Dermatologists agree that your hands can actually look older than your face because of:
1. Long term sun exposure
2. Thin Skin - Skin on the back of hands is generally thinner and is more susceptible to the aging process
3. Pronounced veins, age spots and wrinkles tend to appear sooner than later
3 Things you can do if you have “Old Lady Hands”
As you continue to age, your hands will be ahead of the game as fat content decreases and age spots appear. The amount of sun you exposed them to over a lifetime accelerates the process but, there are some things you can do to help keep your hands looking younger.
First, get the sun exposure under control. If you have red or brown patches showing on your hands and skin, the damage has already been done. Ongoing sun exposure will only continue the damage and increase the number.
1. Using sun block on the hands and arms will help protect them from further damage. Choose formulas that contain Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) in their products.
2. Consistently moisturizing your hands can assist in keeping the hands from looking weathered over time. Moisturizing your hands after bathing is preferred as it will help keep the moisture locked into the skin much longer.
3. A more permanent solution for removing age spots is done by reducing skin pigmentation through laser technology. Laser treatment is considered safe, but some studies have shown that it can reduce the number of free radicals in the treated areas similar to long term sun exposure.
Second, you can have a medical procedure done to have medical fillers injected into your hands. These same fillers used to reduce wrinkles in your face can now be used to add volume underneath your skin to remove the crepe paper look. Of course any medical procedure like this should be done by a qualified dermatologist or plastic surgeon as there can be complications. The costs for these procedures can be in the thousands but could last for one to two years.
In summary, there are medical procedures to help reduce the look of aging in your hands, but limiting sun exposure when you are younger can go a long way when you are older.
How to Deal with Liver Spots
Liver spots are a natural side effect of aging and usually appear on the hands, face and arms and begin to show after the age of 30. Liver spots are more pronounced in people who have spent a great deal of time in the sun without the use of sunscreen.
A lifetime of Sun exposure eventually takes its toll on a person's skin as they age. Unfortunately, the presence of age spots in combination with thinning of the skin can make an individual look much older than they really are.
If you have red or brown patches showing on your hands and skin, the damage has already been done. Ongoing sun exposure will only increase the number and intensity as you continue to age. Here are some tips to help reduce the number of liver spots:
1. Reduce the amount of sun exposure and use sunscreen whenever possible
Some newer formulas used in sunscreen products contain Mexoryl SX (ecamsule). Products that contain this ingredient are offered by L'Oreal and Neutrogena, very well known cosmetic companies.
Skin lightening products can reduce some age spots to a certain degree. The success of creams and lotions are dependent upon level of darkness. Additional age spots can appear over time so continues use is recommended.
2. A more permanent solution but more costly solution to rid yourself of these pesky spots can be done through the use of lasers. Laser technology can be used to reduce skin pigmentation on a more permanent basis but can cost several hundred dollars. Laser treatment is considered safe, but some studies have shown that it can reduce the number of free radicals in the treated areas similar to long term sun exposure.
In summary, even though laser treatments can be a more permanent treatment in removing age spots over creams and lotions, healing can take much longer due to a lesser amount of blood vessels in the hands compared to other parts of the body..
3 Steps to long term Health and Wellness
Health and wellness is not a quick walk around the track after a stop at your local burger joint. It is a long term plan and strategy that you define and execute consistently. Sensible eating and moderate exercise are the true combination to assist in losing weight and becoming more fit and healthy.
So, if now is the time to pick up a new lease in life, increase your stamina and decrease your level of fat and sugar intake, then by all means look to develop a plan around your goals and objectives. Here are 3 steps to get started:
1. Before starting any new program, get a physical and discuss your desire with your doctor. They will give you guidance and point you in the right direction based on the results of your physical and long term goals. Ask about recommendations around nutrition, and your current physical state to determine if the activities you might enjoy are feasible.
2. Before you decide to change your eating habits, document all the foods you eat over a week or two. This will help you set a baseline of your current dietary habits and choices. Once you see what you have been consuming, determine the areas you might want to address first, like sugar or fat intake.
3. Develop a plan around the type of food and exercise choices you are willing to make initially. Keep it simple and reasonable in the type of change you are willing to make in the beginning.
If you start to make small changes with gradual adjustments, you are more likely to stick with your program. If you try to make drastic changes all at once, your willingness to continue will be less successful because you will feel that it is too difficult and abandon your plan.
