Your hands can give your age away - Here’s how to ensure that your hands maintain a youthful appearance

If you take care of your hands, you can prevent them from ageing rapidly. Picture: Cottonbro / Pexels

If you take care of your hands, you can prevent them from ageing rapidly. Picture: Cottonbro / Pexels

Published Sep 11, 2024

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Women spend so much time and money trying to maintain a youthful appearance but tend to neglect other body parts.

One part of the body that generally gives your age away is your hands.

As you get older, your hands lose fat and elasticity and your skin loses volume.

Frequent exposure to the sun causes age spots, wrinkles, and thinning skin.

And because the skin thins, the veins on your hands become more prominent.

The appearance of your hands can give your age away. Picture: Cottonbro Studio / Pexels

Dry skin can become rough, and flaky, contributing to the lack lustre appearance of your hands.

Even your nails change. They may become brittle, yellow, or develop ridges.

However, in the same way you try and keep your face appearing youthful as much as possible regardless of the natural ageing process, there are ways you can keep your hands looking youthful.

Here are ways you can prevent the rapid ageing of your hands.

Moisturise regularly

When moisturising your hands, choose a rich hand cream. Opt for a cream that contains ingredients like shea butter, glycerin, or hyaluronic acid.

Moisturise your hands throughout the day, especially after washing them or using hand sanitiser.

Moisturise your hands throughout the day. Picture: Thirdman / Pexels

Protect your hands

Your hands need sunscreen as well. Like your face, your hands are exposed all the time. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to your hands, especially during the day.

Wear gloves when gardening, cleaning, or doing other chores that expose your hands to harsh chemicals or the sun.

Wear gloves to protect your hands. Picture: Liliana Drew / Pexels

Gentle exfoliation

Exfoliating can help remove dead skin cells and improve the appearance of your hands.

However, it’s important to be gentle by avoiding harsh scrubs that can irritate your skin.

Take care of your nails

Be sure to keep your nails trimmed. Regular trimming helps prevent hangnails and keeps your nails looking neat.

Don’t forget about your cuticles. Apply cuticle oil or a rich hand cream to your cuticles to keep them hydrated.

Consider professional treatments

One treatment to try is a paraffin wax. This treatment can help soften and hydrate your hands.

Another option is a chemical peel which can help improve the appearance of your hands.

IOL Lifestyle