Sclerotherapy Minimizes Signs of Aging on the Hands
Sclerotherapy enables dermatologists to successfully treat spider veins in aging hands and therefore improve their appearance, according to Mary P. Lupo, MD, FAAD, clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans.
Lupo, who spoke at the recent 67th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, talked about her professional experience using sclerotherapy to treat prominent veins often seen in aging hands. In her discussion, she mentioned the ideal candidates for the procedure as well as alternate minimally invasive techniques that are used to reduce signs of aging.
Like sagging of the face, conspicuous blood vessels can be attributed to the loss of dermal and subcutaneous volume that occurs with aging, especially in Caucasian women who are more than 50 years old. Natural effects of aging and exposure to ultraviolet light create a skeletal, older appearance, Lupo said. People of color show less signs of aging on the hands due to the inherent protective nature of melanin in their skin, she continued.
“As dermatologists continue to treat facial aging with much success, patients are increasingly aware of other visible areas of the body, particularly the hands, neck, and the upper part of a woman’s chest below the neck that need to be addressed to avoid looking years older than their face,” Lupo says. “Hands reveal one’s age second only in frequency to the face and, as in facial skin aging, discoloration of the skin, fine lines, and loss of volume can make the hands look older. Sclerotherapy can help minimize prominent hand veins and significantly improve appearance of the hands.”
source: http://www.plasticsurgerypractice.com/news/2009-03-13_01.asp
