They say you can tell someone’s age by their hands.
You can moisturise religiously, wear SPF and sleep on silk pillowcases, but if your hands are sun-spotted, dry or creased, they’ll slowly reveal what the rest of your skincare is trying to hide.
“The skin on the hands is thinner and is affected by ageing in the same way as the face,” says Margaret Dabbs OBE, founder of Margaret Dabbs London.
“Oil glands that help to maintain elasticity elsewhere in the body are missing from the skin of the hands, accelerating the signs of ageing.
“Daily exposure to UV and environmental damage also breaks down collagen over time, and frequent hand washing with poor-quality hand wash increases dehydration,” she explains.
It’s a double hit: thinner skin and fewer defences.
This means your hands can often look decades older than your face if left unchecked. So, here’s how to reverse and repair those signs of damage.
Hand care has gone high tech
For years, hand cream was something you kept in the car or next to the kitchen sink – a last-minute rescue for dryness. But as the rest of our routines have become more sophisticated, so too has hand care.
To treat the signs of ageing on the hands “a combination of targeted skincare and advanced technology delivers the best results,” says Dabbs.
“LED light therapy is particularly effective. Red light helps stimulate collagen and reduce inflammation, while near-infrared light works deeper into the dermis to improve elasticity and firm the skin.
“With consistent use, skin texture becomes smoother and tone more even.”
LED therapy might once have belonged in dermatology clinics, but it’s now a staple of at-home routines – as anyone who’s scrolled past a night-time routine featuring a futuristic face mask on Instagram will know.
“LED therapy uses targeted wavelengths to treat different skin concerns,” explains Dabbs. “Red light boosts collagen production and improves skin density, while near-infrared penetrates more deeply to support structural firmness.”
Even 10 minutes a few times a week, she says, can visibly soften fine lines and even out pigmentation.
Beauty Pie C-Wave Rejuvenating LED Treatment for Hands, £200
Ingredients to incorporate
Still, technology can only go so far without the right topical care.
According to Dr Mazin Al-Khafaji, dermatologist and founder of Dermatology M, the formula matters as much as frequency.
“Look for humectants like glycerine and hyaluronic acid, emollients such as shea butter or cocoa butter, and antioxidants including vitamin E, lily bulb extract and rose extract,” he says, “these all help even tone and strengthen the barrier.”
He also highlights an ingredient called bakuchiol – a gentler, plant-based alternative to retinol, which is better suited to mature or sensitive skin.
It targets dark spots and pigmentation. “In more severe cases where you want to get rid of hand blemishes, we use bakuchiol,” he says. And SPF, is of course, a non-negotiable.
“Daily use of a broad-spectrum SPF 30-50. A light, non-greasy formula applied each morning and after hand-washing is usually enough.”
GentleCare End Winter Hand Cracking in 24 Hours Hand Cream, £15
Naturally Balmy Cold Pressed Bakuchi (Bakuchiol) Oil, £9
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Repairing Baume B5+ SPF50 For Irritated Skin, £12.50, Look Fantastic
The ultimate hand care routine
A good hand routine isn’t about one miracle product, but building habits.
Dabbs recommends approaching it the same way you would facial skincare: cleanse, treat, hydrate and protect. “Daily use of a good-quality, hydrating hand wash and repair cream will help to minimise moisture loss through the skin of the hands, enhance skin firmness, improve elasticity and boost collagen production,” she says.
Al-Khafaji also says that consistency trumps luxury.
“Wear gloves for washing and cleaning, and apply hand cream immediately after hand-washing and before bed,” he says, in order to avoid the skin getting too dry.
“Use SPF daily on the backs of hands and protect from the cold and wind by wearing gloves in winter,” he explains. “These small, consistent steps maintain the skin barrier, hydration and even tone better than any occasional treatment.”
Margaret Dabbs London PURE Exfoliating Hand Wash, £25
Manicurist Paris Complete Serum, £15
Why it’s time to treat your hands like your face
Hand care isn’t glamorous – but it might be one of the most revealing forms of maintenance. Hands are constantly exposed, rarely protected, and almost never treated with the same attention we give our faces.
As Dabbs puts it, “Hands are often neglected, but they deserve the same attention as the face.”
And once you start giving them that attention with sunscreen, serums and gentle exfoliation – you’ll notice what dermatologists have known for decades: it’s not about chasing youth, but about restoring balance to the skin we use the most.