London: Hands are often an afterthought when it comes to skincare, but they shouldn’t be as they are constantly being used. Skincare and beauty experts regularly talk about the importance of anti-aging routines to help target fine lines, crow’s feet, and sunspots but how often do we give our hands the love and attention they deserve? Hands are especially vulnerable to the early signs of aging as they are exposed to the elements all year round.
Dailymail to Dr. Yusra Al-Mukhtar, anti-aging expert and founder of dryusra.com, to find out what causes aging in the hands, and she shared her tops tips for looking after them, as well as which products to reach for to improve their appearance. Dr. Yusra recommends checking the ingredient list and ensuring it contains emollients and hydrators such as glycerin, ceramides, vitamin E, and shea butter to give hands the TLC they’re worthy of.
How to Keep Your Hands Looking Young
Protect your hands from the sun:
Wrinkle Free Hands: Ever considered an anti-aging hand care routine? It’s easy to forget how sun exposure plays a huge role in the aging process, but it’s vital to moisturize your hands and apply SPF daily as you do for your face to prevent sun damage, brown spots, and loss of elastin.
‘Your hands are the most exposed to the elements, and often the least cared for,’ explained Dr. Yusra. ‘You need and use them daily to function and work, and the vast majority of people forget to treat them with sun protection factor, meaning they can often be the first to age and develop hyper-pigmented lesions.’
Use emollients to restore the skin’s natural barrier:
If you’re hoping to avoid aging hands, Dr. Yusra explained how ‘you can keep your hands youthful by using emollients, vitamin E based moisturizers, or those with ceramides to restore the skin’s natural barrier and moisture content’.
However, if you’re simply looking for ways to turn back the hands of time, according to Dr. Yusra more people than ever before are looking into surgical procedures to prevent and reduce the signs of aging in their hands. She said: ‘Hands are one of the most common areas we treat in clinic with Hydrafacials, skin peels, and dermal fillers too.’
It doesn’t come cheap, but doctors can also inject dermal fillers ‘to plump the volume’ and ‘restore youth and vitality says Dr. Yusra. ‘I like to inject collagen stimulators like radiesse or simple hyaluronic acid drawing water back into the skin and keeping the hands soft and supple.
Use anti-bacterial hand gel when hand washing is not an option:
Typically your hand sanitizer contains a high volume of alcohol, so it’s normal to notice that your hands feel dry and irritated after frequent use. Not only is having dry skin on your hands uncomfortable, but Dr. Yusra also explained how ‘too much hand gel will dry out the skin, remove natural oils and can damage the barrier function of the skin, resulting in hands that are cracked, dry and sore’.
Cracked skin ‘is more vulnerable to infection’ as the skin barrier has been compromised, ‘so hand gels are best used in moderation – a little goes a long way and they should be used only when handwashing is not an option,’ says Dr. Yusra.
An easy way to avoid dry skin when washing your hands frequently is to use an SLS-free hand wash. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is commonly added to soaps and hand washes to make them foam but, like ethanol alcohol, it can leave the skin dry and stripped of natural oils. Enter the Green People Scent Free Hand Wash, a certified organic hand washes formulated without SLS. It’s gentle, hygienic, and an ideal choice for all environmentally-aware individuals who want to maintain a high level of hygiene without compromising their high standards.
