What do you use on hands?

[bluebell]

Most people don't worry about how damaging the sun rays' can be on hands, leading to age spots and lines. What do you use on your hands to protect from sun damages?

[tater]

same suncreen as arms, etc.

[HeyDad]

Except when I'm on vacation, the places I hike have forest canopy so it really hasn't been an issue.

This summer my family hiked some while on vacation in New Mexico and we covered up with sun screen. I expected to be swarmed with fies and other bugs attracted to the scent of the sun screen but it wasn't too bad if you kept moving.

[natchez]

nothing. i don't believe that nonsense. people have been living in deserts and other places of outrageous sunshine and never had a problem in their lives.

i use absolutely nothing.

[desdemona]

First of all, I imagine they did get burned. I also think that those with more melanine in their skin live in sunny locations (or did in our ancestors time anyway. I imagine they died of something else before skin cancer. Since we are living longer, the risk of cancer goes up-- as does skin cancer, Natchez. Cancer is basically an age illness (with exceptions, like blood cancers).

That all said, though I put sun screen on my hands, I think it probably ends up off me in not much time. I have never really gotten burned on my hands. I did get a nasty sunburn on the back of my ankles one time from snorkeling. I missed a little spot between the fin and and wetsuit. But that is with water reflection and all that. I dont' consider the hands all that vulnerable. But mostly I have gotten burned on my back or upper arms.

--des

[natchez]

I think the skin develops a kind of protection film itself in time, over the years. I used to get burned when I was real young but that doesn't just happen anymore. I never had my hands burned. I remember my father, sitting on the beach here under a large parasol got his feet very badly burned because he didn't pay attention they were out of the shadow. I mean, burned with blisters!!

[desdemona]

I think what the OP was referring to was age related (basically things like age spots and so forth). I don't think you can keep yourself looking young forever. You can go and do tons of plastic surgery and dye your hair but in the end you get old. It sucks but that's the case.

If it's to protect from skin cancer you can do that. But your hands aren't really sensitive, so I agree with Natchez on that. It may be that your hands go in and out of sun exposure, regardless of what you are doing. The other thing is that I always rub anything off my hands after awhile. One drop of hand sanitizer and that ruins just about anything.

--des

[bluebell]

desdemona - You right. My concern was more age related. True, you can't keep yourself looking young forever, but you can prolong the signs of aging with skin care products.:) Not sure if anyone has heard this Norwegian formula age shield hand cream. Neutrogena made it for reducing/preventing age spots and lines on hands. It contains SPF 30 too. Not a big fan of plastic surgery, so I won't be going down that route.

[swoosh]

where are you guys hiking where you're exposed to such sun at lengths that would give a burn? most of us on the east coast are in the green tunnel. i may be in direct sunlight for a total of 15 minutes while hiking

[desdemona]

You haven't hiked in the desert apparently?? Still and all, I'd say sun beaming down on my hands isn't a really great concern.

--des

[swoosh]

nope, not too many deserts in pa :D

[desdemona]

LOL!I don't suppose so. :laugh:
Even in October, there is plenty of sun and I always wear sun screen. Also in higher altitudes the suns rays are more damaging.


--des

[OutdoorChef]

I have red hair and really fair skin, i burn everywhere anywhere, if im not using spf 40 or above, i will get burnt, ive had blisters the size softballs, but never got burnt on my hands, which seams odd, but thats not the point. mary kay makes some special formula for your face thats like spf 50 or somthing, and sometimes i will use that on my hands.