When it comes to guessing age, we tend to concentrate on the face, but the reality is, hands give us away as well! Over time, skin loses volume and elasticity. Skin thins out so vessels and bones are more evident, develops discolorations and wrinkles, and that is not just limited to the face.
Of course many factors come into play here, so proper nutrition, hydration, moisturization, exfoliation and sun protection all play an important role in delaying the signs of aging.
A great option for giving the hands a little boost towards a more youthful look is hand tissue augmentation using hyaluronic acid. Of course there other materials to inject, such as fat or collagen, but the beauty of hyaluronic acid is that not only does it give volume, it can help skin retain moisture as well, because it can hold up to 1000 times its volume in water. Even while the body breaks hyaluronic acid down, the water being held by it contributes to a longer lasting effect. This effect is termed isovolumetric degradation, meaning the hyaluronic acid is being degraded, but the hand volume is still maintained for a while.
Also studies have shown that hyaluronic acid increases collagen synthesis, which helps restore firmness and elasticity.
The Procedure
Before the procedure the doctor will advise you to stop any oral medications that promote excessive bleeding such as aspirin and vitamin E.
Usually your dermatologist will take a picture for before and after comparison. Then a topical anesthetic is applied, then the hands are sanitized. Injections are given on the back of the hand in multiple areas, with frequent massaging to better distribute the injected filler. The procedure does not take long at all – definitely under an hour for both hands.
After each hand is done, you may be asked to sit on it for a few minutes to prevent bruising and swelling. You will be given an antibacterial cream for a few days. If needed, you will also receive an anti-bruising cream. There is no downtime at all. There might be minor bruising at the sites of injection, but that fades away in about a week.
Other side effects are quite rare.
The session is repeated every month for at least 3 to 4 months.
The result is improved volume, hydration, texture and skin elasticity which are both visible and measurable. These effects last 6 to 9 months after the final session. To prevent going back to baseline, your doctor will discuss a schedule for maintenance every few month.
There are other procedures for hand rejuvenation we will talk about, so stay tuned!
Thank you for reading, and remember, you are ALWAYS beautiful.
-Dr. Hanan Taha, M.D. Dr. Taha writes her own blog, elbashra.com, for those seeking skin care material in Arabic. For a complete bio please visit our About page.
Sources
- J. Man et al. A Double-Blind, Comparative Study of Nonanimal-Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid versus Human Collagen for Tissue Augmentation of the Dorsal Hand. Dermatologic Surgery 2008; 34 (8): 1026-31.
- S. Williams et al. Changes in Skin Physiology and Clinical Appearance after microdroplet Placement of Hyaluronic Acid in Aging Hands. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2009; 8 (3): 216-25.
- FS. Brandt et al. Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Small Gel Particle Hyaluronic Acid for Hand Rejuvenation. Dermatologic Surgery 2012; 38 (7pt2): 1128-35.
