The hands, unfortunately, are one of the first places that show the most drastic signs of aging. Also, unfortunately, the hands are one of the last places most people think about rejuvenating as they age. There are two main causes of hand aging including loss of fat in the hands and skin pigment discoloration. Luckily there are several treatment options available that address loss of volume related to fat loss in the hands. Also, there are several minimally or noninvasive procedures that can address age-related skin discoloration in the hands.
Fillers for your Hands
Soft Tissue Fillers
Dermal fillers improve the appearance of deflated hands by adding volume and fullness to the hands. Most fillers such as Juvéderm work by replenishing the hyaluronic acid levels in your skin and pulling in moisture from the body to add to its plumping and smoothing effect. Dermal fillers are helpful at reducing early signs of aging in the face and are commonly used to plump up the loss of fat in the hands related to aging.
Fat transfer
This procedure involves removing fat from one area of the body and using it to shape and plump other areas of the body. To achieve the fat transfer, liposuction is performed in areas of your body that have excess fat such as love handles, lower back, inner or outer thighs, or lower abdomen. After a purification process, the fat is injected into different areas of the body including buttocks, breasts, hands, and face to achieve the desired results. Fat transfer is permanent and has the unique ability to increase or decrease in size with weight fluctuations because fat cells can enlarge with weight gain or decrease in size with weight loss.
Intense pulsed light (IPL)
IPL is useful for some skin discolorations and correcting excess redness. Intense pulsed light is noninvasive, requires no downtime, and is usually complete in a series of five treatments over three weeks. Intense pulsed light works by emitting a specific wavelength of energy into the skin that targets dark spots or reddening in the skin. When the wavelength of light reaches the target, it fractionates the unwanted skin color or redness, and as a result, the body reabsorbs the broken pieces and diminishes the unwanted pigmentation. Each treatment will diminish sunspots and redness in the skin. Perhaps the greatest advantage of IPL is that it is safe for use in the neck, upper chest, and hands.
Fractional skin resurfacing
This procedure is also referred to as ablative laser treatments can also dramatically and permanently remove age spots found on the hands. Fractional skin resurfacing works by creating controlled micro-injury below the skin surface resulting in the body going into healing overdrive in the area treated. The benefit is that while the body is healing from fractional skin resurfacing it helps with anything from sunspots, scarring, and even stimulates collagen production to help firm and tighten the treated area.
Prevention and Protection
If you are going to spend the time repairing your skin, you need to protect it. Protective agents such as sunscreen will do more to protect your skin and keep it youthful as your hands age. Your sunscreen should be at least SPF, or Sun Protective Factor, 30 or higher and protect against both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays can prematurely age your skin while UVB rays can burn your skin. Both UVA and UVB rays cause long-lasting skin damage and expedite the aging process.
A partnership with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who is an expert in the field of antiaging can be your greatest asset in fighting off the natural aging process. For your safety, we cannot stress the importance of discussing your skincare goals with a board-certified plastic surgeon who understands the aging process and can determine whether proper skincare, noninvasive procedures, or invasive surgical procedures will be required to achieve your desired results.
Dr. Rod J. Rohrich is an internationally known, highly respected and skilled plastic and cosmetic surgeon from Dallas, Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has led most of the key professional organizations in plastic surgery in the USA. He has received numerous honors and awards in plastic and cosmetic surgery, both nationally and internationally. In addition to his extensive surgical expertise and talent as a gifted surgeon, he is the Founding Chair and Distinguished Teaching Professor of Plastic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He has authored hundreds of innovative academic publications in the field and he also serves as the Editor in Chief of the leading plastic and reconstructive surgery journal, the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Rohrich has also performed philanthropic work as a civic leader of organizations such as the March of Dimes, American Cancer Society and Save the Children and has established the Rod J. Rohrich, M.D. Foundation, which supports medical students in his native North Dakota. He is also a founding member and President of AiRS, the Alliance in Reconstructive Surgery, which serves to support education and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer survivors, regardless of financial status. Dr. Rohrich has repeatedly been featured as one of the best plastic surgeons in the country by US News and World Report, Harper’s Bazaar, Good Housekeeping and Texas Monthly as well as being quoted in notable publications such as the New York Times and Boston Globe. He has appeared on many television shows including Oprah, the View and Good Morning America and is currently working to provide a reliable source of public-centered information in the fields of plastic and cosmetic surgery as well as other areas of medicine.