Wave Your Hands in the Air: There’s Help for Ageing Hands!
Our hands age faster than any other part of our body. And it shows!
It’s understandable. We expose our hands to all kinds of nasty things on a daily basis. Physical injury, UV rays, extreme cold, hot water, and chemicals are just a few of our hands’ assailants.
As if the effects of external factors weren’t bad enough, intrinsic ageing delivers its own blows. Fat loss depletes the skin volume on the back of our hands and the elasticity that helped to keep our hands taut and smooth when they belonged to a younger body begins to disappear. Wrinkles appear on the back of our hands and age spots cover the areas most exposed to the sun. Being so visible, our hands can make us appear older than we really are! Who needs that?
There are some ways to help slow down the onset of ageing and diminish the appearance of the damage that’s already be done:
- Moisturize:
Dry skin accelerates ageing, period! You may have to change your hand cream with the seasons or the activities you are involved in. Ensure that the moisturizer you choose is fragrance-free and contains ingredients recognized for their moisturizing properties, like glycerin, shea butter, hyaluronic acid, or ceramides. - Apply Sunscreen:
In the case of hands, make it water-resistant, and the higher the SPF the better. Reapply often. Your hands are “out there” all the time so protect them. Tip: Apply to the backs of the hands and then rub them together avoiding the palms: your palms don’t require as much protection, sunscreen is naturally more easily and often removed from your palms anyway, and your hands won’t be greasy. - Wear Gloves:
Protect your hands from injury and sun whenever possible by wearing gloves. Not always the best look, but hey, who’ll be laughing when your hands are plump and spot-free later? - Exfoliate:
If your hands are looking dry and rough, exfoliate. A formula as simple as sugar and lemon juice, mixed to the desired texture, will do the trick. Just rub it on and wipe it off with a damp cloth. Tip: Lemon juice will also help to lighten dark spots when regularly applied directly to the skin.
If you choose to use a commercial skin lightening hand cream, ensure that you are always using sun protection as well. Ingredients that lighten skin often attract UV rays.
Wave Your Hands in the Air
Hiding ageing hands is a sure sign that you have something to, well, hide. It will only draw further attention to them. Wave your hands in the air! Appreciate all that your hands have done for you over the years.
Treat them well and then show off those years with confidence.
