Hand Skin Laxity

The skin on the backs of the hands is among the thinnest on the body, with few oil glands and a thin dermis that holds less collagen and support to begin with. Made deep down by cells called fibroblasts, that collagen also declines with age, so an area that started with little support loses firmness, crepes and loosens earlier than thicker areas like the cheeks.

The back of the hand has a thin layer of fat that softens the look of the tendons and veins beneath. With age this padding thins, like a cushion losing its filling, so the structures underneath stand out more and the skin looks more fragile and crepey, even when firmness has barely changed.

The backs of the hands sit in the sun all year, on the steering wheel, the desk, the stroller, and almost always without sunscreen. UVA rays reach deep and break down collagen and damage elastin faster than the skin can repair them, a process called photoaging. On thin hand skin that started with little reserve, this is the leading reason hands often look older than the face.

Collagen and elastin are the skin's support fibres, made deep in the dermis by cells called fibroblasts. With age these cells slow down, so less new collagen forms while the collagen already there fragments and weakens. Elastin, which lets skin spring back, is barely renewed after youth, so the skin on the hands firms up less and gradually loosens.

Everyday strain reaches the hands too. Smoking, alcohol, pollution and short sleep raise oxidative stress, a surplus of free radicals that wear down collagen and elastin. A sugar-rich diet adds glycation, which stiffens these fibres. Because hand skin is thin and already low on collagen, it shows this wear sooner, turning crepey and fragile earlier than thicker areas.