Are you bothered about wrinkled skin, age spots, or similar signs of aging that snatch away your hands’ youthful look? Aging is a natural process that all humans go through. Often times the most visible signs of aging, is not on our face (those mature lines that show wisdom) but it on our hands. They say that you can truly tell a person’s age and the kind of life that they’ve led by looking at their hands. Sometimes no amount of lotions or preventive measures can help prevent signs of aging…on our hands. Trust us! You aren’t alone…

A vast majority of people over 50 or 60 stress a lot over the changes in the skin of their hands. It is a mandatory part of aging. Some develop age spots while some get wrinkles or sagging skin. There is no need to worry now because dermatological advancements have made it incredibly easy to have youthful-looking hands at any age. Read on until the end, and you will learn all about how to diminish those stubborn signs of aging within no time safely.

What are Age Spots?

It doesn’t matter how old you are; some ‘young’ adults’ skin may develop age spots. Age spots are defined as varies shape of small spots that are dark-colored areas on your skin that may vary in size. Some may get smaller spots, and some get bigger ones. Mostly these spots appear on the site exposed to the harsh sun rays. Such as your face, arms, hands, and shoulders. These are also called liver spots and solar lentigines in medical terms.

The best preventive measures to avoid getting age spots is to always remember to put sunscreen on your hands everyday. Your hand is just as important as your face. So treat it kindly and give it some love and don’t forget the sunscreen.

Why We Get Age Spots on Hands?

Our hands are most vulnerable to developing age spots because we may cover our entire body with clothing, and hands usually are left uncovered. Therefore, these stay exposed to sun rays all the time. As we age, these spots get bigger and darker. Their tendency to darken depends on the time you spend in the sun.

How to Treat Age Spots?

You have several hands rejuvenating treatment options to treat age spots, including Cryotherapy, Chemical Peeling, Laser Therapy, and Microdermabrasion. However, don’t forget that only a board-certified dermatologist can perform these treatments appropriately. You can also try the relatively cheaper option of skin-lightening lotions and creams, but these take quite a long time to deliver results.

Scaly, Rough Patches on Hands:

Another most frequently reported issue related to the skin on your hand is having rough, scaly areas. If your complexion is fair, and you spend a lot of your time outdoors without sun protection, you are quite likely to get rough patches on the exposed areas. Generally, it is our hands that bear the brunt of this carelessness.

Are Rough Patches on Hands Due to Actinic Keratoses?

Yes, it is possible. Those nasty rough patches that develop on the skin around your hand could result from precancerous growths, which in medical terminology is called Actinic Keratoses or AKs. It usually develops on people who have very fair skin and are above the age of 40. It may develop before the 40s or 50s if you regularly use tanning beds or reside somewhere like Florida or California, where you get plenty of sunshine all around the year.

How to Treat AKs?

If you have a rough patch on your hand or anywhere else on your body, see a dermatologist. Only consult a board-certified dermatologist to identify if it is AKs or something else. Remember that correct diagnosis is necessary because sometimes AKs may lead to skin cancer.

Hands Losing their Youthfulness:

It is probably one of the biggest concerns of people in their early 50s and 60s. Nothing can be as stressful as losing the youthful look of your hands. However, this is a part of the aging process. When we age, the skin around our hands become lax and develop a texture similar to the crepe-paper. The hands lose fullness, due to which veins become more noticeable on your hands.

Treatment Options For Youthful Hands:

For restoring the lost youthfulness and fullness, you can consult a certified dermatologist, who will inject a Filler or take fat from some other body part and insert it in your hands. Remember that there is only one filler that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for treating hands, calcium hydroxyapatite.

Using Fillers to Restore Hands’ Fullness:

Fillers can help you get back that lost fullness on your hands. It is a tried and tested treatment option and provides guaranteed results. Calcium hydroxylapatite is the most effective filler that will instantly restore the fullness. The effects of this treatment usually last for six months to up to one year. Other fillers are also available to restore the youthful look of your hands.

Noticeable Veins on Hands:

A filler or fat portion from your body can help diminish the visibility of veins on your hands. However, some veins may be too big to conceal using fat or filler. If a more prominent vein is bothering you, consult a dermatologist to get it treated safely.

Treatment for Visible Veins in Hands:

The best option to treat visible veins in your hands is laser treatment. Laser is your perfect go-to treatment option and is quite common nowadays. During laser treatment, the dermatologist first inserts a laser fiber inside the vein and fires it to destroy the vein. You’ll notice a gradual disappearance of the vein, as it won’t immediately vanish. However, this treatment truly works.

Another option could be Sclerotherapy, during which the dermatologist injects some substance to destroy the vein. This procedure also slowly disappears the vein.

Wrinkled, Crepe-Paper Like Skin:

The best option to prevent wrinkly skin on your hands is to apply sunscreen generously every day, even if you aren’t going out. If you haven’t followed this tip and are now worried about your hands’ wrinkled skin, there are several treatment options. Dermatologists usually recommend any of the following treatments:

Sometimes, a combination of light chemical peeling and lotion is prescribed by the dermatologist. If you have age spots and wrinkly skin, go for laser treatment.

Loose Skin:

It is also a commonly faced issue. As we age, our skin loses its texture and firmness because of loss of elastin and collagen. These are the two main substances that keep our skin plump and firm. In old age, elastic and collagen production decreases naturally, which causes the skin to lose its firmness.

How to Treat Loose Skin on Hands?

Radio frequency is one of the most effective treatment options for loose skin on hands. During this procedure, heat is transferred to the deepest area of your skin so that it gets tightened up and regains its lost firmness. Usually, just one sitting is enough to treat loose skin. The second best option is laser therapy or filler, as these can also help tighten the skin around your hands.

Rough and Rugged Hands:

The roughness of the skin is another issue related to the age factor. As we get older, our skin’s tendency to hold water reduces, and it gets drier. When this happens, our skin becomes rough and looks rugged. Consult a dermatologist to smoothen out the rough skin. The best treatment option is a mild chemical peel. After the treatment, you must apply an effective moisturizer every day to maintain the results; otherwise, the skin will become rough again.

Hard and Brittle Nails:

Most women in their 60s complain about having brittle nails. However, gender has nothing to do with nails getting brittle or hard because 20% of people above 50 years of age experience this issue. If lines are running lengthwise across your nails’ ridges or your nails peel/break quickly, this means you have brittle nails. A certified dermatologist can make the correct diagnosis regarding what’s causing brittle nails.

How to Treat Brittle Nails?

To treat brittle nails it is necessary to know what causes them to become brittle and stop doing that. Brittle nails generally result from keeping your hands wet or exposing them to harsh chemicals without any protective covering, such as gloves. Once you have identified the cause of brittle nails and stopped it altogether, you need to treat the brittle nails by keeping them well-hydrated. A good moisturizer can help in maintaining the cuticles, nails, and skin surrounding the nails hydrated. Your dermatologist may suggest a good quality cream, lotion, or mineral oil.

Tips to Prevent Brittle Nails:

Always moisturize your hands, particularly the area around your nails, before bedtime and wear light cotton gloves so that the skin absorbs the moisture. This tip is immensely useful in preventing brittle nails. Most patients get rid of this issue within the first week. Some may require a special nail enamel, which a dermatologist can suggest.

How to Maintain Hands’ Youthfulness After a Treatment?

You may have undergone a hand rejuvenation treatment, but it is essential to follow certain best practices to make its effects last longer. Dermatologists suggest that you must protect your hands from the sun’s harsh rays, especially after getting them treated. Your dermatologist will recommend sunscreen (ideally SPF30), which you should use every day. Wear a sun-protective glove when driving. Cover your hands with waterproof gloves when gardening, cleaning, or working with detergents and hot water. Lastly, moisturize as much as you can throughout the day. Apply a generous layer of lotion or cream every time you wash your hands or bathe.

When to See a Dermatologist?

You must regularly see a dermatologist for maintenance treatments if you have taken hand rejuvenating treatment. This step is crucial for maintaining the results. For instance, if you got a filler, you’ll surely need another injection after 8 or 12 months. The results of treatment depend on the expertise of the dermatologist. Therefore, it is crucial to consult a board-certified dermatologist. An experienced dermatologist will be able to make the right diagnosis and suggest the most suitable treatment that can offer you the desired results.