How to Keep Your Hands Looking Young
It’s no secret that when we age, our bodies undergo many transformations. Our skin changes texture, color, and appearance. We often associate fine lines and wrinkles on the face with aging, but you may notice signs of aging somewhere else — your hands. You see your hands throughout the day, and when you notice signs of aging, it leaves you wondering how to keep your hands looking young.
Luckily, there are different ways to stop and treat signs of aging on your hands, but it helps to know what you’re experiencing. Find the problems you might be having with aging hands below, as well as treatment and prevention options.
Age Spots
Age spots, also known as liver spots, are flat blotches on the skin. These are often round and either brown or almost black. It’s typical to see age spots on the hands, face, and chest. Despite the common name for these discolorations, it is more accurate to call them sunspots because they often result from UV ray exposure.
Preventing Age Spots on Your Hands
While you can’t halt the natural aging process, you could avoid getting age spots. Because this cosmetic concern mostly occurs due to sun exposure, try to limit your time outside when you can. If you have to be out in the sun, you should:
- Wear sunblock every day.
- Use a minimum of 30 SPF protection.
- Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, which protects against UVA and UVB rays.
- Reapply sunscreen after washing your hands.
- Apply sunscreen no matter the season or weather, especially around noon to 4 p.m.
Treating Age Spots on Your Hands
Treatment for aging hands can include options like microdermabrasion and chemical peels. These processes remove the top layer of skin to reveal youthful, undamaged skin underneath. The results could lighten age spots and make them less noticeable.
Dry, Scaly Skin
Dry skin can sometimes accompany aging, but other factors could make you more likely to experience scaly skin on your hands. Possible causes of dry, scaly skin on your hands include:
- Not drinking enough water
- Sleep deprivation
- Smoking
- A lack of exercise
- A deficiency of specific nutrients in your diet
- Poor circulation
- Cold or dry weather
Preventing Dry, Scaly Skin on Your Hands
Dry skin feels uncomfortable and can affect your hands’ appearance. Luckily, various hand care solutions can help. To keep your hands soft and smooth, try to take these steps:
- Use unscented soaps and lotions.
- Use hand creams after you wash your hands, bathe, or shower.
- Wear gloves when you’re out in cold weather.
- Whenever possible, avoid submerging your hands in water for extended periods.
- Minimize water-related activities, like washing the dishes or swimming.
Treating Dry, Scaly Skin on Your Hands
If you already have dry, scaly hands, consider using an unscented daytime moisturizer. Apply it in the morning and any time after washing your hands, bathing, or showering. Use a thicker moisturizer at night, and consider wearing cotton gloves. Gloves will lock the moisture into your skin as you sleep, but be sure to use 100% cotton, since that’s a more breathable material. If your dry skin is severe, you may consider exfoliating treatments.
Wrinkles on Hands
When you’re younger, your body has an abundance of the protein collagen. Collagen is essential for keeping skin plump and preventing wrinkles. As you age, your body creates less collagen, leading to wrinkles on areas like the face and hands. Your hands will also have natural wrinkles on your fingers and palms that aren’t a result of aging, but come from movement over time.
Preventing Wrinkles on Your Hands
To some extent, you can avoid wrinkles from collagen loss and aging. Don’t smoke, as that can cause collagen loss and hinder collagen production, among other health issues. You can also limit your time in the sun and wear sunscreen when you’re outside, since UV rays contribute to wrinkles.
Because your body naturally produces collagen using the protein in foods you eat, you can also consider your diet. Protein- and collagen-rich foods, like meat, bone broths, citrus, and berries, can help boost your body’s natural collagen supply and prevent wrinkles.
Treating Wrinkles on Your Hands
Use retinoids with a vitamin A base to reduce fine lines and wrinkles on your hands. Retinoids increase the body’s collagen production and have proven to minimize wrinkles’ appearance. Be sure to use retinoid products as directed, since they can cause dryness, and know you’ll have to use them continuously to get the benefits.
Veins in Your Hands
Visible veins in your hands result from the skin becoming thinner as you age. These protruding veins can impact the previously youthful look of your hands.
Preventing Visible Veins on Your Hands
To prevent veins on your hands from being so prominent, try to reduce the effects of vein dilation. This phenomenon occurs when the blood vessels become wider and more open, makes veins more noticeable. To prevent dilation, you should:
- Avoid smoking.
- Get enough sleep.
- Exercise regularly.
You should also do what you can to ensure you have adequate circulation in your hands to avoid developing visible veins.
Treating Visible Veins on Your Hands
For at-home treatments, consider moisturizing your hands. You may use a retinoid to maintain the skin’s plump texture and appearance, which could help camouflage the protruding veins. Some people choose to wear foundation on their hands to camouflage the bluish appearance of prominent veins. You could also discuss your options with a plastic or dermatologic surgeon, but know that procedures to minimize veins on your hands may be invasive.
Dr. Brought’s Recommended Daily Routine for Youthful Hands
With so many ways your hands can age, a hand care routine can help you get ahead of potential wrinkles, discoloration, and other signs of aging. Our board-certified surgeon, Dr. Brought, has suggestions for how to keep your hands looking younger. Create your daily anti-aging hand care routine with these steps:
- Wash your hands with unscented soap.
- Follow that with an unscented moisturizer.
- Apply moisturizer to your hands after you bathe or shower.
- Use a moisturizer with an SPF of at least 30 if you’re going outside.
- Wear gloves if you’re going outdoors on a cold day.
- Wear latex or cotton-lined gloves when you’re cleaning to avoid contact with chemicals.
- Apply a thicker unscented moisturizer at night.
- Use 100% cotton gloves at night to keep the moisturizer on your skin.
- Exfoliate your hands if you have dry skin, making sure to moisturize after.
You could also create a healthier daily routine to learn how to keep your hands looking young naturally. Drink enough water every day and exercise regularly. Get enough sleep and eat a balanced diet to benefit your body from the inside out.
Get Treatment for Aging Hands
If you’re interested in having younger hands, Southern Plastic & Reconstructive Surgical Institute can help. At our state-of-the-art facility in Franklin, Tenn., we believe in a holistic approach to changing your life. Dr. Brought and his team offer various skin procedures made to revive your skin’s youthful glow, tone, and texture. From dermabrasion to chemical peels and the ZO medical-grade skin care line, there are so many possible solutions to help you turn back the clock and regain your hands’ youthful appearance.
Contact us at SPRSI today to learn more about how to make your hands look younger with our skin treatment options!
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