For years our faces have enjoyed all of the finesse. The lasers, the light therapy, the injections, the actives, the hot new formulations fresh from laboratories in Paris, Switzerland or Japan. Our hands, meanwhile, permanently exposed, overused, outrageously thin-skinned, have been lucky to get a slick of cream by the sink.
The problem with this approach, I am fast learning, is that when we so diligently tend to our faces and not our hands, the latter can — alas — begin to give the game away. Luckily, the beauty world is catching on. Hands, once overlooked, are finally finding their place on the treatment menus of London’s top doctors, their needs addressed too by first-rate product formulators and brands, meaning that a roster of purpose-built treatment protocols and products designed to restore and revitalise are now trickling through.
Hand ageing used to be thought of as inevitable — now we can effectively address not just skin quality, but issues like volume loss and pigmentation, too.
A case of poor design
Doctors point out that the hands are one of the biggest giveaways of biological age. “Our hands are in a constant state of use and exposure,” says aesthetic doctor Sophie Shotter. “Yet their skin is thinner, has fewer oil glands and less subcutaneous fat than the face, so lacks resilience, resulting in accelerated moisture loss, collagen breakdown and visible volume loss.
Add years of unprotected UV exposure and you often see signs of fatigue earlier than the rest of the body.” When it comes to addressing this, subtlety is key. Today’s approach is not about obvious alteration, but restoring lost vitality to this ill-designed body part. Here’s what you can do…
To rebuild volume and bounce
An array of advanced treatments offer instant results and longer-term rejuvenation. For volume loss, dermal fillers such as Radiesse or Teoxane RHA discreetly smooth and plump. Biostimulatory injectables such as Julaine, Sculptra and HArmonyCa enhance texture and shape, while also promoting collagen production.
Profilo and Sunekos are skin boosters that improve elasticity, hydration and overall skin quality from within. New on the scene, Meta Cell Technology uses the patient’s own blood, treating the platelet-rich plasma to activate more growth factors and exosomes, before being reinjected to help firm skin and reduce pigmentation.
To banish pigmentation
Year-on year-sun exposure can leave permanent marks, from freckling to patchiness. If this is you, Intense Pulsed Light zaps brown spots, while fractional lasers such as the Frax Pro can smooth crepiness and stimulate collagen production. Chemical peels, ranging from gentle acids to targeted pigment-correcting blends, can resurface the skin to transform even stubborn sun damage.
Where to book in
Sought after for his subtle approach and attention to detail, Dr Wassim Taktouk’s The TakTouk Clinic in Knightsbridge (drwassimtaktouk.com) offers The Ultimate Hands protocol to deliver bespoke solutions to correct all concerns. At the Illuminate Skin Clinic on Harley Street, the always-innovating Sophie Shotter (drsophieshotter.com) is one of the first in London to offer the new Meta Technology treatment alongside an array of treatments for volume loss and pigmentation with remarkable results. Consultant plastic surgeon, reconstructive and hand surgeon Dr Anita Jatan, based at Montrose Skin Clinic in Belgravia (montroseclinics.com) delivers meticulous treatments addressing all features of hand ageing including those related to degenerative joint disease.
Home help…
All the experts are in agreement on one piece of advice: use facial skincare-strength products on the backs of your hands. Augustinus Bader’s The Hand Treatment, (£46, spacenk.com) is powered by the brand’s TFC8 complex and acts more like a reparative facial serum, delivering line-softening, barrier-strengthening results, while Beauty Pie’s Swiss-formulated Super Retinol Hands, (£12.50 for members, beautypie.com) leaves hands brighter, refined and supple.
Heliocare 360 Pigment Solution SPF50 (£21.99, boots.com) is a non-negotiable for Jatan, who applies it routinely to her face, neck and hands, while Taktouk advocates Orveda’s Youth Glove Protocol (£165, cultbeauty.co.uk), a prescriptive system featuring an intensive mask, filler cream and silicone gloves that works to maintain cell functionality while refilling lost volume.
Last but by no means least, keep in mind that our nails age, too. A daily application of cuticle oil, such as Navy’s cuticle serum pen (£8.95, navyprofessional.com) makes a noticeable difference, while manicurists everywhere swear by the flattering powers of Dior Nail Glow (£29, dior.com) when a quick fix is required.
