Maybe you’ve noticed the disconnect. You see the face of a beautiful woman and wonder how lucky she is: no lines around her eyes, no creases surrounding her mouth, no ridges above her lips. And then you glance at her hands and they are a sure giveaway- the lines, wrinkles, and ridges missing from her face are front and center on her hands. It happens to the best of us: we take good care of our faces, slathering lotions, potions, serums, and SPF with the goal of minimizing sun or age-related damage (or we go the cosmetic procedure route). But somehow, many of us never take the same care and precautions with our hands- and as a result, the ravages of too much sun or too little collagen are plainly evident. As one writer recently remarked, “It’s often said you can tell a person’s age just by looking at their hands.”

While it’s not inevitable that our hands may reveal our true age, it is likely that the skin on our hands will become drier, wrinkled, and spotted unless we are proactive in protecting them in a manner akin to our faces. Medical News Today recently ran an article describing what can be done, including lifestyle changes, hand creams, and cosmetic procedures that can all work to promote more youthful-looking hands. What kind of lifestyle changes might help? Beyond the obvious ones like stopping smoking and managing your stress (stress can trigger the release of cortisol, which breaks down collagen in your skin), are you wearing physical hand protection- when doing household chores, braving the cold outside, or exposing your hands to the sun (Did you know that there are driving gloves specifically with high SPF to block the rays while you’re on the road)? 

If gloves aren’t your thing, what kind of sunblock are you slathering on your hands to block harmful rays? You may want to consider a combination product that provides essential moisture while also giving sun protection. Speaking of moisturizers, make sure you look for a specific cream for your hands rather than a more generic body lotion. Hand creams are usually formulated to be thicker and work better in locking in moisture. For an array of recommended products (at various price points), tap your fingers here. In fact, the last 2 years have been hard on everyone’s hands, especially with the excess hand sanitizing and washing so many of us have employed to stay extra careful regarding Covid. Refinery 29 recommends you be as careful with your hand wash as you are with your face wash and search for a non-soap hand cleanser. What about cosmetic procedures for your hands? While there doesn’t seem to be a “hand-lift” option, there are an array of procedures, including chemical peels, laser therapy, and fillers that could all potentially undo some of the more extreme damage you may see in your hands.

Finally, while you’re focusing on the visual presentation of your hands, you may also notice peculiarities in your fingers, nails, or palms. In reality, your hands might also reflect more serious health problems. For example, swollen fingertips, discolored palms, or lumps in your fingers could be evidence of heart trouble. Fingernail abnormalities- peeling, brittle, or ridged nails, for example- could be a sign of nutritional problems and require a more comprehensive look at what’s going on in your body. So it’s not just a matter of vanity. Paying attention to your hand and nail care reflects not only your concern about aging skin but also your interest in your broader health and well-being. So reach out your arms and pay attention to your hands.