I could have sworn I posted on how to make your hands look younger once before but I can't seem to find it any more. Perhaps I am thinking of the post I wrote for a client, or perhaps I am just going batty. In any event, I recently received an email from Helen asking me what to do about her "ugly aging hands" and her dry, ridged nails. Helen tells me she has age spots, a "bony, veiny" appearance, and can't keep her nails from breaking. She wants to know if calcium will help and whether she should ask about fillers.
Fortunately, there are many things that Helen can do to improve the appearance of her hands and make them look younger. Hands are one of the first parts of the body to show their age because they are constantly exposed to the elements, and because work (especially if you are an artisan or use a keyboard a lot) can cause thickening of the knuckles, accentuating boniness. As soon as the "Big M" hits, elastin and collagen can weaken, and subdermal fat diminish, causing the thin, fragile appearance we associate with aging.
Age spots: These things are just nasty looking! You can prevent them by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen by day and Retin-A by night. If you already have them, using a skin-bleaching agent such as Neostrata HQ 2% hydroquinone, or a product that contains alpha-arbutin, bearberry or kojic acid, will help get rid of them. (These all work by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, which converts the amino acid tyrosine into melanin in the skin.) I would only use the Neostrata product on small spots, and not all over the back of the hands as it can be quite irritating to some people's skins. Dermadoctor's Immaculate Correction is a good product that will gradually fade hyperpigmentation.
If age spots are very dark or you have a lot of them, you might consider a course of IPL treatment from a medi-spa. IPL has the additional benefit of encouraging the production of new collagen, and therefore a slightly thicker appearance to the skin. However, this takes time and isn't apparent after one session. Ageless ladies who want to keep up the good work of IPL, or to prevent age spots and encourage collagen production, might also want to invest in an anti-aging LED such as the Red LightStim or Baby Quasar. (I am using the LightStim on my hands as a preventive measure. I find it much more comfortable to use than the Baby Quasar, which has a hard metal rim that pushes against the bones of the hand and becomes very irritating.)
Veins and bones: Although we've had these all our lives, we suddenly get to realize the fact somewhere in the early 50s. Veins become more obvious due to thinning of the skin and dermal fat loss. Ditto for bones. To deal with the vein issue, you could get them injected, but it has been my experience that they simply pop up elsewhere (although the "replacement" veins are usually smaller). A better idea, if you can spring for it, is to have your hands injected with Radiesse. (Restylane, Juvéderm and other fillers may also be used, but Radiesse lasts longer, from one to two years.) I asked Dr. Shehla how much would be required for two hands and she said two syringes will usually do it. That's about $1,000 and a little too much for me but I have seen two ladies who have had it done and both look great. Some woman have gone down to Mexico to get PMMA, a permanent filler, injected into their hands. I understand they were largely happy with the procedure, but found it painful. Incidentally, my friends who are on HRT or (better) BHRT, still have dermal fat loss, despite relatively high hormone levels. It's a frustrating part of having spent more years on this earth. The photo underneath, credited to Steven Anderson, shows the same hand before and after treatment with Radiesse.
One of the benefits of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers such as Radiesse is that they also increase the body's production of collagen. In one study, conducted at four and 13 weeks following HS injections, the dermal fibroblast cells were seen to be producing Type 1 collagen. This means that over time, the skin is thickened as well as the hands themselves being filled out.
Now about those nails. The health of the nail begins with what you eat, so be sure to get enough protein. Biotin is also helpful. This B-vitamin was shown in one study to increase the thickness of nails by 25%. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important, for the skin and arteries too, so be sure you are getting a least 1 gram a day of fish oil, flax oil or krill oil. Silica is also helpful, and is also available in supplement form. It is best to cut brittle nails after a bath or shower, when they will be more flexible. Always use a good cuticle oil, such as Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil or balm such as Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (great stuff for hangnails!) I also found that OPI's Nail Envy helped my nails when they once became very dry and brittle. Unless you are not getting enough calcium in your diet (1,500 mg daily), taking more calcium won't result in thicker nails.
