So we’ve lavished meticulous
anti-ageing and beautifying attention to our faces, and have conquered the
effects of ageing on most parts of the body. Our now fresh youthful looks keep even the most discerning guessing. Those in pursuit of the perfect body can
either work at it themselves, or be on the receiving end of the knife or
needle. However, while our stomachs are
tucked, our breasts lifted, face and neck too, and saddlebags sucked out, we
might unknowingly be giving away our age at the first glimpse of withered
shrivelled hands.
Our skin-care routine is
religiously adhered to and we have endless supplies of make-up to cover
blemishes and enhance our features. While we can achieve success in holding back
the years on our faces, our hands often bare the truth of our age. In fact all it takes to gauge a person’s true
age is a cursory glance at the backs of someone’s hand (think Madonna – her hands are a dead give-away).
Daily wear and tear takes its toll on
our hands as we expose them to environmental factors.
Our hands are constantly being used (if not abused) as we move through
our daily lives. Thankfully with a
little basic care and some expert help, we can avoid letting our hands give the
game away!!
Ageing signs on the hands, typically
include the formation of wrinkles, sun spots (very similar to those on the
face), thinning skin, loss of volume and guttering (the appearance of
longitudinal hollow “gutter” running
down the back of the hand starting in between the knuckles), enlarged veins and
a bony appearance.
At least 80% of the ageing signs
on hands can be attributed to UV exposure.
So, whip out the sun cream, and remember your hands need it as well as
your face does. Cumulative exposure to
UVA and UVB accelerate the the breakdown in collagen and elastin – the
essential proteins which render the skin elastic and young. We stop producing elastin and collagen when
we about 25 years old. This starts to
become apparent at the age of 28. As the
body’s stores become depleted, signs of ageing in the form of wrinkles and
thinner papery skin begin to appear.
This process is accelerated by exposure to the sun’s harmful rays and
other factors such as smoking and chronic dehydration. As the
skin loses volume, the hands can appear thinner and more boney with hollowing
out between the londitudinal long bones.
Chronic sun exposure also predisposes
to sunspots, blemishes of pigmentation, ageing spots and possibly to more
sinister lesions such as skin cancers. While most pigmented spots are benign, any sudden change or suspicious
features (irregular borders or pigmentation) should be promptly investigated.
Even with seemingly innocent
activities such as washing our hands, wringing clothes or doing the dishes, the
skin on our hands is exposed to a whole plethora of insults. Constant hand washing and the use of various
astringents in soaps and detergents leads to a leaching out of intrinsic
moisturisers, normally present in the epidermis. This is the skin’s outer ‘dead’ layer, which
provides barrier protection against irritants and infection. Dry and chapped hands never look good, so
have a moisturizing hand cream (preferably with a decent sun protection factor
too) at the ready, and when cleaning, a pair of rubber gloves can go a long way
in preventing this premature ageing.
So what if the damage is done ie
you’re looking at a pair of crinkly, furrowed and spotty hands? Despair not,
help is at hand (pardon the pun!).
The skin on the hand is amenableto the same treatments used on the face.
Chemical peels (such as TCA, AHA, or the Obagi Radiance Peel) are instrumental in reducing uneven
pigment and reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
Before undertaking any chemical peel, the skin must be primed with
products to reduce the potential of adverse reactions and to ensure uniform
results. Many of these treatments involve
prescription only medications in the form of ointments including hydroquinone
and/or tretinoin as a preparation for the peel.
Chemical peels are very safe treatments, yielding beautiful results, both
on face as well on the hands.
The thickness of skin can berestored by injecting hyaluronic acid directly into the dermis (the middle
layer responsible for all the activity).
Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance found naturally in
the skin which maintains moisture and volume.
Alas, as with collagen and elastin the skin’s sources of hylauronic acid
become depleted as we grow older. The injected hyaluronic acid absorbs moisture
and rehydrates the skin restoring volume.
Hyaluronic acid is capable of absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in
water. This treatment would need to be
repeated every 6 to 9 months, as it is gradually re-absorbed by the body. This procedure is a relatively painless one,
and some bruising may occur. This is
temporary.
Another dermal filler which canbe used similarly for longer lasting effects (up to 18 months) and is alsouseful in filling out the guttering appearance is calcium hydroxyl appatite. Guttering occurs due to loss of fat in the
subcutaneous tissues. A recent trend
pioneered by American plastic surgeons is the replacement of the patient’s own
fat harvested from elsewhere in the body.
Veins tend to become more
apparent with the loss of volume and the thinning of the skin. Some centres offer ligation of the veins on
the back of the hand to reduce this appearance.
Dermal fillers could reduce the appearance of these veins by restoring
volume.
The above medical treatments
should only be carried out by qualified and experienced medical professionals
for optimal results. While these
treatments are extremely safe, there might be some contra-indications such as
pregnancy, breast-feeding, blood-thinning medications and infection at the site
to be treated. As with any other medical
or surgical intervention, no procedure is without its risks (however minimal)
and it is imperative to be aware of the potential adverse effects, hence the
importance of taking an educated decision and having the opportunity to ask
questions when choosing to undergo any treatment
As always prevention is better
than cure. So slather on the hand cream,
carry your SPF with you everywhere, handbag sized versions are very
convenient, drink your daily 2 litres of fluid – no, alcohol does not count –
stop smoking (nicotine stains are so unsightly), and use rubber gloves when
going about your chores!
Visit our page if you want more information about treatments at www.aesthetic-virtue.co.uk
