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Wrinkled hands are a common signs of aging or certain diseases. Here’s how to get rid of hand wrinkles, with the causes such as disease, smoking, dryness and dehydration discussed. See also how to fix and treatment for wrinkly hands may include hand lotions and creams for anti-aging signs on hands.
It can be difficult to hide signs of aging on your hands. If you have signs such as dry hands that show wrinkles and creases at an early age, you may be suffering from an underlying disease. Sometimes, it might be normal for fingertips to prune in water. But why do hands wrinkle when dry? What causes wrinkly hands in water?
What Causes Wrinkled Hands?
Understanding what causes wrinkled hands is the first step towards learning how to prevent or get rid of them. There are numerous factors responsible for wrinkles, some that you can control and others that are simply beyond your control. These are included below:
Age: There is no guessing here; age is the most obvious cause of wrinkles, whether on the hands, face, neck, or even chest.
As we get older, your skin becomes thinner, with lower amount of fats in the deeper layers resulting in a saggy skin. The skin also reduces its capability to produce collagen and elastin (skin’s connective tissues), making it less elastic. In addition it also becomes drier as a result of decreased production of natural oils.
All these factors eventually combine forces to cause wrinkles on the skin.
Genetics also have a role to play in wrinkling in as far as how much and how early a person starts to develop wrinkles.
Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the may also be to blame for early wrinkles. UV light destroys skin’s collagen and elastin in the dermal layer of the skin making the skin lose its elasticity and firmness.
Smoking can also trigger faster wrinkling. According to Mayo Clinic, this is thought to be the result of reduced blood supply to your skin.
Dry Wrinkled Hands – Wrinkled Hands Dehydration
Why do I have dry wrinkles hands? Does dehydration cause wrinkled or prune hands? It is common for wrinkled hands to also look and feel very dry. This is because as the skin ages, it also loses its ability to produce natural oils.
Keeping the hands moisturized may help to not only improve the dry look, but also keep it plump which then makes the wrinkles less visible. Use a good hand lotion to moisturize your hands and help plump up the fine lines and get rid of dehydration wrinkles on your hands.
Any good moisturizing lotion or cream is good, but any product made specifically for use on hands is even better. You may want to try Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector, or Olay Quench Rapid Repair Hand Lotion.
If moisturizing the hands doesn’t improve the wrinkles, you may then want to try growth factors-containing cream e.g. Regeniskin. If all these don’t help, you may then want to talk to a dermatologist about filler injection or laser treatment.
Wrinkled Hands in Water
It is common to get wrinkled hands when in water, e.g. in a bathtub, and after immersing your hands in water for a long time. Scientists now believe wrinkling of the hands (particularly the fingers) improves the hands grip on wet objects and objects immersed in water. The shape of wrinkles helps to channel water away from the fingers.
For a long time, absorption of water by the skin was though to be the factor underlying this phenomenon but it was then found out that cutting the sympathetic nerves leading to the finger stops this.
Several theories have since been advanced. One notable theory is that of digital vasoconstriction (that is, narrowing of blood vessels).
When hands are immersed in water, the sympathetic nerve fiber is activated and the body temperature regulators in the skin called glomus bodies lose volume. This pulls the skin structure downwards leading to the formation of wrinkles.
Wrinkled Hands Disease
Is there a wrinkled hands disease? I often see people asking in online forums what wrinkled hands disease they could be dealing with after noticing that their hands have taken on an early aging process.
As the American Academy of Dermatology however says, signs of aging (wrinkling in particular) can start as early as 20s and continue to worsen thereafter. There are also certain people who are at higher predisposition to wrinkling due to their genetic makeup. Such people may not only start wrinkling earlier but also develop more wrinkles.
Regardless of the age at which wrinkles start to form, you can always reduce their appearance by adopting some lifestyle changes and home remedies, or by getting medical treatments such as filler injections and laser resurfacing. All these are discussed elsewhere in this article.
In rare cases, some patients could be diagnosed with a condition known as wrinkly skin syndrome. This is a genetic condition characterized by wrinkly skin, particularly on the palms and soles.
How to Get Rid of Wrinkles on Hands
Wrinkled hands, or “old lady hands” as some people might call them, may be a sign of wisdom that comes with age but for most people they are nothing more than an imperfection and an aesthetic concern. Here is how to get rid of wrinkles on hands fast:
Filler Injection
According to the WebMD, filler injection is the first line of medical treatment of hand wrinkles given the thin nature of the skin at the back of the hand. As the name suggests, this entails injectable wrinkle fillers such as Radiesse, Juvederm, Per lane, Sculptra wrinkle fillers etc. into your hands to plump the wrinkled skin.
After injecting the filler into the skin, it is then massaged across the skin and then “fanned out”. Filler injections take 20 minutes or less and it is realistic to expect noticeable results in just 2 weeks according to the WebMD.
Wrinkle filler injections costs between $1,000 and $6,000 per treatment session. A total of 2-3 sessions are typically required according to WebMD.
Fractional Laser Skin Resurfacing
Fractional laser resurfacing wrinkle removal comes next in line according to WebMD. This entails using a fractional laser skin resurfacing equipment to create miniscule pinholes in the skin and consequently promote the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.
Collagen and elastin are important connective tissues that maintain skin elasticity and support and when restored, the structure of the skin is as well restored leading to less wrinkling.
Unlike traditional laser, fractional laser resurfacing doesn’t cause as much redness and scarring and involves lower recovery time. As Dr. Goldenberg puts it, “You get the benefits of laser resurfacing – still the best way to remove wrinkles – but without the down time and complication rate.”
The main drawback of laser resurfacing is that it is can be quite costly with price ranging to about $750 per treatment session for a total of 3-5 sessions in total. Keep in mind also that most insurance company may not cover your wrinkle treatment as this is often considered a cosmetic treatment.
How to Fix Wrinkled Skin on Hands
Can you fix wrinkles on hands? What does it take? “I am only 27 years old and have developed very noticeable wrinkles on my hands. This has me scared as this is very atypical of people my age. Please let me know the safest options to fix wrinkled skin on hands.”Nancy
Well, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, wrinkles can start appearing as early as 20s and then continue getting worse over time. Hands are especially susceptible since they are in constant exposure to sun and other external elements e.g. detergents that cause dehydration. This makes it hard to fix wrinkled skin on hands as well as other aging signs on hands.
In fact as Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatological and cosmetic surgery at Mt Sinai Medical Center, New York, says, the hands often show signs of ageing faster than the face. This is attributed to the fact that the hands usually have thinner skin compared to the face.
Dr. Gregory Buford, a plastic surgeon based in Denver, supports the argument saying that the back of hands naturally has very little fat. This means that even a small degeneration of collagen and elastin as a result of natural ageing process or sun damage will lead to a “noticeable impact on your hands”. There are of course certain people who have a genetic predisposition to wrinkling and you [Nancy] could be one of them.
As for fixing the wrinkled hands, your first line of action should be to keep the skin moisturized (and thus plump) by applying a good moisturizing lotion such as Eucerin or Lubriderm and protected from excessive sun.
You may also want to look for a growth factors-containing cream e.g. Regeniskin, or a cream containing retinol or alpha hydroxyl as one of the ingredients. If these don’t seem to improve the appearance of your skin; you may then want to talk to a dermatologist about other treatments such as fillers, laser resurfacing, etc.
Best Cream and Lotion for Wrinkled Hands
Talking of best creams and lotions for wrinkled hands, you have probably heard about the term “growth factors” which is making rounds on the internet lately, thanks to recent scientific advancement.
Scientific studies have shown that growth factors, usually extracted from plants, can promote the formation of new collagen in the skin. One notable study published in Journal of Drugs in Dermatology showed improvement of hand wrinkles in 83% of 36-65 years old women who took part in the study after applying growth-factors containing creams over a period of 60 days.
Thus Dr. Goldberg says it might be a worthy consideration to add a growth factors-containing cream to your skin care regime after the age of 40. Here are some of the more popular creams with growth factors:
- Regeniskin
- Syprex’s SyCream
- Neocutis Bio-restorative Skin Cream
- SkinMedica TNS Recovery Complex
In addition to the growth factors anti Wrinkle Hand Creams, you may also want to look for creams and lotions specifically made for the hands.
Any anti-aging hand lotion containing retinol, antioxidants like vitamin E and C, or CoffeeBerry may be a good choice as Dr. Kimberly Butterwick, MD, a member of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery says.
Here are the top rated best hand wrinkle cream and serums:
- Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream
- The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector
- Olay Quench Rapid Repair Hand Lotion
- Avon Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream
- Skincare Cosmetics ® Retinol Anti-Aging Hand Cream
- Curél Targeted Therapy Hand & Cuticle Cream
- L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
Home Treatment for Wrinkled Hands and Home Remedies for Hand Wrinkles
What home treatments for hand wrinkles are effective? Do anti-aging remedies for hand wrinkles work fast? There is nothing we can do to stop the natural ageing process; eventually we will all have wrinkles and fine lines on the skin, which may become more entrenched over time. We can however slow the process of wrinkling by taking appropriate intervention.
Here are some home remedies for hand wrinkles if you are looking to prevent hand wrinkles at home:
Moisturize: The importance of keeping your hands (and indeed the entire skin) moisturized cannot be overemphasized. While it won’t heal the wrinkles, moisturizing will help to plump the skin and thus make the wrinkles less visible. Your normal moisturizing cream or lotion will do the job but if you can find something with retinol or alpha hydroxyl, the better.
Glove treatment: This is a slight variation of the first remedy that increases the power of moisturizing threefold. Simply Apply Vaseline on your hands and then wear a pair of gloves before bedtime. In the morning, the skin will not only feel soft but will be less wrinkled.
As for the lovers of natural treatments, you will delight in the following natural remedies for wrinkles on hands
Fenugreek: Fenugreek is rich in vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to wrinkles. To use this remedy, grind a few tablespoons of fenugreek leaves and then dissolve them in water to make a paste.
Next, apply the paste all over your hands and once it has dried, leave it on overnight. Wash it off the skin in the morning. Repeat this treatment for a week and you will be able to see an improvement in those fine lines and wrinkles.
Aloe vera: The malic acid in aloe vera is touted to improve wrinkles by increasing skin elasticity.
Steps to Eliminate Hand Wrinkles at Home
- Get a fresh leaf from an aloe vera plant
- Apply the gel oozing from the leaf all over the back of your hands
- Allow it to sit on for 30-45 minutes
- Wash it off with water
If you like, you can break a vitamin E capsule and then mix it with the aloe vera gel before using it on the skin as explained above.
Lemon and Sugar Remedy for Age Signs on Hands
Lemon also helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on your hands and when mixed with the scrubbing properties of sugar, the remedy can be particularly beneficial.
Simply mix lemon juice freshly squeezed from half lemon with 1 teaspoon of sugar, stir thoroughly to dissolve the sugar and then massage the mixture on the back of your hands in circular motions. Wash it off after 15 minutes. Repeat once daily for one week.
Avoid excessive sun exposure: The sun is a good source of vitamin D, but can also be your worst enemy in as far as wrinkling is concerned. So, put on a sunscreen of at least SPF15 when going outdoors and/or wear protective clothing e.g. wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts etc. It is also advisable to avoid the sun during its peaks hours (between 10 am and 4 pm).
In addition you will also want to
- Quit smoking and excess drinking: Although not the easiest of options, giving up smoking may help slow down the ageing process.
- Get enough sleep: Although there is still no adequate scientific evidence, many experts agree that getting at least 7 hours of sleep everyday will in the long-term result in better physical and mental health in addition to better quality of the skin.
