Photo of my 65 year-old hands. Not perfect, but not bad!

If I only knew what I know now when I was younger,  I could have stopped or slow downed some of the present damage to my hands, especially the awful dark spots. I've always worn gloves when doing the dishes, heavy housework, and gardening, but I hadn't thought about protecting my hands from the sun, especially when driving.  I do now!
 

Younger Looking Hands - Keeping hands beautiful as we age

Young women - This is a reminder to all young women - start taking care of your hands now! 

Older women - It is never too late to stop the damage and make your hands look younger.

A lot of us take care of our faces, but forget about our aging hands. Next to your face, your hands are probably the most visible parts of your body. The earliest signs of aging will show on your hands. The skin on the back of your hands is extremely delicate. This skin is very, very thin, as there is almost no fat under it at all, which is why the veins are so visible. As we grow older, any fat that is there lessens and the skin becomes dry and loose, exposing the veins even more. As if that’s not enough, we begin to develop ugly age spots and sunspots (also known as liver spots). Your hands need extra care because they’re always doing so much for us and, unfortunately, so often taken for granted.

Knowing how to maintain your hands as you age is the best way to make sure they look your best and that you, in turn, look your youngest.

Secrets for keeping your hands beautiful?

• Wear a high SPF sunscreen or sun block 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.
   

• 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.
   

• Use a mild pH soap, like Dove, when washing your hands.
   

• 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 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.

• Moisturize, Moisturize! After washing your hands, pat dry and while moist, use a moisturizer on the hands, cuticles, and nails. Keeping the thin skin of our hands moisturized is very important. You can put some cream in small containers. Carry one in your purse and put the others in strategic places around the house.
   

• Always wear protective gloves when gardening or during heavy housework.
   

• Wear gloves to protect your hands from cold weather.
   

• Only go to reputable spas or nail salons that practice good sanitation to prevent infection.
   

• Keep your cuticles 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 its heals .