Hand rejuvenation treatments are often overlooked procedures by patients seeking laser treatments, pharmaceutical injectables and dermal fillers to counteract the signs of aging. However, your hands are as visible as your face. Age spots, wrinkles and loss of volume are just as common on the hands.
With many procedures available that treat both your hands and face, you should consider hand rejuvenation treatments with your dermatologist. There are countless procedures that can help restore your skin by improving texture, tone and pigmentation issues such as age spots and melasma. Hand rejuvenation treatments include laser treatments with Spectra and Fraxel DUAL, pharmaceutical injectables such as Botox, and dermal fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse.
Hand rejuvenation treatments include laser treatments with Spectra and Fraxel DUAL, pharmaceutical injectables such as Botox, and dermal fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse.*
REMOVING AND PREVENTING AGE SPOTS
Age spots are also known as sun spots, liver spots, solar lentignes or brown spots. There is no correlation of age spots and the liver as originally thought for its namesake. They’re usually harmless and may be removed with laser treatments. In minor case, age spots might lighten with continued skin-bleaching treatments. To avoid them, prevention tactics should be used. Use sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher daily, limit sun exposure and avoid tanning beds. Other options to consider are wearing protective clothing, hats and sunglasses. Aging and genetics also play a role in the development age spots. They are common on adults over 40 because they naturally produce more melanin but can also affect younger individuals. Genetics may also make you more prone to the development of age spots.
LASER HAND REJUVENATION TREATMENTS
Laser treatments effectively eliminate age spots in a short time frame, a common complaint for hands. Lasers work two-fold by breaking up melanin and destroying melanocytes. Two types of lasers accomplish this with light heat, Fraxel and Spectra. Age spots commonly appear on areas most exposed to the sun, such as the back of hands, face, shoulders, chest, upper back and tops of feet. They can appear individually about the size of freckles to more than 1 centimeter.
Laser treatments are very effective in the stimulation of collagen production as well as the treatment of age spots, melasma and more even skin tone, texture, and color. Differences in pigment, skin type and depth of age spots are all guiding factors for a laser treatment.
Non-Ablative Laser Treatments
Spectra is a dual mode Q-switched laser with four wavelengths of 532, 585, 650 and 1,064 nanometer. This makes treatment versatility possible, with the longer wavelength safe on those with darker skin and pigmented lesions. Multiple laser hand rejuvenation treatments may be required on certain age spots.
Fraxel has two non-ablative laser models that treat age spots. The Fraxel re:fine works on minor pigmentation issues with a 1,927 nanometer wavelength. The Fraxel DUAL has both the 1,927-nanometer and 1,550-nanometer wavelength laser option, which is used deeply penetrate skin. Fraxel re:fine and Fraxel DUAL are safe on all skin tones based on the Fitzpatrick scale.
BOTOX USE FOR HAND WRINKLES
With repetitive movement of the hands, the skin form creases that eventually become permanent wrinkles. Your skin also gradually loses its elasticity and firmness due to aging. Hand rejuvenation treatments for wrinkles are possible through the prescription-grade botulinum toxin present in Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA).
Botox temporarily paralyzes the muscles that cause wrinkles when repeatedly contracted. Botox blocks nerve cells from releasing acetylcholine, which triggers the muscles.
The overlying skin thus remains crease free and appears smooth. There is no downtime, plus results are almost immediate. Botox usually remain active in the body for three to four months. Once the result of Botox diminishes, wrinkles that subsided will appear similarly to before treatment.
DERMAL FILLERS TO INCREASE VOLUME
In additions to filling in wrinkles and folds, dermal fillers can be used to add volume to your hands, improve the appearance of scars and fill in tear troughs underneath the eye. Your hands may become hollow with age, which may bring about the appearance of wrinkles.
An age-old technique is putting a wrinkle filler underneath the skin. This fills in the volume loss and gives the appearance of smoother skin. Dermal fillers such as Juvéderm and Radiesse can be used alone, or in conjunction with others for a more comprehensive effect. A single treatment can last anywhere from one to five years.
As always, consult with a medical profession about any cosmetic treatment and hand rejuvenation treatments.