Our hands age just as our faces do. The key is to look at our hands and determine what is making them look old or unattractive.
If the tendons and veins are getting too prominent, you are losing the softening layer of fat on the backs of the hands. It is easy to inject a dermal filler under the skin to create last softness in the back of the hands.
The dermal filler that I think is ideal for hands is Radiesse. Radiesse is composed of microspheres of calcium hydroxylapatite, which is a compound found naturally in the body. The calcium microspheres are gradually broken down in the weeks after the injection and replaced by new collagen made by your tissues. Radiesse is really good for creating a smooth layer of softness under the skin and filling in the indentations between tendons. Generally one syringe of 1.5mL is sufficient to do both hands. The results last about a year.
Another effect of age on the hands is the accumulation of brown spots, also called liver spots. They are generally caused by sun damage and are usually accompanied by roughness. The best treatment for getting rid of brown spots is the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment, also called the photofacial on the face or photorejuvenation. However a series of 5 to 8 treatments may be required so I like to combine IPLs with chemical peels to get better results with fewer treatments.
The chemical peels exfoliate the outer layers of pigment (brown spots), allowing the light to penetrate deeper. When we do a shot of IPL light on the surface of the skin, the light only penetrates until it hits pigment and then it is absorbed and can go no deeper. Thus it makes sense to use a treatment that is comfortable and well-tolerated on the body like a chemical peel to remove the outer layers of pigment so the more intense treatment is more effective. The chemical peel will also improve the texture of the skin.
You will see improvement from the very first treatment and need a series of treatments to significantly reduce all of the brown spots. The results are very long-lasting unless you continue to expose your hands and arms to the sun. I strongly recommend the use of sunscreens and protective clothing to avoid the recurrence of brown spots.
Skincare products are very helpful in making hands look more youthful. I’m not talking the pump of hand lotion that we used to use. The old hand lotion was essentially an emulsion of oil and water that gave a temporary effect of smoothness that was more about making the skin slippery than improving the actual health of the skin.
I like to use good exfoliants on my hands, such as SkinTx’s Exfoliant Forte, to remove dead skin and reveal younger-looking skin. For brown spots, a lightening agent such as Vivier’s SeeQuin, which is a combination of medical-grade Vitamin C and Hydroquinone will block pigment production in the brown spots. It has the added benefit of increasing collagen production in the skin (Vitamin C is essential for collagen production) making the skin firmer and tighter. It will generally take 6 to 12 weeks to see the full effects of these products on the body and around 6 weeks on the face.
If you would like to make your hands look younger and feel smoother, please contact us at 905-340-0401 to find out what products and treatments would help you.
We are doing a special promotion on hand rejuvenation treatments until August 16, 2014.
