Hand rejuvenation treatments turn back the clock by reducing wrinkles, minimizing prominent veins, fading brown spots, and improving skin tone. Because our hands are one of the first areas to reveal aging – they’re exposed to damaging ultraviolet rays day in and day out, and they have thinner skin and less wrinkle- and vein-obscuring fat – treatments to make hands look younger are just as popular as those for our face. Each one targets specific issues, so many people use a combination of a few to achieve their goals.
Dermal fillers: When it comes to plumping up the hands, injectable fillers, like Radiesse and Restylane Lyft, are a popular solution, and both are FDA-approved for that purpose. “Radiesse and Restylane Lyft give an instant, natural-looking result while smoothing the back of your hands. Wrinkles, tendons, and ligaments are visibly minimized as the volume is restored,” says New York City–based plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Levine, in a RealSelf Q&A. This quick treatment is done in the office, and it doesn’t require downtime or anesthesia—although Dr. Levine says that a numbing cream is typically applied to the hands to take the discomfort out of the injections.
Fat transfer is another option, notes Dr. Salem Samra, a plastic surgeon in Old Bridge, New Jersey, in a RealSelf Q&A. He quotes a 2016 article on the topic from the Journal of Hand Surgery, in which the authors found that “fat grafting stands out not only as a superior choice but one that should be accepted as the standard approach for patients requesting younger-looking hands.” Although a percentage of the transferred fat (harvest via liposuction) will be reabsorbed, the fat that remains will provide a long-lasting correction to the volume loss in the hands, says Dr. Samra.
RealSelf Tip: Be aware that injections into the hands can cause bruising, advises Colorado Springs, Colorado, physician Dr. Lisa Jenks in a RealSelfQ&A. “I recommend patients stay off any medicines or supplements that can thin the blood [unless prescribed by a doctor] for about a week before filler injections. These include ibuprofen, aspirin, fish oil supplements, and vitamin E. I also tell clients not to schedule injections right before an important event where you want to look your very best.”
Sclerotherapy: This nonsurgical treatment involves injecting a solution into visible hand veins, causing them to close. Without blood flow, the veins become less pronounced. (This sounds dangerous, but the hands have an overabundance of these veins, so eliminating a few of them is safe and will not impact hand function or blood flow.) It can take three to six weeks for final results to kick in, and treated veins typically do not come back (if they do, it won’t be for many years). If you happen to have some very big veins, your doctor may also suggest a laser treatment. “I treat hand veins with a combination of endovenous laser for the larger veins and sclerotherapy for the smaller veins,” says Naples, Florida–based plastic surgeon Dr. John Landi in a Real Self Q&A. Endovenous lasers use heat to shrink the vein and cause scar tissue to form, which closes the vein. Â
Sclerotherapy often stings, so local anesthesia helps ease discomfort. After your appointment, which takes 15–20 minutes, you’ll have to wear compression gloves for 12 hours; otherwise, you can resume all normal activity (although no strenuous exercise until the next day).
Laser treatments: To smooth wrinkles, boost elasticity, improve skin texture, and fade dark spots, experts suggest laser treatments. There are many different lasers that can be used, but the Fraxel Dual is often recommended because it has the power to treat all these issues at once. “Fraxel Dual, which is ideal for rejuvenating the hands, is a non-ablative treatment [meaning it doesn’t remove surface layers of skin],” says Dr. Sanusi Umar, a dermatologic surgeon in Redondo Beach, California, in a RealSelf Q&A. There are two parts to the Fraxel Dual. The 1550 nm wavelength improves skin texture and deep lines. “The objective is to apply specific amounts of heat to the dermis layer, to trigger processes in the skin that create new collagen fibers. This is what enables the hands to achieve a firmer, smoother texture,” adds Dr. Umar. The 1927 nm wavelength is more superficial and targets pigmentation, including UV-induced dark spots.
Your doctor will likely give you numbing cream and oral pain medication to reduce discomfort, and there is no downtime. Your skin will be a little red and swollen (like a sunburn) for up to three days, then your hands will flake and peel for a few weeks. Results can last for several years, depending on your age and skin condition—and staying out of the sun and being diligent about sunscreen use can prolong the benefits.Â
Other options for reducing sun damage on your hands include intense pulsed light (IPL) and chemical peels. “IPL works by bringing the pigment to the surface of the skin,” says Dr. Jennifer Greer, a plastic surgeon in Mentor, Ohio, in a RealSelf Q&A. “Over a three- to four-week period, this pigment will lighten up or even flake off.” Chemical peels can work too, but not typically as well as a laser treatment. In a RealSelf Q&A, Dr. Timothy Jochen, a dermatologic surgeon in Rancho Mirage, California, recommends the TCA (trichloroacetic acid) peel over other peels. “The TCA peel would be the best in the category of chemical peels, because it’s a medium-depth peel—so you may get some collagen stimulation that may not take place with other peels, like the beta hydroxy, Jessner, or glycolic peels. Those peels really aren’t strong enough to stimulate collagen, and they don’t penetrate deeply enough.”
RealSelf Tip: If brown spots are your chief concern, NYC dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross recommends the Alexandrite laser to remove them. “Depending on the severity, downtime can vary from five to seven days. The spots turn darker, then fall off—and yet there is no pain. The treatment is quick and will leave you with clear, youthful skin,” he says in a RealSelf Q&A.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Anti-Aging Your Hands—at Home and at the Doctor’s Office
