Hand Rejuvenation
Dr. Brooke R. Seckel
Aging changes in the hands include skin aging changes such as sun spots, age spots, pigment and brown spots, and a wasting appearance due to fat loss and muscle disuse. The old hand is covered with brown spots and can look bony or scrawny. Aging of the hands is quite visible and can have serious consequences including skin cancer.
Sun damage due to prolonged exposure over a lifetime is the primary cause of skin aging changes of the hands. Our hands are exposed to the damaging effects of sunlight and we rarely remember to apply sun block to our hands at the same time you do your face.
Prevention of hand aging changes includes the use of a good sun block and sun protection such as wearing gloves. If you are out in the sun working in the garden or other activity for which you will have long sun exposure these preventative measures can make a difference. In addition, there are many preventative measures that you use on your face that can easily be used on the hands including, topical Retin-A, vitamin C, and microdermabrasion. These preventative measures can make future IPL or photo rejuvenation treatments unnecessary.
It is not safe to do ablative laser resurfacing on the hands. Skin rejuvenation techniques that are most commonly used on the hands:
After photo rejuvenation treatments of your hand your skin will have some slight pinkness and minimal darkening of the pigment and red spots. After dermal filler injection of the hand you may have swelling and bruising. Bruising, if it happens, should resolve in 2-3 weeks and make up can be applied to cover the bruising of the hand following dermal filler injection.
Photo rejuvenation or IPL treatments of the hand are tolerable and do not require anesthesia. Dermal filler injections to the hand can cause discomfort but topical anesthesia, cold therapy and careful injection technique can help reduce discomfort. Ice packs are used after treatment to minimize swelling and bruising.
After photo rejuvenation treatments with IPL on the hand, your hand should look normal. However, dermal filler injections can cause swelling and bruising.
Recovery after photo rejuvenation or IPL of the hand skin is minimal and you should be able to return to work after treatment. Dermal filler injections of the hand can cause swelling and bruising which can take a week or two to go away. Ice packs to the hands after filler injection are very helpful.
Final results of photo rejuvenation or IPL of the hand skin will be seen not until at least 6-8 weeks after the third treatment. Dermal filler injections of the hand causes swelling and may cause bruising, therefore recovery in terms of the appearance of your hands can take a week to 10 days.
Photo rejuvenation or IPL treatments of the hand in Massachusetts may be done by a medical aesthetician, nurse, or PA under the supervision of a physician. Dermal filler injections of the hand should be done by an experienced plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Hand rejuvenation is an increasingly popular anti-aging skin care treatment, and Dr. Brooke Seckel is pleased to make it available to his Boston cosmetic surgery patients. If your skin has been damaged by sun exposure, please contact our practice to schedule your complimentary consultation.
