While many people focus their anti-aging arsenal on their face, the contrast of aging hands to a youthful face can be a dead give away for age. Brown spots, crepey skin and prominent veins can add years to your appearance. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments to help rejuvenate the hands with minimal down time.
Brown Spots
Intense Pulse Light (IPL) targets brown spots on the hands. The spots become darker for 7-10 days after an IPL treatment then begin to lighten or flake off. For best results a series of three IPL treatments is recommended.
If you’re not a good candidate for IPL, then topical bleaching creams can help to lighten brown spots. Hydroquinone is the most common bleaching cream, but there are also other lightening products such as kojic acid, lactic acid and azelaic acid. Another option for treating brown spots is a series of chemical peels. Chemical peels are acids applied to the skin that encourage the skin to flake and peel, exposing fresh younger looking skin. Chemical peels can also be combined with microdermabrasion to manually exfoliate dead skin cells and lighten pigment. If you want to get the best outcome for treating brown spots and rejuvenating the hands, these treatments can be used in combination. And last, but not least sunscreen is important to prevent further sun damage and new brown spots from forming.
Volume Loss
As we age, our hands and face lose volume (or fat). Vessels and tendons become more visible on the backs of the hands, which is one of tell tale signs of aging. Injections of hyaluronic acid-based fillers can improve volume and help mask vessels. Fillers add volume back to the hands and give a more plump and youthful appearance. For best results, one syringe of filler per hand is recommended.
Wrinkles
The products we use on our face can also benefit our hands. Hands need proper hydration from a daily moisturizer, especially when exposed to frequent hand washing. Moisturizers with shea butter, macadamia nut oil, olive oil, vitamin E, and glycerin are especially effective. Growth factors can also improve the skin quality of the hands. A study published in Journal of Drugs in Dermatology in 2007 reported that 83% of women ages 35 to 65 showed improvement in hand wrinkles after using a growth factor cream for 60 days.
As always, you should talk to your skin care provider before starting any treatments for hand rejuvenation. In the mean time, application of a daily sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 is recommended.
