Age spots on the hands. Work protocols. Peculiarities.

What do our hands see throughout our lives? Shock doses of ultraviolet radiation, hypothermia, heavy bags, caustic household chemicals, constant mechanical impact and contact with water.

It is not surprising that they age faster than the face, early turning into spotted and wrinkled “chicken feet”.

Just don’t need to burn or scrape anything; lasers and mechanical grinding won’t help. There are natural and healthy ways to eliminate age spots and rejuvenate your hands. We'll tell you which ones.

Age spots: what are they?

Skin color is determined by the pigment melanin, which is produced by melanocyte cells (do not confuse both of these terms with melatonin, a sleep hormone that has nothing to do with color).

The place of residence of melanocytes and melanin is the epidermis, that is, the upper layer of the skin. Melanocytes produce melanin granules and, through their processes, inject “grains” of this pigment onto the surface of the skin.

European women have less melanin in their skin, while representatives of the Negroid race have more. This pigment is also responsible for hair color, but that’s not about that now.

In general, the production of melanin in the epidermis is a beneficial process. This is how our skin is protected from ultraviolet radiation. Tanning, in fact, is the result of the active work of melanocytes for a defensive purpose.

But melanin can accumulate in certain areas of the skin. Then pigment spots form. This condition is also called hyperpigmentation.

Often pigment spots appear on the face, décolleté, back and arms.

The production of melanin is controlled by the pituitary gland, thyroid gland and gonads.

Review of cosmetics with whitening effect

Cosmetic companies produce entire lines of products dedicated to combating excessive pigmentation. Their action is based on a combination of active plant components (extracts and oils) and synthetic additives (acids, proprietary formulas).

Professional skin whitening cream

Features of aging hands

Have you heard the banal phrase that hands are the first to reveal a woman’s age? Alas, this is the bitter truth.

Look at the celebrities. If the age on the face can be hidden behind makeup, “beauty injections” and braces, then the hands will reveal it instantly. These wrinkled “chicken feet” with age spots literally scream that the young star is no longer fresh. And, most likely, she is interested in artificial “rejuvenation” rather than natural. If you prolong your youth by activating natural physiological mechanisms, this can be seen both in your face and in your hands. And here the face is not organic, and the hands are old. You can't hide the truth.

But first things first.

Why do hands age faster than your face?

• They are most susceptible to the influence of negative external factors.
  In summer, the hands are always exposed to the sun; in winter, they often become hypothermic. And what is the cost of constant contact with household chemicals and mechanical impact! How often do you wash dishes, clean plumbing, do wet cleaning, soak stains, do laundry? Do you always wear gloves? Here is the answer.
• The skin of the hands differs in its anatomical structure from the skin of the face.
  It has fewer sebaceous glands, which means less lipids are produced that protect against negative external factors. And those lipids that exist are constantly washed away and “corroded” by numerous household chores.

  There is also lower blood circulation in the skin of the hands. And the vessels give strength, renewal, resistance to external negative factors. The less developed microcirculation, the faster the skin fades.

• We pay less attention to our hands than to our face.
  As a rule, we leave taking care of them for later.

How to use on the body to remove dark spots

Despite the fact that senile pigmentation most often appears on the face and hands, such marks can appear in any area of ​​the body. The neck and décolleté area are especially often affected, as they are no less susceptible to adverse external influences than the face.

Methods for getting rid of pigmentation:

• Folk remedies, for example, a mask of parsley, cucumber or lemon juice. These components perfectly whiten even deep stains, but they can only be used if you are not allergic to these substances.
• Pharmacy hydrogen peroxide also helps remove pigmentation. To obtain a lasting effect, it is necessary to lubricate the stains with a 3% solution twice a week. It is better not to use a high concentration so as not to burn the skin. For dry and hypersensitive skin, it is better to use peroxide in fermented milk masks.
• The pharmacy also has a good range of suitable drugs. These are the cream “Achromin”, “Euphorium”, “Melan” and “Dabao”. You can also use perhydrol ointment (30%). It is better to coordinate the use of such products with a dermatologist, so as not to have the opposite effect and increased pigmentation.

Salon procedures – removal of facial pigmentation with laser, photo procedures and mechanical effects on the skin. The range also includes effective creams for facial pigmentation, masks and deep cleansing systems. Ultrasound and laser devices will help remove melanin from the deep layers of the epidermis, but before making a decision, you must consult a doctor. Such methods have certain contraindications, so they are not suitable for everyone.

How to remove age spots on the skin of older people and secure the results

It often happens that the expected effectiveness disappears very quickly and pigmentation returns again. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to take care of prevention methods in advance.

A healthy lifestyle, balanced nutrition and timely treatment of all ailments will help prolong the functioning of all organs, and you will remain vigorous and young for many years.

Age-related pigmentation is a completely natural, but not very pleasant phenomenon.

It can be of different locations and types, and there are also many ways to get rid of it. The characteristic features of the appearance of senile pigmentation, as well as an overview of the best methods for getting rid of it, are presented in our article. Effective whitening of age spots can be achieved using creams, masks and hardware cosmetology.

Types of age spots on hands

Spots on the hands can be of various sizes, from specks to “islands”. Brown, white, yellow, bronze, brown...

They can form for various reasons and look different. What types of age spots on the hands are there:

1. Lentigo
   – These are age-related brown spots that appear naturally. Most often - due to long exposure to ultraviolet rays and accumulation of photodamage to the skin.

   Have you noticed your hands, which are covered with small dark brown spots mixed with lighter “islands”? These are “age spots” - the most common type of hyperpigmentation on the hands.

2. Chloasma
   is dark spots with clear, uneven boundaries, which usually appear due to hormonal changes. A common option is spots on the face during pregnancy or when taking contraceptives. Hands are less susceptible to chloasma. Such spots can be brown, yellowish, or grayish in color.
3. Vitiligo
   is white spots, loss of pigment. Melanin in such areas is usually completely absent. The contrast between healthy skin and vitiligo increases during tanning. One of the main reasons for their appearance is frostbite.
4. Nevi.
   They are also called moles. These are benign pigmented neoplasms with clear contours. They can transform into malignant ones. Dangerous signals are changes in their color, shape, size, structure, as well as peeling, bleeding, itching, pain.
5. Freckles.
   They happen not only on the face, but also on the hands, although much less frequently. These are small pigment dots that become brighter in spring and summer, and fade in autumn and winter. They can have a shade from gray to orange.

Port-wine stains or hemangiomas stand apart. In their case, it is no longer a matter of melanin, but of the expansion and proliferation of blood vessels in a certain area of ​​the body. Hence the specific color of such spots - from red to purple. May be native or acquired.

Why do pigment spots appear on the hands?

There are many factors that influence the appearance of age spots on the hands.

Some of them are difficult (or almost impossible) to influence naturally, without medical intervention. For example, if this is a genetic predisposition or the result of diseases of internal organs: liver, adrenal glands, bile ducts, genitals.

But most often we can fight pigment spots on our hands on our own. This applies to cases where they arose for the following reasons.

1. Ultraviolet.
   As already mentioned, our body actively releases melanin when it needs to protect itself from the aggressive effects of the sun. This is how a tan appears, that is, an increased content of pigment in the epidermis. But with the accumulation of photodamage, the color becomes uneven and spotty.

   And the hands are the most unprotected part of the body. We protect our face with creams with SPF and hats. What do you do for your hands before every time you go outside?

2. Changes in hormonal levels.
   Melanin production is associated with the activity of the sex hormones progesterone and estrogen. Therefore, any hormonal imbalance is a risk of increased accumulation of pigment in the skin. This applies to periods of pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, taking hormonal medications and contraceptives.
3. Stress.
   The nervous and hormonal systems are closely related to each other. If the health of the nervous system is disrupted, it will ricochet through the hormonal system. And then read point 2.
4. Skin inflammation and injury.
   This is the cause of the development of so-called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This problem is often encountered by “victims” of aggressive cosmetic procedures: laser resurfacing, injections, chemical peels, etc. The skin reacts to injury by releasing melanin and becoming mottled. This, of course, applies more to the face. But hands are also exposed to dangerous cosmetic effects, which means they run the risk of becoming stained.
5. Hypovitaminosis.
   The appearance of age spots may be associated with a lack of vitamins A, C, E, B12, PP, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and selenium.
6. Hypothermia.
   Injury to the hands from cold can subsequently cause white spots.
7. Poor microcirculation.
   When skin cells do not receive enough nutrients and oxygen, melanin can accumulate in its layers.

Causes of skin pigmentation

The appearance of spots on the skin may be due to:

• Prolonged exposure to the sun without protective creams.
• Diseases of the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract.
• Prolonged stress, neuroses.
• Taking certain medications (antibiotics, steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.).
• Working in hazardous production, poor environmental conditions.

Imbalance of sex hormones often causes hyperpigmentation. Pregnancy, menopause, and taking oral contraceptives are the most common of them.

Any disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system (thyroid gland, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pancreas) can provoke darkening of skin areas on the face, hands, and body.

Vitamin deficiency and seasonal decrease in immunity can cause increased pigmentation.

Spots that appear in pregnant women do not require special treatment and go away on their own.

Causes of age spots on the hands after 40, 50, 60 years

Women after 40, 50, 60 years old often develop pigment spots on their hands - the so-called age-related lentigines. But their real reason is not the number of years you have lived, but the number of photodamages that you have accumulated throughout your life.

After all, the sun leaves a mark on your skin every day, every minute during daylight hours, starting from your infancy. And this ultimately affects the work of melanocytes and the accumulation of melanin.

In 9 out of 10 cases, the main cause of age spots on the hands is ultraviolet radiation. And the older you are, the higher the likelihood of this problem occurring.

Plus, menopause and hormonal fluctuations also make themselves felt.

Another extreme option is possible - frostbite on the hands. Because of it, pigmentation may decrease over time, which will manifest itself in the formation of white spots.

Drug treatment

Medicines for pigmentation are prescribed by a dermatologist after a complete examination of the patient and establishment of the exact causes of the appearance of a cosmetic defect.

Depending on the identified disease, therapy may include:

• hormonal agents;
• antidiarrheal medications;
• tablets for the treatment of gastritis, stomach ulcers;
• probiotics;
• laxatives;
• diuretics;
• vitamin complexes.

Attention: any medications are allowed to be taken only as prescribed by a doctor!

It is not possible to get rid of pathological pigmentation using cosmetic methods alone. Without normalization of the functioning of the corresponding body systems, the spots will appear again.

How to quickly get rid of age spots

If you are the owner of age spots on your hands, then you probably already know about peelings, laser, ultrasound, infrared rays and other cosmetic procedures that promise a quick solution to the problem.

But are they really that good?

First of all, it's not all that fast. For example, after the first laser procedure, spots may only fade, but for them to completely disappear you need to complete a course. As a rule, 3-10 procedures are required with breaks between sessions of 3-4 weeks. That is, wait six months or a year and give back 20-30 thousand.

Secondly (and this is the main thing), all these methods do not eliminate the problem and do not guarantee that the stains will disappear forever. Their effect is temporary, until the sun hits the skin for the first time.

But the procedures have a lot of pitfalls. Let’s take, for example, the most popular option – laser stain removal. What to expect from him?

Laser removal procedure for age spots on hands

The laser is said to destroy melanin and activate skin restoration. As a result, tissues with excess pigment are literally replaced by tissues with normal pigment content.

At the same time, the rhetoric with which cosmetologists present the procedure puts people in a peaceful mood. Allegedly, “the laser is safe”, “the pigment absorbs the light flux and heats up”, “it has a targeted effect only on melanin”, “microthermal treatment zones are created”, etc. Listen to dermatologists, this is just a “thermal resort” for the skin!

But what's really going on? The skin is attacked with a hot ray, burned, and evaporated. The damaged area may be subject to a fragmented effect (fractional thermolysis), or perhaps a total effect (laser resurfacing), but in any case, not only melanin is affected.

The skin is deliberately damaged so that a crust forms, which then falls off and the integument becomes white. Therefore, redness and peeling are inevitable. Scar deformities also develop.

And what was this traumatic procedure with a long rehabilitation period for? So that when you go out into the sun for the first time, your hands become stained again? The reasons for the formation of hyperpigmentation have not been eliminated; the spots have only been “cleaned off” for a while (very short).

The skin has not become younger. On the contrary, the preconditions were only created for its accelerated decline. Acquired scars did not add life to the cells and intercellular matrix, but only interfered with the nutrition of the tissues. And what will the lack of nutrition lead to? Back to the accumulation of melanin.

Therefore, laser is not a solution.

Should I use cosmetics?

Yes, cosmetics are needed, but alone they cannot effectively cope with the problem. Read about the main way to combat age spots on the hands - self-massage - in the next chapter.

In the meantime, we’ll tell you what cosmetic care we supplement it with.

There are two main tips.

1. Apply sunscreen to your hands.
   Have you already mastered the healthy habit of applying SPF cream to your face all year round (after all, the winter sun is also harmful)? Now complement the procedure by treating your hands. Do this whenever you go outside without gloves. No matter what is outside the window: heat, rain, wind or snowstorm.

   Use your favorite sunscreen on your face or body. Beauty365 facial moisturizers, rich in plant ingredients, provide good protection. You can choose the option with SPF15 or SPF25. Look for them at www.beauty365.ru.

2. Use anti-pigment cosmetics.
   You are unlikely to find whitening cosmetics specifically for hands. Yes, she is not needed. Any face or body product with an anti-pigment effect will do. Creams, serums, oils.

   Cosmetics should contain high doses of antioxidants to enhance the skin's natural antioxidant defenses.

   We advise you to choose organic products rich in vitamins and acids. A great option is Beauty365 camellia sasanqua oil. This universal anti-aging product, among other things, whitens age spots and fights the appearance of freckles during the season.

Popular folk remedies

Whitening the skin on the face has been practiced throughout the centuries. Therefore, the people's piggy bank has accumulated an impressive stock of recipes using improvised means. Many of them are not inferior in effect to factory-made cosmetics and are cheaper.

Liquorice root

Many diseases are treated with this remedy. Licorice turned out to be useful for facial skin - it contains glycyrrhizic acid with a whitening effect. You can use any of the forms: infusions of the root, lotions from it and syrup. The first 2 remedies are prepared at home, this takes time. Licorice root in the form of syrup, which is beneficial for facial skin, can be purchased at a pharmacy and applied 3 times a day with a cotton pad (not forgetting to rinse off the composition afterwards).

Hydrogen peroxide

Acids act on skin problems more effectively than other means. Using peroxide, a woman will not only quickly lighten her face, but also make her skin younger. This is due to the fact that diatomic hydrogen, once on the body and entering into a chemical reaction, removes not only the old layer of the epidermis, but also fat deposits and melanin.

Parsley

Everything that grows in the garden beds has healing properties. Spicy herb is included in many medicinal recipes. Parsley will also help with whitening your face. Greens are included in this mask:

• finely chopped leaves (1 tbsp) are mixed with sour milk to form a paste-like mass;
• apply to the face in an even layer, with the hand moving in the direction of the massage lines;
• stand for 20 minutes.

Effective parsley mask

The mask is washed off with warm water. It is recommended to immediately apply a nourishing cream appropriate to your skin type and age. You can also use parsley juice, periodically rubbing it on previously cleansed dermis.

Mayonnaise

The food product contains ingredients that are beneficial for the skin: eggs, mustard, vegetable oil. This alone makes mayonnaise useful for pigmentation on the face. True, the product is recommended more for dry skin types. The sauce can be applied independently as a mask to the face or mixed with other ingredients (for example, parsley).

Dandelion

This simple plant is actively used in cosmetology (and not only in skin care). Provides dandelion and whitening results. To do this, prepare a lotion:

• the leaves of the plant are collected at the time of its flowering;
• after chopping, take 2 tbsp. l. and pour boiling water (300 ml);
• simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Allowing to cool completely, filter and wipe the face with the broth three times a day. The lotion can be stored in the refrigerator; it is best to make ice cubes out of it.

Compresses

Compresses have a good whitening effect. To do this, you need to stock up on clean, soft cloth napkins. You can use the following products to help lighten the scattering of freckles:

• sauerkraut juice;
• spring primrose decoction;
• lemon (or rather, freshly squeezed juice).

Freckle whitening method

Moisten a napkin with any of these products and apply a compress 2-3 times a day to the face for 5-10 minutes. You can also wipe away clumps of stains with a dampened cotton swab.