Hand rejuvenation therapy effective for reducing damage

BEAUTY by BUFORDFeb 27 2012

We greet each other with our hands, whether with a handshake or a wave. We absentmindedly show off our hands when we reach for something, point somewhere, or just scratch our heads. Our hands are almost always visible and unprotected from the elements.

Yet few of us ever think of caring for our hands beyond an occasional manicure or once-a-day lotion treatment. We often forget to protect the thin skin of our hands from UV rays and harsh weather. Everyday detergents and cleaners damage exposed skin over time. Even gripping your steering wheel under the harsh sunlight streaming through your windshield can cause harm.

As a result, our hands are usually the first area of the body to show signs of age. They're prone to wrinkling and dryness. Age and liver spots emerge, due to prolonged sun exposure. As a final insult, a loss of collagen, muscle, and fat under the skin reveal protruding bones and veins.

If you've now noticed your hands need some anti-aging help, don't run out and spend money on fancy lotions, creams, and over-the-counter medications -- these cannot repair the wear and tear already done.

Although it's become common to seek facial rejuvenation, aging hands can also leave the impression of being older than you really are. Hand rejuvenation therapy, such as the techniques offered at Denver plastic surgery centers, has emerged as an effective means for reducing the damage done by the years and the environment. Where home remedies fail, advances in cosmetic surgery technology are making it possible to heal unsightly age spots, crepey skin, scars, and a loss of fatty tissue.

These minimally invasive procedures must be customized to match each patient's anatomical features and allow for variations in skin type. Fortunately, plastic surgeons have several treatment options:

• Injections of dermal fillers such as Juvederm®, Restylane®, and Perlane® add volume so the bones and veins are not so prominent. These fillers also smooth out the wrinkles and fine lines, providing a more youthful look.

• Chemical peels remove layers of dry skin and stimulate cell growth through a chemical solution applied to the skin.

• Laser therapy is a bloodless procedure that allows your plastic surgeon to remove age spots and damaged areas, leaving your hands smooth and blemish free.

• Fat grafts transfer fat from another part of your body to the back of the hands to compensate for volume loss.

• Intense Pulsed Light therapy (or IPL) gently targets liver spots and brown pigment with short bursts of multi-wavelength light. The procedure is painless and you can resume normal activities immediately.

Every hand rejuvenation session should include a take-home package of creams and lotions to help you protect the vibrant new look of your hands. Denver plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory Buford, who offers a Total Hand Rejuvenation program, reminds his patients that it's difficult to dress up tired-looking hands. "Because no matter how big your bling," he says, "when your hands don't look good, neither will your jewels."