(Credit: Tatiane Silva/Shutterstock)
PHILADELPHIA — While many of us focus on keeping our faces looking young, our hands can be an instant age-revealer. In fact, hands are the second most telling sign of chronological age, right after the face. A groundbreaking new study offers hope for those looking to turn back the clock on aging hands, comparing two promising treatments that don’t require needles or lasers.
The study, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and conducted at the Mayo Clinic, pitted two different topical treatments against each other: a novel human platelet extract (HPE) serum and a vitamin C serum. The results suggest that both treatments can effectively reduce common signs of aging on the backs of hands, including age spots, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone.
“Our study demonstrates that two topical therapies effectively treat photoaging of the skin on the hands of middle-aged or older adults,” says Saraya Wyles, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic Department of Dermatology, in a media release. “With both types of over-the-counter products, the outcomes appear similar or superior to those of more invasive treatments.”
The research team recruited 60 participants between ages 40 and 80, with an average age of 52.5 years. The vast majority were women (52 participants), and most had fair skin. Each participant became their own control group by applying HPE serum to their right hand and vitamin C serum to their left hand twice daily.
What makes this study particularly interesting is its approach to measuring results. Rather than relying solely on before-and-after photos or subjective opinions, researchers used advanced imaging technology to precisely measure changes in the skin. They tracked several markers of aging, including brown spots, wrinkles, skin brightness (luminosity), and color evenness over 26 weeks.
The results were impressive for both treatments. After 12 weeks, participants showed roughly a 27% reduction in brown spots with HPE and a 32% reduction with vitamin C. Both treatments also improved wrinkles by about 15-17%. Perhaps most surprisingly, these improvements surpassed those typically seen with more invasive treatments like intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy, which only showed about a 7.5% reduction in brown spots in previous studies.
The cost of these treatments isn’t insignificant – HPE serum runs between $240-280, while the vitamin C serum costs $160-190. However, compared to more invasive procedures, these topical treatments offer a gentler, at-home option for hand rejuvenation.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The study design was straightforward but thorough. Participants applied HPE to their right hand and vitamin C serum to their left hand twice daily for up to 26 weeks. They visited the clinic at the start of the study and then at 6, 12, and 26 weeks for evaluations. During these visits, researchers used specialized imaging equipment (called VISIA-CR) that could measure things like brown spots, wrinkles, and skin brightness with precise detail. Think of it as an extremely advanced camera system that can see beneath the surface of the skin and measure changes that might not be visible to the naked eye.
Key Results
Both treatments performed remarkably well, with similar results in most categories. At the 12-week mark, which showed the best results, brown spots decreased by about 27-32%, wrinkles improved by 15-17%, and skin brightness increased by about 11% for both treatments. These improvements largely held steady through the 26-week mark. Importantly, neither treatment caused irritation or adverse effects.
Study Limitations
First, only eight men participated, making it difficult to draw strong conclusions about effectiveness across genders. Additionally, the study included very few people with darker skin tones – most participants had fair skin (Fitzpatrick type II). Only half of the participants completed the full 26-week study. The researchers also note that since participants knew which treatment was on which hand, this could have influenced their perception of results.
Discussion & Takeaways
The study suggests that both HPE and vitamin C serums offer effective options for hand rejuvenation without the need for invasive procedures. These treatments might even work better than some laser treatments for reducing age spots. The researchers suggest these serums could be used either on their own or as preparation before more intensive treatments. They also propose that future studies might explore whether using both products together could provide even better results.
Funding & Disclosures
The study was partially funded by Rion Aesthetics, LLC, which produces the HPE serum. Two of the study authors (Dr. Wyles and L. E. Jankov) serve as consultants for Rion Aesthetics, while Dr. Paradise is an employee of Rion, Inc. Dr. Behfar and Mayo Clinic has an ownership interest in both Rion, Inc. and Rion Aesthetics, LLC. These connections could potentially influence the study’s design or interpretation, though the use of objective measurement tools helps maintain scientific rigor.
