DIY Treatment for Younger Looking Hands – Keeping Hands Beautiful as We Age

These days, nothing is impossible when it comes to beauty, as they said that the face could be impressively remodeled, and nobody can tell a person’s age by their saggy jowls and crows feet. What shows a person’s longevity is their hands.

You will naturally agree with me when I point the overlooked appendages of celebrities like Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker. Indeed, they have great bodies, but when you look at their hands, they look ancient.

What Creates Old Hands?
As we age, our hands lose volume, fat, and elasticity. Because our fingers are always moving, we develop creases and wrinkles as we do in our face, especially in the high traffic areas like around the eyes or mouth.

Since the skin becomes thinner, the veins, tendons, and bones can begin to show through the back of the hands.

This is what creates the appearance of old hands. Once the skin has lost its collagen and elastin, then it will no longer bounce back into place as it once did in youth.

No amount of lotion or cream can replace the lost volume or restore the suppleness, though it can help to reduce the dryness on the outer layer of the skin.

Just like any woman out there, I easily fret about blotches and lines on my face but pay no attention to my hands most of the time. Occasionally, I get some manicure and slather generously some hand cream when I remember to but in any other way, I hardly give them a second thought.

But one stressful day, I looked down my hands and barely recognized them as they turned wrinkly, veiny and dry.

Considering the routine I usually give to my face, I suddenly realized that my mitts were a tell-tale sign of aging; therefore, it prompted me to give my hands a “lift.”

And for the past couple of months, I tried a gamut of at-home remedies. Here’s what I learned from the pros…and what really worked.

You’ll Need:

• Heavy moisturizer
• Retinol cream
• Moisturizing gloves or cotton gloves
• Sunscreen

① Wear SunBlock
Wear a high SPF sunscreen or sunblock on the back of your hands, especially when driving your car. The sun causes 90% to 95% of the wrinkles, lines, discolorations and more to our bodies and hands. Keep some sun block in your car.

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② Wear Rubber Gloves
Wear rubber gloves lined with cotton when your hands are in contact with harsh soaps, detergents, or chemicals. Wear gloves every single time you wash dishes or hand wash clothing.

That dishwashing liquid is alkaline, which is hard on the skin. Cleaning agents can be extremely harsh on both nails and hands. The nails when exposed to water, swell and then shrink back as they dry. This contributes to brittle nails.

Always wear protective gloves when gardening or during heavy housework. Wear gloves to protect your hands from cold weather. Use a mild pH soap, like Dove, when washing your hands.

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③ Exfoliate!
Use a grainy scrub on backs of hands twice a week to reveal glowing skin. You can either use the same exfoliate that you use on your face or make your own (instructions here) by making a solution of sea salt mixed with lemon juice. Brush it into hands with an old toothbrush to help remove any dead skin cells.

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④ Moisturize
After washing your hands, pat dry and while moist, use a heavy moisturizer or Retinol Cream on the hands, cuticles, and nails.

Keeping the thin skin of our hands moisturized is imperative. You can put some cream in small containers. Carry one in your purse and put the others in strategic places around the house.

Using lotions and creams will help lock in the moisture and help your hands look younger by plumping up the skin. Dermatologists recommend using treatments which include ingredients like shea butter, olive oil, vitamin E and macadamia nut oil.

You can also use vitamin E oil and apply it to your hands – If vitamin E oil is not available, try using a vitamin E in a capsule gel form available at any drugstores. Prick the gel and squeeze all the oil and apply it to your fingers and hands.

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⑤ Get Into the Gloves
To get your hands super soft overnight, put cotton gloves or cotton socks on your hands after applying the heavy moisturizer (or you can apply Petroleum jelly onto your hands).

Go to bed and leave the gloves/socks on overnight. After you wake up, remove the gloves/socks from your hands and be amazed at how soft your hands are. I do this every night.

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⑥ Keep Your Cuticle Neat
Cuticles function as barriers to bacteria and fungus, but they can often overgrow. Use a wooden cuticle pusher after a shower to keep them in line and NEVER cut your cuticles.

Tiny hangnails and bitten edges can catch on almost anything, turning into deep tears and possibly leading to infection. Keep them covered by applying a liquid bandage product as soon as tears develop or you can use any regular bandage until it heals.