Best ways for women over 50 to get beautiful hands | members only

It’s not fun to hear, but hands over 50, similar to necks, reveal much about our age and habits. Oftentimes it’s because many women were terrific about face sunscreen but missed the boat

when it came to their hands. What to do about the saggy skin, brown spots and veins that show up decades later like uninvited guests? A slew of top medical pros joined me, a beauty editor,

to tell all. Our experts include Kimberly Lee, a board-certified facial and reconstructive surgeon and assistant clinical professor at the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at Ronald Reagan

UCLA Medical Center; Samuel Lin, a board-certified plastic surgeon and associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School; Maya K. Thosani, a board-certified dermatologist and surgeon

and owner of Modern Dermatology in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Anthony Rossi, a board-certified dermatologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. (From left) Eucerin

Face Radiant Tone Cleansing Gel With AHA Complex; Versed Day Maker Microcrystal Exfoliator. AARP (CVS, Target) 1. UPDATE YOUR HAND-WASHING ROUTINE In the COVID days of 2021, many women

started a wash-and-sanitize routine … and never stopped. That’s terrific for hygiene, but not so great for mature hands and their thin, dry skin. It’s time to do your own a favor and stop

using hot water and liquid soaps that smell delish but do little else. Switching to lukewarm water and a moisturizer and cleanser like RAW SUGAR SENSITIVE SKIN SIMPLY HAND WASH, GREEN TEA +

CUCUMBER + ALOE VERA ($6, walgreens.com) is a significant first step. Top dermatologists and plastic surgeons also suggest a once-a-week face exfoliating cleanser to buff away dulling dead

cells on the backs of your hands. That’s because the slowdown in cell turnover that affects facial skin also impacts your hands. Choose a refined scrub like VERSED DAY MAKER MICROCRYSTAL

EXFOLIATOR ($15, target.com) or a mild chemical cleanser with glycolic and lactic acid like EUCERIN FACE RADIANT TONE CLEANSING GEL WITH AHA COMPLEX ($19, cvs.com) for your hands and face.

But take it easy. “A chemical exfoliant such as glycolic or lactic acid, or a mild scrub with small, nonabrasive particles, can be useful to smooth rough patches and enhance skin radiance,”

says Lin. “However, it’s important to avoid over-exfoliating and compromising the thin, dry barrier layer of the skin by limiting it to one or two times a week.” If you have very sensitive

skin or a condition like eczema or psoriasis, opt out of the extra exfoliation to avoid irritation. (From left) Burt’s Bees Lavender & Honey Hand Cream; Peach & Lily Retinal for All

Renewing Serum; Avene Retrinal 0.05% Multi-Corrective Cream. AARP (Kohl’s, Target, Ulta) 2. CHOOSE HAND CARE THE WAY YOU CHOOSE FACE CREAM The surprise is that your best bet may be a

combination of facial products … for your hands! For example, Lee says, “Applying skin care to the backs of the hands — like retinol to boost collagen, and creams with peptides or hyaluronic

acid to hydrate — can help combat signs of aging and maintain elasticity.” If that’s news to you, it’s likely because those ingredients are found in face creams and serums, not hand care.

Retinol, one of the lauded ingredients, has a rep for irritation, but there is a safe solution. Lin (himself a retinol fan) advises a go-slow, low-dosage approach. “Retinol stimulates

collagen production and also promotes cell turnover, which helps fade dark spots and sun damage,” he explains. “However, because the skin on the hands is thinner and more prone to

irritation, it’s important to start with a low-strength retinol. Apply it at night and follow up with a rich, hydrating hand cream to counteract any dryness or irritation caused by the

retinol.” A low-dose retinol formula like AVÈNE RETRINAL 0.05% MULTI-CORRECTIVE CREAM ($50, ulta.com) or PEACH & LILY RETINAL FOR ALL RENEWING SERUM ($55, target.com) is ideal. Still

apprehensive? Try applying a light layer of moisturizer first, as a “cushion.” A rich but nongreasy formula like CERAVE MOISTURIZING CREAM - UNSCENTED ($19, walgreens.com), with ceramides

and hyaluronic acid, is great for at-home hand rehab and doubles as a face and body cream. For a stash-in-your-bag and leave-at-every-sink hand cream, choose a formula with emollient shea

butter, like BURT’S BEES LAVENDER & HONEY HAND CREAM ($6, kohls.com) or EOS SHEA BETTER HAND CREAM ($4, walgreens.com). (From left) Neutrogena Mineral Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Face &

Body Stick SPF 50; e.l.f. Untouchable Invisi-Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50; Kopari Beauty Pure Protect Mineral Sunscreen Stick SPF 50+. AARP (Target, 2; Ulta) 3. PROTECT HANDS DAILY WITH

SUNSCREEN Cumulative sun damage shows up as flaky, crepe-y skin, brown spots, and, in the worst-case scenario, precancerous lesions or skin cancer on the backs of hands and fingers. Be sure

to get any suspicious spots checked by a dermatologist.