Cosmetic enhancement is generally focused only on the face, while the hands portray some of the most prominent signs of aging. With age, the hands lose their firmness and plumpness and can appear bony and fragile. Hand rejuvenation is a treatment that gives you visibly younger, healthy, and firmer hands. If you want to diminish wrinkles, fight against the skin aging process, and improve the overall appearance of your hands, hand rejuvenation may be something to consider. Hand rejuvenation fights against the visible signs of aging using invasive and non-invasive treatments.

Photo rejuvenation uses intense pulsed light (IPL) to rejuvenate the aged skin on the hands. Intense pulsed light treatments improve the skin tone and are particularly effective for treating age spots, freckles and scars.  Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, also known as flash lamp therapy, improves the appearance of aged and sun damaged skin with high intensity pulses of visible light. Intense pulsed light is a non-ablative and non-invasive therapy, meaning skin is neither removed nor damaged.

Lasers and IPL systems both work on the same principle of absorption of light energy into a specific target cell with color pigments called chromophores in the skin. The light energy then gets changed to heat energy that causes damage to the target area.

Intense pulsed light systems differ from lasers in that they emit many wavelengths in each pulse of light, while lasers emit a single wavelength of light. Different filters are often used to refine the energy output and improve penetration without using extreme energy levels. This allows targeting of specific chromophores.

The intense light is delivered to the deeper parts of the skin (dermis) leaving the superficial surface of the skin (epidermis) undamaged. The advantage of IPL therapy is its minimum recovery time, where patients can return to work the same day. Before starting the procedure, your doctor will explain the process and discuss the risks and benefits of IPL therapy.

You may be asked to avoid exposure to the sun during the first few weeks before and after treatment. A topical anesthetic cream may be used, but is generally not needed. A cold gel is normally applied to the area to be treated. You will be given protective eyewear to be worn throughout the procedure. Your doctor applies the smooth, glass surface of the IPL hand piece to the skin and the light is delivered to the skin surface in precise pulses. Each treatment session usually lasts about 20 minutes, and usually about 4-6 treatment sessions every 3-6 weeks would be required. You can return to normal activity immediately after the treatment session.

You may have slight pain during the procedure which can be reduced by contact cooling or using a topical anesthetic. Your skin may turn pink and look sore after the procedure. You may experience a sensation of sunburn for a few days after the treatment. Blistering, bruising, increased or decreased pigmentation and hair loss are risks that you may experience.

Other hand rejuvenation treatments include Broadband Light (BBL), laser and injectable derma fillers.

Hand Therapy is a rehabilitation technique recommended to improve the strength and restore functional activity of hands in patients with upper extremity injuries. Hand therapy also helps in preventing the injury.

Hand therapy, based on the rehabilitation program or preventive therapy, will be initiated within few days of the injury or surgery and continued until the patient restores to normal activities.

Rehabilitative hand therapy aims at minimizing swelling and managing sensitive scars whereas preventive therapy is recommended for minimizing pain, decreasing repetitive firing of sensual impulses in injured nerve, improving motion and strength, preventing or correcting injury using specially designed splints, teaching to cope with pain and new techniques for performing regular activities, and ensuring complete recovery.

Hand therapists also help in modifying the work stations and developing appropriate training programs to minimize injuries at work places.

Hand therapy is recommended in various conditions:

Trauma: Accidents or trauma, burns, injured tendons or nerves, fractures, and amputations of fingers, hands or arms. 

Sports injuries: Carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow

Disease conditions: Arthritis, and neurological conditions (stroke)

Hand therapist’s services can be availed in different settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private clinics, sports medicine centers, and industrial medicine centers.