How to Take Years Off Your Hands
“If you really want to know the age of a woman, look at her hands, don’t look at her face. The face may trick you, but the hands never do.”
We spend hundreds of euros on expensive face creams, masks and serums in the hope of reviving our looks again, but aren’t we forgetting something very important? Yes, our hands! Research has shown that they not only give away your age, but also that your hands age more rapidly than the rest of your body. Ageing of the hands happens so quickly because the skin there is so thin, has very little support tissue and gets lots of exposure to the sun. With a few tips you can make sure that your hands will once again fit with the rest of your body. And the nice thing is that this is the perfect moment to start hand rejuvenation!
Prevention is better than cure
Almost everyone forgets, when applying sun cream, to protect their hands. The solution is simple, protect your hands today with a layer of sun cream. And not only today, but each morning, day in day out! According to a recent study that will take years off….
Away with the spots…
If you have age spots, or they are beginning to appear, then there are a number of things you can do:
– Apply a cream which you use on your face, containing a higher concentration of Vitamin C, Niacinamide and/or liquorice root, onto your hands too. Other ingredients which can help with surface pigmentation are glabridin, paper mulberry, aloesin and ellagic acid.
– Apply an exfoliant containing Glycolic Acid onto your hands at night.
– If after two months you don’t see any difference, ask your Doctor for a prescription for Vitamin A Acid cream or azelaic acid cream. You can also use a cream with Hydroquinone for a limited time.
– If you want to see more rapid results then you can have laser treatment. One of the most commonly used techniques is IPL. Alternatives are the non-ablative fractional lasers, the Q-switched alexandrite laser or the ruby laser. With this you can expect to see an improvement of between 80-95%. A word of warning: If you are considering one of these treatments then always go to a reputable centre and make sure the treatment is carried out by a Skin Therapist or a Dermatologist!
Next time I will tell you more about how can make your hands and nails as healthy as possible. Even during a harsh winter.
Regards Jetske
(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)
You can also read:
‘How Can You Find the Best Cream for Your Face?’
‘Is Sun Protection Really Necessary?’
‘What Type of Pigmentation Spots Are There?’
‘What Vitamin C Does for Your Skin’
‘These Ingredients Can Reduce Pigmentation Spots’