Beauty

[Shanus]

Not only have I been an artist and jewelry designer (and make jewelry), but also doing makeup and skincare on others required constant washing...sometimes w/ stong soaps/detergent cleansers. Then add the pandemic and my hand washing more than quadrupled at times not doing the above activities. 

I watched a derm on Youtube and made had an appt. w/ my own dermatologist to address and confirm products that will help w/ dryness, spots, ridges and dryness in nails and aging hands in general.  I also had my full body check (every 6 months). 

 I must not be alone with this issue of aging/dryness of the hands, so here are some of her recommendations:

1.  Look for products/creams that contain licorice root (a natural ingredient that fades sun spots.

2.  Other ingredients that help promote collagen and/or  exfoliate are urea, lactic acids, retinols/retinoids, kojic acid. 

3.. Specific products: Eucerin Advanced Repair which also has lactic acid/AHAs/humectants which helps hands and brittle nails. 

4.  Eucerin also makes a hand cream with SPF 30. *No point in trying to fade spots and then having them return  from sun damage. 

5.  I've also used an Obagi fade cream (a fairly new version of the one I used, but now hydroquinone free) combined w/ my Retin A. This can only be used at night. I usually do face, chest and hands, but must be diligent w/ SPF. 

6. Sometimes I follow her advice to apply these creams as a "mask" while watching TV at night to allow it to sit and sink into the top of hands. 

Have your hands also gotten in worse shape from age and/or constant washing?

[CAcableGirl2]

@Shanus   Yes, my hands now look like my Mom's hands!

Thanks for the information, I have to check out some of the recommendations.  I was told once that you can always see someone's age in how their hands look, and I think they are right.  

[SeaMaiden]

I have worn gloves when doing house work or anything to do with washing dishes etc for at least 35 years...my hands never see dish soap or the like....also, my hands never see the sun...driving gloves ALWAYS in the car...and gloves when in the yard...sunscreen too always.

I still have a couple small brown spots from all those earlier years I did NOT protect my hands...and I have arthritis in my knuckles darn it... I also have veiny hands....I am just a veiny person.  My nails are a mess...I do not do  my nails fancy...just keep them natural and short

When I see young pretty hands  with long fingers I admire them.   Oh well.... that is not me!

[Shanus]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

I have worn gloves when doing house work or anything to do with washing dishes etc for at least 35 years...my hands never see dish soap or the like....also, my hands never see the sun...driving gloves ALWAYS in the car...and gloves when in the yard...sunscreen too always.

I still have a couple small brown spots from all those earlier years I did NOT protect my hands...and I have arthritis in my knuckles darn it... I also have veiny hands....I am just a veiny person.  My nails are a mess...I do not do  my nails fancy...just keep them natural and short

When I see young pretty hands  with long fingers I admire them.   Oh well.... that is not me!

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@SeaMaiden  I always wear gloves to wash dishes and do housework, gardening, as well. My nails must also be kept short to work and paint, but I do still see age on my hands and nails...splits, ridges, some spots and loss of volume. My hands now also tend to bruise more easily which doesn't help their look. 

I see younger hands all the time and think that looking at mine, although can use some improvement and better care, they have served me well. They are stronger than most others, including DH (pounding metal for 30+ years will do that). I can open some tight jars, handle tools with ease and my hands have been kept nimble by doing detailed work like painting and jewelry making. They could still use work, as far as appearance.

I'm starting today to add more active products to my daily routines and do expect peeling, redness and my hands may look worse before I see improvement.

[nana59]

psoriatic arthritis has destroyed my hands and nails....i have tried many treatments...nothing seems to help....so i have given up....

[tampalady]

My hands look old, from the sun, working in yard and my working jobs.   I started using Vit. C which I had already and they are starting to look better.  Have only been applying for a few days.  I like how they are shaping up and will continue to see the affects. 

[shaggygirl]

Dry hands and a new age spot develops overnight every night it seems. Plus the middle finger on my right hand has a left bend from the top joint on up. But worst are my nails. It's been 14 months now since I stopped with the gel nails and my nails are still very ridged and split and peel at the tops. My hands are in a word.....UGLY.

Oh and right now am having an itchy spell of exzema on my hands as well. Sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up and scratch the bejeezus out of them. 

[Sooner]

Mine aren't too bad, but I try to think of it as I think of a dining table.  If there's not a mark on it, you haven't had enough parties! 

I like Martha Stewart because her hands have always looked like she uses them and has had fun doing things. 

[Sweetbay magnolia]

I'm a gardener by trade, so, heck yeah my hands show signs of wear.

Don't matter to me.  I come by it honestly.  I've planted some pansies, but I am no pansy!

[SilleeMee]

My hands have changed drastically since I was diagnosed with scleroderma twenty years ago. They don't even look like the same hands I had before. But I don't have any age spots on them and the skin is very smooth (a symptom of scleroderma). I always wear sunscreen and I also use lotion with glycolic acid to keep the skin from getting hard.