Aging Hands: the age the face hides

Hand aging encompasses the set of changes that, over time, alter their appearance: the skin thins, subcutaneous fat is reduced, the tendons and veins on the back of the hand become more visible, and spots appear. The hands, along with the neck, are the area that most often gives away age even when the face is well cared for.

The reason is twofold. On one hand, the back of the hand naturally has very little fat, so its progressive loss quickly makes the underlying structures visible. On the other, this is an area constantly exposed to the sun: photoaging leaves spots and thinner skin there, exactly as it does on the face and décolletage.

Possible solutions

The most suitable approach for restoring volume is fat graftin, transferring the patient’s own fat, which fills out the back of the hand and softens the prominence of tendons and veins; resorbable fillers can also be used as an alternative. Spots, on the other hand, are treated separately with dedicated technologies, such as certain lasers. Often the two aspects – volume and discoloration – need to be addressed together for a consistent result.

Fat grafting restores volume to the back of the hand, softening the prominence of tendons and veins.

How it is performed

Fat grafting on the hands is performed on an outpatient basis, under local anesthesia, with fat harvested from another area and grafted through small access points. Recovery is quick; as with any fat grafting procedure, a portion of the grafted fat is reabsorbed, and the result stabilizes over the course of a few months.

Who it is suitable for

It is suitable for those who, satisfied with their face, notice a mismatch with the appearance of their hands. There is no urgency and no promise of “rejuvenation”: it is, more simply, about harmonizing an often-neglected area with the same moderation applied to the rest.

Taking care of the hands, then, consistently completes a broader approach to caring for one’s appearance. Here too, prevention – starting with sun protection – matters more than any treatment that comes after.