Hands can be a tell-tale sign of a woman's real age. Her hair, face and clothes may suggest one thing, but the hands - the hands will never lie.
As a whole, women tend to focus more on the face when heading to the spa or beautifying on their own-and rightfully so, the face is more prominent. Over time though, if overlooked, hands can become rough, wrinkled and spotted-and nobody wants that.
Don't worry though, there are plenty of things you can do to turn back the "hands" on the clock. (Sorry - but we couldn't resist.)
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Wear Gloves and Use Sunscreen
According to Julia, owner of The Art of Natural Beauty spa in New York City, these are key to maintaining youthful hands.
She says, "I wear gloves when I'm cleaning. People usually forget to do that, but all the chemicals can be really drying on your hands."
She adds, "Also, watch what you eat. It affects everything. Not just your face. Skip the fried, processed foods, and opt for whole grains, vegetables and fruit."
We know, we know…
Exfoliate
If you can't get to the spa to have microdermabrasion on your hands-or don't want to shell out the cash-there are home microdermabrasion kits and creams for hands to choose from.
Neutrogena has a kit that uses the same materials used in doctor's offices and costs $40 and up; while L'Oreal has a microdermabrasion cream for hands, arms and chest that costs less than $20.
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Add Fish Oil
The health benefits of fish oil seem to be endless, but did you know that it's fantastic for your hands? It contains omega-3 fatty acids, which correct damaged skin tissues and prevent cellular inflammation-yes, even in your hands!
Try supplementing with two thousand milligram capsules each day. (Or eat lots of salmon!)
Mild Soap
Ditch the ultra-harsh cleansers that can be really drying on your hands. Opt for a milder one-like Dove-when washing up.
(Also, keep lotion by the sink - you won't forget to put it on after!)
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Skin Lightening Creams
Skin lighteners have just started to become very popular in the beauty industry because of their versatility in treating many types of skin conditions such as age spots, melasma, scars and acne marks.
There are many on the market-Meladerm Pigment Reducing Complex by Civant Skin Care has been getting rave reviews. Perfect for unwanted spots on hands, which can be terribly aging.
Laser Resurfacing
A more drastic approach is laser resurfacing, a technique that has revolutionized skin-rejuvenation in the last decade.
Also referred to as "Intense Pulsed Light" or IPL, it is a sure-fire way to younger-looking hands. It is a relatively painless, non-invasive therapy, which destroys the dark spots without damaging the surrounding tissue, and with no significant swelling or recovery time-aka bye-bye, liver spots.
About the Author: Nicole Fabian is Associate Editor of ThirdAge.com. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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