Do your hands look 10 years older than your face? It's not surprising—the delicate skin is under constant attack from the sun, harsh agents, and constant use.
Try these lifestyle changes to keep your hands feeling young:
1. Wear Gloves
Rubber gloves will protect your hands from harsh soap, chemicals, and even water that can break down your hands' natural oils. Be sure to wear gloves outside in cold, windy conditions, too.
2. Slather on the Sunscreen
Your hands are exposed to the sun as often as your face, but your hands are even more delicate than your face. Use a formula with a minimum of SPF 15 and reapply after washing your hands.
3. Moisturize all Day
Keep lotion in your bag, drawer, and next to the sink and rub some into your hands throughout the day. Any anti-aging serums, lotions, or creams that you use on your face can help the backs of your hands.
4. Deep-Treat at Night
Slather an emollient-rich lotion or oil over your palms, fingers, and the back of your hands before bedtime and protect them (and your sheets) with soft gloves you can sleep in. Wash hands normally in the morning. Repeat this routine every one to two weeks and rough patches and cracked skin should start to go away.
5. Exfoliate Often
Scrub your hands with a gentle facial exfoliant once a week. This will encourage the dead skin cells to shed, revealing younger skin.
6. Care for Nails
Clean, smooth nails can take years off your hands. Even if long polished nails aren't your style, a nail file, manicure stick, and lotion is all you need to smooth edges, clean undersides, and tame cuticles. When you file your nails, keep the shape somewhat square to help prevent ingrown nails.
7. Push Back Cuticles, Don't Cut Them
Cuticles protect the nail bed. When you cut them, you open up your hands to dangerous bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Use lotion or cream to soften cuticles and then push them back with a wooden nail stick.
8. Massage Hands
Your hands carry a tremendous amount of tension, especially if you're at a computer all day. Take a few minutes to rub the fleshy part of your palm. Give each finger and thumb a gentle tug and massage the wrist joint. This will not only feel good, but will improve circulation to skin cells and help them rejuvenate naturally.
9. Seek Professional Treatment
If lifestyle treatments aren't giving you the results you want, several medical procedures are available. Fat or filler injections can plump wrinkles. Chemical peels, laser treatments, and microdermabrasion can even discoloration, shrink bulging veins, and reduce the appearance of age spots. Talk to your doctor about the treatment options that would work best for your particular problem.
Sources:
AAD.org: "Dermatologists' Top Tips for Skin Care on a Budget." American Academy of Dermatology. Web. 2010.
http://www.aad.org/public/SkinCareonaBudget.html
AgingSkin.net: "Dermatologists' Top 10 Tips for Relieving Dry Skin." American Academy of Dermatology. Web. 2007.
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/agingskinnet/winter_skin.html
PlasticSurgery.org: "Women Raise Their Hands; New Laser Technique Relieves Unsightly Hand Veins." American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Web. Sept 23, 2005.
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/Media/Press_Releases/Women_Raise_Their_Hands_New_Laser_Technique_Relieves_Unsightly_Hand_Veins.html
