Do your hands age faster than the rest of your body?
In a word, yes.
To be clear, this is not merely an aesthetic issue, it’s a “skin health” issue.
Your hands are subjected to a lot of punishment throughout your life, and they often receive very little love.
The skin on the back of your hand has a unique anatomy. It is thinner, more delicate and has fewer sebaceous, or oil, glands than other areas of your body. Your hands are also exposed to the elements, without the benefit of moisturizers and sunscreens that most of you provide for the skin on your face.
When you consider that your hands are constantly picking things up, washing themselves, washing other things, browsing through shelves, preparing food, scrolling, typing, gardening and—well, I could go on, but you get the point—this delicate skin becomes compromised.
The thinner skin is particularly susceptible to UV rays, which can lead to DNA damage and potential cancers. These UV rays also break down the collagen layer, which is already thin here, and it gets thinner with age. The loss of this precious collagen represents a weakening of the supportive framework of our skin, making it more likely for the fragile blood vessels in this area to rupture.
This whole process leaves the skin vulnerable to more issues later in life—tears and wounds, slower healing rates, and something known as solar, or senile purpura—a rather unflattering term for those flat, dark purple patches and prominent bruises that we see on elderly hands and arms.
So, can we do anything about it? Is there some way to give our hands a little love so they can stay healthier longer?
You bet. My tip-list is by no means exhaustive, but there are enough options here for you to contemplate and, hopefully, there’s something here you can try.
For some basic hand maintenance, let’s start with what you would typically do for the skin on your face:
- Moisturize and apply sunscreen! It’s so easy, and has a huge pay off. Apply regularly!
- Driving gloves anyone? Yes, your hands are subjected to a lot of sun when you’re on the road, so why not go “old school” and give them some real protection?
- Consider using retinoid lotions on hands. This may seem like a lot, but retinoids can combat inflammation, and slow down the enzymes that damage collagen.
One option that is gaining momentum is the use of fillers, an approach that also has significant aesthetic benefits. When you restore volume to your hands you’re diminishing the prominence of veins and tendons, smoothing out wrinkles, and enhancing the skin’s natural structure by boosting collagen reserves.
An additional tip for those wanting even more aesthetic assistance: Peels! (At Kintsu, I’d recommend our amazing VI Peel.) These can be wonderful for improving skin tone, along with some much-needed hydration.
As always, regular self-care can bring huge rewards. So if a few simple steps can defy the odds of having hands that look 20 years older than your face, well, I’d certainly put my hands up for that.
