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How can I get rid of wrinkles on my hands? We teach you the most effective methods.
"I take care of my hands, but I really want to do something about how aged they look..."
"Lately I've been noticing the wrinkles, tendons, and veins on my hands..."
"I'm self-conscious about the wrinkles on my hands and embarrassed to let others see them..."
"I'd love to have beautiful hands that show off my nails..."
Hello, I am a doctor at Smart Skin Clinic, an aesthetic dermatology clinic.
Wrinkles are generally a sign of aging, increasing as the years go by.
Hands quickly show roughness from dryness, and with age, veins become more prominent and tendons look strained, so wrinkles make them appear even more aged.
You may feel down every time you notice the wrinkles, and because the hands are such a visible part of the body, you may find yourself wondering how to deal with them.
To put it plainly, it is considered difficult to eliminate hand wrinkles through self-care alone.
Strictly speaking, self-care can be effective if the goal is to prevent fine crepe-like wrinkles and future wrinkles;however, aesthetic medicine is considered an effective means of addressing wrinkles that have already set in.
In this article, an aesthetic dermatology clinic explains the causes of hand wrinkles, prevention methods you can do through self-care, and aesthetic treatments that improve them.
If wrinkles on your hands are a concern, we hope you find this helpful.
Group Chief Director, Smart Skin Clinic Group
Ishii Kota
Career
Graduated from Juntendo University School of Medicine
Worked at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital and affiliated facilities
Worked at a major aesthetic clinic in Tokyo
Affiliations / Qualifications
Board-certified specialist, Japan Surgical Society
Board-certified specialist, Japanese Society of Anti-Aging Medicine
What are hand wrinkles?
When we talk about wrinkles on the hands, there are wrinkles on the palms and wrinkles on the backs of the hands.
In this article, we'll focus on wrinkles on the back of the hand, which tend to give an aged impression.
Wrinkles on the back of the hand include horizontal wrinkles, vertical wrinkles, and fine crepe-like lines.
Horizontal wrinkles form through gripping and opening the hand and through repetitive movements, and are often seen on the fingers, across the entire back of the hand, and on the sides of the hand.
Vertical wrinkles form at the joints of the hand and between the fingers, while fine crepe-like wrinkles form widely across the fingers and the back of the hand.
Also, although different from wrinkles, as the hands lose volume with age, the excess skin can bunch up or sag and look like wrinkles.
Causes of hand wrinkles
There are four main causes of wrinkles on the hands.
- Aging
- Dryness
- UV damage
- Disrupted diet and lifestyle
(1) Aging
As we age, skin elasticity declines, and this loss of elasticity is the main cause of wrinkles on the hands.
In youthful skin, fibroblasts abundantly produce components such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin, maintaining the skin's elasticity.
However, with age these components decrease and the activity of the fibroblasts themselves declines, so skin elasticity is lost.
As a result of these natural age-related changes, when the skin loses elasticity and becomes thinner, it becomes more prone to wrinkle formation.
(2) Dryness
Dryness is another cause of wrinkles on the hands.
Because the skin on the hands is naturally thin and prone to dryness, it is an area where wrinkles are easily noticeable.
Women in particular are frequently exposed to irritants such as water and detergents during housework, which easily strips away sebum and contributes to dryness.
When the skin dries out and lacks moisture, it hardens, and folds are more likely to remain as wrinkles.
In addition, when a lack of internal moisture from dryness lowers cell metabolism, the activity of fibroblasts also declines.
This decreases the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin, further reducing the skin's elasticity and moisture retention—a vicious cycle that etches wrinkles more deeply.
(3) UV damage
UV rays reach deep into the skin and break down collagen and elastin.
This causes the skin to lose elasticity and makes wrinkles more likely to form. UV rays also create harmful molecules called free radicals in the skin.
Because free radicals damage cells and trigger inflammation, they cause various signs of aging besides wrinkles, such as sagging, spots, and dullness.
(4) Disrupted diet and lifestyle
A disrupted diet and lifestyle can also cause wrinkles.
Specifically, this refers to lifestyle disruptions such as an unbalanced diet, poor nutrition, smoking, stress, and lack of sleep.
This is especially important from a nutritional standpoint, because a lack of the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E can accelerate skin aging.
Stress and lack of sleep also disrupt skin turnover, promoting dullness and dryness and contributing to wrinkle formation.
In this article, we have explained the causes of hand wrinkles as four specific factors.
However,The underlying cause of wrinkles is a decrease in the cells and tissues within the skin (the dermal layer) and a decline in their function—we hope you now understand this.
Hand wrinkles are caused by the physiological changes in the skin that come with aging, compounded by dryness, UV damage, and a disrupted diet and lifestyle, which interact to accelerate wrinkle formation.
While it is difficult to eliminate wrinkles through self-care alone, from a preventive standpoint self-care such as proper moisturizing and UV protection is important.
How to prevent hand wrinkles (self-care)
To prevent wrinkles on your hands, it helps to keep the following in mind.
- Avoid and remove irritants
- Hand care
- UV protection
- Reviewing your diet and lifestyle
- Nails
(1) Avoid and remove irritants
The following are irritants that can cause hand wrinkles. Try to avoid exposing your hands to them as much as possible.
- Water and sweat
- Harsh detergents and chemicals, and ethanol disinfectant
- Cold outdoor air and hot water
Water and sweat appear to hydrate the skin temporarily, but as they evaporate they carry away moisture from within the skin, ultimately drying it out.
In addition, agents such as detergents and alcohol remove the skin's natural moisturizing factors and sebum film, drying out the skin while also weakening its barrier function.
Hands become drier and rougher in winter because of exposure to the cold, dry outdoor air and increased use of hot water.
The cold winter air worsens circulation in the skin, leaving skin cells undernourished and metabolism sluggish.
As a result, components such as collagen decrease and cells' self-repair function declines, making wrinkles more likely to form.
For these reasons, keep the following in mind to avoid and remove irritants.
- Don't leave water on your hands—wipe them dry properly
- Wear gloves when using detergents or chemicals
- Use lukewarm water instead of hot water whenever possible
- Avoid exposure to cold air and wear gloves
- Moisturize frequently
(2) Hand care
Regarding hand care, we'll explain moisturizing care using products such as hand cream, and ways to promote circulation through hand massage and stretching.
Hand cream
Depending on the ingredients it contains, hand cream offers moisturizing and wrinkle-improving effects.
Ingredients effective for moisturizing
- Hyaluronic acid: highly moisturizing, hydrates the skin
- Glycerin: highly moisturizing, retains moisture in the skin
- Squalane: softens the skin and enhances moisturization
- Ceramide: strengthens the skin's barrier function and enhances moisture retention
- Urea: prevents dryness and softens the skin
Other ingredients, such as shea butter, cocoa butter, and jojoba oil, form an oil film on the skin. This oil film prevents moisture from evaporating and provides a moisturizing effect.
Ingredients effective for improving wrinkles
- Retinol (vitamin A): promotes collagen production and turnover
- Niacinamide: an ingredient recognized for softening the skin and for its wrinkle-improving and brightening effects
- Coenzyme Q10: its strong antioxidant action adds firmness and radiance to the skin and helps prevent dryness and roughness
- Peptides: promote collagen production, help repair the skin, and improve skin elasticity
- Vitamin E: strengthens the barrier function through its antioxidant, circulation-promoting, and moisturizing effects
To use hand cream effectively, keep the following points in mind, and remember that applying it frequently and carefully is essential.
- Apply and spread it gently
- Apply carefully around the nails and along the sides of the fingers
- Always apply after your hands get wet, such as after washing them or doing work with water
To avoid forming new wrinkles, be mindful about caring for your hands frequently.
Hand massage and stretching
Hand massage and stretching promote circulation in the hands and maintain skin elasticity, helping to prevent wrinkles.
To avoid friction, apply plenty of oil or cream before doing them.
Using your whole palm to gently rub the back of the hand, and pressing and kneading the base of the fingers, between the fingers, and the center of the palm, improves blood flow and provides a relaxing effect.
(3) UV protection
The hands are also an area where sunscreen easily wears off through washing, getting dirty, or rubbing.
For this reason, it's generally recommended to reapply sunscreen frequently, but if reapplying is difficult, take UV protection measures such as wearing arm covers with UV-blocking properties.
(4) Reviewing your diet and lifestyle
In addition to external hand care such as creams, massage, and stretching, it's also important to care for your hands from the inside by improving your diet and lifestyle.
This is because diet and lifestyle support the health of the skin while also directly affecting aging.
Reviewing your diet and lifestyle specifically involves the following.
- Reassess your nutritional balance
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption
- Avoid accumulating stress
- Get enough sleep
An unbalanced or nutritionally poor diet can cause deficiencies in the nutrients needed for healthy skin.
Vitamins A, C, and E in particular have antioxidant properties, and a deficiency reduces the skin's ability to regenerate and makes aging progress more easily. A lack of protein or omega-3 fatty acids can also reduce the skin's elasticity and moisture-retaining function.
Make a conscious effort to take in these nutrients.
Foods rich in these nutrients
- Vitamin A: liver, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, kale
- Vitamin C: citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, bell peppers, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli
- Vitamin E: nuts, spinach, avocado, olive oil, pumpkin
- Omega-3 fatty acids: fish such as salmon and mackerel, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, soy products
Smoking and alcohol stress and damage the skin by interfering with cell function and generating free radicals.
Stress and lack of sleep also slow skin turnover, so try to maintain a lifestyle that avoids accumulating stress and getting too little sleep.
(5) Nails
Nail care doesn't directly improve hand wrinkles, but it can be a good opportunity to shift your mindset and start taking care of your hands.
When you get your nails done, your fingertips look brighter, and you find yourself glancing at your hands again and again.
This makes you want to make not just your fingertips but your whole hands more beautiful, which becomes a trigger and motivation to care for them.
The more often you look at your nails and apply hand cream, the more naturally your hands become moisturized.
How can you get rid of hand wrinkles? Effective aesthetic treatments for wrinkles and signs of aging on the hands
So far, we've explained the causes of hand wrinkles and how to prevent them.
As mentioned at the outset,trying to eliminate etched-in wrinkles through self-care alone is unlikely to be effective.
So, if you want to improve your existing wrinkles, it can be a good idea to turn to aesthetic medicine.
At Smart Skin Clinic, we recommend the following two treatments.
- Profhilo
- PRPF injection
Profhilo
Not just for hand wrinkles, one injectable treatment effective for etched-in wrinkles is "Profhilo."
Profhilo is a type of hyaluronic acid preparation known as non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid.
When performed on the back of the hand, the treatment involves injecting 0.2 to 0.4 cc at 10 predetermined points.
Hyaluronic acid has two main actions. The first is attracting moisture to enhance the skin's ability to retain hydration.
The second is activating cells and tissues.
The first, the moisturizing effect, improves the dryness that causes wrinkles, so it can help reduce fine crepe-like wrinkles.
In addition, hydrated skin has its turnover promoted, and increased skin flexibility helps prevent wrinkles.
The second action, cell and tissue activation, revitalizes fibroblasts that have declined with age and helps replenish the tissue of the dermal layer.
This effect—of activated fibroblasts replenishing the tissue of the dermal layer—is called the ECM remodeling effect.
This action helps transform the thinned skin on the back of the hands into plumper, more elastic skin.
Because of the moisturizing effect of hyaluronic acid, Profhilo is often said to show results relatively soon after the procedure. With almost no side effects or downtime, it is a popular treatment that even first-timers can try with peace of mind.
If you'd like to learn more about Profhilo, we explain it in detail here. Please take a look.
PRPF injection
PRPF is a type of regenerative medicine that uses a portion of your own blood.
It uses the action of factors that promote cell growth and proliferation (growth factors) contained in the blood to increase and revitalize cells and tissues that have become depleted.
PRPF injections can also provide an ECM remodeling effect.
We mentioned that the root cause of wrinkles is the decrease in cells and tissues within the skin (the dermal layer) and the decline in their function.
In other words, PRPF injections are a treatment that uses growth factors your own body naturally possesses to bring age-weakened skin closer to the condition it had when you were younger.
To explain the injection in a bit more detail,
PRPF injection is a procedure in which an original preparation is made by adding FGF (fibroblast growth factor) to PRP (platelet-rich plasma) drawn from your own blood, which is then injected into the back of the hand.
What Is PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma)?
Plasma extracted by centrifuging your own drawn blood. This plasma contains many growth factors and is attracting attention in the field of regenerative medicine even as a standalone PRP therapy.
What is FGF (fibroblast growth factor)?
One of many growth factors, it promotes the activation of fibroblasts in the dermal layer. Because fibroblasts are the cells that give rise to other cells in the dermal layer, their proliferation and activation help replenish cells throughout the dermal layer and naturally restore skin elasticity.
Because PRPF injections use your own blood, allergic reactions are said to be extremely rare, and side effects and downtime are considered relatively mild.
However, because PRPF injections are a treatment that draws out the skin's natural healing power through cell activation, it is said to take some time before results are felt.
If you're troubled by hand wrinkles, visit Smart Skin Clinic
In this article, we've explained about hand wrinkles.
The fundamental cause of hand wrinkles is largely the loss of skin elasticity that appears with aging.
And the degree of wrinkling is accelerated by dryness, UV damage, and a disrupted diet and lifestyle.
The hands also show not only wrinkles but roughness from dryness, prominent veins and tendons, spots, and age-related pigmentation.
The reason hands are said to show age so easily is that these signs of aging tend to stand out.
If wrinkles on your hands trouble you, you may also be concerned about these other signs of aging, not just the wrinkles.
Profhilo and PRPF injections are said to be able to help with these signs of aging as well.
If you want to make your hands brighter and more youthful overall—not just address the wrinkles—why not consider Profhilo or PRPF injections?
If you're unsure which to choose, the following may be a helpful reference.
Profhilo: works quickly with short downtime. Recommended for busy people.
PRPF injection: long-lasting, so recommended for those aiming for long-term improvement.
If you'd like to know more, please feel free to consult Smart Skin Clinic.
Smart Skin Clinic also offers free consultations.
FAQ
Q: Do over-the-counter hand creams help with hand wrinkles?
Even creams sold at drugstores can be expected to help improve wrinkles if they contain ingredients such as retinol or niacinamide.
One point to keep in mind, however, is that drugstores sell a mix of quasi-drug and cosmetic products.
Quasi-drugs are recognized as having some wrinkle-improving effect, whereas cosmetics are, by definition, not clearly recognized as having such an effect.
When purchasing, check for products labeled "quasi-drug" or bearing a certification mark from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Q: I was born with many wrinkles on my hands. Is there a way to get rid of them?
Even for people born with many hand wrinkles, the same care methods can generally be applied as for those who were not.
Q: How can I make the pores on my hands less noticeable?
For pores on the hands, hair removal can be an effective method.
However, in some cases pores may remain noticeable even when hair has already been removed and is no longer growing.
In such cases, treatments that can provide an ECM remodeling effect, such as Profhilo, are thought to help make pores less noticeable.
Physician Who Supervised This Page
Smart Skin Clinic, Chief Medical Director / Physician
Kota Ishii
We oversee treatment policies across the entire group, tailored to the skin condition of each individual patient. The content on this page has been reviewed and approved in line with our clinic's treatment policies.
Interview with Director Kota Ishii
Kota Ishii, our Chief Medical Director, shares our clinic's approach to patient care.
Clinic List
Jimbocho Clinic
〒101-0054
3-16-1 Kanda Nishiki-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, EX Kanda Nishiki-cho Building 8F (general reception) / 7F
Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–20:00 / Sat & Sun 10:00–19:00
Yokohama Clinic
〒221-0835
TS Plaza Building 2F, 2-23-2 Tsuruya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa
Hours: 10:00–19:00
About the physician supervision of this site
This site is operated under the supervision of a Smart Skin Clinic supervising physician.
This page was produced in accordance with the Medical Advertising Guidelines Medical Advertising Guidelines revised and enforced in June 2018, under which we produce and provide this information.
- Scope of supervision: treatment descriptions, risks and side effects, price display
- Last supervision date: June 26, 2025