Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Updated : September 25, 2014 2:27 PM IST
You may give special attention to your face to keep those wrinkles and age spots away but your hands can make you look older than you actually are as most people often ignore their hands and arms in their beauty regimen. Since our hands are generally uncovered and we use them for multiple things, it becomes essential to take good care of them if you want them to look youthful. Here are commonly faced beauty problems when it comes to hands and arms and solutions to address these issues. Dr Jaishree Sharad, a leading cosmetic dermatologist provides her expert tips.
Wrinkly hands and fingers
'Your hands really need more moisture than any other part of your body because they are exposed to the elements more, all year long, plus you are washing them frequently, which also tends to cause a loss of the skin's protective oil mantle. The end result, is wrinkly, crinkly crepe-like skin texture and the noticeable appearance of bulging veins, which also grow larger over time,' says Dr Sharad.
Sun exposure also results in ageing of the skin. As the elastin fibres of collagen break down, the wrinkles become more noticeable on the back of your hands where there is very little fat. A simple method to take care of this problem is to moisturise the hands daily, twice.
'While a moisturiser won't reverse sun damage or create new collagen, it can leave the skin looking plumper and more youthful,' she says.
Fillers: Fillers are another way to add back some cushion under your skin which depletes as we age.
'Once injected, the filler is massaged across the back of the hand and 'fanned out' to plump up and fill in the entire area. The treatment takes less than 20 minutes, and results are visible in a couple of weeks. The effect last for about a year,' recommends Dr Sharad.
Radio frequency skin tightening: This treatment is essentially for loose, sagging skin on the hands. It is a non-surgical, non-invasive method which gives long lasting results.
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Dark fingers and elbows
If you've noticed your hands closely, you will often find that the back of your hands are darker compared to the rest of your arms. Also, many people have fingers which are dark in the middle and towards the nails. Many people also complain of having dark, rough elbows.
'This occurs probably due to dry skin around the bony prominence. Sometimes due to excess friction in these areas, there is thickening of the skin layers which also gives a darkened effect at that area.
'It should also be kept in mind that such pigmentation can be due to skin conditions like acanthosis nigricans or hyperkeratosis induced or can be related to diabetes, excess alcohol intake, vitamin B 12 deficiency and hence shouldn't be ignored. One should seek advice from a dermatologist,' warns Dr Jaishreee.
She advises moisturising the area well to avoid friction. Applying skin lightening creams also help in reducing pigmentation but these should be used only after consulting a dermatologist. One should avoid scrubbing and use creams containing licorice, kojic acid.
Dark spots on arms
If you often shave or wax, you may see the appearance of reddish-brownish spots on the arms, especially on the upper arms. In order to get rid of these 'Opt for skin lightening peels. TCA peels work well to lighten such spots. To avoid these , opt for laser hair reduction instead of shaving or waxing the area.' says Dr Sharad.
Uneven skin tone
This is probably one problem many women complaint about. Tanned, uneven skin tone on hands and arms are primarily due to undue sun exposure and UV rays. According to Dr Jaishree, these problems haven't erupted in a day, it is due to years of sun exposure and so the treatment also will take time to show results. She advises applying a good sunscreen to control the damage and wearing full-sleeved clothes for added protection. There are also a wide range of skin lightening creams available which can help in reducing then unevenness and can be used in the night.
Apart from these, one can also opt for chemical peels and laser therapy after due consultation with a skin specialist who can examine the problem and determine how many sittings would be needed for the spots to lighten.
Dr Jaishree Sharad is one of India's leading cosmetic dermatologists. She is the VP of the Cosmetic Dermatology Society of India and CEO of Skinfiniti Aesthetic Skin & Laser Clinic, Mumbai. She is a certified trainer for Botox and fillers and pioneers in microneedling, radiofrequency skin tightening and Exilis body contouring in India. Dr Jaishree has conducted many training workshops on Botox, fillers, peels, dermaroller and dermatosurgery all over India and abroad for dermatologists , post graduate students and cosmetologists. She is a skin consultant to various Bollywood celebrities. Follow her on twitter@jaishreesharad.
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