The 60-second ‘pinch test’ that reveals how fast you’re ageing – and 6 everyday habits that are making you look older
FOREHEAD lines, crow’s feet and the dreaded 11 between your eyebrows – there are countless signs of the advancing years etched on your face.
But there’s another body part that can indicate how old you really are…
And while you’re never going to have the hands you had at 20 when you’re 50, there are some lifestyle factors that might be making yours age a little quicker than you’d like.
Dr Brendan Khong, founder and medical director at Dr BK Aesthetics Clinic, says that thin, crepey skin, fine lines and wrinkles, age spots, hyperpigmentation, dry skin, loss of elasticity and uneven skin tone are all signs of ageing which can show up on your hands.
“The hands are often neglected when it comes to skincare routines,” he tells Sun Health.
“With less fat, thinner skin and much fewer sebaceous glands, the hands are often quicker to age.”
THE ‘PINCH TEST’
Want to see how your hands are ageing? Try the ‘pinch’ test.
“Pinching the skin on your hands and seeing how long it takes to bounce back can demonstrate the loss of elasticity,” says Dr Khong.
According to Skin Software, the skin of anyone aged 30 and under should bounce back in one to two seconds.
This rises to three to four seconds for those 30 to 44, and five to nine seconds for 45- to 50-year-olds.
It should take 10 to 15 seconds for 60- to 70-year-olds, and 35 to 55 seconds for those 70-plus.
Unhappy with your score? From nail salons to hand sanitiser, these habits could be to blame…
1. OVERDOING THE HAND SANITISER
WE all bought bucketloads of sanitiser during the Covid pandemic.
A study published in the journal Skin Research and Technology actually found that almost a quarter of us applied the stuff more than 10 times a day, with 33 per cent reporting cracked skin.
Despite lockdown being long over, many of us still use hand sanitiser daily in a bid to stay germ free.
While great for that, it’s not so good for the skin on our hands.
“Alcohol-based sanitisers can strip the skin on hands of oils and moisture, leading to dryness, cracks, increased sensitivity, bleeding and itching,” Dr Khong says.
“Over time, this can lead to premature ageing, wrinkles and dry texture.”
Instead of using hand sanitiser, stick to washing your hands with gentle soap and water.
The NHS says that it’s best to wash your hands for the amount of time it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice – around 20 seconds in total.
2. NEGLECTING HAND CREAM
MORE than just a beauty essential, hand creams can help to keep your hands youthful.
“I use hand cream frequently throughout the day,” Dr Khong says.
“The most important time to use it is after using hand sanitiser or washing with soap,” adding that both can be very drying.
“At night I always use a thicker cream to moisturise my hands while I sleep.”
When choosing your hand cream, look for ingredients such as glycerin, panthenol, peptides, shea butter, ceramides and SPF for day time.
“Glycerin, panthenol and shea butter are moisturising, while peptides and ceramides help to restore the skin barrier, reduce moisture loss and maintain the skin barrier,” Dr Khong says.
“SPF helps to protect against UV rays, which accelerate ageing.”
3. TOO MANY TRIPS TO THE NAIL SALON
WHILE choosing to have gel nails or BIAB might mean a longer-lasting manicure, it could contribute to ageing hands.
“The UV lamps used to set nails emit UVA rays,” Dr Khong says.
“Over time and with repeated exposure, this can cause accelerated skin ageing.
“I enjoy a gel manicure as much as anyone, but I always apply sunscreen on my hands and use UPF gloves without fingertips every time I have one.
“I would also advise keeping a lookout for any suspicious lesions on your hands, especially if there are changes over time.”
Noticed a mark on your hands which seems to be changing? Book an appointment with your GP or a dermatologist to get it checked.
Research as to whether UV lamps can cause skin cancer is limited, but one study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that “nail lamps carry a low risk of developing skin cancer”.
The 'holy grail' anti-ageing foods doctors eat every day
By Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter
MOST of us do our best to eat well and make nutritious choices for our snacks and meals, as the food we eat can have a big impact on our health.
If you’re eating plenty of veggies and keeping processed meat and refined sugar at a minimum, you’re already on a good path.
But some foods could pack an extra punch, helping your body age well and protect it ‘like a suit of armour’.
Longevity researcher and regenerative medicine doctor Dr Neil Paulvin shared the nutrient-rich foods he eats daily to stave off infections, boost brain health and even help repair DNA. The top five were:
- Blueberries
- Tomatoes
- Whole grains – e.g. porridge and brown rice
- Nuts – e.g. walnuts and almonds
- Oily fish – e.g. salmon and sardines
You can read the full article here.
4. TOO MUCH SUGAR
YOU may well know that the food you eat affects the skin on your face. But did you know it has a significant impact on your hands too?
“I talk a lot about ‘inflammaging’ (inflammation causing ageing) with my patients,” Dr Khong says.
“Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) that come from high sugar and high carbohydrate foods (think pastries, sweets, crisps, packet foods, white breads and white pasta) can lead to inflammation, collagen breakdown and dehydration.”
Collagen makes up 30 per cent of the proteins in your body and it’s one of the main building blocks for your nails, skin, hair and muscles.
“Healthy collagen is able to provide the skin with structure and provides a youthful look,” says Dr Khong.
Tap water can remove the natural oils in the skin to cause surface dehydration, irritation and oxidative stress
Dr Brendan Khong
As you age though, your body naturally produces less collagen.
In fact, research published in the journal Plastic and Aesthetic Research found that collagen levels peak between the ages of 25 and 34 and over the following four decades, collagen declines by around 25 per cent.
“A diet that is high in trans fat can also contribute to skin ageing,” adds Dr Khong.
“Alcohol, caffeine and saturated fats can also accelerate collagen breakdown.”
Fried foods, frozen pizzas and store-bought cakes contain saturated fats.
But don’t worry, you don’t need to go hungry. There are plenty of foods that can help to keep skin youthful.
These include berries, leafy green vegetables, avocados, olive oil, seeds, and oily fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon).
“These help to reduce inflammation and keep skin hydrated,” says Dr Khong.
5. TOO MUCH SUN
YOU’VE heard it before: UV rays from the sun damage skin and cause ageing.
But don’t forget to lather SPF on your hands, as well as the rest of your body.
Research published in the journal Molecules found that UV exposure may account for up to 80 per cent of visible signs of ageing in the skin.
“The sun breaks down collagen,” says Dr Joney De Souza, founder of London’s Dr Joney De Souza Skin and Laser Clinic.
“Your collagen fibres become disorganised, which gives the skin on your hands that criss-cross look.
“The skin loses its volume and it becomes lax. The sun breaks down the hyaluronic acid in the skin too and hyaluronic acid is what absorbs water and keeps skin hydrated.”
It’s best to wear SPF50 on your hands every day “without fail”, he adds.
“The biggest problem with hands is that we wash our hands all the time,” Dr De Souza says.
“Whatever SPF you use will be washed away, so you have to be aware of that.”
6. ‘HARD’ WATER
CERTAIN parts of the UK, such as the south and east, have harder water due to heavy minerals found in the soil.
While safe for your health, Dr Khong says it could damage your skin.
“Hard water can contain high amounts of calcium and magnesium, which can disrupt the skin barrier and exacerbate inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis,” he says.
“Chlorine and fluoride, which are often added to tap water, can remove the natural oils in the skin to cause surface dehydration, irritation and oxidative stress.
“This can lead to ageing hands.”
It’s hard to escape if you live in a hard water area, but fitting a water filter to your home tap can help.
And make sure you keep a hand cream by your sink, so whenever you wash your hands, you’re reminded to moisturise straight away!
Tips to age well
There are a number of habits you can take up to care for your health and wellbeing as you age.
Age UK shared the following tips:
- Do things that you enjoy everyday – whether that’s cooking, seeing friends or enjoying a good book
- Stay hydrated – drink six to eight cups of water a day
- Eat plenty of fruit and veggies to lower your risk of heart disease and certain cancers, have beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat to repair your body after injury, starchy carbs for energy dairy to help keep bones strong
- Manage long-term health conditions to prevent them progressing or having a greater impact on your health
- Quit smoking and reduce alcohol intake to no more than 14 units a week
- Make mental health a priority and get treatment for it, as it can also impact physical health
- Make sure you’re getting quality sleep
- Keep socialising – and call a friend or loved one if you can’t make it out the house
- Be physically active to lower the risk of depression and dementia, heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s and some cancers