We often look at our face in the mirror, much less at the backs of our hands. However, it is they who, one morning, become covered in little brown marks that never go away. These brown spots on the hands intrigue, sometimes worry, and above all seem to multiply without warning.
These solar lentigos are linked both to the sun and to aging of the skin. Erasing them completely remains difficult, but delaying their appearance, limiting their number and preventing them from darkening is possible, by combining three very targeted anti-aging actions.
Why do brown spots appear on the back of the hands?
Hands are exposed to the sun almost all year round, even when you are not tanning: while driving, walking, on a terrace, by bike. As summarized in the article in Voici, between UV, cold, repeated washing and household products.
Over the years, this accumulation of attacks disrupts melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. Result: areas more heavily loaded with pigment, without medical seriousness in the majority of cases, but which enlarge, darken and, as the magazine points out, .
Solution 1: a truly anti-aging anti-stain hand cream
A good anti-dark spot hand cream acts on melanogenesis while repairing the skin barrier. The most complete formulas combine active ingredients such as retinol to boost renewal, vitamin C and vitamin E with ferulic acid to neutralize free radicals, or azelaic acid, glycolic acid and niacinamide to smooth and even out.
To slow down the proliferation of spots, these treatments are used at least twice a day on the back of the hands, massaging for a few seconds. Studies on serums containing 15% vitamin C, 1% vitamin E and 0.5% ferulic acid show results after 6 to 12 weeks, with a reduction in spot surface area of approximately 32% and improved color evenness of approximately 18%. Many readers also apply the excess of their anti-spot facial treatment to their hands, as long as they then add sun protection.
Solution 2: sunscreen, the best shield against stains
Hands are part of the zones, even in town or on overcast days. Without protection, each UV ray maintains pigmentary imbalance. A minimum SPF 30 sunscreen, ideally SPF 50, broad spectrum, remains the number one step to prevent new spots from forming and prevent existing ones from darkening.
Concretely, the simplest thing is to keep a small face sunscreen or hand cream with SPF in your bag, to apply in the morning and after each wash or heavy friction. Many supplement with gloves for cleaning or washing dishes, and limit repeated exposure to UV lamp during manicures. Used in tandem with the anti-stain cream, sun protection truly transforms the future of hand skin.
Solution 3: cryotherapy and targeted procedures at the dermatologist
When certain spots are old, very dark or isolated, cryotherapy can be offered. The principle: liquid nitrogen applied at around -160° locally destroys pigment cells, leading to desquamation of the spot in one or two sessions. , with strict sun protection afterwards to avoid re-pigmentation.
Home cryotherapy pens exist for small, well-defined spots, with a single application of approximately 6.5 seconds and expected disappearance in 4 to 8 weeks, but they require prior medical diagnosis. The dermatologist can also offer laser, pulsed light or peels depending on the type of spot and your skin. In the event of a stain that changes quickly, has irregular edges or bleeds, consultation becomes essential.
Brown spots on the hands: at what age do they often appear?
Brown spots on the hands become common after the age of 50, especially in people who have been exposed to the sun a lot without protection, but they can appear earlier in cases of strong “sun capital”.
Can we make brown spots disappear without medical procedures?
Anti-spot care combined with daily sun protection can lighten and blur recent or faint spots, but old and very dark marks respond better to targeted dermatological treatments.
What is the difference between a classic hand cream and an anti-stain hand cream?
A classic hand cream mainly hydrates the skin, while an anti-dark spot hand cream combines hydration, repair and depigmenting or exfoliating active ingredients specifically chosen to limit melanin and even out the tone of the skin.
Is sun protection on your hands really essential in the city?
Yes, because the hands receive UV rays constantly, including while driving or walking in the middle of winter, and this chronic exposure directly fuels the appearance and darkening of pigment spots.
Sources
- Home & Work
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