Do This Routine At Night If You Have "Old-Looking Hands"

Your hands are often one of the first areas to show signs of aging, but some people have had "old-looking hands" since childhood, long before the first fine line technically makes its grand entrance.

Hyper-wrinkly hands can just be genetic, sometimes from an inherited skin condition called ichthyosis vulgaris—it happens when the skin doesn't shed its dead skin cells as quickly, which results in dry, thick, flaky skin. 

Because ichthyosis vulgaris occurs when your old skin cells shed too slowly, it might help to speed up the process manually. 

Enter retinoids: "What I've been experimenting with at the moment is actually putting tretinoin on my hands," says Ukeleghe. ""As we know, tretinoin quickens that skin cell turnover. I've been doing this for the last few nights and it's been working really well." 

Tretinoin is a stronger retinoid only available by prescription, commonly referred to as the brand name Retin-A.

That being said, it's super potent and might not be the best fit for those with sensitive skin; however, you could use an over-the-counter, less powerful retinol and reap similar benefits. The main gig here is to promote cell turnover with a vitamin A derivative, and you should only need a pea-sized amount in order to do so. 

Our pick, of course, would be the mindbodygreen postbiotic hand cream: The high-quality, innovative blend nurtures your skin microbiome, deeply hydrates, provides antioxidant protection, and improves the appearance of the skin instantly and over time.

Along with a special strain of postbiotics to support your skin barrier, it features powerful antioxidants, like coenzyme Q10 and a watermelon, lentil, and apple complex, that offer free radical protection, brighten tone, and smooth out fine lines.

It also includes a base of shea butter, moringa seed oil, aloe vera, and oat oil to instantly calm and condition the skin, nixing any flakiness. It's a worthy investment for instant and long-term hand care, but you can find some of our other favorite hand cream formulas here. 

Got "old-looking" hands? It is possible to address the dry, scaly symptoms and smooth the surface. Get yourself a retinol serum or cream gentle enough for your delicate hands, then follow up with a moisturizing hand cream to fill in any microcracks.