Do Your Hands Give Away Your Age?

The appearance of your hands can betray your age. Hands are often forgotten when it comes to anti-aging skincare prevention. You spend money on creams, monthly facials and cosmetic treatments, you dye your hair, and maybe even dip into savings to have botox injections, eyelid, and/or face lifts. But, most of us forget about our hands. Experts agree that your hands can say more about your age than your hair, face, and neck. Treatment and proper care of your hands can go a long way.

Preventive Measures

Here are several tips that can help go a long way with making your hands defy the natural aging process:

• Avoid midday sun exposure.
• Use sunscreen or sunblock on your hands daily, reapplying often.
• Use a moisturizer with antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and/or glycerin frequently.
• Apply cuticle oil to your nails.
• Consider taking biotin or a multi-vitamin with biotin in it to strengthen your nails.
• Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or using harsh household cleaners.
• The earlier you start taking care of your hands, in your teens and definitely in your 20s, the better off you will be (the same goes with taking care of the skin on your face and neck).

Age Spots

Age spots, also known as liver spots, are a sign of aging hands. These dark marks show up on the backs of hands due to excessive sun exposure. Age spots can show up as early as your 30s if you’ve been a long time sun worshipper, but they are more common starting in your 50s. Age spots can also appear on the face, neck, chest, back, and the tops of feet. They are more common in individuals who sunburn easily. They become more numerous with age and may be hereditary. Several age spot treatments to consider are as follows:

• OTC or prescription-strength topical creams will fade age spots over several months. Look for products that contain hydroquinone and/or retinoids or tretinoin.
• Intensed Pulse Light (IPL therapy) is an additional option to consider. IPL therapy destroys melanin-producing cells without damaging the skin’s surface. You may need anywhere from 2-6 treatments depending on your skin and the number and size of your age spots. Cost is about $125 per treatment on average.
• Cryotherapy is another treatment used to destroy the pigment in age spots. It freezes skin using liquid nitrogen. However, there is risk of permanent scarring or discoloration. Cost ranges from $500-$900 per treatment.
• Dermabrasion removes discolored surface skin so a new layer can grow in its place. Costs varies from $50-$300 depending on the severity of skin and treatment measures needed.
• Chemical peels use acid to burn off the outer layer of skin. After a few days, the old skin peels off and new skin takes its place. It takes several treatments to see results and there is risk of permanent skin color changes. Cost runs about $100 a treatment, but can vary depending on the type of peel and strength used.
• The least expensive treatment is prevention. Use a broad spectrum sunscreen daily with at least and SPF of 15 (SPF of 30 is ideal). Reapply as necessary. Sun damage is cumulative, so start protecting your hands in your teens and 20s so you can avoid age spots later in life. Care for your hands like you do the skin on your face.

Prominent Bones and Veins

As you age, your hands lose fat and volume. Skin thins out, making blood vessels and bones more prominent. Many individuals are opting for fillers to treat the appearance of bony hands and veins. It’s a subtle difference. Filler is injected under the skin to plump up areas around bones and blood vessels. Cost is about $1,200. Another option is fat transfer, where fat cells are removed from the patient’s own thighs or buttocks through lipsuction. The fat is cleansed, processed, and then injected into the hands. Cost ranges from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on the state you live in and the extent of treatment.

Seborrheic Keratosis

Seborrheic keratosis (also known as sebs) can turn up on the backs of hands as you age. They can also show up on the face, chest, shoulders, and back. Sebs are slightly elevated, brownish in color, and look either scaly or smooth. They aren’t cancerous and tend to be hereditary. Doctors are still trying to figure out what causes them but they may be linked to sun exposure. More research is needed to know for sure.

If sebs bother you, you may want to consider having them removed through cryotherapy. They will fall off in a few days. Cost usually runs $25-$100 per treatment on hands. They can also be treated through electrosurgery, which involves anesthetizing the area and applying an electric current that destroys the growths. Scraping the sebs after electrosurgery is sometimes needed as well. Cost can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on size of area needing treatment.

Other Aging Hands Issues

As you age, hands can also experience excessive bruising, crepiness, or vertical ridges on nails. Sun exposure is largely to blame. Cosmetics, OTC, and prescription-strength creams can help for bruising and skin crepiness, but multiple treatments and therapies may be needed if severe, which can get expensive. For vertical ridges on nails, talk to your physician about taking a biotin supplement. Working on your hands can be tricky, especially when fillers are involved. Make sure you go with a board-certified dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, or board-certified plastic surgeon.

Have any questions for me? Please feel free to comment below or email me at [email protected].

Source:

https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/old-looking-hands-and-what-you-can-do-about-them/2328164