Turn to SPF
Some people call those dark patches on your hands liver spots, but they have nothing to do with the vital organ—sun exposure is actually behind the discoloration. UV damage causes those harmless spots to pop up over the years, says Diane Madfes, MD, board-certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Even when people are in the habit of applying sunscreen every day, they tend to ignore their hands, leaving the area unprotected, she says. Give your hands a dose of SPF to prevent new age spots from forming.
“You’re already putting sunscreen on your face—an extra dab on your hands will go a long way,” says Dr. Madfes. (Find out the sunscreen myths that dermatologists cringe.)
Slip on driving gloves
The law requires car windshields to have laminated glass with a plastic layer that blocks almost all UV rays. The windows on the doors, on the other hand, don’t have those same requirements, meaning those harmful rays are coming at you from the side.
Even if you aren’t outside long, that time behind the wheel could leave your hands vulnerable to age spots, says Zakia Rahman, MD, clinical associate professor of dermatology at Stanford University and fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
To keep spots at bay, she recommends getting your hands on a pair of driving gloves.
“I used to slather sunscreen on my hands, but it would get on the wheel and get icky,” she says. Thick leather gloves are great for chilly winters, and a pair that airs your hands out with an opening in the palm will be comfortable in warm weather, she says.
