• Prescription topical treatments: Lotions and creams, some with glycolic acid or other exfoliating agents, can be effective for treating dryness and light sun damage.
• Microdermabrasion: A noninvasive treatment that uses a stream of micro-crystals and suction to gently polish the skin, reducing age spots and light sun damage.
• Chemical Peels: Minor brown spots and areas of discoloration can be treated with chemical peel solutions that vary according to their specific ingredients and strength. It is important that this procedure be undertaken judiciously, as hands have a tendency to scar.
• Intense Pulsed Light: Proponents say intense pulsed light can reduce the signs of aging and discoloration in the hands and stimulate the skin for a collagen-producing effect. Benefits of treatment are said to include improvement in skin texture and dermal thickness.
• Fat Grafting: One of the effects of aging on hands is a loss of volume. Structural fat grafting, taking fat from one part of the body and injecting it into the back of the hands (usually during more than one session), can restore the soft tissue that is lost with age and can also fill out the grooves between the bones. It is important that this procedure be done by a qualified plastic surgeon with a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the hands.
• Sclerotherapy: Can be used to decrease the prominence of veins on the back of the hands. With sclerotherapy, a concentrated saline solution is injected directly into the vein, causing the vein to turn white and gradually disappear. Sclerotherapy does not affect the pigment (melanin) in the skin, so patients with tanned or dark skin are not excluded from treatment.

"The hands are an expressive part of our bodies," says Dr. Young, who adds that the variety of hand rejuvenation procedures can be done alone or in combination. "We use them to communicate, nurture and create. Whether we think about it or not, our hands are on display all the time."

"It's likely that we will see an increase in the demand for procedures to reduce signs of aging in the hands," says Dr. Bernard. "Many patients may elect to have their hands rejuvenated at the same time as they have their faces lifted, so that their results will look absolutely natural."