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Keeping your skin youthful, radiant, and healthy is much easier when you practice a good skin care routine and keep your entire body in good shape. But there are also many factors that make hands look older, including age spots, wrinkles and creped skin, thin skin, dryness, and stained or brittle nails. You can take years off the look of your hands by treating these issues. And by taking care of your hands, eating well, avoiding the sun, and maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle, you can have glowing, supple skin for many years to come.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Rejuvenating Your Hands

Treat age spots. These spots, which are also called liver spots, are caused by neither age nor your liver. In fact, they are areas of hyperpigmentation caused by increased melanin production that occurs because of UV exposure.^[1] The appearance of sun spots can be reduced with:
- Skin bleaching agents that contain hydroquinone.
- Fading or lightening creams that contain glycolic or kojic acid, vitamin C, licorice, and mushroom extract.
- Laser therapy or intense pulsed light therapy.^[2]
Address the signs of aging. As we age, the skin on our hands can become wrinkled and creped (looking like crepe paper or streamers) because of fat loss and collagen and elastin depletion.^[3] Skin can also become saggy, red, or discolored, and develop a poor texture or growths. Dryness and cracking can also make your hands look older. Regular moisturizing and the use of anti-aging creams can prevent dryness and the signs of aging.
- Always moisturize your hands after you bathe or wash your hands. Pat your hands dry and apply your favorite moisturizer while they're still damp.^[4]
- Make a moisturizing hand mask with one tablespoon (5.5 grams) of oat flour, and one tablespoon (0.5 ounces) each of rose water and either almond, olive, coconut, or jojoba oil. Warm the mixture on the stove and apply it to your hands. Wrap your hands in plastic wrap and rinse the mask off once it has cooled, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Look for anti-aging creams that contain ingredients such as retinol, antioxidants, and peptides.^[5]
- To help plump your hands up again, try a retinoid cream,^[6] a weekly collagen mask on the back of your hands,^[7] or rub into your hands an eye cream that contains hyaluronic acid.^[8]
Exfoliate your skin. By removing dead skin cells, exfoliation can make your skin softer and brighter, and help even out the skin tone. You can exfoliate by gently rubbing your skin with kitchen remedies like coffee grounds or oats, or look for an exfoliating product that contains alpha-hydroxy acids, vitamin C, and retinoids.
- Next time you're exfoliating your face, apply the same product to your hands.^[9]
Massage your hands. Rub a small amount of olive or coconut oil into your hands before bed to help moisturize your skin and improve circulation. Add some sugar to the mix for the additional benefit of exfoliating your skin at the same time. Be gentle as you massage, and be sure to get the back of your hands, palms, fingers, and your cuticles and nails.
- If you used sugar as well, rinse it off when you are finished the massage, otherwise your hands will get sticky. Be sure to moisturize again after washing your hands.
Give yourself a manicure. Old manicure styles, chipped nail polish, and ignored cuticles can all make your hands look less than perfect. While professional manicures can be expensive and you run the risk of fungal infections,^[10] you can achieve many of the same results at home. Every week:
- Remove existing nail polish. Trim and file your nails. Apply a cuticle oil. Once it has been on for a few minutes, push your cuticles back with a cuticle pusher.^[11]
- Either leave your nails bare to give them a break from the nail polish, or try a bold new color to draw attention to your nails instead of your hands.
- Never cut your cuticles, as this can cause bleeding and leave you vulnerable to infections.^[12]
Use makeup. For a quick and temporary fix to make your hands look younger, rub a small amount of liquid concealer all over the back of your hands.^[13] Although the effect isn't permanent, this will help conceal wrinkles, uneven tone and texture, sun spots, and other signs of aging.
Consider a filler or injection. When you age you lose fat in your hands, and this makes the bones and veins more prominent. Fat injections and fillers are designed to plump your hands up again. If you're going to go this route, choose a filler treatment that includes hyaluronic acid, which is a great moisturizer that helps to plump skin. ^[14]
- There are also laser treatments you can get done that promote collagen production, which will help plump your skin up again.^[15]

[Edit]Keeping Your Skin Healthy

Stay out of the sun. Since UV exposure causes age spots, the best way to prevent them is to protect your hands from the sun. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF between 30 and 50 all day, every day. And don't forget to reapply throughout the day. Try to keep your hands out of direct and indirect sunlight as much as possible, especially during the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.^[16]
Eat the right foods. Many of the foods that are good for our bodies also keep our skin looking younger. Eating a balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables of all colors, and healthy fats will help keep your skin looking radiant and youthful. And don't forget to stay hydrated! Anytime you feel thirsty, drink a cup of water.
- Eat wrinkle-fighting foods that are rich in protein, selenium, antioxidants, and coenzyme Q10.^[17] This includes whole grains, berries and fruit, beans and legumes, mushrooms, nuts, olive, canola, and sesame oils, and green tea.
- Help increase your body's collagen and elastin production by eating foods that contain vitamins A, C, and E.^[18] Try tofu, dark leafy greens, sunflower seeds, avocados, orange fruits and vegetables, bell peppers, and citrus fruits.
- Eat nail-friendly foods that contain omegas and biotin.^[19] Add plenty of onions and carrots to your meals, and sprinkle flax seeds on your salads and cereals.
Exercise regularly. A regular fitness routine is good for your mental health, physical health, and the look of your skin. By improving circulation and bringing more oxygen to your cells, exercise keeps your mind, body, and skin looking and feeling young.
- You should exercise for at least half an hour per day, three to six times per week.^[20]
- Walking is an excellent, low-impact exercise.
- Swimming gives you a fantastic cardiovascular workout without the strain or impact of other exercise, because the water takes pressure off muscles and joints.
Protect your hands. This means protecting them from chemicals, abrasives, detergents, and the elements. Avoid harsh soaps, detergents, heavy-duty cleaning products, and alcohol-based products on your hands. Avoid washing your hands too often, and try to avoid the soaps provided in public washrooms.^[21]
- Choose gentle, fragrance-free soaps for your hands, face, and body. Look for soaps that contain aloe, vegetable-based oils like olive and coconut, and soothing ingredients like witch hazel and lavender.
Wear gloves all the time. Gloves are an added layer of protection against nasty chemicals and the elements.^[22] Have different gloves for different occasions and seasons, such as:
- Warm gloves in the winter to protect your hands from the cold and wind.
- Rubber or latex gloves when cleaning or washing dishes.
- Sun-protective gloves (when you aren't wearing winter gloves) to keep your hands safe from UV exposure.
Consult a doctor about medical concerns. The signs of aging are a normal part of your skin's life. There are, however, medical conditions that can cause abnormal problems, and you should be aware of what to look for. Talk to your doctor or healthcare practitioner if you spot any symptoms such as:^[23]
- Rash or lesions
- Raised dots or blisters
- Excessively dry, red, or scaly skin patches
- Warts or abnormal growths
- Stained nails (a sign of fungal infection)^[24]