Your Hands Need To Look And Feel Youthful Too...

The condition of your skin is all too often a dead giveaway as to just how well you take care of it. That’s doubly true of the areas of our body with thinner skin—particularly, our hands.

We don’t love the saying that “you can tell a woman’s true age by her hands,” but we have to admit, there’s some truth behind the matter. These tips will get you on the right track to treating your hands with the same care you would the rest of your skin.

Telltale Signs of Aging

The skin on our hands is subject to the same damaging effects of the sun and environment as the face, especially since we rarely cover them, except with gloves in the winter, says board certified dermatologist David Bank.

Hands also rarely reap the soothing benefits of moisturizers and sunscreens that we give the rest of our bodies. And yes, it’s true that the hands show a person’s age more than any other part of the body, due largely to to the fact that we frequently wash and strip them of natural oils, says Revision Skincare expert Emily Velez.

The hands also end up with more sun damage due to constant exposure, and washing them throughout the day makes consistent protection difficult.

Finally, the hands lose fat and volume, which leads them to have a bony and veiny appearance—not exactly the picture of youth.

Gentle Hand-Washing

When you wash your hands, use the mildest anti-bacterial cleanser you can find to prevent them drying out too much, which can cause your hands to look older faster, says Dr. Bank. Also, be sure to wear gloves when washing dishes or bathing your children (or pets!)—hot water is very drying to the skin.

Keep Hand Stuff Handy

“It’s a great idea to keep moisturizers by your sink,” advises Charlene Deegan, Director of R&D at Borghese. Apply moisturizer to still-damp hands after washing to minimize moisture loss, especially in the colder months. Don’t forget your cuticles—they’re subject to drying and cracking, so be certain to take a moment to massage them in moisturizer, too.

Original post Dailymakeover.com

Cover image via Hotmomsclub