Do you pay attention to your hands? After all, they’re always on display — when you’re holding your cell phone; when you shake someone’s hand; when you’re at the table. While many of us are diligent with our facial skin care, we’re less careful when it comes to taking care of our hands. The following are some steps you can take to make sure your hands look as good as your face.
Brown spots are a sign of previous sun exposure. This is why there are more spots on the backs of your hands as compared with the insides of your wrists. New spots may respond to lightening creams, like Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector or prescription Triluma, while stubborn spots may require an in-office treatment. If the spots are very dark, a laser can target the pigment. If there are just a few spots, I might spray them with liquid nitrogen, which freezes them off. I also use this treatment to remove scaly growths on the backs of the hands.
Crepey, wrinkly skin is caused by thinning of the collagen layer. To boost skin’s collagen, look for a hand cream with retinol, like Chantecaille Retinol Hand Cream. Or try one with alpha hydroxy acids, like Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Hand Cream, which contains lactic acid to help smooth out your skin’s texture. When creams are not enough, I often do chemical peels on my patients’ hands to help lift off sun damage and dead skin. Mild flaking usually occurs for up to a week after a peel.
Bony, veiny hands are caused by loss of fat over time. Children have plump hands because they have a natural fat layer; when this dissipates, the veins and bones stand out more. For some patients, injections of their own fat or a volumizing product like Radiesse or Sculptra can help restore plumpness and hide the bones and veins. Such injections must be done carefully and gradually to avoid lumpiness and to make sure the hands are symmetrical.
Brown spots are a sign of previous sun exposure. This is why there are more spots on the backs of your hands as compared with the insides of your wrists. New spots may respond to lightening creams, like Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector or prescription Triluma, while stubborn spots may require an in-office treatment. If the spots are very dark, a laser can target the pigment. If there are just a few spots, I might spray them with liquid nitrogen, which freezes them off. I also use this treatment to remove scaly growths on the backs of the hands.
Crepey, wrinkly skin is caused by thinning of the collagen layer. To boost skin’s collagen, look for a hand cream with retinol, like Chantecaille Retinol Hand Cream. Or try one with alpha hydroxy acids, like Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless Hand Cream, which contains lactic acid to help smooth out your skin’s texture. When creams are not enough, I often do chemical peels on my patients’ hands to help lift off sun damage and dead skin. Mild flaking usually occurs for up to a week after a peel.
Bony, veiny hands are caused by loss of fat over time. Children have plump hands because they have a natural fat layer; when this dissipates, the veins and bones stand out more. For some patients, injections of their own fat or a volumizing product like Radiesse or Sculptra can help restore plumpness and hide the bones and veins. Such injections must be done carefully and gradually to avoid lumpiness and to make sure the hands are symmetrical.
