3 Daily Habits To Avoid & Treat Dark Spots On Your Hands

Dark spots (sometimes called age spots or sun spots) are one of the most common skin care concerns for folks 30-plus. They're the result of overproduction of pigment in the skin, often triggered by UV exposure, damage, and inflammation.

We pay special attention to them when they start to appear on the face, but the truth is they can appear anywhere on the body, such as the neck, chest, and hands. 

The hands, in particular, are a special case. Hands are more often exposed to sun than the rest of the body, making them a natural place for signs of UV damage to appear.

In addition, the hands experience more wear and tear compared to skin elsewhere—which means the skin is often more dry and sensitive. This means the hands will often start showing signs of aging before the rest of the body. 

Well, with the right topical treatments, you can fade dark spots on your hands. Just make sure to treat the skin gently—going too aggressive with potent topicals can leave the skin cracked, dry, and irritated.

The solution here is fairly straightforward: Invest in a good hand cream and get your use out of it. At the very least, said hand cream should contain humectants (which attract water; look for hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and aloe), emollients (to bolster the barrier; look for ingredients like oat oil, ceramides, and fatty acids), and occlusive ingredients (to keep it all trapped in; look for heavier oils and butters).

However, to treat dark spots, look for formulas that also contain antioxidants, such as botanical extracts and oils, coenzyme-q10, vitamin E, and niacinamide.

Antioxidants will help protect the skin from damage by neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation. This will help stop new age spots from forming. And many antioxidants also have brightening properties, to help fade existing dark spots. 

Perhaps the most beloved ingredient for aging skin, retinol has earned its place in the skin care zeitgeist. So much so that the ingredient is no longer just popular for use on the face—now it shows up in neck creams, body creams, and yes, hand creams. 

For those with more severe signs of aging skin on the hands, retinol is a great nighttime treatment to utilize: It can spur collagen production, increase skin cell turnover, and offer a host of other benefits. 

However, it's not without its drawbacks: The ingredient is notoriously hard to tolerate, as it can cause increased irritation, dryness, and photosensitivity (which just means you're more susceptible to sun damage).

For this reason, it should only be used in the evening, and always buffer its effects with hydrating creams as well (not only at night but throughout the day!). Because of its popularity, there are several excellent hand treatments to try (such as this beauty-editor-approved option).

Because it can't be said enough: Sun protection is vital for the health of your skin. For your hands, there are several easy habits to adopt. The first is to apply sunscreen on the hands prior to sun exposure, along with the rest of the body. You're already using your hands to slather it on elsewhere, so it's fairly simple to just rub it in on the back of your hands as part of the process.