Are your hands aging you?
Your hands Are Ageing Faster Than Your face. Here's What to Do About It.
I notice it in consultations all the time. Someone comes in, we've been working on their skin for a year or two, and they look genuinely refreshed. Then they gesture as they talk, and their hands tell a completely different story.
Thin, crepey skin. Prominent tendons and veins. Sun spots scattered across the top. Hands that look a decade older than the face above them.
It's not a vanity thing. It's just that we've spent years thinking about our faces, our necks, our décolletage, and almost nobody thinks about their hands until the contrast becomes impossible to ignore.
The hands are one of the first places to show significant ageing, and one of the last places people treat. That gap is exactly where I come in.
At Skin Poet, I use a layered approach to hand rejuvenation that addresses the three things ageing does to hands: volume loss, skin quality decline, and pigmentation. Three different problems need three different tools. Here's how I think about it.
The skin on the back of the hands is thin to begin with, and it has very little subcutaneous fat compared to the face. So when collagen and elastin production slows down in our 30s and 40s, the hands show it quickly. Add in years of sun exposure (hands are almost always unprotected), and you get the full picture: volume loss, skin laxity, and pigmentation all happening at once.
The three changes I see most often:
Volume loss: The fat pads between the tendons shrink, making veins and tendons more prominent and the skin look loose and draped rather than full and smooth.
Skin quality decline: Collagen loss leads to thinning, crepey texture and fine lines that don't respond to topical skincare alone.
Pigmentation: Cumulative UV damage surfaces as brown spots and uneven tone, often appearing earlier on the hands than anywhere else.
Each of these responds to different treatments. I understand that most people have a budget and we work with that 100% of the time. But. This protocol addresses all of the issues that you come in with. Of course we can do one or more of the treatments but all three will give you the best and long lasting results you are looking for. We can stretch these out over the year (our AGLOW Payment plans help you to make it more affordable). But here is where we would start:
Hyperdilute Radiesse: Rebuilding from the Inside Out
This is my first-line treatment for hands that have lost volume and skin quality. Radiesse is a calcium hydroxylapatite biostimulator, which means it doesn't just fill, it tells your skin to make more of its own collagen and elastin.
When I use it on hands, I use it in a hyperdiluted form. Rather than injecting it at full concentration for volume (which is how it's traditionally used in the face), I dilute it with saline and lidocaine to create a thinner solution that spreads across the whole dorsum of the hand. It's injected with a blunt cannula in a fanning technique, sitting in the subdermal plane just below the skin.
The result isn't immediate plumpness. It's something better: a gradual, progressive improvement in skin quality and firmness as your own collagen production ramps up over the following weeks and months.
What to expect
Weeks 1-4: The calcium hydroxylapatite particles begin interacting with fibroblasts in the skin
Weeks 4-12: Collagen production increases; skin starts to feel firmer and look less crepey
Month 4+: Peak results. Hands look smoother, plumper, and more hydrated
12-18 months: Results are durable, with maintenance treatments extending them further
Published research in the National Library of Medicine supports the use of hyperdiluted Radiesse for skin laxity and texture improvement in the hands, with most protocols recommending two to three sessions spaced four to six weeks apart.
You typiclly only need 1 per year in the areas you need treating, which is economical in this industry.
You can read more on Radiesse here > https://www.skinpoet.co.nz/radiesse-skin-treatment-north-shore-auckland
Sunekos: Hydration and regeneration at the Dermal Level
If Radiesse works at the structural level, Sunekos works at the cellular level. It's a patented combination of hyaluronic acid and a specific amino acid complex that stimulates fibroblast activity, the cells responsible for producing collagen, elastin, and the extracellular matrix that gives skin its plumpness and resilience.
For hands, this matters enormously. The thinning, papery quality that makes hands look aged isn't just about collagen; it's about the loss of the entire dermal scaffold. Sunekos addresses that by encouraging the skin to regenerate from within, rather than simply replacing what's been lost.
I use Sunekos on hands as part of a layered protocol, often alongside or following hyperdilute Radiesse. The two treatments work on complementary mechanisms, and the combination consistently delivers better skin quality outcomes than either alone.
What I see clinically: Clients who've had Sunekos on their hands notice the skin feels different before it looks different. Softer, more supple, less fragile. The visual improvement follows over the next four to six weeks.
A standard Sunekos hand protocol is typically three sessions spaced two weeks apart, with results lasting six to twelve months depending on the individual's skin condition and age.
Check out our website page where we discuss Sunekos here > https://www.skinpoet.co.nz/sunekos-skin-treatment-north-shore-auckland
BBL Hero: Clearing the pigmentation Picture
Biostimulators address volume and skin quality. But they don't touch pigmentation, and on hands, pigmentation is often the most visible sign of ageing. Those brown spots aren't going anywhere without a light-based treatment.
This is where BBL Hero comes in. BBL (BroadBand Light) is Sciton's gold-standard intense pulsed light technology, and the Hero version is significantly more powerful and precise than older IPL devices. It delivers controlled pulses of light energy that are absorbed by melanin in the skin, breaking down pigmented cells so they can be cleared by the body naturally.
For hands, I typically do one to two BBL sessions, either before or after the injectable treatments depending on the individual's presentation. The sequencing matters: I generally prefer to address pigmentation first, then build structure and quality on top of clear, even skin. This can be an add on when you are doing other areas for as little as $75 for a session. If you decide to do it with the hand protocol, it is $200 per session.
What BBL does for ageing hands?
Brown spots and sun damage Targets melanin directly, breaking down pigmented cells
Uneven skin tone Evens out discolouration across the dorsum
Skin texture Stimulates mild collagen remodelling as a secondary benefit
Vascular redness Can reduce visible capillaries if present
Downtime is minimal. The treated spots typically darken for five to seven days before flaking off, revealing clearer skin beneath. Most clients can go about their day immediately after treatment.
One thing I always say: BBL on hands is one of the highest-impact, lowest-fuss treatments I offer. The before-and-after difference in pigmentation is often the most dramatic visible change in the whole protocol.
Here is a link to our dedicated page to BBL Hero and all of its marvel > https://www.skinpoet.co.nz/bbl-laser-auckland-north-shore
How the Protocol Comes Together
No two people's hands are the same, and I don't treat them as if they are. But when someone comes to me wanting a comprehensive result, this is broadly how I structure the approach:
Assessment: We look at the degree of volume loss, skin quality, and pigmentation. This determines which treatments are most important and in what order.
BBL first (usually): If pigmentation is significant, I'll often start here. Clearing the skin surface first means we're building on a clean canvas.
Hyperdilute Radiesse: One session, to address volume and begin the collagen stimulation process.
Sunekos: Three sessions, two weeks apart, layered in to support dermal regeneration and hydration.
Review: At three to four months, we assess the full result and plan maintenance.
The total timeline from first treatment to peak result is typically four to five months. That sounds like a long time, but it's the nature of biostimulation: the results are built by your own biology, which means they look completely natural and improve progressively rather than arriving all at once.
The honest truth about hand treatments: People are often surprised by how much they can improve. The hands are an area where we've historically had limited options, and the combination of modern biostimulators with BBL technology genuinely changes what's possible. I've had clients tell me they've started wearing rings again, or stopped keeping their hands in their pockets. That kind of response matters to me.
Common Questions I Get Asked
Is there downtime? Very little. Hyperdilute Radiesse and Sunekos may cause mild bruising or swelling for 24-48 hours. BBL leaves the pigmented spots looking darker for about a week before they shed. None of these require time off work or social plans.
Does it hurt? The injectable treatments include lidocaine in the solution, which makes them well-tolerated. BBL feels like a warm snap against the skin. Most clients find both very manageable.
How long do results last? This varies by treatment and individual, but as a general guide:
Hyperdilute Radiesse: 12-18 months
Sunekos: 6-12 months
BBL pigmentation clearance: long-lasting, with annual maintenance recommended given ongoing sun exposure
Can I do just one treatment? Yes, absolutely. Not everyone wants or needs the full protocol. If pigmentation is your primary concern, BBL alone may be enough. If it's volume and texture, Radiesse or Sunekos alone can make a meaningful difference. I'll always tell you what I think will give you the best result for your specific concerns, and we go from there.
Am I a good candidate? If you're noticing volume loss, crepey skin, prominent veins or tendons, or brown spots on the backs of your hands, you likely are. The best way to know is a consultation, where I can look at your hands properly and give you an honest assessment.
Ready to Talk About Your Hands?
Hand rejuvenation is one of those treatments where clients consistently say they wish they'd done it sooner. The results are natural, the process is gradual, and the impact on how you feel about your hands day-to-day is genuinely significant.
If you're based in Auckland and you'd like to explore what's possible, I'd love to have a conversation. Book a consultation at Skin Poet and we'll look at your hands together, talk through what I'd recommend, and build a plan that makes sense for you.
There's no pressure and no one-size-fits-all protocol. Just an honest assessment from someone who cares about getting this right.
Amber Sagar, Registered Nurse and founder of Skin Poet, Browns Bay, Auckland.