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Some of our customers have been asking us lately: Why do my hands look so old?
Most of us learn early on to take good care of the skin on our face. But our hands? That’s another story.
Then one day we look at a picture of our hands or just look down and think, “What happened?”
In this post, we’ll shed a little light on how the skin on your hands ages differently than the skin on your face, and what you can do to get that skin looking young again!
Why do my hands look so old?
There are several factors working against you when it comes to maintaining youthful hands.
Wear
The first is that we are hard on our hands. We use them for almost everything. They are exposed more to the weather, sun, and environmental pollutants than almost any other part of our body (except our face). We also regularly immerse them in detergents and other solutions containing chemicals that are. not good for our skin.
Secondly, we wash our hands much more often than anything else. That’s good, because our hands are constantly in contact with objects that may contain germs. But all that washing strips the skin of our hands of its natural moisture, causing them to dry out. If you’re not careful, you can easily develop dry, flaky, and chapped hands within a few days, especially in cold winter weather.
Over time, all this wear and tear takes its toll and our hands start to look dry, dull, flaky and old. The outer barrier breaks down, the skin sags in the knuckles and tendons, and you see splits all over the backs of your hands that remind you of your grandmother’s hands.
Hard products
The cleaning agents we use for our hands can also be aggressive. We use the detergent in the public bathrooms, which often consists of harsh surfactants that are hard on our hands. Most public restrooms don’t have lotion available, so unless you bring some, you’ll be washing and going, leaving your hands hungry for moisture.
Those of us who still use hand sanitizer often also expose our hands to drying alcohol. The alcohol in these products kills bacteria well, but also dries out the skin very well.
Lack of nutrition
All of the above weakens the skin’s defense mechanisms. We could get by if we carefully nourished and moisturized our hands, but most of us don’t think to do that. So we’re not giving our hands the nutrients they need to recover from all the abuse.
We regularly slather our faces with anti-aging serums, exfoliants, moisturizers, antioxidants and more. But our hands? It just doesn’t occur to us that maybe we should do the same for them.
Aging
You see the effects of aging on your face. You notice the fine lines and wrinkles, the sagging and the bags under the eyes. The same changes happen in your hands – and often at a faster rate because they don’t receive the same level of care.
As you age, your hands – just like your face – lose fat, elasticity and volume. This causes the thin, wrinkled skin that is characteristic of older hands and can make you more vulnerable to sun damage and age spots.
Help for hands that look old!
No matter how old you are, with a little TLC you can make your hands look and feel younger. We propose the following steps.
1. Clean gently
You can’t choose which cleaning agent they use in public toilets, but you can choose the one you use at home. Look for a creamy cleanser that puts moisture back into the skin. The better you can protect your skin while cleansing, the better you can prevent damage from building up and making your skin look old.
2. Reduce UV exposure
Sun exposure damages the skin on your hands. Over time, it can cause sagging, thin skin and age spots. Protect your hands by applying sunscreen daily and wearing gloves in bad weather.
Treatment tip: If you have age spots, you can treat them at home in several ways. Start by exfoliating your hands a few times a week. You can use the same exfoliating product that you use on your face.
Consider a skin lightening cream that can help fade the dark spots. These products may take a few months to work, but they are often effective. Look for solutions with ingredients such as kojic acid, vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol, arbutin, azelaic acid and ellagic acid. Some of these ingredients can contribute to irritation or sensitivity to the sun, so be sure to protect your hands with sunscreen.
For those with sensitive skin, use a natural skin lightening agent such as CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm. It is full of nourishing ingredients like castor oil that work well to lighten dark spots naturally. It all contains fatty acids and antioxidants that fight free radicals and even out skin tone.
3. Protect your hands
Start seeing your hands as something you need to protect. Wear gloves when gardening, cleaning or washing dishes. Remember that cleaning products contain harsh chemicals. Use rubber gloves on cleaning days.
Wear gloves when going outside in harsh weather conditions, or anytime if you want to keep your hands looking young. For warmer weather, you can choose lighter gloves.
4. Exfoliate your hands
You’ve probably been exfoliating your face all this time. But have you ever exfoliated your hands?
If not, it’s time to start, regardless of your age. Just as dead skin cells build up on your face, they do the same on your hands. Exfoliating them regularly can help shed the dead layer of skin, allowing the younger, plumper cells to emerge.
Treatment tip: Exfoliate your hands 2-3 times a week. You can use the same product as on your face, or try a gentle sugar scrub. Sometimes your hands need a firmer exfoliation than your face.
Watch your skin for signs of what works best. If your hands become red and irritated, switch to a gentler exfoliator with fruit acids such as salicylic, malic and lactic acids. Again, these ingredients can increase sun sensitivity, so always use sunscreen.
5. Moisturize more often
Once your hands start to age, it’s a sign that your skin is crying out for moisture. Make sure you make a change in your hand care routine. From now on, don’t let your hands dry out. Get in the habit of applying lotion regularly every time you wash your hands, plus first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Treatment tip: Gather your favorite hand creams and place them near every sink in the house. We recommend our Body Repair Lotion as it helps replenish the nutrients the skin has lost while creating a radiant appearance on your hands. It is also available in a mini size so you can take it with you wherever you go.
If your hands need serious care, use our Restorative Skin Balm daily and even as a nighttime treatment. It helps protect your skin by creating an occlusive, breathable barrier that locks in moisture.
Apply the healing ointment to your hands and then wear cotton gloves to bed every night for a week. You should notice that your hands feel and look softer, smoother. You can repeat this process whenever it seems like your hands need an extra dose of moisture.
6. Choose and use an anti-aging product
What did you do when the wrinkles started appearing on your face? You were looking for an effective wrinkle cream, right?
You may want to use the same cream on your hands if you notice wrinkles. Take a moment to examine your hands to see what the problem is. Maybe you have crepey skin. In that case, use a retinol cream to stimulate collagen production. Our Restorative Skin Balm also contains powerful antioxidants and our Tri-Rescue Complex which helps smooth wrinkles, stimulate collagen and improve elasticity.
If you have age spots, opt for a lightening cream. Flaky skin? Exfoliate more often and then use a nightly moisturizing mask.
7. Take care of your nails
How your nails look can have a big impact on how your hands look in general. If they have yellow spots – and if those spots are accompanied by pain – you may have a yeast infection. Consult your doctor to treat it immediately.
Discoloration can also be caused by nail polish or it can be a side effect of psoriasis. If either of these two situations are true, try rubbing a slice of lemon on the nails or soaking them in denture cleaner for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you have brittle nails, ask your doctor about taking vitamin B supplements as they may help. Then make sure you soften your cuticles every night before you go to bed. We recommend using our Restorative Skin Balm as it works great as a cuticle softener and can help heal any irritation.
Do you notice aging on your hands?
