With the recent influx of celebrity engagements and tabloids tracking the brides-to-be with a focus on their engagement rings, many women have thought about improving the appearance of their own hands. While manicures obviously help in appearance, hands are just as plagued with age spots, wrinkles and loss of volume as the face. Yet cosmetic injectables, dermal fillers and laser skin rejuvenation treatments counteract the signs of aging of the hands just as they do on the face.
Determining which procedures available that treat both your hands and face for rejuvenation treatments should be discussed with your dermatologist. Hand rejuvenation treatments include those with dermal fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse, Botox and Dysport hand treatments, and laser skin rejuvenation with Spectra and Fraxel DUAL.
TREATING WRINKLES AND AGE SPOTS ON HANDS
Skin forms creases that eventually become permanent wrinkles with repetitive movement of the hands. Your skin also gradually loses its elasticity and firmness due to aging. Additionally, hands may become hollow with age that reveals more wrinkles with different factors contributing to age spots on hands.
Wrinkle treatment on the hands is possible with Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) and Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA). Botox and Dysport temporarily paralyze the muscles that cause wrinkles when repeatedly contracted. Botox and Dysport block nerve cells from releasing acetylcholine, which triggers the muscles, and keeps the overlying skin crease free and smooth. Botox and Dysport usually remain active in the body for three to four months. Once the results of Botox or Dysport diminish, hand wrinkles will appear similarly to before treatment. There is no downtime for Botox and Dysport hand wrinkle treatments and results are near immediate.
For gaunt, bony hands, dermal fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse can be used to add volume to your hands. Dermal fillers hand treatments give the appearance of smoother skin on the hands and fill in the volume loss. Dermal fillers can be used alone, or in conjunction with Botox or Dysport for a more comprehensive effect. A single dermal fillers hand treatment may last anywhere from one to five years.
For age spots, they result on the skin from high concentrations or clusters of melanin. Age spots are also known as sun spots, liver spots, solar lentignes or brown spots. Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure from the sun and tanning beds, aging and genetics all play a role in the formation of age spots on the hands. Melanin gives skin its color since it’s a pigment on the epidermis that is also responsible for tans. Exposure to UV light also accelerates melanin production in order to protect deeper layers of the skin from overexposure.
Age spots on hands are usually harmless but may be lightened with skin-bleaching treatments or removed with laser skin rejuvenation treatments. However, prevention is suggested to limit their appearance on hand. Using sunscreen, limiting sun exposure and avoiding tanning beds are three of the best options. When prevention tactics don’t work or you already have moderate to severe sun spots, laser skin rejuvenation treatments with Fraxel DUAL improves the appearance of hands.
(Image: Flickr-Creative Commons)
A more youthful looking appearance for the hands can be achieved with lasers like Fraxel Dual*
LASER SKIN REJUVENATION TREATMENTS FOR HANDS WITH FRAXEL DUAL
Laser skin rejuvenation treatments with Fraxel DUAL effectively minimize the appearance of age spots. Lasers work two-fold by breaking up melanin and destroying melanocytes with light heat. In addition to stimulating collagen production, laser skin rejuvenation treatments also contribute to a more even skin tone, texture and color in hands. Differences in pigment, skin type and depth of age spots are all guiding factors for a laser treatment.
Fraxel Dual is a non-ablative laser treatment that is safe on all skin tones based on the Fitzpatrick scale and can be used anywhere on the body. Fraxel DUAL uses its Erbium fiber component of the laser (1,550-nanometer wavelength) to target deeper layers of the dermis and normalize the collagen density. Fraxel DUAL uses its Thulium fiber component (1,927-nanometer wavelength) to refine skin.
To learn more about hand rejuvenation treatments, make an appointment with FineTouch Dermatology. For more information on how Fraxel DUAL works on the skin, read https://www.finetouchdermatology.com/fraxel-dual-services/.