Health News
Hide Your Age on a Budget
Contributed by Chelsea Flickinger
We live in a society revolving around the idea of youth and beauty. Millions of Americans have undergone cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures to hide the signs of their age and to feel better about themselves. The average patient’s first thought is focused on the face and the patient is quick to schedule an appointment with a cosmetic doctor to discuss face lifts, botox injections, laser resurfacing, and chemical peels, but why are all of these eccentric patients not focusing on the dead give away signs of aging?
We have all run into the amazingly beautiful 65-year-old who looks more like a 35-year-old due to great cosmetic surgery. However, look down at her hands. The question of her true age becomes dramatically different compared to your first thought. Our hands take the hardest beating during our hectic, daily lives, enduring environmental stresses and sun exposure, harsh chemicals, paper cuts and scratches, dehydration, and calluses ― the list can go on. As we age, our hands begin to lose volume, showing off large bulbous veins and tendons, and start to develop age spots and blotchy skin tone, making our hands look weathered and old. There are many solutions to refined, beautiful hands, whether your hands are screaming 30 years old or 70 years old.
Before running to your local cosmetic center begging for hand rejuvenation, assess your condition to determine the best solution for your budget and needs.
Hand Rejuvenation under $500
When hands begin to look dull and rough, microdermabrasion, a painless, exfoliating treatment can remove dead surface skin cells and stimulate new skin cell growth, leaving the skin radiant and fresh. For best results, microdermabrasion is recommended in a mini series with continued maintenance treatments, averaging $75 to $100 per treatment.
Chemical peels are another solution to revamping the healthy glow your hands crave. Slightly more aggressive then microdermabrasion, chemical peels such as TCA, Jessners, Modified Jessners, and the VI Peel absorb into the skin, creating a deep exfoliation and stimulation to rejuvenate new skin cells, removing the signs of unsightly dark spots and drab skin tone. Chemical peels can be performed by an advanced medical esthetician or physician, averaging $300 to $500 per treatment.
Hand Rejuvenation for $1,000
If discoloration and sun spots are your biggest concern, Intense Pulse Light Laser Therapy can eliminate or soften the ugly clusters of damaged, sun-rotten skin. Intense Pulse Light, also known as Foto Facials, is designed to remove melanin (darkened, damaged skin cells) from the skin’s surface. The technology behind IPL precisely locates the damaged skin cells without affecting or traumatizing the surrounding healthy skin cells. For flawless skin tone on your hands, IPLs are recommended in three to five treatment series, depending on existing skin condition. Average cost for a three to five treatment series is $1,000 to $1,500.
It has been made clear that removing unsightly dark spots can dramatically reduce the appearance of aging hands, but what about the lack of volume? Hands that have lost fullness expose hills and valleys, making hands look thin and frail. Brittle, skinny hands can often look five to ten years older then they are. Restoring volume is easier then it sounds. Simple injectables such as Juvederm and Restylane (Hyaluronic Acid) or Radiesse (Calcium Hydroxylapatite) can be injected into the valleys of thinning hands, creating elevation and fullness and allowing hands to look supple and youthful. Juvederm, Restylane and Radiesse can all last up to a year when injected into the hands, making treatments affordable and convenient. Adding fillers to your hands can take years off of your appearance with very little discomfort during treatment. Options available average $1,000 per treatment.
Hand Rejuvenation for $2,000
For long-lasting rejuvenation and no need for repeat visits, Laser Resurfacing is a wonderful option for hand rejuvenation. This is a one-time treatment designed to restore all epidermal skin cells with no signs of the damage that has developed over years of sun exposure, accidental scars, and unsightly evidence of age. In conjunction with new epidermal cell growth, a deep stimulation to the dermis creates collagen growth and restoration of volume. Laser Resurfacing, commonly known as CO2 or FX, can take years off of your hands and eliminate the need for continued treatments. Laser resurfacing is available with many forms of technology and requires expertise in creating beautiful hand rejuvenation. Research and consultations are recommended. The various laser resurfacing treatments average $2,000.
With all of the treatment options available, it has become convenient to maintain not only facial rejuvenation and youthful skin, but also to have matching hands along with a beautiful face. Like any cosmetic procedure, it is recommended that you do your research, meet with your doctor, and find what option is best suited for your esthetic concerns.
Remember, you may look amazing for your age, but do not forget those who are staring at your hands.