog. You may want to check with your dermatology provider for a skin examination to make sure these brown spots are not problematic.
Photo thanks to Lewisville Laser & Aesthetics.
Dermatology Evaluation
If you feel a rough, dry, scaly skin patch on your hand that never goes away or becomes lumpy, its time to go see your dermatology provider. These could be precancers (actinic keratoses) or skin cancers (basal or squamous cell skin cancers). If you are over the age of 40 or have a family history of skin cancer a once-a-year skin examination is a good idea. They can let you know what necessitates medical verses cosmetic treatment.
Photo thanks to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Reversing the hands of time is impossible however a few maintenance and preventative measures may improve the appearance of the skin on your hands.
This blog posting is written by Dermatology PA Patricia Ferrer, Tucson, AZ.
