Don’t Forget About Your Hands

Have you ever admired someone because they’re aging well, only to notice when they raise their hands to their face that the hands give their age away? Many of us are so focused on maintaining a youthful face we haven’t actually scrutinized our hands. Hands tell a story too, and when ours get thin, lined, and covered in age spots, it’s not pretty. Here are several ways you can rejuvenate aged hands:

1. Moisturize! The same principle that applies to faces applies to skin everywhere. When skin is dry it will show the years more readily. Keeping the skin on our hands well hydrated will minimize the appearance of fine lines and will help maintain skin health so it is less prone to environmental insult and injury.
2. Yes, our hands, as well as our neck and décolletage, need UV protection, possibly even more than our faces. Hats and shade give our faces some protection whereas often our hands are out there baking. As we use and wash our hands a lot, re-application is even more important. Find a sunscreen that is not too shiny and greasy and use it regularly, even in fall and winter. La Roche-Posay lotion is a good example of a long-wearing and well-absorbed light, textured sunscreen that has good moisturizing potential as well. Preventing those sun spots is easier and more effective than treating them after the fact.
3. Lasers and Light. One of the most unsightly symptoms of aging is brown spots and discoloration on the hands. Sometimes called “liver spots”, these are more accurately referred to as sun spots, as they are a product of UV exposure over one’s lifetime. IPL is a great option for fading and removing these.
4. Thin, gaunt hands look old. Many people aren’t aware that fillers like Juvederm®, Restylane®, and Emervale can be placed just under the skin on the back of the hands and can make for younger-looking skin, just as in the face. RADIESSE® is also a filler touted by many as a good option for hands, though we find the hyaluronic acid fillers do just as good a job and have fewer side effects.

If you’re interested in hand rejuvenation call us for a consultation at (905) 273-3045 in Mississauga or (416) 207-9090 in Toronto to learn out about your options.