Aging hands
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free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:02 am

I'd like to start a thread on aging hands. My face looks great (in terms of how old it appears) and so does my neck and decolleté, but my hands went downhill dramatically when I hit 52. I have nasty prominent veins, cords appearing where the fat has disappeared, enlarged knuckles along the fingers ("knuckle pads", not arthritis) but flawless skin with nary a wrinkle or pigmentation spot in sight.

I've been looking at Radiesse but it's so expensive (thinking of self-injecting). I'm currently using Retin-A .1% to try to thicken the skin. I also use Let's Make Collagen by SkinActives, but only just started that. I am using the BQ three times a week. Anyone doing anything effective for the hands?

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:11 am

I don't get it- you say the skin is perfect and thee are no pigmentation problems. You have veins and enlarged knuckles, but how would a retinoid help with that? I think retin A actually thins the skin so in your case it may be counterproductive.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:17 pm

Retin A actually thickens the skin, Nimue. It thins the outer layers, and thickens the inner layers.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:25 pm

Hi Antonia,

Lucky you - no pigmentation issues on your hands!

As for the prominent veins and knuckles. I don't think there is much you can do about the enlarged knuckles - but I do know that some plastic surgeons do offer fat injections into the back of the hands to make them look younger. (The hands, that is - not the plastic surgeons...) Very Happy

Apparently, they go in and take out your own extra fat from wherever (knees, thighs, behind, etc...) then take the cleaned fat cells and inject them into the backs of the hands. That plumps up the area and makes your hands look younger. From what I've seen (on t.v., anyway) it works - but I'm guessing it's probably pretty darn expensive. (Not the fat injection part - but the harvesting part...)

I think Retin A might help a bit - just to thicken the skin - but overall, I don't know if it would add enough bulk to really disguise the loss of fatty tissue (which is the real culprit in what makes hands look older...) Sad

If only we could do spot weight loss (thighs, behind, etc...) and do spot weight "add-on" (backs of hand, boobs, etc...) Laughing

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:15 pm

I have very obvious veins on my hands even though I'm relatively young. Vitamin K cream has completely solved that problem.
I'm pretty sure the veins will reappear if I stop using the cream, but I don't plan to. Wink

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:20 pm

Magica - which Vitamin K cream do you use?

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:22 pm

It's called Dermal-K. Smile

It's developed to remove spider veins, but on a whim I tried it on my hands and it worked.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:29 pm

rileygirl wrote:

Retin A actually thickens the skin, Nimue. It thins the outer layers, and thickens the inner layers.

But, and there's always a but.... Because the hand has no fat or muscle to speak of, you will never experience the thickining of skin with RA that you would on your face.. And your hands will be much more susceptible to UV damage.. Crying or Very sad

To keep hands young looking it's all about protecting them from the environment;

- Gloves in cold climates all winter
- Waterproof sunscreen everyday
- Rubber gloves when cleaning everything all the time
- Greasy, gooey high lipid creams frequently..(try this under the rubber gloves and see how the hot water makes it penetrate.. Very Happy

)
- If you use an LED, don't forget your hands.. A nice 1 to 8 part hyaluronic acid and water serum applied prior, will give you a nice plumping...(used consistently, it's cumulative!)

Here's a picture for what it's worth! Keep in mind, I'll be 59 in a few weeks, and I've been a nurse for 21 years..(My poor hands have been through the mill and back.. Crying or Very sad

)

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pm

I think the biggest thing is remembering to use sunscreen on them. I try to daily but often forget.

I saw on Dr 90210 a few weeks back, a woman had a chemical peel on her hands and then fat injections into them so they didn't look so thin/veins. They did look great after but I never knew anyone did that for the hands.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:28 pm

Hi Kassy, I'm a bit confoosed there Shock

What has the fat and muscle got to do with Retin-A's activity? My derm said to use it on my hands to thicken the skin and then wear sunscreen over it. I'm really interested in what you are saying here. Those hands are really lovely by the way! I'm going to try the Vit K thing for the veins. I do take Holista's Varivein capsules. Going to post a pic of my bony hands as soon as I have some light.
I have had fat injected in my naso-labial trenches. It looked AMAZING - for a whole two weeks and then my body metabolized it. My friend had her hands injected with fat and it lasted only a month, so I don't want to waste money. Really worried about this Retin-A thing now... Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:55 pm

Oops. I missed the editing window there. Kassy, I forgot to add, have you ever used your Dermawand on your hands? I read the posts where you said you were very impressed with it for your face.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:55 pm

Hi Antonia, I didn't use Derma Wand on my hands with any regularity, so can't really comment on if it would have any longterm benefit...Couldn't hurt though!

Getting back to the Retin-A, I hope I didn't confuse you.. Retin-A would be wonderful for getting rid of hyperpigmentation and age spots on the hands....As far as thickening the skin of the hands, I'm afraid I disagree with your Dr..(And I can be totally wrong, but here's why I feel that way.)

- The backs of our hands have the thinnest skin on our bodies. The little bit of fat we had in our childhood disipates through the years, never to be replaced.. There is no muscle there either, so little chance for plumping anything up under that skin. The more our hands are exposed to the elements, the worse the situation gets... Sunscreen is the best hope of *stalling* the aging process of our hands..

- Retin-A is great for sloughing off the outer layer of skin, and encouraging collagen synthesis, and used on a regular basis, will fade/remove age spots and moderate wrinkles, it will also increase epidermal thickness in areas where collagen was/is abundant. Unfortunately there isn't much to work with on the back of the hand skin...

So in my opinion it's not worth the additional UV exposure you'll be susceptible to, for the little gain you'll achieve..

BTW, a good vitamin C serum will give you the same or better results on hands/forearms. It encourages collagen synthesis, offers additional UV protection + helps fade hyperpigmentation.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:58 pm

Thanks so much for this info Kassy. Man, you're a mine of info. So it would be better to switch to a Vit C serum? Honestly, the Retin-A seems to do zilch. I'm using the BQ. Hyperpigmentation isn't a problem, just this skinny bony look. I have used a sunscreen on my face and hands every day since I was in my early 30s.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:33 pm

If you haven't tried a hyaluronic acid serum with your BQ you should.. It will plump up whatever area you treat with it.. It isn't the cure all, but with regular use, you'll retain a little extra plumpness..

You can get hyaluronic acid powder at any of the DIY suppliers. Just mix up to 2% with distilled water, and put it in a spritz bottle.

When you're ready to give yourself a treatment; cleanse, apply hot cloth for a minute, spritz on serum, and in 10 minutes when it's fully absorbed have at it with your BQ ... Cool

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:39 pm

rileygirl wrote:

Retin A actually thickens the skin, Nimue. It thins the outer layers, and thickens the inner layers.

Which is a mimicking of younger skin.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:57 pm

Thanks Kassy. I have some HA here. I use it on my face with the BQ. I have another, slightly off-topic question, since you are so very knowledgeable (flattery gets me everywhere Bad Grin

) I work out a lot and have well-toned arms with good skin, no looseness at the backs. However, about four years ago, I noticed what looked like dimpling in the crook of my arm (inner elbow). This has become progressively worse. I'm hiding that part of my arms now. It looks like the skin is very thin and wrinkled and the fat is bunching up underneath, like a chicken. Is this due to thinning skin also? Or is the fat bunching or what? What should I do about it (aside from accept it)? I am using estriol there in the am and "Let's Make Collagen" in the pm.

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:26 pm

Antonia wrote:

Thanks Kassy. I have some HA here. I use it on my face with the BQ. I have another, slightly off-topic question, since you are so very knowledgeable (flattery gets me everywhere Bad Grin

) I work out a lot and have well-toned arms with good skin, no looseness at the backs. However, about four years ago, I noticed what looked like dimpling in the crook of my arm (inner elbow). This has become progressively worse. I'm hiding that part of my arms now. It looks like the skin is very thin and wrinkled and the fat is bunching up underneath, like a chicken. Is this due to thinning skin also? Or is the fat bunching or what? What should I do about it (aside from accept it)? I am using estriol there in the am and "Let's Make Collagen" in the pm.

That's too funny! You happened to just ask a few things I do know about.. Laughing

As for the dimpling on the inner arms, welcome to the club! Consider yourself a step ahead of many of us, who have the jiggle going on as well.. Embarassed

Maybe exercising your arms with weights will help!

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:42 pm

Kassy, lol, I use HUGE weights. I'm a gym-rat. The ghastly skin is under the biceps towards the crook of the elbow. It's quite obnoxious - really! It looks like something coagulated the protein under there...but it's more likely to be the fat that's showing through...I'm quite thin, so it's a real puzzle to me. The derms just say it's "thinning skin." Ugh!

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:47 pm

Antonia wrote:

Kassy, lol, I use HUGE weights. I'm a gym-rat. The ghastly skin is under the biceps towards the crook of the elbow. It's quite obnoxious - really! It looks like something coagulated the protein under there...but it's more likely to be the fat that's showing through...I'm quite thin, so it's a real puzzle to me. The derms just say it's "thinning skin." Ugh!

Hmm! Sounds like some lovely congealed fat.. Bad Grin

Maybe the Vaculifter would take care of that..

Here's a thread to tell you what it's all about;

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?tid=27735

If you get the large face size (there are 4 different sizes), it will give you the best bang for your buck.

ETA: I'm a "couch rat" myself .. Embarassed

free skin care · Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:02 pm

Ah-ha! Now, I was looking at this gadget as yet another expenditure for the bleph wrinkling...you've just given me one more excuse to buy it.... Shame on you

many thanks!

free skin care · Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:57 pm

Have you tried parrafin wax treatments? They are lovely and make my hands super baby soft ^^ I then put on thick hand cream and wear cotton gloves before bed. Hope this helps Smile

free skin care · Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:51 pm

Antonia I'm wondering if you got the vitamin K cream, and if so how it's working for your hands???

free skin care · Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:12 am

LOL at EDS I swear there is a thread for everything we could think of, here take a look at this thread re hands with lots of good suggestions:

http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?tid=26991

Antonia wrote:

I'd like to start a thread on aging hands. My face looks great (in terms of how old it appears) and so does my neck and decolleté, but my hands went downhill dramatically when I hit 52. I have nasty prominent veins, cords appearing where the fat has disappeared, enlarged knuckles along the fingers ("knuckle pads", not arthritis) but flawless skin with nary a wrinkle or pigmentation spot in sight.

I've been looking at Radiesse but it's so expensive (thinking of self-injecting). I'm currently using Retin-A .1% to try to thicken the skin. I also use Let's Make Collagen by SkinActives, but only just started that. I am using the BQ three times a week. Anyone doing anything effective for the hands?

free skin care · Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:44 am

I have bought a pair of very nice UV gloves, but struggling if I should use it.

free skin care · Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:46 am

Whats UV gloves?

critic wrote:

I have bought a pair of very nice UV gloves, but struggling if I should use it.

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