Younger Looking Hands

NYC Hand Rejuvenation Articles~NYC Cosmetic Surgeons ~ NYC Plastic Surgeons~ Hand Rejuvenation

Aside from the face and neck, hands are the most visible unclothed part of our bodies. Sophisticated techniques have allowed impressive changes in facial beauty, but often,  rejuvenation of the hands is overlooked.

A radiant smile and facial features must be harmonious with other physical traits.  La Gioconda (The Mona Lisa) is currently owned by the French Government and Sits in the Musee Du Louvre, In Paris. She sustains a mesmerizing and enigmatic stare. But what would she look like if her hands were not soft and Juvenile? It would certainly be inconsistent and detract from her overall beauty. 

It is the appreciation for beautiful hands that allows a plastic surgeon with an artistic vision to apply rejuvenating techniques to this all too under appreciated area of the body. The knowledge that the proper techniques for hand rejuvenation are available in the first place will allow it to become a part of a youthful and more befitting  appearance. After all,  "the eyes cannot see what the mind does not know" expresses this concept elegantly.

Beautiful Hands

A variety of techniques have been used over the years with limited results. Uniformity in the coloration of the skin can be obtained temporarily with topical agents, such as hydroquinone. Unfortunately, this may not apply to all skin tones, does not address the skin laxity that appears with age, nor does it address the fullness characteristic of younger hands.  Lasers and chemical peels, improve the overall appearence of the dorsum (back) of the hand by  increasing exfoliation, reducing lentigines (skin spots) and improving elasticity. However a youthful hand  has a subcutaneous (Under the skin) fullness that obscures veins and tendons. Dermal fillers have been used to replicate this appearence with varying and temporary results. 

Methods for rejuvenation of the hand

-Skin excision

-Chemical Peels

-Laser therapy

-Dermal Fillers: Juvederm, Collagen, Sculptra, Radiesse

- Structural Fat Grafting

-Combination of the above techniques such as fat grafting and TCA peels

-Percutaneous Collagen induction (Experimental)

Fat Grafting

To date, fat grafting seems to give a more predictable and long lasting effect. It counters the visible effects of ageing and to some degree may improve skin quality by unknown mechanisms. 

Fat grafting allows correction of fat and muscular atrophy (Shrikage) with prominent veins. The technique involves injecting fat into the dorsum of the hand in a progressive manner at the sites where there is more notable depression, such as between the Metacarpals (Bones in the hand). The injection is done through inconspicuous access sites between the fingers in the web spaces. 

Indications for Fat Grafting

-Muscle wasting of the hands

-Lax skin on the dorsum of the hand

-Prominent veins

-Overall aged appearance of  the hands

                                                            Courtesy of www.naturalhomeremedies.org

Stay tuned...

Bibliography

1.Rejuvenation of the Hand: Fat Injection Combined with TCA Peel, Bahman Teimourian and Mehdi N.  Adham Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2000 20: 70

2.Percutaneous Collagen Induction Therapy for Hand Rejuvenation : Matthias Aust, M.D.; Karsten Knobloch, M.D.; Ph.D.Andreas Gohritz, M.D; Peter M. Vogt, M.D., Ph.D.Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 126(4):203e-204e, October 2010.

3.Hand Rejuvenation with Structural Fat Grafting by Sydney R. Coleman, M.D Carraway, James H.
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 110(7):1745-1747, December 2002. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181ea92d1

4.Hand Rejuvenation by Denton D. Weiss, MD, Virginia Beach, VA, Aesthetic Surg J 2004;42:567-573.

5.The Erbium: YAG Laser: A Review and Preliminary Report on Resurfacing of the Face, Neck, and Hands

David H. McDaniel, Keith Ash, Jeff Lord, John Newman and Mark Zukowski;Aesthetic Surgery Journal 1997 17: 157 DOI: 10.1016/S1090-820X(97)80036-2

*Always consult with your plastic surgeon prior to undergoing any cosmetic procedure.

Make sure your cosmetic surgeon is an ABPS (American Board Of Plastic Surgery) Board Certified or Board Eligible Plastic surgeon.

Rafael Magana MD

http://maganaplasticsurgeryarts.com/