Here's How To Reduce The Signs Of Aging On Your Hands
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Your hands are always at work: driving, cleaning, texting, and picking up the groceries. Where you might pay a healthy amount of attention to your face with your skincare routine, and with regular facials, and frequent cosmetic procedures, it's usually not the same with your hands.
It's no surprise that our hands are one of the first body parts to show signs of aging. This can be due to environmental factors like prolonged sun exposure, and the stress we put them through when using household chemicals or gardening tools (per the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery). Our hands also do not have as much subcutaneous fat as our face does, and they lose even more fat and collagen over the years, leading to aged, older-looking hands, according to Karidis.
If you ever wondered how to best care for your hands, slow down the aging process, and have them looking as youthful as your face, welcome to hand revamp 101.
Moisturize and exfoliate your hands
"Wash your hands." How many times have we been told that, especially since the start of the pandemic? Not much is said about what to do after hand washing, though. Antiseptic soaps and formulas are notorious for drying out your hands, and hand sanitizers often contain alcohol, which strips our hands of their natural oils even more. According to Epiphany Dermatology, the constant dry-out can lead to wrinkles, fine lines, and cracked or dry skin.
Instead of regular antiseptic soap, invest in a hydrating hand wash and a moisturizer or hand cream, preferably with ingredients like ceramides or hyaluronic acid. We love the Dove Derma Series Dry Skin Relief Replenishing Hand Cream which is fragrance-free and has a rating of 4.7 stars at Walmart. Hydration fills up wrinkled areas, keeping the skin on the back of your hands supple and flexible. As it does with the skin on your face, exfoliation is also essential in keeping your hands soft and healthy. A hand cream like the Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream, which is a favorite among dermatologists, is great for this use as it contains urea and ceramides.
Like the back of your hands, your palms go through constant friction and environmental stress also. This can lead to hardened skin and rough-feeling calluses, which are your palms' ways of reacting to abrasive action. To treat calluses, Dermstore recommends gently exfoliating with a pumice stone and applying moisturizing hand cream to keep palms soft.
Use sunscreen on your hands
Your face and décolletage are regularly exposed to the sun's harmful rays and are at risk of accelerated aging, but so are your hands. From age spots to wrinkles, fine lines, sunburns, and hyperpigmentation, UV rays also harm the skin on the hands and can cause a ton of cellular damage (per Gloves In A Bottle). This is where sunscreen comes in, and we don't mean the leftovers or castoffs from the excess on your face. We mean intentional application on your hands and the rest of your body.
Applying sunscreen like Supergoop! Handscreen SPF 40, which has a rating of 4.4 at Nordstrom, or Bondi Sands Fragrance-Free Body Sunscreen Lotion daily will slow down the rate of sun damage, and thus the aging on your hands. Remember to get some between your fingers and knuckles, and reapply every two hours as sweat, oils, and soap from washing your hands can break down your sunscreen.
Another great way to protect your hands and reduce the signs of aging is by wearing gloves. Whether you're using household cleaning supplies, on a long drive in the sun, or when you're just out and about, wearing gloves protects your hands from both chemical stressors and the sun, according to The Glove Company. And they add a fancy touch to your outfits too.
Consider cosmetic procedures
There might be a lot of stigma around fillers and plastic surgery but they're a safe and convenient option for hand rejuvenation. There are many cosmetic procedures for different skin concerns on the hands, including age spots, wrinkles, and even fat loss. As cosmetic surgeon Bryan Michelow M.D., explains, procedures like fat or synthetic injections fill up the lack of fat in the hands and make hands look more youthful (via Cleveland Clinic).
Procedures like dermal filler, micro-needling, and intense pulsed light (IPL) PhotoFacial are also recommended for hand wrinkling and fat loss, according to Apt Medical Aesthetics. There are also less invasive procedures that tackle problems like age spots and wrinkles, such as chemical peels, cryotherapy, and laser therapy (via Skin Renewal).
When it comes to hand care, it is crucial to keep them hydrated, apply sunscreen regularly, and weigh your options with the guidance of your dermatologist if you decide to get a skin rejuvenation procedure. Because just like the rest of you, your hands deserve love too.