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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – NEW YORK, Nov. 6, 2012 — Guests at a cocktail party might try to guess someone’s age by looking at his or her face. Since facial aging has been addressed so successfully by cosmetic surgery and aesthetic procedures, Dr. Scott Zevon reveals it is now the hands that provide the evidence when trying to accurately judge how old someone is.
“Hands often betray our age,” says Dr. Zevon, a practicing plastic surgeon and a Clinical Instructor of Plastic Surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
If you suspect that someone may be older than their face suggests, look for these signs of aging on their hands:
1. Age spots–The hands are constantly exposed to the elements, so even
those who are meticulous about slathering sunscreen will eventually see
the hallmarks of aging skin: discoloration and sunspots. While prevention
is key, not many people realize the importance of using sun protection
products on the hands.
2. Translucent skin–All skin thins with age but the hands have very little
fat. Without plump tissue underneath, this skin tends to look paper thin
more quickly. The skin on the hands is actually thinner than that on the
face.
3. Wrinkled skin–Wrinkles are an obvious sign of aging. The skin on the
hands needs more moisture than the rest of the body because they are
washed frequently, contributing to drying and wrinkling.
4. Deflated appearance–Without a lot of sturdy tissue for support, thinning
of the skin begins to settle in, giving hands that sunken, hollow look–a
sure sign of an older person.
5. Prominent veins–As the hands age, the large veins on the backs of the
hands become much more visible; the tendons and bones become more
noticeable as well.
Many of the same procedures used effectively on the face can make hands look younger, too. Topical retinoids, chemical peels, and microdermabrasion each exfoliate the skin, which lightens sunspots and discoloration. Injectable fillers add volume and remove wrinkles from hands, leaving them looking fresh and youthful rather than hollowed. (Fillers have been found to be more long lasting in the hands than the face, because there is less muscular activity to break down the filler.) Laser resurfacing can also be performed to treat aging hands. These procedures are nonsurgical, and have very little recovery time.
The hands no longer need to reveal someone’s age. The benefits of hand rejuvenation can be discussed during a consultation with a plastic surgeon.
About Central Park Plastic Surgery: Scott J. Zevon, MD, FACS, has been featured in New York Magazine as one of the Best Doctors in New York and is listed in the Castle Connolly directory Best Doctors in New York. The Central Park Plastic Surgery offices and AAAASF-accredited ambulatory surgical facility is located at 75 Central Park West, New York, New York 10023. He can be reached by phone at 212-496-6600 or at http://www.drzevon.com.
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