Your hands are often the tell-tale sign that you are ageing as your skin loses fat and elasticity and you may experience dark age spots, thinning or loose, dry skin and brittle nails. All of which can become problematic as you turn the age key.
Over the years you will be surprised at how much your hands do and they can take quite a beating. Like the rest of your body a good diet and keeping hydrated are essential. We are still unsure whether there is damage from the harsh alcohol hand sanitizers we all used during COVID but avoiding some antibacterial soaps and opting for a liquid hand soap may be a better option.
There is nothing we can do to slow the passing of time but in this instance, prevention really is the best cure and whilst we firmly believe a good hand cream is a good preventative measure, we know that there’s a multitude of factors affecting what happens to our hands as we get older, here’s our rundown...
Keep ‘em clean and Carry On
Covid increased our awareness around keeping our hands clean to help prevent illness and disease from spreading to others. Thirty seconds under warm water, singing Happy Birthday like a surgeon prepping for his next patient. As decent humans with a general knowledge of basic health and hygiene, we know that washing our hands after visiting the loo, picking our spots, coughing into our hands, and before preparing a meal are fairly basic levels of decent behaviour and will keep your hands free from a build-up of dirt and grime.
Hands against the elements
No this is not a new protest group; but our hands are prone to wrinkles, and as you would protect your face from the sun during the warmer months use an SPF at least on the back of the hands. In the cooler months, thicker hand cream and soft gloves are good protectors. It’s likely wrinkles will still appear, and laser treatment is really the only option if you are not happy with them, but we prefer the natural approach and embracing our wrinkles is a sign of confidence and a life well lived. If you’re an avid gardener or spend a lot of time with your hands in the sink rubber gloves are a great protective barrier.
Caring for dry skin
Soap can be extremely drying so a good hand cream that can be used daily is essential to stop dry skin turning into cracked broken skin. Before your skin gets too dry use a good hand cream after washing and again before bed to soothe and nourish. Avoid using anything fragranced on open cuts. If your hands are cracked and sore, it may be likely you will need to seek pharmacy advice. If your hands start to show signs of redness, or are itching and have a rash or lesions this could be down to medication or bacteria build up, speak to your GP if you are concerned.
Product Spotlights
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Fig & Vanilla Duo - Hand Wash & Hand Cream (250ml)
£33.00 £34.00
On the tips of your fingers
Sometimes as we age, we feel like hiding away and our confidence is at a low ebb. To give yourself a boost, a vibrant nail polish and good manicure can lift the spirits and make your hands look sensational and do wonders psychologically. Invest in a home pamper session; hand scrub, cuticle oil, shaping nails and a lick of your favourite colour or opt for a quick pamper session at your local salon not only making your hands look good but supporting small business too. And think about whether you should take a supplement to support healthy nails and stop them going brittle.
So…hands up for hand care, we spend so much time looking after the rest of our bodies we sometimes forget to look after our hard working hands.
