Hand Rejuvenation in London

Hands give age away before the face because nobody protects them. The three changes, lost volume, thin skin and sun spots, are each treatable, and together they are one of the most satisfying areas I treat.

Hands age in three ways at once. The fat pad on the back of the hand thins, so the veins, tendons and knuckle bones stand out. The skin loses collagen, becomes thin and crepey, and no longer springs back when pinched. And decades of ultraviolet, with no sunscreen, produce brown sun spots and uneven pigment. Each has a direct treatment: Ellansé or hyaluronic acid filler restores the cushioning so the veins and tendons recede; IPL clears sun spots in skin types I to III, with peels and a prescription retinoid for darker skin; and microneedling, Profhilo or polynucleotides improve the crepey skin. A combined plan, most often Ellansé with IPL and a hand skincare routine, gives smooth, even, fuller hands that match a cared-for face, and daily SPF on the hands keeps them that way.

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GMC

Registered Doctor

MRCS

Royal College of Surgeons

Doctor-led
Anatomy-trained

ABOUT AGEING HANDS

How hands age, and why they age first

The back of the hand has almost no subcutaneous fat to begin with, a thin layer over the extensor tendons and the veins that sits on top of them. From the forties that layer thins further, and with it the tendons, veins and the heads of the metacarpal bones become visible, producing the bony, corded look that reads as age more reliably than any line on the face. Volume loss is the first and most important change, and it is the one that filler and collagen stimulators address directly.

The skin over it is thin, has few oil glands, and receives more ultraviolet than any part of the body except the face, with far less protection: sunscreen goes on the face, and the hands are washed a dozen times a day, driven with, gardened with and exposed to detergent and cold. Collagen loss makes the skin crepey and slow to recoil, which is the pinch test; ultraviolet produces solar lentigines, the flat brown sun spots, and a mottled, uneven tone. In darker skin, the pigment change is more diffuse and the spots are less discrete, which changes the treatment.

What treatment does not do: it does not remove veins, which are normal structures and are made less visible by restoring the volume around them rather than by treating them; it does not treat arthritis or the joint changes of age; and no cream restores lost volume. If the sun spots are the main concern, my pigmentation page covers them in depth; if the hands are one part of an overall picture, ageing skin explains how the treatments fit together.

WHICH PATTERN IS YOURS

Three changes, and what each needs

Most patients have all three. I treat them in order: volume, then pigment, then skin quality.

Bony hands with visible veins and tendons

Volume loss. Ellansé or hyaluronic acid filler to the back of the hand.

Brown sun spots and uneven tone

Photodamage. IPL in lighter skin; peels, retinoid and pigment inhibitors in all skin.

Thin, crepey, papery skin

Collagen loss. Microneedling, Profhilo or polynucleotides, and a retinoid.

Dry, rough, chapped skin

Barrier damage from washing and weather. A urea moisturiser and a hand SPF; the foundation for everything else.

HOW I ASSESS

How I plan hand rejuvenation

The assessment takes 30 minutes. I examine the hands flat and with the fingers spread, grade the volume loss by how prominent the tendons and veins are, pinch the skin on the back of the hand to assess its thickness and recoil, and examine the pigmentation under magnification to distinguish sun spots from seborrhoeic keratoses and from the rarer lesions that need a dermatologist. I ask about occupation, sun exposure and hand washing, and I photograph the hands flat on a standard background so the change is measurable.

Then I treat in order. Volume: Ellansé to the back of each hand, placed with a cannula in the plane above the tendons, which gives an immediate lift and then stimulates the hand’s own collagen for a result that lasts around two years; or hyaluronic acid filler for a patient who prefers a reversible product, lasting twelve to eighteen months; Sculptra is the alternative for patients who want a gradual, purely stimulatory approach. Pigment: IPL to the hands in skin types I to III, three sessions a month apart, which clears discrete sun spots and evens the tone; for darker skin, a course of gentle peels with a prescription retinoid and pigment inhibitors. Skin quality: microneedling to the hands for crepiness, Profhilo for hydration and elasticity, or polynucleotides where the skin is very thin; fractional CO2 laser for heavily sun-damaged, crepey hands in lighter skin.

I treat the hands only with a cannula for filler, because the veins and tendons make needle injection hazardous. I review at two weeks after filler and at the end of any course.

“Hands often give age away more than the face, and they respond well. I restore a little volume so the veins and tendons recede, clear the sun spots, and improve the skin, so the hands match a well-looked-after face. SPF on the hands is the step everyone forgets.”

Dr Chiké Emeagi, MRCS, GMC 4418489

WHICH TREATMENT FOR WHICH CHANGE

Matching the treatment to the change

Each row is one change with the treatment that addresses it. The realistic-result column is what I say in the room.

The problem	What I use	What it does	When you see it	Course	Realistic result
Volume loss, wants a lasting result	Ellansé	Immediate volume from the gel carrier; the microspheres then stimulate collagen	Immediately, building over 3 months	1, reviewed at 2 weeks	Veins and tendons recede; lasts around 2 years
Volume loss, wants a reversible product	Hyaluronic acid filler	Restores the cushion above the tendons; dissolvable	Immediately	1	The same cushioning; 12 to 18 months
Volume loss, wants a gradual approach	Sculptra	Poly-L-lactic acid stimulates collagen over months	6 to 12 weeks	2, six weeks apart	Gradual fullness; lasts up to 2 years
Discrete sun spots, skin types I to III	IPL, hands	Light absorbed by melanin lifts the spots	2 to 4 weeks per session	3, monthly	Most spots clear; even tone; maintenance yearly
Uneven pigment, darker skin	Peels with retinoid and pigment inhibitors	Exfoliation and inhibition without the pigment risk of IPL	8 to 12 weeks	3 to 6 peels, skincare ongoing	Evener tone; spots lighten substantially
Crepey, thin skin	Microneedling, hands	Controlled injury stimulates collagen	6 to 12 weeks	3, monthly	Thicker, smoother skin
Dehydrated, papery skin	Profhilo or polynucleotides	Hydration and dermal repair	4 to 8 weeks	2 or 3 sessions	Better texture and elasticity
Heavily sun-damaged, crepey hands, lighter skin	Fractional CO2 laser, hands	Resurfaces and stimulates collagen	8 to 12 weeks	1 to 3	The largest textural change; a week of downtime
Dry, chapped surface	Urea moisturiser and hand SPF	Repairs the barrier	1 to 2 weeks	Ongoing	Comfortable skin; the foundation

The blog posts on volume loss and IPL for pigmentation explain the two main treatments in more depth.

COMBINING TREATMENTS

Hand plans, and the order

Volume first, pigment second, skin quality third, with home care throughout.

Plan	For whom	Order and spacing	Typical cost
Ellansé hands + hand skincare	Bony hands, good skin	Ellansé; review at 2 weeks	£450 plus skincare
Ellansé hands + IPL hands x3	Bony hands with sun spots, skin types I to III: the commonest plan	Ellansé first; IPL from 4 weeks after, monthly, October to April	£700
Ellansé hands + microneedling hands x3	Bony, crepey hands	Ellansé first; microneedling monthly from 4 weeks after	£800
Ellansé hands + peels x3 + retinoid	Bony hands with uneven pigment, darker skin	Ellansé first; peels monthly; retinoid nightly	£750 plus skincare
IPL hands x3 + microneedling hands x3	Sun-damaged, crepey hands with good volume	Alternate every 2 weeks	£600
CO2 laser hands + Ellansé	Heavily sun-damaged hands, lighter skin	Laser first; Ellansé 6 weeks after	£950

Costs are sums of listed clinic prices. Hyaluronic acid filler to the hands is priced per ml at consultation.

RESULTS

Results and what to expect

Ellansé and filler change the hands immediately: the tendons and veins are softened on the day and the swelling settles over a week, with Ellansé continuing to build collagen for three months. IPL clears sun spots across three sessions, each spot darkening for a few days and then flaking away. Microneedling, Profhilo and polynucleotides improve the skin gradually across their course.

The honest expectations: veins remain visible when the hand hangs down, because that is physiology; sun spots return if the hands are not protected; filler and Ellansé wear off, at eighteen months and two years respectively; and crepey skin is improved, not made young. What a well-treated patient can expect is hands that no longer look older than the face, in a way that is obvious to them and invisible to everyone else.

I photograph the hands flat on a standard background before treatment, at two weeks and at the end of any course.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Recovery, downtime and aftercare

Ellansé and filler. Swelling for three to seven days, sometimes noticeable; occasional bruising; the hands feel full and slightly stiff for a few days. Massage as instructed. Rings off for a week. No heavy gripping or gym for 48 hours.

IPL. Spots darken for three to seven days then flake. Redness for a few hours. No sun or self-tan for two weeks either side; SPF daily. Planned between October and April.

Microneedling. Redness for 24 to 48 hours. Gloves for gardening and washing up for a week.

Profhilo and polynucleotides. Small bumps at injection points for 12 to 48 hours.

CO2 laser. Redness, swelling and weeping for three to five days, then flaking; pinkness for several weeks. Strict SPF for three months.

You leave with written aftercare, a hand skincare routine and my direct contact details.

IS THIS FOR ME?

Is hand rejuvenation right for you?

Almost all ageing hands can be improved. The skin type decides the pigment treatment; the rest is preference.

A good candidate

Bony hands with visible tendons and veins. Sun spots or uneven tone. Thin, crepey skin. Any skin type for volume and skin-quality treatments; skin types I to III for IPL and CO2 laser. Willing to wear SPF on the hands daily, which keeps every result.

Better with a different sequence

Darker skin: peels, retinoid and inhibitors for pigment rather than IPL. A tan: IPL waits. Very dry, chapped hands: barrier repair first, then treatment. Pigmented lesions that are raised, irregular or changing: dermatology review before anything cosmetic.

Not suitable now

Pregnant or breastfeeding for injectables, retinoids and peels. Active infection, eczema or open cuts on the hands. Anticoagulants or a bleeding tendency need discussion before filler. Isotretinoin in the past six months for laser and peels.

PRICING

What hand rejuvenation costs

Every price includes the consultation, the treatment, a review and written aftercare. The £50 consultation fee is redeemed against treatment.

Treatment	What it does	Price
Hand rejuvenation with Ellansé	Back of both hands	£450
Hyaluronic acid filler, hands	Per ml; quoted at consultation	From £350
Sculptra, two vials	Gradual collagen stimulation	£900
IPL hands, single or course of 3	Sun spots, skin types I to III	£100 or £250
Microneedling hands, single or course of 3	Crepey skin	£150 or £350
Fractional CO2 laser, hands, single or course of 3	Heavy sun damage, lighter skin	£500 or £1,300
Chemical peels, course of 3	Pigment in darker skin	From £250
Profhilo, two sessions	Hydration and elasticity	£550

Prices are from the clinic price list. IPL is planned between October and April.

WHY US

Why choose Hampstead Aesthetics

The back of the hand is a small space full of veins, tendons and nerves under thin skin, and filler placed with a needle in the wrong plane produces lumps, bruising and, rarely, vascular injury. I am a GMC-registered doctor (4418489), a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and a GP with a master’s degree in aesthetic medicine; I place every product with a cannula in the correct plane, choose the pigment treatment by skin type rather than by habit, and examine every brown spot before treating it, because not every brown spot on a hand is a sun spot.

Every assessment and every treatment is carried out by me. The clinic is on West End Lane in West Hampstead, NW6, two minutes from West Hampstead station, and sees patients from Swiss Cottage, St John’s Wood, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and across North London.

HOME CARE

The hand routine that keeps the result

Morning: a vitamin C serum to the backs of the hands, a moisturiser, and an SPF 50 kept by the sink or in the car and reapplied after washing; it is the single most effective thing you can do for your hands and the one everyone omits. Evening: a prescription retinoid or a retinol to the backs of the hands two or three nights a week, building to nightly as tolerated, through the retinoid programme or ZO Skin Health, then a rich moisturiser; for very dry, rough hands, a urea cream under cotton gloves overnight once a week. Gloves for washing up, gardening and cold weather. Driving gloves or SPF for long drives, because the left hand on the wheel ages faster than the right. The routine takes a minute and does more over five years than any single treatment.

PATIENT REVIEWS

What patients say

Google 4.8 ★★★★★

Dr Chike is a skilled injector and always careful not to overdo anything. When I started to notice a bit of volume loss and the first signs of stress on my face he helped restore my confidence.

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Chike, he is professional and knowledgeable and truly skilled in facial anatomy and proportions. My results look natural and beautifully balanced.

Dr Chike is the only person I would trust with my treatments. He has vast experience, is kind and provides holistic care, I cannot recommend him more.

TRUSTED BRANDS

Clinically validated products we use

I work only with clinically validated, CE-marked products and devices sourced from authorised UK distributors. Ellansé and the hyaluronic acid fillers I use are CE-marked; hyaluronidase is held on site.

WHO IS YOUR PRACTITIONER

Medical Governance & Practitioner Verification

Dr Chike Emeagi - GMC Registration No. 4418489

At Hampstead Aesthetics, every hand rejuvenation is carried out by Dr Chike Emeagi, a fully registered medical doctor and GP whose qualifications and licence to practise are publicly verifiable.

MRCGP - Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners
MRCS - Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
MSc Aesthetic Medicine - Postgraduate master's degree in aesthetic clinical practice
GMC Licensed - Full licence to practise, verifiable on the public medical register

You are encouraged to verify Dr Chike’s registration directly on the https://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/4418489 GMC’s online medical register before booking. Any doctor practising without a valid GMC licence is doing so illegally.

DOCTOR LED TREATMENT

Why Doctor Led Matters

Filler in the hands sits among veins, tendons and nerves and demands anatomical knowledge and a cannula technique; IPL and laser on the wrong skin type cause permanent pigment change; and a brown spot on the hand is occasionally something that needs a dermatologist rather than a light. Prescription retinoids are prescription-only medicines, prescribed after assessment by a doctor or another qualified prescriber.

At Hampstead Aesthetics I examine every lesion, place every product myself with a cannula, choose the pigment treatment by skin type, and review the photographs.

YOUR SAFETY

Emergency Safety Protocols

Anaphylaxis kit on site — full adrenaline protocol for allergic reaction.
Hyaluronidase on site — reversal agent for hyaluronic acid filler and part of the vascular occlusion protocol.
ACE-certified practitioner — I hold emergency complication management certification.
999 escalation protocol — written procedures for emergency hospital transfer.

Every product and device is CE-marked and sourced from authorised UK distributors. The clinic holds full professional indemnity insurance covering all treatments.

CONSENT

Consent, Privacy & Your Rights

Before treatment you have a full written consultation covering medical history, contraindications, realistic outcomes and the specific risks of each treatment in your plan. Treatment only proceeds with informed, documented consent. If you have a concern, raise it with me directly; if it is not resolved, you can escalate to the General Medical Council.

Your consultation, treatment and review are all conducted by the same doctor. There are no hand-offs.

Reviewed September 2026. Dr Chike Emeagi, GMC No. 4418489. Regulatory position correct at date of review; licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England is subject to change.

FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best treatment for ageing hands?

Usually a combination, because hands age in three ways. Ellansé or filler for the lost volume that makes veins and tendons prominent; IPL for sun spots in lighter skin, or peels and a retinoid in darker skin; and microneedling, Profhilo or polynucleotides for crepey skin. The commonest plan is Ellansé with a course of IPL, and daily SPF on the hands keeps the result.

Why do my hands look older than my face?

Because they have less fat to lose, thinner skin, more sun and no sunscreen. The fat pad on the back of the hand is thin from the start, so a small loss exposes the tendons and veins; the skin has few oil glands and is washed and exposed all day; and the ultraviolet that the face is protected from lands on the hands unopposed. Treating them brings them back into line with a cared-for face.

Does filler work on the hands?

Yes. Placed with a cannula in the plane above the tendons, hyaluronic acid filler restores the cushion that has thinned, so the tendons and veins recede immediately. It lasts twelve to eighteen months and is dissolvable, which some patients prefer. Ellansé does the same job with a longer result because it stimulates the hand’s own collagen.

What is Ellansé for hands, and how long does it last?

Ellansé is a collagen stimulator: a gel carrier gives immediate volume, and the polycaprolactone microspheres within it stimulate new collagen over the following months as the carrier is absorbed. On the hands it restores the cushion over the tendons and lasts around two years, which is longer than hyaluronic acid filler. It is not dissolvable, so it is placed carefully and conservatively.

Can sun spots on the hands be removed?

Discrete sun spots in skin types I to III clear well with a course of three IPL sessions: each spot darkens, flakes and lifts over a week or two. In darker skin, IPL risks pigment change, so I use gentle peels with a prescription retinoid and pigment inhibitors, which lighten the spots over eight to twelve weeks. Spots return with sun, which is why hand SPF is part of every plan. Any spot that is raised, irregular or changing is examined before treatment, because not all are sun spots.

Does IPL work on the hands?

Yes, for sun spots and uneven tone in lighter skin. The light is absorbed by the melanin in the spots, which darken and flake off over a week or two. Three sessions a month apart clear most spots; a maintenance session yearly keeps them clear. It is planned between October and April and needs two weeks without sun either side.

Can crepey skin on the hands be improved?

Yes. A course of three microneedling sessions thickens the skin and improves texture. Profhilo improves hydration and elasticity over two sessions, and polynucleotides repair very thin skin. For heavily sun-damaged hands in lighter skin, a fractional CO2 laser gives the largest textural change. A retinoid at home continues the work.

Will the veins on my hands go away?

No, and they should not, because they are normal structures. What treatment does is restore the volume around them so they sit within a cushion rather than on top of bone. When the hand hangs down the veins fill and remain visible; when it is raised or at rest they are far less prominent. Vein removal is not a treatment I offer or recommend for the hands.

Is hand filler safe?

In the right hands and the right plane, yes. The back of the hand contains veins, tendons and nerves under thin skin, so product is placed with a blunt cannula in the layer above the tendons, never with a needle into the vessels. Complications are swelling and bruising for a week and, rarely, lumps or, with needle injection, vascular injury. Hyaluronidase is held on site to dissolve hyaluronic acid filler if it is ever needed.

Is hand rejuvenation suitable for darker skin?

Yes, with the pigment treatment chosen accordingly. Ellansé, filler, Sculptra, microneedling, Profhilo and polynucleotides are used across all skin types. IPL and CO2 laser are restricted to skin types I to III; for darker skin, peels, a retinoid and pigment inhibitors address the uneven tone without the risk of post-inflammatory marks.

How long does hand rejuvenation last?

Ellansé around two years. Hyaluronic acid filler twelve to eighteen months. Sculptra up to two years. IPL results last as long as the hands are protected from sun, with a maintenance session yearly. Microneedling and skin-quality treatments last a year or more with a retinoid and SPF at home.

Is there much downtime?

Ellansé and filler cause swelling and sometimes bruising for three to seven days, and the hands are the one area where it shows, so plan around events. IPL produces darkened spots that flake for a week. Microneedling causes redness for a day or two. CO2 laser needs a week. None requires time off work beyond the laser.

How much does hand rejuvenation cost?

Hand rejuvenation with Ellansé is £450 for both hands. A course of three IPL sessions to the hands is £250, three microneedling sessions £350 and CO2 laser from £500. The commonest plan, Ellansé with IPL, is £700. The £50 consultation fee is redeemed against treatment.

Arrange your hand rejuvenation consultation

If your hands look older than the rest of you, a 30-minute assessment tells you which of the three changes is doing most of the work, what will restore them, and what it costs, with every brown spot examined before anything is treated. I will quote in writing. Patients come from West Hampstead, NW6 and across North London. Related: Aged skin, Hyperpigmentation, Fine lines and wrinkles.

VISIT US

Our London Clinic

Nearest Tube: West Hampstead (Jubilee Line) · 2 min walk

Overground: West Hampstead Overground · 3 min walk

Parking: Pay & Display on West End Lane

Proudly serving clients from:

West Hampstead · Hampstead · Primrose Hill · St John’s Wood · Belsize Park · Camden · Swiss Cottage · Finchley Road · Maida Vale · Queen’s Park · Highgate · Kentish Town

Reviewed by Dr Chiké Emeagi, MBBS, MRCGP, MRCS, GMC No. 4418489.

Last reviewed September 2026. This page is for information only and does not replace a medical consultation. Results vary between individuals and are not guaranteed. All treatments carry potential risks, which are discussed before any procedure. Prescription-only medicines are not advertised on this page. Prices are taken from the clinic price list at the date of review. Hampstead Aesthetics, 269 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 1QS.

Book Your Consultation

Unsure where to start? Schedule a personalised consultation with Dr. Chiké or a member of the team to explore your options