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Skin

This Is How to Make Your Hands Look Younger Again

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Hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging, often aging faster than our faces. Losing volume and plumpness can reveal veins and bones, while sun spots and pigmentation–which develop over time–create uneven skin tone adding to the aged appearance.

Thankfully, there are ways to treat your hands and even medical procedures you can look into to restore them to their youthful glory.

hands
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Anti-aging hand creams

Moisturizing your hands regularly can give you more supple skin, which prevents cracking and dryness. Use a rich formula at night to wake up with softer skin.

Sunscreen for your hands

Sunscreen is the most important preventative treatment against aging, including on your hands. We often overlook this part of our body when applying sunscreen to ourselves, and even if we remember to put it on, it can wear off quicker than in other areas.

Using a hand cream with SPF is an easy way to top up your sun protection throughout the day, and these quickly absorbed creams mean you have no excuse.

Topical treatments

A hand-specific product is a great option to intensively treat a specific aging concern. Retinol, exfoliation and masks are no longer just for your face, as these treatments prove.

In-office options

Sometimes you need to call in the professionals. A clinical procedure can give you long-lasting results in minimal time, restoring your confidence so your hands match your age.

Intense pulsed light (IPL)

Intense pulsed light (IPL) treats hyperpigmentation, sun damage, and broken capillaries. It works by using light, not laser, on a targeted spot. The light converts to heat, which damages the specific cells and in turn creates a wound on the surface of the skin. The body then heals this scab, and you are left with normally pigmented skin.

Fraxel laser

Fraxel lasers work by breaking down a very small and controlled part of the skin cells, which then activates collagen growth and makes cells rebuild. This laser can be used on your hands to improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of sun damage. Treatments are usually quick and don’t require much recovery time. Skin usually appears red and might be inflamed after the procedure (like sunburn), but this reaction goes away usually a day later.

Carbon dioxide fractional laser

A carbon dioxide (CO2) fractional laser can be used on your hands to tighten and reduce scarring. A CO2 laser works by removing a thin top layer of skin and heating the collagen underneath to stimulate production. Patients usually require fewer treatments than compared to a Fraxel laser, but this option might require more healing time as there may be flaky skin.

Dermal fillers

Dermal fillers are used to plump up the back of hands and hide obvious veins. This is a more non-invasive treatment option with immediate results and minimal healing. There are different types of fillers, but you will need to ask your doctor which type is right for you. All fillers are different, so some questions to ask include: “How long will this type of filler last?” “What is its viscosity (formula consistency)?” and “Will it stimulate collagen production?

This post was written by Amber Elias. For more, check out our sister site Now To Love.

Next: These age-defying makeovers will make you do a double take!

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