How To: Care for Your Neck, Chest and Hands

Before we start showing the inevitable signs of aging, we all think that we are going to live forever.  It's an awesome feeling...while it lasts.  

The first signs we show aging on our skin is on our face, neck, chest and hands.  Even though some women may show a young face, a quick glance at their dry, sun-spotted hands shows their real age.  

Here are some tips for caring for those sensitive, quick-to-show-aging spots of the neck, chest and hands:

1.  Care for your neck, chest and hands the same way you would your face.  Every time your moisturize, exfoliate and apply sunscreen to your face, be sure to also apply it every time to your neck, chest and hands.  

2.  When driving, try wearing gloves, scarves and/or a hat.  Now this may seem a bit retro, but it will protect all these areas from UV damage over the years, especially if you spend a lot of time commuting!

3.  Moisturize your neck, chest and hands before you go to bed every night!  The moisturizer, combined with the reparative sleep will help keep these areas looking young.

4.  Try wearing gloves when doing dishes or any other chores that may be rough on your hands.  Not only will it minimize injuries and skin breaks, but it will also keep the skin from drying out.

5.  Sleep on your back!  This will help minimize wrinkles all over.

6.  Eat foods rich in antioxidants to help repair and protect skin from the sun.  Try cantaloupe and tomatoes!

7.  Drink green tea: it has been shown to help protect the skin from UV damage!

Above all else, always remember to care for your neck, chest and hands with the same care you use with your face!  All of these areas can sport some delicate skin and are easily damaged. 

Sun Spots

As we age, our skin loses many of its defenses and reacts more strongly to damage. So, over time, we begin to notice what are called “sun spots” or “age spots.” Officially called solar lentigenis, these spots are flat, dark, discolored patches on the skin.¹  These patches are not painful and usually harmless, but probably disturbing because they are discoloring your skin.  If you have sun spots, be sure to have the doctor look at them during your annual check up to make sure they aren’t early stages of more serious skin conditions. Also, watch these spots closely, and if they begin to change over time, get back to the doctor for a check up.

For your run of the mill age spots, there are ways to combat this condition.  First of all, start wearing sun screen of at least SPF 15.  The nice sun tan you got today is actually an injury to your skin. And it will show up as wrinkles or sun spots in the next 10 or 20 years.

Stay out of the sun during peak hours. We get the most damage to our skin during 11:00 am and 4:00 pm when the sun is highest in the sky. If you can get out of the sun, or at least cover up with long sleeved shirts and pants, you will protect your skin from any damaging rays. Since not going out during peak hours of fun-time is probably not happening, be sure to carry that sun screen with you!

If you are looking to treat your age spots, try homemade recipes that use lemon juice, onion juice, aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, fresh garlic, or vitamin E. All of these ingredients help in either smoothing out skin texture or correcting skin color. See some recipes from Home Remedies Web and Doc Shop.

Another remedy that Bess and I have found is Rosehip Seed Oil. Apply this oil directly to your age spots, or mix with your facial moisturizer for use on the whole face. I gave some to my mother for her to use, and within a few weeks her age spots were visibly lighter. Remember though, none of these are immediate fixes. It took years of sun damage for your skin to develop this condition, and it will take time to reduce the effects of this damage.

Photo Courtesty of africa at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Sources 

¹Ask Your Pharmacist. “What are Sun spots”. Accessed September 12, 2011. http://www.drugstore.com/ask/what-are-sunspots/qxa1157