For many years, aesthetic medicine has been dealing with the rejuvenation of the human body and the elimination of many of its defects. If earlier, when talking about rejuvenation, it meant, first of all, working with the face, now medicine can eliminate age-related changes on almost every square centimeter of the skin. And therefore, if previously the hands were considered the part of the body that always reveals a person’s true age, today we can even fight the aging of the skin of the hands. In this article on the site, find out why the skin of your hands can age, and what methods modern cosmetology offers to slow down this process.

How to slow down the aging of hand skin: cosmetological methods

Most modern women pay a lot of attention to the health and beauty of their own faces, but many of them forget about the condition of the skin of their hands. This is in vain, because the hands, like the face, are almost always an open and accessible part of the body to the gaze of other people, and their condition can tell a lot about a person.

The aging of the skin of the hands occurs in parallel with the aging processes of other parts of the body, and the sooner a woman pays attention to this problem, the more effectively cosmetic methods will help slow down this process.

In order to prevent early aging of the hands, it is necessary to understand the reasons for this process.

Aging of hand skin:

• the main causes of aging of the skin of the hands;
• how to assess the severity of signs of aging on the skin of the hands;
• cosmetological methods of hand skin rejuvenation.

The main causes of aging of the skin of the hands

The answer to the question “Why does the body age?” quite simple: because nature decided so, and this process is genetically determined. However, signs of aging appear in different parts of the body at different times, and they also differ depending on the degree of severity. Aging of the skin of the hands begins quite early, and age-related changes in this area are often clearly expressed. This is influenced by many factors, primarily the fact that hands are maximally exposed to the negative effects of environmental factors, such as ultraviolet radiation, temperature and weather, mechanical damage, and so on. In addition, the fatty tissue in the arm area is very thin, and all signs of aging begin to appear quite early in this area.

How to assess the severity of signs of aging on the skin of your hands

In order to objectively assess the severity of age-related changes in the hands, as well as correctly select methods for the prevention and treatment of aging of the skin of the hands, cosmetology uses a classification according to the degree of these changes:

• 0 degree - subcutaneous fatty tissue of the hands is preserved in full;
• 1st degree - there is a slight decrease in fatty tissue, the superficial veins on the arms are almost invisible;
• 2nd degree - moderate lack of subcutaneous fat, veins and tendons of the dorsum of the hands are slightly pronounced;
• 3rd degree - there is a pronounced deficiency of adipose tissue in the arms and moderate expression of the veins and tendons of the arms;
• Grade 4 - the deficiency of subcutaneous fat is significant, the veins and tendons in the arms are well contoured.

Cosmetological methods of hand skin rejuvenation

There are several basic cosmetic methods for rejuvenating the skin of the hands and slowing down the aging process:

• peelings that help eliminate age spots, keratosis and signs of photoaging of the skin of the hands;
• biorevitalization and mesotherapy help increase skin firmness and elasticity;
• lipofilling makes it possible to replenish the volume of lost tissue in the hands;
• hardware methods such as laser peeling, fractional rejuvenation, plasma and radio wave therapy also effectively eliminate signs of aging on the skin of the hands;
• intravascular laser coagulation and the introduction of sclerosing agents help reduce protruding veins in the arms.

Aging of the skin of the hands is a process that modern medicine cannot completely stop, but timely contact with a specialist will help slow down this process and preserve youthful hands for a long time.

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Text: Evgenia Bagma

There is nothing shameful about old age, as a stage in our lives. At the same time, no woman wants to prematurely acquire wrinkles and other signs of maturity. Unfortunately, no one can avoid this. But is it possible to stop premature skin aging and why does it happen?

Causes of premature skin aging

Aging is a natural process that cannot be avoided. But there are certain factors that can cause premature skin aging:

• ultraviolet irradiation - rays, affecting the surface of the skin and penetrating into its deeper layers, destroy collagen and elastin, which leads to loss of elasticity, the appearance of wrinkles and causes aging of the skin, disrupting the normal renewal process;


• improper care can lead to many unpleasant consequences - for example, loss of moisture, which, in turn, can lead to dry skin and the appearance of wrinkles; early use of anti-aging products can also cause premature aging of the skin - due to the influence of the active components of such products, the skin ceases to independently cope with its tasks, which only brings its aging closer;


• a stressful state disrupts the human nervous system, which affects the condition of not only the skin, but the entire body;


• improper nutrition - through breathing and skin pores, particles of heavy metals and radioactive substances that destroy tissues and cells enter the human body, such substances are called free radicals and only antioxidants, vitamins and minerals contained in a healthy, complete diet can remove them from the body;


• lack of sleep - during sleep, new cells are formed in the epidermis, lack of sleep results in the fact that the skin does not have time to renew itself;


• smoking, alcoholism - smoking causes oxygen deficiency, drinking alcoholic beverages contributes to the body losing moisture and dilating blood vessels - all this cannot but affect the condition of the skin;


• poor environment - there is no doubt that polluted air causes premature aging - particles of dirt, smog and dust settle on the skin, block pores, free radicals destroy the skin, cause wrinkles, loss of moisture and elasticity.

How to stop premature skin aging

Of course, we cannot discount the cause of premature skin aging as a genetic factor. But this does not mean that you need to resign yourself and stop taking care of your skin in anticipation of its inevitable fate. On the contrary, you must increase your care. To avoid premature skin aging, follow these basic rules.

Protect your skin from harmful sun rays. Even if you tan easily and develop a bronze tan, you need sun protection. The fact is that the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation have accumulative properties in the skin. If you don't protect yourself from the sun, over the years you may not only develop photodermatitis (an allergy to sunlight), but you may suddenly begin to burn easily and get sunburn. In any case, the sun is very drying to the skin, so be sure to moisturize after sun exposure.

Balance your diet. Forget about strict and unwise diets, your skin needs vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and antioxidants to fight aging and environmental damage. Your diet should contain dairy products, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, vegetable oil, eggs, and grains. Vitamins A, C and PP, found in excess in carrots, broccoli, green salad, and red berries, have the greatest antioxidant activity. Absorbent products - cereals, bran, raw fruits, fresh vegetables - help slow down the aging process. You can prevent inflammation and the appearance of early wrinkles with the help of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are found in vegetable oil, red sea fish, pumpkin and sesame seeds, and nuts.

Take care of your skin. It begins to age at 25 years old - even if outwardly this aging is still imperceptible, if you do not start actively and properly caring for it, you may hold out for some time with good genetics, but by a certain point the skin will “lose ground”, and you will experience premature aging. To prevent this from happening, be sure to use creams with a sun protection factor, cleanse your facial skin in the morning and evening to protect it from the harmful effects of the environment, moisturize and nourish it, select products that suit your skin type, do not get carried away with smoothing, wrinkle-filling creams and masks before time.

As for other factors, everything is also in your hands: try to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day, do not overload your nervous system, learn to relax, quit smoking if you have such a habit, lead a healthy lifestyle and practice positive thinking - and then you don’t even have to worry about premature skin aging.

Aging of the entire organism is a natural and inevitable process programmed by nature, which is one of the main problems of biology and medical science in general.

Although changes in appearance are natural and physiological, the timing of their appearance depends on many causal factors - genetic, hereditary, age-related. The latter are determined by the influence of the aging body on all organs and tissues, including the skin. What are the causes and how to prevent premature skin aging.

Causes of premature aging of facial skin

External manifestations of pathological withering include:

• thinning and reduction in the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer;
• dryness, itching and peeling of the epithelium of the stratum corneum;
• change in facial skin color;
• decreased skin turgor and gravitational tissue ptosis;
• early appearance of wrinkles and folds on the face;
• vascular changes in the form of dilation of superficial vessels (), the appearance of vascular “networks” and “stars”;
• premature aging of the skin of the hands;
• early and .

These phenomena begin to appear from the age of 25, and sometimes earlier in the presence of unfavorable factors. With increasing age they increase more and more. Pathological, or premature, aging is accompanied by changes in internal organs and tissues and is characterized by a higher rate of appearance of changes in a person’s appearance, compared to people of the same age category. In these cases, we are talking about advancing, exceeding biological age, in comparison with passport data.

Continuous withering of the skin is associated with changes throughout the body. Accordingly, the factors that cause early skin aging are basically the same ones that accelerate the appearance of age-related changes in the body. Thus, the rate of development of age-related changes in the skin is constantly or periodically influenced by numerous unfavorable, so-called “everyday” factors:

1. Internal or endogenous.
2. External, or exogenous.
3. A combination of internal and external factors.

Endogenous negative factors

Associated primarily with a weakening of general immunity and disturbances in the blood levels of sex hormones, in particular estrogens, in women. In addition, the defective functioning of the nervous, endocrine, microcirculatory systems, excretory and respiratory systems is of no small importance for the development of premature aging. All of them provide the skin with the ability to maintain biochemical processes, temperature and barrier functions, and local immunity at the required level.

Therefore, the most common diseases leading to early aging of the skin are pathology of the endocrine system, especially diabetes mellitus, decreased function of the thyroid gland, hypothalamic-pituitary syndrome, diseases of the endocrine glands of the genital organs, coronary heart disease and cardiovascular failure, chronic pulmonary pathology, a decrease in the degree of general immune defense, which leads to a decrease in local immunity, autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

Pathology of the liver and biliary system, diseases of the digestive tract and urinary system, and metabolic disorders in the body are also of no small importance. The features of premature aging in men are associated, in addition to the above, mainly with a decrease (for various reasons) in the blood levels of male sex hormones, since they have a stimulating effect on the sebaceous and sweat glands.

It is quite natural that the full provision of the skin with oxygen, vitamins, microelements, hormones, etc. depends, of course, on the content of these components in the body, but one cannot underestimate their supply to the cells through the blood and lymph microcirculation system, as well as the role of these mechanisms in removal of decay products and cellular regeneration processes.

Exogenous factors

These mainly include:

• Unfavorable environmental conditions (from 40 to 60%), in which the surrounding air contains significant concentrations of chemical compounds harmful to the body;
• Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation on skin that is not protected by sunscreen, as well as neglect of the use of after-sun creams that help neutralize the effects of solar radiation;
• Insufficient, or, conversely, excessive environmental humidity;
• Poor nutrition, excess body weight and insufficient physical activity;
• Frequent stressful conditions and prolonged psycho-emotional stress;
• Abuse of alcoholic beverages, as well as smoking, in which chronic nicotine intoxication, causing spasm of small peripheral vessels, leads to disturbances in blood microcirculation and to a deterioration in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues. In addition, some chemical compounds contained in tobacco destroy proteins that contain metal atoms (metalloproteins) that take part in the synthesis of skin and elastin, as a result of which the elasticity of the skin decreases with intense formation of wrinkles;
• Dyes and preservatives of food products and components of some cosmetics, as well as household chemicals that contribute to allergic and inflammatory reactions;
• The level of social status, including biological and psychological needs and social opportunities to satisfy them.

Basic mechanisms

The mechanisms of pathological aging are specific physiological and biochemical processes through which the influence of negative endogenous and exogenous factors on the human body is realized. Among the various mechanisms, the main importance is currently given to the so-called free radical reactions, which result in the formation of free radicals and aggressively reactive oxygen species.

Free radicals are “fragments” of molecules with missing electrons. Their reactivity is due to the ability to attach electrons to themselves from other molecules. Such a biochemical reaction is necessary to ensure normal metabolic processes in the body. Under normal physiological conditions, the amount of free radical molecules is strictly controlled by the body.

However, under the influence of negative factors, especially environmental chemicals and ultraviolet rays, an excess amount and accumulation of free radicals are formed. They lead to the destruction of cell membranes, cellular lipids, proteins, mitochondria and DNA. The consequence of this influence is premature cell death, the predominance of degenerative processes over cellular regeneration, accelerated degradation and disruption of the synthesis of collagen and elastin proteins. All these phenomena are united under the name “oxidative stress”.

Collagen and elastin fibers play a particularly important role in the condition of the skin, giving it a state of strength, firmness and elasticity. With age, there is a gradual decrease in volume and quantity. But under the influence of accumulated free radicals, what is especially important is significant changes in their structure and physico-chemical properties, due to which skin firmness and elasticity decrease, wrinkles and folds form, and tissues of the face and other parts of the body appear.

Another significant mechanism is a decrease in the saturation of the skin with water molecules and the destruction of its epidermal layer as a barrier. The result is increased skin vulnerability to bacterial, physical and chemical factors.

So, to summarize this section, it is necessary to highlight the main mechanisms and manifestations of aging. The first include:

1. Slowing down of cellular renewal.
2. Quantitative reduction and structural-qualitative disruption of collagen and elastin proteins.
3. Disorder of microcirculation in tissues and increased permeability of the vascular wall, leading to skin dehydration and swelling of intercellular tissue.
4. Destruction of the epidermal barrier.
5. Accumulation of metabolic products.

How can you prevent early destructive processes?

Despite a certain “autonomy” of the skin, their successful functioning cannot but depend on the state of the whole organism or its individual systems, and it is impossible to slow down the processes of early skin aging by using only cosmetics and medications.

Since modern medicine does not have enough ways to influence the genetic and age-related factors of aging, the main efforts of it and cosmetology are aimed at eliminating or limiting the influence of “everyday factors”. Identifying the causes makes it possible to prevent aging or at least slow down the rate of its development. For these purposes, the following are necessary:

• preventing stressful situations and psycho-emotional disorders and increasing resistance to their effects;
• rational nutrition, proper work and rest schedule, normalization of sleep;
• cessation of smoking and alcohol abuse;
• treatment of diseases or correction of the functioning of internal organs with drugs and other means;
• correction of the general immune state and local immunity;
• increasing the body's ability to regulate adaptive mechanisms (improving metabolism, normalizing hormonal levels, accelerating the elimination of toxins and waste from the body, etc.);
• proper and regular skin care using anti-aging cosmetics.

Of great importance in the fight against oxidative stress is the increased consumption and external use of natural antioxidants that can block free radical oxidative reactions, as well as their use in cosmetology and medicine in the form of drugs.

How to avoid premature skin aging?

Aging is not a disease, but a condition of the body, which is determined by heredity and age-related characteristics. Currently, medicine and modern cosmetology have very little ability to influence the genetic and age-related causes of aging.

At the same time, premature decline is the object of their attention. Therefore, their main tasks are to eliminate “everyday” causative factors and early manifestations of aging, as well as to correctly apply anti-aging therapy methods. This can be largely influenced by the person himself, who is informed about the causes of early withering of the skin.

General information

Humanity has long been looking for a recipe for eternal youth and trying to create an elixir of beauty. Thanks to technological progress, the success of science and centuries of experience in medical practice, many deadly diseases have been defeated, and the average life expectancy of people is constantly increasing. However, the aging process remains relevant and continues to interest both scientists and practitioners. The first signs of aging are observed on the face, even when the whole body is in good physical shape. Often, chronological (recorded by passport data) and biological (determined by the state and functional characteristics relative to the average statistical norm) age do not coincide.

The skin is a protective barrier for the entire body and is the first to encounter aggressive environmental influences. In this unequal struggle, the skin loses moisture, becomes thinner, and loses its ability to regenerate (restore). Fibroblasts - dermal cells - gradually stop producing collagen, which reduces the elasticity of the fibers. The skin is very sensitive and reacts immediately to the slightest hormonal signal from the body. Age-related fluctuations in hormonal levels lead to changes in metabolic processes in subcutaneous adipose tissue and a decrease in muscle tone. Repeated sun exposure causes photoaging of exposed skin. Gradually, the skin ages, various wrinkles appear on its surface: static, caused by a decrease in muscle tone; facial expressions - from frequent muscle contractions during certain emotions; gravitational, arising under the influence of gravity.

Natural and premature aging

Aging that occurs due to natural physiological processes is called chronoaging or chronological aging. Premature aging of the skin is called “hormonal aging”, “photoaging” or “myoaging”.

Biological age and the rate of development of aging processes are genetically predetermined, being programmed at the cellular level. Natural aging is an inevitable and irreversible process; its natural development cannot be stopped. Premature aging can be corrected, it can be resisted, because it is caused by subjective factors: lifestyle and nutrition, environmental factors, ultraviolet radiation, various diseases, etc. Early wrinkles can appear as early as 18-20 years. They mark those who like to actively express their emotions, for whom all their experiences are “written” on their faces: knitted eyebrows, a wrinkled nose, squinted eyes. By contracting, the facial muscles located under the skin collect the skin in certain places into tiny folds. Gradually, from repeated contractions, the facial muscles “get tired”, over time they lose the ability to completely relax, and the skin loses its elasticity and its former appearance. Premature wrinkles form: small skin folds are fixed into persistent deep wrinkles.

External signs of skin aging

Signs of aging have different external manifestations depending on the stage and type of aging.

The first type of aging is “tired face”. The elasticity of the soft tissues of the face and neck decreases, swelling appears, the nasolabial fold is pronounced, and the corners of the mouth droop. After rest and good sleep, rested skin looks more youthful, and in the evening the signs of aging noticeably appear, the face looks tired.

The second type of aging is “wrinkled face”. The face and neck are dotted with small wrinkles, the skin is dry. “Crow’s feet” are noticeable in the corners of the eyes, the upper lip and chin are marked with “corrugations” of wrinkles, and wrinkles of the upper and lower eyelids are pronounced.

Activation or suppression of the activity of certain genes underlies the development of a particular pathology and the mechanism of aging in general. Based on these findings, gene regulatory therapy has been proposed to prevent genetic disorders that affect the development of age-related diseases.

Stochastic (probabilistic) theories

Stochastic or probabilistic theories explain aging as a result of mutational changes occurring at the DNA level. Random mutations accumulate in chromosomes and are reproduced many times during cell division.

Free radical theory.

Scientists D. Harman and N. Emanuel almost at the same time (in 1956 and 1958, respectively) put forward a theory called the theory of free radicals. Using this theory, they explain both the very principle of the aging mechanism and the occurrence of many age-related diseases: cardiovascular pathology, cataracts, decreased immunity, impaired brain activity, cancer, etc. The “culprits” of the pathological changes occurring in the body are D. Harman and N ..Emanuel refers to free radicals - oxygen molecules involved in many biochemical processes in cells.

Free radicals are unstable particles with a missing electron, so in search of their missing particle, they react with healthy molecules, stripping them of an electron and turning them into free radicals. Due to the chain reaction of the formation of free radicals in the body, cell damage occurs and its biochemical balance is disrupted. The formation of free radicals can also be caused by harmful exogenous factors: ultraviolet radiation, polluted air, nicotine, etc.

Free radicals strike the first blow on the skin, provoking the appearance of wrinkles, rashes, signs of inflammation, and in addition, the development of more than 60 different diseases and aging.

In the skin, collagen, a protein that gives the skin firmness and elasticity, is most affected by free radicals. Free radicals cause biochemical changes - the formation of cross-links that prevent the free movement of collagen fiber molecules relative to each other. Collagen molecules become fused into bundles, lose their elasticity and become stiff, which manifests itself as signs of skin aging.

The reasons that trigger the mechanism of the harmful effects of free radicals in the skin are different, but the most insidious is the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the skin. Sun rays stimulate the formation of free radicals and the production of protein enzymes that break down fats with the formation of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid causes the formation of molecules that promote inflammation and aging of the skin. And free radicals, in turn, activate special molecules inside cells - the so-called copy factors.

Copy factors are neutral molecules, but if they are activated by free radicals, they begin to migrate to the cell nucleus. In the nucleus, being integrated into DNA, copying factors cause the synthesis of toxic substances. The copy factor NFk-B causes inflammatory processes in the cell and accelerates its aging. The copy factor AP-1 leads to the destruction of collagen, the formation of microdefects and wrinkles in the skin.

Free radicals can damage DNA and RNA of cells, lipids, and fats. Inside the cells there is a protective mechanism against the aggression of free radicals - these are the enzymes superoxide dismutase, etc. Substances consumed with food have an antioxidant (neutralizing free radicals) effect: vitamins (A, E, C), vegetables, fruits, green tea, coffee, etc. True, excess antioxidants can cause the exact opposite reaction in the body - increased oxidative intracellular processes.

Error catastrophe theory.

In 1954, the American physicist M. Szilard put forward a hypothesis about the mutational nature of aging or “aging by mistake.” Studying the effect of ionizing radiation on various types of living organisms, he came to the conclusion that radiation shortens the life expectancy of animals and people. It leads to the development of mutations in DNA and causes signs of aging: disease, gray hair, etc. Szilard came to the conclusion that mutations are the cause of aging of biological species, but could not explain the mechanism of aging of living organisms that were not exposed to radiation.

Following Szilard, researcher L. Orgel considered mutations in living cells not only as a result of exposure to external aggressors (ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, free radicals, toxic effects of viruses and other mutagenic agents), but also as a spontaneous process. That is, errors in the genetic apparatus of cells can be caused by both external and internal reasons. They entail disruption of the functions of cells and the entire organism, leading to their aging and death.

Apoptosis theory(cell suicide).

The theory of cell apoptosis (from the Greek “leaf fall”) put forward by Academician V.P. Skulachev, considers cell death as an inevitable, programmed process. To maintain the integrity of the body, each cell, having lost its viability, must die and give way to a new one. Infection with a virus or mutations that cause disease and malignancy become a signal for the “suicide” of cells, so as not to endanger the death of the entire organism.

In contrast to the violent death of cells as a result of burns, injuries, hypoxia, poisoning, etc., during apoptosis, the affected cells independently disintegrate into structural fragments and are used by other cells as building material.

The process of self-destruction of mitochondria (the organelle that ensures cell respiration) V.P. Skulachev called it mitoptosis. It occurs when a large number of free radicals accumulate in the mitochondria. The breakdown products of dead mitochondria can poison the cell and lead to its death (apoptosis). The aging process according to V.P. Skulachev occurs when the number of dead cells in the body exceeds the number of newly formed ones, and the dead cells are replaced by connective tissue.

According to Academician V.P. Skulachev, the solution is to prevent cell destruction by free radicals. That is, he views old age as a curable disease if programmed aging of the body is reversed.

V.P. Skulachev believes that reactive oxygen species, in particular hydrogen peroxide, have the most destructive effect on cells and mitochondria. As a cure for the aging of the body, the academician developed and proposed the drug SKQ, clinical trials of which have not yet been completed.

Prevention of skin aging

Photoprotectors

To prevent premature skin aging caused by increased sun exposure, products to protect against ultraviolet radiation are used. The action of some of these agents is aimed at capturing ultraviolet radiation, under the influence of which their chemical transformation occurs. As a result, part of the radiation energy is spent on a chemical reaction and does not reach the dermal cells. Such drugs may have contraindications, because it is possible that they enter the body through the bloodstream through the skin and cause adverse allergic reactions. A good alternative to such sunscreen substances are photoprotectors, which contain finely ground mineral pigments (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide) that do not penetrate deep into the skin, but reflect ultraviolet rays from its surface. Sunscreens include water, fats, vitamin E, emollients and moisturizers. It is useful to use after-sun products to cool, nourish and moisturize the skin.

Hydration

Good hydration is an essential condition for preventing premature skin aging. The impact of any climatic and atmospheric factors on the skin negatively affects its moisture content, especially in an urban environment where the air contains many aggressive chemical components. When air humidity is low, the body loses water; when humidity is high, sweating and sebum production increase. Even with high humidity, if there is an elevated air temperature, the skin needs protection from drying out under the influence of the sun, moisturizing and thorough regular cleansing. Low temperatures and low air humidity dry out the skin, depriving it of moisture. At low humidity and high temperatures, the skin also actively loses moisture. Drying of the skin is possible from strong winds at elevated or, conversely, reduced temperatures. Under the influence of wind, the skin not only becomes thinner, it becomes scaly and begins to flake off. Adverse atmospheric influences should be countered by additional measures to moisturize and protect the skin: the use of high-quality day cream and prolonged exposure to fresh air in a favorable environmental zone.

Healthy lifestyle

Taking care of your skin and preventing its premature aging should begin, first of all, by organizing a rational regime of work and rest, giving preference to a healthy lifestyle. An organism deprived of full and sufficient sleep is doomed to develop adverse consequences, the first of which is a tired skin condition. The formation of new cells occurs during sleep, so the skin naturally restores its structure while we sleep.

Regular exercise trains the skin and increases its elasticity. Under the influence of increased loads, additional blood flow to the skin occurs, which has a good stimulating effect. Sports and exercise are good for coping with stress, the worst enemy of healthy skin.

Prolonged stress causes convulsive contraction of the facial muscles, prolonged stretching of elastic fibers and their overwork. When stressed, the skin lacks oxygen and nutrition, because... under the influence of increased adrenaline, capillary circulation is disrupted. Another stress hormone, cortisone, disrupts the process of skin regeneration and collagen formation. A reasonable attitude to life events and resistance to stress is an effective way to protect against premature skin aging.

Healthy young skin and smoking are incompatible concepts. If you want to combat skin aging, you will have to quit the bad habit of smoking to avoid the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth and eyes. Smokers require additional intake of vitamins A, E, C, provitamin A (beta-keratin) to prevent the formation of a large number of fine wrinkles.

Alcohol intake causes even more significant harm to health and skin condition. Under its influence, capillaries expand, which become noticeable, changing the appearance of the skin. Alcohol intake has an adverse effect on the liver, which inevitably affects the condition of the skin. Excessive consumption of strong tea and coffee has the same adverse effect on the liver, and therefore on the skin.

Skin aging can be caused by the use of certain types of medications, so you should not self-medicate or uncontrolled use of medications.

And finally, a balanced diet rich in vitamins and microelements and sufficient fluid intake (up to 2 liters per day) help maintain normal vital balance in cells and tissues and prevent premature aging of the skin.

The article explains why hands age and how to properly care for them. It’s no secret that a woman’s age is revealed by her hands and neck. Let's talk about the neck too, but for now let's talk about the hands.

Why do hands age faster than your face?

The fact is that the skin of the hands contains 5 times less moisture than the skin of the face. It has much fewer sebaceous glands, which reduces the “defensive power” of the lipid layer by 10 times. In addition, our main “tool of labor” is 12-15 times more likely to be attacked by detergents. All these factors lead to dryness and sudden aging of the skin.

How to properly care for your hands?

You need to take care of your hands every day. Firstly, try to use gentle products for washing your hands without alkali and with caring ingredients: chamomile, aloe vera, glycerin. Remember also about the hidden insidiousness of very hot water and antibacterial soap. They dry out the skin and mercilessly extract moisture from it.

Wash dishes only with rubber gloves. After all, frequent contact with water and detergents weakens the already fragile protection of the skin of the hands. Long-term exposure to synthetic detergents leads to disruption of local immunity and the development of allergic dermatitis and eczema. If you often have problems with the skin of your hands, use natural products to wash dishes: laundry soap, mustard, soda.

Secondly, be sure to generously sprinkle your skin with nourishing cream at least 2 times a day (morning and evening), or better yet, after each contact with water. Look for the following in the composition: panthenol, bisabolol, beeswax and sea buckthorn (soothe and heal the skin), minerals, urea and taurine (stimulate the natural level of skin moisture), vitamins C, E, B5 and F (provide intense nutrition to the skin and have an antioxidant effect) macadamia, karite and grape seed oils (perfectly restore and soften the skin).

It is especially useful to leave the “suitor” overnight under the cover of cotton gloves or specimens with woven ceramic threads. The latter enhance the healing effect in places of cracks, cuts, and irritations. To avoid pigmentation, resort to “white magic”: grape, blackberry and vitamin A extracts whiten the skin well, and SPF filters are excellent protectors against photoaging.

A lack of vitamins, especially E, can also cause dry skin on your hands. To replenish moisture reserves in the skin, increase the amount of vegetable oil, sea fatty fish in your diet and eat at least 1-2 walnuts per day.

Thirdly, keep in mind that cold and wind have the most aggressive effect on your hands. Under their “harmful” influence, the skin of the hands becomes rough, reddened, and cracks and pimples appear on it. During cold weather, be sure to wear gloves before leaving the house. This way the transition from heat to cold will not be so abrupt.

Avoid cold water - the causes of frostbite and heat shock, to which the hands are especially sensitive. But at the same time, if your hands are frozen, under no circumstances warm them under running hot water - it dries out the skin even more.

Amateur performance

In order to get rid of pimples, soften the skin of your hands and restore its elasticity, you can prepare healing remedies without leaving home:

Oil bath. Take 1 liter of warm water, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable (olive or flaxseed) oil to it. Immerse your hands in water and hold for 10 minutes. Dry with a towel, then dry them well and rub oil with added vitamin E into the skin (sold in pharmacies in ampoules). This procedure is recommended to be carried out daily for two weeks. If necessary, the course can be repeated in a month. And if the skin is very rough, then you can do without water altogether. Just heat the oil a little and put your hands in it for about 20 minutes. Then gently blot with a napkin, do not rinse with water!

Herbal bath. Mix one tablespoon of chopped fresh medicinal herbs: plantain, chamomile, calendula and burdock. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral shampoo (no dyes or fragrances) and one tablespoon of glycerin. Apply the mixture for 10 minutes, then rinse. Lubricate with nourishing cream and put on cotton gloves.

Potato application. Take 2 boiled potatoes in their jackets, mash them with 2 teaspoons of cucumber or lemon juice. Place a thick layer of the warm mixture on your hands and cover with cellophane. After 15-20 minutes, rinse with water and apply nourishing cream to the skin.

Paraffin mask. After cleansing and scrubbing, apply nourishing cream to the skin, then cover your hands with liquid paraffin (hardens at room temperature). Put on a cellophane glove on top, and then a terry mitten. As the paraffin cools, heat is released, under the influence of which the pores expand, sebum secretion increases, and blood and lymph circulation improves. By enhancing microcirculation, the flow of water into the epidermis increases, and the paraffin layer prevents it from evaporating. This ensures good hydration and healing of the skin.