Would you get hand injections to reverse the signs of ageing?
Forget trying to keep wrinkles and crows feet at bay, women are now seeking cosmetic surgery to banish signs of ageing on their hands.
According to The Independent, people are getting hyaluronic acid injected into their hands in a bid to reduce the signs of ageing like the appearance of protruding veins, tendons and sunspots.
And in response to the growing trend, a hand injectable has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The treatment is called Restylane Lyft which according to a press release can be used for “restoring fullness to the back of the hands, providing more youthful-looking skin.”
The procedure is apparently most popular with both men and women above the age of 40.
Commenting on the new trend Leading Cosmetic Surgeon and CMO of Dr MediSpa, Dr Munir Somji told Yahoo Style UK: “I’ve been using Restylane Lfyt for hands for a while now – it’s good for plumping the hollows between the tendons to give a more youthful appearance.”
“We’ve noticed an increasing trend from existing patients who look youthful in the face and neck area but want to rejuvenate the hands.”
So why are more people turning to surgery on their hands to reduce the ageing appearance?
“Hands can really show age and are visible to everyone every day,” Dr Somji continues.
“They are exposed to a lot of everyday toxins such as cleansers found in hand wash which can dehydrate the skin, as well as being exposed to sun, which can be damaging.
“Also, for some people, who lift heavy weights in the gym it wears away the natural fat which causes deflation and the need for fillers.”
Dr Somji says one of the drawbacks of hand injections is that patients may need 4/5mls per hand, which can be quite costly.
In his opinion it is better to use the patient’s own fat as it works out to be more cost effective and longer lasting.
Some experts have some other concerns about the latest anti-ageing craze.
“Dermal filler treatments in the back of the hands have got to be approached with caution and best done by someone with an interest and experience in treating the back of the hand,” warns Dr Mervyn Patterson, Founder Woodford Medical.
“There is a balance to be struck in the choice of filler as too soft a product leads to little lasting impact whilst on the other hand too firm a product is more likely to create irregularities and unevenness,” he continues.
“Care must be taken to ensure avoidance of trauma to the major surface veins and the tendons encased in their surrounding protective sheaths.”
For that reason Dr Patterson believes patients must be counselled carefully about the outcomes.
“Improvements can be subtle with some increased firmness of the skin, a smoother look and in some a reduction in the appearance of blue veins,” he says.
According to Dr Patterson whether a filler has FDA approval is actually fairly meaningless.
“The decision to accept a new product being based on studies presented by the manufacturer are often performed by the most skilled injectors on carefully selected people,” he explains.
“In reality the circumstances that exist when treatments roll out into the wider community tend to be less ideal. Often a truer picture of side effects starts to emerge when larger numbers of ‘real’ cases are undertaken.”
For anyone interested in hand rejuvenation, Dr Patterson suggests a combination of procedures could deliver the best results.
“Mesotherapy with a cocktail of hyaluronic, vitamins and growth factors is a safe way to improve collagen levels and increase skin hydration,” he says.
“Courses of Intense Pulsed Light photorejuvenation can dramatically improve sun damage such as freckling and patchy pigmentation.”
But a sensible skincare routine could be equally as important. “Barrier repair and anti inflammatory technology is ideal with of course the essential daily coverage of UV protection.”
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