When it comes to skin care, many woman forget about their hands. Yet, this hardworking body part withstands a multitude of beatings on a daily basis. From running errands to housekeeping chores – washing dishes, preparing dinner and even gardening – our hands bear the brunt of daily living.
Just like your face, hands can be damaged by unintentional sun exposure, causing them to develop dark spots, and loss of volume, leading to older looking hands. Aging can start early and by the time you’re in your 40s or 50s, repeated exposure to the sun will be visible for most of us. By the time you reach your 50s or 60s, you may notice a loss of volume in your hands, making veins and tendons more noticeable. Hands often reveal a person’s true age.
Striving for beautiful hands? Here are 5 tips to keep in mind:
- Cover up against sun exposure. Remember to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30. Reapply throughout the day, especially after frequent hand washing. I like to keep a tube of sunscreen in the car or my purse and apply before driving. Anthelios XL SPF 60 is ideal for just this.
- Wear gloves when doing yard work or playing outdoor sports. If you golf, consider wearing a glove on each hand to cover the back of the hands.
- Alpha hydroxy acids can help to keep hands feeling soft and smooth by helping slough away dry skin. Try Neostrata Body Smoothing Lotion
- Antioxidants can help boost collagen production and fight against free radicals damage. Try Neostrata Skin Brightener.
- A skin lightening agent can be helpful if age spots become problematic. One that contains an ingredients like hydroquinone 4% combined with retinol as found in Green Cream, may be right for you.
If you feel self-conscious about your hands and aren’t happy with the results from topical treatments, you may want to consider enlisting the help of an experienced dermatologist. Fillers, which help to restore facial volume, are being explored to help restore fullness in the hands. And, new advances in laser technology can help to treat uneven skin tone and texture as well as dark spots. Bear in mind that dermatologists still recommend your first strategy should be preserving the appearance of your hands in the first place. For most of us, this means covering them up or using sunscreen whenever we can.
