Daniel-Yaw Miller
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Asra Khan
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wegg® showcase: Dana Donofree, Founder, AnaOno
September 30, 2024BruceDayneIssue 5: October 2024
Sponsored by: 
Tell us about AnaOno.
AnaOno is a lingerie line of chest-inclusive intimates. We say: “one boob, two boobs, no boobs, or new boobs, we’re here to support you.” While our designs are mostly for those who have undergone chest surgeries related to a cancer diagnosis, we also support customers ranging from adaptive needs to gender-affirming surgeries, or people living with extreme chronic pain and suffering where traditional underwire bras are unsuitable for their everyday lifestyles.
What inspired you to start your business?
I started AnaOno in my twenties, after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I felt like I was catapulted into a world designed for a more mature woman than I was at that point in my life. I wanted to feel good, feel feminine, and feel like myself, but wearing an underwire bra was practically impossible. Plus, I did not want to adorn the lovely Jacquard-polyester material of a “grandma bra”. Finding an underwire-free bra that fit my body but didn’t cause pain or suffering or itchiness, or was made of bad materials, was, and still is, tricky. AnaOno was born out of wanting to feel good and look good. We’re celebrating ten years in business this year!
Did you know how to sew prior to starting your business?
I’ve been a fashion designer since I was eight years old. My grandmother taught me to sew. I love to sew. I started making my own jewelry and clothing when I was a small kid. My mom still has the embarrassing sketch books to prove it! I knew enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be smart, so I studied fashion design at Savannah College of Art and Design. I love having my own brand. I love having my own business. I’m passionate about supporting other people, especially women and women’s healthcare.
When it comes to selling your products internationally, what challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them?
As we know, breast cancer is not a disease that only happens in the United States. Early on, I learned just how limited access is for patients around the globe. Health insurance is quite different worldwide. Some countries provide allowances to get breast forms and bras after mastectomy surgery and some don’t. Intimate apparel companies don’t typically carry mastectomy bras or bras designed for people undergoing chest surgeries.
When you’re a small company, you have limited resources, and shipping overseas can be tricky and difficult. For example, you can lose a lot of packages. Or people are surprised by duties and customs costs and don’t want to pay the tax bill when the product arrives at their front door. But I believe that you should be able to get what you need, where you need it. Over the years, we’ve made great strides as far as improving shipping costs and access are concerned. I proud to say we have shipped at least one bra to most countries worldwide.
What advice would you give other women entrepreneurs who aspire to expand their enterprises beyond borders?
You can’t expand beyond borders without doing your research. Whether you are founded in the EU, the US, or in Canada, you’re going to encounter different laws and regulations for exporting goods. It’s not just a flip of a switch; you have to be mindful about your overall strategy. Know your target markets and how easily you can get into them. Plan entry into your target markets as phase one, phase two, phase three, etc. Often it’s easy to ship between the United States and Canada—doesn’t make it cheap, but it’s easier. You will also encounter language barriers in certain countries, so make sure you are hosted on a website that can convert and translate.
Do you have any advice for women who are thinking about starting a business?
My advice for entrepreneurs is this: we need you, the world needs you, we are inventive and inspiring individuals who want to change the world. But be sure that you are really, truly passionate about what it is that you are embarking on, and plan for the future.
Very important questions to ask yourself early in your journey are about your business case, your target market, and how you are going to fund, grow, and scale your business. Plan for the good, the bad, and the ugly. None of us could have planned for a global pandemic that shifted the way we did business. There’s always going to be an unknown, so be prepared and willing to jump on that ship and ride it, no matter where it takes you.
I used to say cancer was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life, and now I can say that running a business is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. But I knew that no matter what, I was going to make this product, even if it meant coming home after work and sewing them one at a time. Others like me needed something to help them feel good so they could heal, focus on their life, and get back to normal.
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How Tara Dower Became the Fastest Ever on the Appalachian Trail
September 30, 2024BruceDayneNew perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
For the final five miles on day 38 of Tara Dower‘s Appalachian Trail speed record attempt, she wailed into the night.
Accompanied by her crew chief, Megan “Rascal” Wilmarth, she cried uncontrollably. There would be no sleep that night. Instead, what awaited her was 16 miles through darkness. It was part of the 129-mile final push of Dower’s attempt to break the overall fastest known time on the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail. The record had been held by Belgian runner Karel Sabbe since 2018 with his northbound effort of 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes.
The literal and figurative ups and downs of the journey weighed heavily on Dower. Sleep deprived, the emotions flowed out of her as she reached her crew. They took inventory and ultimately let her rest. She would get 20 minutes to sleep after a 59-mile day that would be followed by the final 70 miles to the trail’s southern terminus near Ellijay, Georgia.
As Dower, 31, prepared for her brief slumber, a crew member, Heather Quiñones, put the moment into perspective: “That is the wail of a woman making history.”
“It was a beautiful way to describe it because I felt like I was just complaining, crying, and sobbing,” Dower. “But I kept moving through it all.”
History is exactly what the full-time ultrarunner from Virginia Beach, Virginia, delivered. Over 40 days, 18 hours, and 6 minutes, Dower covered one of the most difficult and world-renowned trails faster than anyone had before, averaging a mind-boggling 56.4 miles per day. She did so in a supported style, buoyed by the likes of Rascal, her mom, Debbie Komlo, and a rotating cast of pacers, crew, and friends that in total Dower estimates amounted to 50 or 60 people.
Tara Dower Makes History on World’s Most Coveted FKT
The overall fastest known time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail is one of—if not the most—coveted records in the endurance world. Like with Dower’s effort, most often the record has been set in a supported style with varying levels of assistance with shelter, food, pacing, gear, medical expertise, and moral support. And it’s captured the imagination of some of ultrarunning’s greatest athletes ever.
Seven-time Western States 100 winner Scott Jurek bested Jennifer Phar Davis’s overall supported record in 2015, stopping the clock in 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes. Fellow ultrarunning legend Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer shaved half a day off that mark the next summer, and long trail wiz Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy took over a day off that time the following summer by going in a self-supported style. But it was the dentist from Belgium and his crew of one who redefined what’s possible in 2018 when he became the first person to dip under 42 days.
Until now. To make Dower’s effort even more impressive, she slotted this feat into the middle of a full ultramarathon racing season. Just three weeks before starting her ground-breaking trek, she finished fourth at the grueling Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run—a 33:10 effort through the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.
The AT speed record punctuates Dower’s meteoric rise through both the ultramarathon racing and FKT scenes over the past several years, including an overall FKT on the 288-mile Benton MacKaye Trail in 2022 and a women’s FKT on the 500-mile Colorado Trail in 2023. But nothing she’s done—or that anyone else has done, for that matter—compares to those 40 days through the green tunnel. Here’s how Dower and her team did it.
To Hell and Back Again on the Appalachian Trail
The waiting was the toughest part. Upon arriving in Maine to begin her southbound trek, Dower and her crew had to delay the start due to Hurricane Debby passing through the region.
When it finally cleared, the crew hiked up Mount Katahdin to the AT’s northern terminus on August 12. It was a place she knew well. In 2017, she first set out to thru-hike the entire trail but an anxiety attack forced her to abandon the effort after 80 miles. She returned to the AT in 2019 and completed the entire go in five months and 10 days.
It wasn’t until 2022 that she turned her sights to the record. Upon capturing the overall FKT for the Benton Mackaye Trail, a 288-mile route that was part of the original vision for the Appalachian Trail, she felt called to tackle the world’s most iconic long trail as fast as she could. She set a date for 2024, and here she finally was.
The first 10 days did not go as planned. By going southbound, Dower chose to start with what is considered the toughest part of the route. Maine and New Hampshire lived up to their prowess.
Three clear days turned into rocks, roots, and rain that welcomed her into the mountains of southern Maine. Her lowest lows arose quickly and early.
“I generally don’t like myself when it’s cloudy and rainy,” Dower said. “I know that this part was supposed to feel hard, but having to do these mountains over and over and over, it really tired me out.”
Slippery, rocky terrain led to hard falls. Her legs were scraped up and bloody. The mountains, absent of switchbacks, were constant ups and downs. Her feet began to form what she and her crew described as “craters” or “holes” in the soles.
It was as pure as a slog could get, and Dower reached her most demoralizing period on the Kinsmans, a pair of 4,000-foot mountains in New Hampshire.
She entered the rock fields as water cascaded down them. It was dark. There were still 5 to 7 miles before she would get to rest in the van. That meant hours left on the trail.
“This is going to take forever,” she thought as she checked the mileage on her phone while traversing a muddy pit. That’s when she tried to step on a log. The log sank under her. Dower fell to her knees in the mud. Her phone fell into the muck, splashing mud into her face.
“I just sat there,” Dower said. “It was so demoralizing, but all I could do was keep going. That’s what I did. I remember literally dissociating after that. Disassociating from this actual hell I was in. That sounds dramatic and it probably wasn’t as bad as that, but it sure did feel demoralizing.”
Those initial 10 days were tough for the crew as well. Komlo watched her daughter struggle. Rascal cried daily, trying to navigate the challenges of serving as crew chief for such an effort and trying to keep her friend’s dream alive.
When she finally crossed the border into Vermont, Dower was well behind record pace for the overall FKT. Her goal was to be 35 miles back of Sabbe’s pace. She was 100 miles behind.
“I had no idea how it was going to happen,” Rascal said. “But as her body adjusted to the daily miles, you could see she was strong enough. The crew began to anticipate her needs more. Then the sun came out in Vermont. It was going to suck sometimes, but she was going to get it done.”
“The Race Car”
Dower wasn’t fond of the first 10 days, and she also wasn’t fond of her initial trail name for this effort either: “queen” or “princess.”
“She was getting mad at me for calling her that,” Rascal said. “She’s like, ‘that’s not what I am,’ so we switched to just calling her ‘the race car.’ She was ‘race car’ and we were her pit crew. She really liked that.”
A high-performance running machine was what Dower needed to be for 30 days straight if she wanted a chance at the record. After recovering mentally through Vermont, the numbers needed crunching. With the help of AT legends Meltzer, Warren Doyle, and David “Iceman” Martin, it was determined that Dower needed to average 57 to 58 miles per day and put in a couple 60-plus days. That started immediately in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Rascal and Komlo decided they had to put their friend and mom roles to the side. To get the record, their tough love would have to push Dower to nickel and dime her way back to record pace.
“The most pivotal moment came near Pauling, New York,” Rascal said. “She was going 57 that day and I told her she should push to 60. She starts bawling her eyes out. It was so hard, but that was the night we realized we had to take emotions out of it. To get this record, I can’t let my feelings of knowing she’s in pain or tired hold her back.”
Long days became routine from there. Dower averaged five hours of sleep a night, waking up at 3 or 3:30 A.M. to begin her daily mileage. The first half hour was spent judiciously taping her feet while her crew spoon-fed her a breakfast of around 500 calories and prepped her gear for the day.
A second breakfast of 300 calories followed later in the morning and snacks flowed throughout the day. Her favorites were Rice Krispies Treats, assorted gummies, and Ultragen protein shakes five times a day. The goal was to consume 100 calories per hour.
Dinner was the toughest. The goal was 1,500 calories, but portion size was essential.
“Large quantities of food intimidated her,” Rascal said. “If we made a sandwich for her or we had a bowl of something, we needed to make sure it was either portioned out or it just looked really small.”
The solution was serving pasta or an egg scramble when she was sitting down and then giving her a handheld like a wrap to go.
Days blended together for much of the middle section through the Mid Atlantic region and into the lower third of the trail through Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Dower chipped away at the record pace until all of a sudden 39 days into the attempt she was on it and then one mile ahead of it as she entered Georgia.
As the long days added up, Dower adopted a mantra of, ‘Well, it’s going to suck, but I have to do it.’ She both despised and welcomed the challenge. Emotions ran high each day. But moments that were fights between Dower and her crew in the early going, such negotiating daily mileage, became taking a deep breath and moving one later in the run.
“I knew I was gaining on Karel, but it was just work, work every single day,” Dower said. “I didn’t know what the results were. My crew kept me in the dark and just told me how far I was going to run each day. I felt accomplished, but I didn’t know what would come of it.”
Jurek, Meltzer, Sabbe—nearly every successful record attempt on the AT has ended with a hollowed runner battling through injury to make it to the finish. Rascal watched in astonishment as her friend appeared to get stronger as she went.
“You think this person, this human body that is pushing so hard for so long continuously, would start to wear down and their mind and body would get weaker and weaker,” Rascal said. “With Tara, it was the opposite. Her mind got stronger, her body adapted to what we were doing. Now you can push more and we can not only beat the record, but we can beat it by a lot.”
Before long, the end drew near. In her conversations with former record holders and studying the efforts of people like Sabbe, she knew that she needed to push through, without sleep, the final 100 miles or so. She was ahead of record pace, but this would leave no doubt.
With 129 miles to go, she and her crew made the decision to go what would be the final 43 hours straight. Powering and wailing through, Dower put her head down and went for it.
Inside the Final Day of Tara Dower’s Appalachian Trail Speed Record
Dower awoke in the van from her 20-minute slumber. Weary from the 59-mile day and five miles of wailing, she pleaded for 10 more minutes. Her crew gave her an additional three. Then it was back out on the trail.
Slowly pulling herself together for the final 70 miles, Komlo climbed into the van and shut the door behind her. She had been there for her daughter’s highest highs and lowest lows from the start. This was the latter.
Seeing Dower in this state wasn’t easy at any point during the trip, but Komlo knew she felt alone in that moment. That she needed that push, that motivation to realize what she set out to do. Komlo entered the van where Dower was sitting and shut the door behind her.
Dower wouldn’t make eye contact with Komlo. Her mom lowered her head to Dower’s level as best she could to meet her gaze. Then, she spoke.
“You’ve got this,” Komlo said. “You’re strong. You’re powerful. You might not feel like you have anything left in the tank, but you do. We all do. In the times we don’t think we have anything more to give, you always have more to give, and you can do this. You can make this happen. Just get out there and do it. Make it happen. Just make it happen.”
With that, they both exited the van. Dower set out with her pacer, Hunter Leininger. The miles were long as Dower zombie-walked through the night.
Yet, it was still eventful. At one point, Leininger, who was positioned behind Dower, violently shook his headlamp. When Dower asked about it, he said he thought he had seen a snake, but it was just a stick. A few miles later, Leininger warned Dower to be aware in this area for snakes.
Finally, when the section was completed, he came clean.
“When he flipped out, he actually saw me step on a copperhead,” Dower recalled. “I was unfazed and so was the copperhead. That’s how exhausted I was.”
The rest of that day went over fairly smoothly. There were one-minute naps on the side of the trail every so often and hallucinations.
As the southern terminus grew closer, Dower still wouldn’t let herself believe the record was secured. That was her mindset throughout the run. An injury, weather, even a snake could derail the run in a second.
That fear followed her to the final two miles. She had been singing and reminiscing with her pacers, Rascal and JP Giblin, when Dower felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack.
Her pacers helped calm her down and keep her on track. Even when she requested a one-minute trailside nap with one mile to go, they kept her feet moving.
Finally, over that final mile, Dower let herself feel everything. The anxiety dissipated in one big release.
At 11:53 P.M. on September 21, Dower touched the plaque on Springer Mountain marking the trail’s southern terminus. Her historic run was over. Her final time: 40 days, 18 hours, and 6 minutes, faster than anyone has ever completed the trail. She surpassed Sabbe’s effort by 13 hours and topped Jennifer Pharr-Davis’s previous best women’s time by nearly six days.
Home at Last
Celebrations were brief in the late hours of the night. She still had to hike back down the mountain and drive an hour to her grandma’s house. Sleep was immediate. For a couple days, she and her crew ate, slept, and reminisced on the porch.
Now days removed, Dower said it’s been hard to comprehend the gravity of what she just accomplished. Brain fog has prevented her from realizing she just made history with one of the greatest ultrarunning or thru-hiking efforts of all time. Her groundbreaking achievement has been praised by the likes of tennis legend Billie Jean King, who founded the Women’s Sports Foundation.
“It’s exciting, but it’s exciting for more than just myself getting this record. It’s exciting for women and girls. I hope it inspires women and girls to do hard things and believe they can, even if it seems impossible,” Dower said. “For me, this seemed, frankly, impossible. Women have this endurance, this gift of endurance that we haven’t quite fully tapped into. I hope this inspires people who are called to the Appalachian Trail and I’d love to see more women going out there and just seeing what’s possible for them on this trail.”
Dower finally arrived home to Virginia Beach on September 28. For the first time in two years, there are no races or big efforts on the horizon. That’s the way she wants it for now. Nothing to do but rest her mind and her body, reminisce about what just happened and finally take care of her feet.
“I had two large caverns in the middle of my feet and blisters, sores, and my pinky toes are just not okay,” Dower said. “They’re black. You don’t know where the toenail starts. It was like this for most of the hike. We just let them do their thing.”
Her mom said she won’t be getting a pedicure anytime soon.
Dower’s Appalachian Trail record attempt doubled as a fundraiser for Girls on the Run, a national running-focused nonprofit for girls between third and eighth grades. She achieved her initial goal of $20,000 just after she finished and has since surpassed $39,000. A sponsor of Dower’s, Altra, will match the total when it closes on September 29.
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Birkenstock Launches Foot Care Range
September 30, 2024BruceDayneBirkenstock is dipping its toes in the beauty business.
Tomorrow, the popular sandal maker will launch a collection of foot care products on its e-commerce site, priced between $9.95 and $49.95, to commemorate its 250th anniversary. The range includes bath salts, a pumice stone and a number of oils, creams and lotions.
In a statement, chief executive Oliver Reichert said the launch will appeal to “passionate Birkenstock fan[s]” who are looking for products that will “complement their lifestyle choices”.
Expanding into personal care is an opportunity to trade as a healthcare company focussed on foot care as well as a shoe maker, something the company has been considering since it went public in 2023; Reichert previously told Bloomberg, “We have a total addressable market of every human being.”
Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day’s most important beauty and wellness news and analysis.
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Belt capsule guide: The basics
||- Begin Content -||
There’s been a lot more interest in belts with smarter clothing in recent years - something I highlighted and explained my reasoning for in this article.
But we’ve never done a ‘wardrobe building’ piece on them, or set out my general advice in one place - at least, not since this rather basic piece 16 years ago (16 years!).
So here are some guidelines, essentially capturing all the little pieces of advice given in answer to comments, plus some personal reflections. I’ll follow up in a subsequent article on suggested brands, including my personal collection.
1. Colour
A smart belt should roughly match the colour of your shoes. That doesn’t mean you need a brown one for every shade of brown you own, but in general most guys that wear a lot of smart clothing will need a dark brown and a black, plus perhaps light brown or tan.
A good example of matching or not is Color-8 cordovan. I’ve never managed to find a Color-8 belt I like, but this is minor niggle. Until I do find one I’m happy with, I wear dark brown (given how dark most of my Color-8 is) or forego a belt altogether.
With more casual shoes, there is much less need to match materials or colours. You just want a more casual belt - eg a tan suede, a braided leather - rather than a slim smart calf. There’s also more leeway to wear more colours - eg stripes on a webbing belt.
More on matching leathers in this article.
2. Leathers
As with colour, you want to roughly match the material when it comes to smarter shoes. So suede with suede, leather with leather.
This is pretty obvious - less obvious are the things that make a belt smarter in respects other than colour: width, buckle, stitching, type of leather. The most common mistake I find guys make is wearing a thick brown leather belt (often with a big buckle) with a fine calf shoe.
This distinction between types of belts is also often one between types of maker. Independent leather workers, particularly in the UK, tend to work in thick leathers like bridle that have no backing and no stitching along their length (eg Tim Hardy). These will usually be more casual than a maker who uses finer leathers like calf, on both sides.
Braided leathers are a nice casual option, but can look a little old-mannish in some contexts. Personally I prefer these when they’re a little narrower, or very worn in. Tooled leather is a lovely art and a more casual look - a nice option if you want the belt rather than buckle to be slightly unusual.
3. Other materials
Exotics such as crocodile can be a nice way to elevate a belt, without going for something as dramatic as a big buckle or an unusual colour. Unfortunately, exotic leather has gone up hugely in price in recent years - the supplier I know best has seen the cost price of their crocodile double in five years.
If you can afford it, I still think croc is a nice option, but also look around for alternatives such as lizard (Ralph Lauren used to do some great ones) or ostrich - I recommended here my ostrich-leg belt from Silver Ostrich. Other types of leather with some texture, such as deer or a tumbled calf, can be also be a nice bridge between smart and casual.
A canvas belt is useful and subtle, and has functional aspects some people like (a little stretch often, a softness and lightness). But like braided belts, they can look a little old-fashioned. The best way to avoid this is going for something slimmer and subtler, or getting an unusual vintage one (Sean Crowley has loads), or perhaps a cordovan-faced one (eg Rubato).
4. Width
Classic belts are usually between 1.25 and 1.5 inches, with smarter ones at the narrower end of that spectrum.
However I like narrower belts, both as a more elegant look and something a bit more unusual. Going from 1.25 to 1 inch makes a surprising visual difference - like a lapel going from 3.5 inches to 4. It’s particularly nice with tailoring, but I like it with jeans too, like my Ludens belts.
One-inch belts have become popular in recent years and quite a few of the newer brands offer it (Berg & Berg, Natalino, Rubato) where the more traditional ones stick to 1.25 and above. So it might be a bit of a trend, but at the same time I don’t think it will ever look odd or out of place, given it’s a small difference.
Very thin belts can also be quite interesting, like Matt Woodruff’s here for example (vintage) or the tape belts Husbands and Scott Fraser Collection do. But they’re definitely more of a look.
5. Buckle materials
A good belt buckle is solid brass, even if it’s then been coated silver. It’s stronger and ages better. That’s often the most difference between a cheap belt and a more expensive one, though not everyone bothers to say so online. (In person it’s more obvious - solid brass is heavier.)
Try to avoid buckles with obvious treatments. ‘Antiqued’ effects tend to look artificial, and even something with a coating that doesn’t look like it’s had an ‘effect’ applied is better to my eye.
You can get buckles in solid silver, but they will be more expensive. One well-known silver design is the engine-turned buckle associated with Tiffany, some Western belts and Brooks Brothers (and so a bit of an Ivy staple) These are often not as expensive as other sterling silver as the material is quite thin.
Those Ludens belts of mine have that design. And that leads us onto the last section…
6. Buckle designs
This is a huge area, and probably deserves its own in-depth article at some point. You can roughly separate it though into different shapes of dress buckles, and then more unusual ones like Western buckles.
As to the first category, I think elegance and subtlety will be the watch words for readers. Think of this as a piece of jewellery, at least from a design point of view. One of my favourite aspects of a Cartier watch is the clasp you get on many Tanks - that delicately turned and flowing design that really adds to the design of the whole.
Obviously, a big Hermes ‘H’ is fairly crass, but it’s worth considering the finer aspects of design too, as it’s likely to be one of the few pieces of hardware you’ll be wearing.
Buckles become more casual as they get bigger and thicker. They may suit a thick cowhide belt more than a dress one. But they also explode in possibilities, with square frames and oval plates, containing initials or pictures, as well as three-piece engraved sets.
These can be real works of art, and fantastic if they’re your style. But as with most things I’d advise going slowly and carefully. I have two from Silver Ostrich which I love, but mostly as objects. When I put them on they often feel like too much of a statement, and they get worn a tenth as often as every other belt - usually when an outfit feels like it lacks something.
Double-ring belts are nice on canvas belts, a little more unusual on leather ones. I've had them in the past but sold mine as they always felt a little fussy. I can definitely see the appeal for someone who likes the functionality though.
That feels like enough for a first article, but do let me know what I missed and what you’d like to see included in subsequent pieces.
I will, as mentioned, do one follow-up on my collection and brands, but feel free to share your personal recommendations in the comments here as well.
Remember all articles on PS are broken down into categories in the menu, so there is a dedicated section here on belts and wallets (small leather goods basically).
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So THAT'S Why Your Hands Give Away Your Age More Than Other Body Parts
September 30, 2024BruceDayneOn the TV series ”Younger,” Sutton Foster’s character, Liza, poses as a millennial when she tries to reenter the publishing industry as a 40-something mom. But Liza’s secret almost gets outed in Season 1 because of her hands. “Be careful with your hands, sweetie. They’re a dead giveaway,” a tipsy author played by Jane Krakowski tells Liza.
Her drunken musings might be right.
“It’s thin skin, so it gets worked,” Seattle-based dermatologist Dr. Heather Rogers told HuffPost. “A little bit of skin elasticity is a good thing for your hands, but then that means they have a little bit of excess wrinkles. The thin skin makes it so it’s more likely to be crepey in appearance.”
And it turns out that some skin types show aging more than others.
“If you are a pale Caucasian woman, you’re going to have crepey, wrinkly hands,” Rogers said. “That’s just a group that has thinner skin. Oftentimes, Mediterranean skin, they are more apt to have brown spots. If you have pigment, you’re good at making pigment. And then darker skin ages much, much less quickly, but it can be dry, ashy [and have] dermatitis.”
Dr. Angela Lamb, a dermatologist and the director of the Westside Mount Sinai Dermatology Faculty Practice in New York, noted that anyone with collagen disorders like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may be more prone to aging on the hands, as well as anyone taking blood thinners. “If you’re on blood thinners and your skin tends to bruise easily, and if you have more bruises, it might make your hands and arms look older,” Lamb said.
Age, of course, is an important factor. Rogers said aging hands are mostly a concern for women over 50. “In the late 50s, 60s, the loss of estrogen and thinning of our skin [cause people to] get pretty bummed about their hands,” she said.
At-Home Solutions
Aging on the hands can present itself in different ways, including age spots, visible veins, crepey or loose skin, and roughness.
“Once your skin barrier is not intact in your hands, it can be really hard to get that barrier healed because your hands are into so many things,” Rogers said, referring to how frequently people use their hands. “So when your skin is raw, sensitive and itchy, all you want to put on your hands is a really thick moisturizer, possibly a prescription steroid cream from your doctor.”
She recommended applying a topical corticosteroid or petroleum jelly at night and wearing cotton gloves to bed to help moisturize the skin. So-called hand masks can help moisturize hands, too, and make skin look plumper.
Retinol creams can help lessen the appearance of brown spots, plus they can boost the production of collagen to increase elasticity, which can reduce the appearance of aging on hands. Lamb said she particularly likes tretinoin, a retinoid derivative, for this purpose.
When considering the strength of a retinol cream, “I usually actually tell people to start on the lower end,” Lamb said. “You don’t want to go in when you’re starting with retinols with full strength, because they can be very drying and irritating.”
LED products such as the Omnilux Contour Glove and the Celluma Pod can also treat damaged skin. “Low-level light therapy at home, particularly red light and infrared light, does build collagen and actually calms inflammation, so it would help with hand eczema,” Rogers explained.
But don’t keep these products on your skin for too long, and stick to using such devices no more than two or three times a week. With the Omnilux, Rogers suggested applying it for just 10 minutes, while the Celluma can be used for 30-minute sessions.
In-Office Treatments
For anyone seeking medical-grade treatments, dermatologists have plenty of options.
Intense pulsed light —or IPL — therapy targets brown spots, and it can take between one and three applications, at least one month apart, to be effective, Rogers said.
Lasers like those used in Fraxel treatment can also address texture issues on hands. “The problem is, hands heal pretty slowly, and it’s hard to function with your hands being lasered. So it’s not something we do very much,” Lamb said. “IPL is the vast majority of the laser procedures that I do for people’s hands.”
Chemical peels, which can treat brown spots and stimulate collagen, tend to be less popular for the same reason. “People are not going to want your hands peeling a lot, so you would do a superficial one just to address some of the pigmentation irregularities,” Lamb said. “It wouldn’t be my first choice.”
A newer option called PRP — platelet-rich plasma — treatment has also gained popularity, Lamb added. “That’s where we take people’s blood, spin it down to get the platelet-rich plasma and inject those into the backs of the hands,” she said. “It’s going to thicken up the skin and improve its appearance by giving your body the direction to do that. That usually takes at least three treatments, at least a month apart.”
While aging on hands affects men and women equally, Rogers said she sees “95% women” for cosmetic procedures related to the issue. “I really have never had a man be like, ‘Oh, I don’t like my aging hands,’’’ she said. “People find big blood vessels on men attractive — like, ‘Oh look at these big, rough hands.’”
How To Deal With Daily Wear And Tear On Hands
Rogers said that 90% of apparent aging comes from the sun. And hands end up being particularly vulnerable to sun exposure “because they are not protected by clothing most times of the year, and people don’t tend to put sunscreen on them,” Lamb added.
But one of the easiest things you can do is to apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 on your hands, and to use it multiple times daily. The brand Supergoop! even makes sunscreen just for hands.
At this point, more than four years after the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic, everyone knows the importance of washing your hands. But not all of us have incorporated moisturizing into our hand-washing routines.
“From a cosmetic standpoint, if your hands are kind of dry and irritated, it makes them look older,” Lamb acknowledged. “So applying a moisturizer as soon as you get out of the bath or shower, as soon as you wash your hands, is really important.”
While fragrances can be irritating for skin, Rogers thinks you should pick whichever lotion or cream you like to use and will apply regularly after washing hands and bathing. Make sure to get both sides of your hands — with bonus points for using an SPF cream.
“A heavier moisturizer is going to do more for your skin, but you might be less apt to use it because it’s greasy,” Rogers said. “You might be a CeraVe girl. You might be a fancy cream girl. Fragrance doesn’t do anything good for your skin. But if it smells good and it feels luxurious to you, and that means you’re going to use it, fine.”
Add a vitamin C cream into your regular routine, too, to help with the aging process. Vitamin C, a natural antioxidant, protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation and stimulates cells around the blood vessels, which can promote healthy skin.
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Ultimately, most signs of aging on hands don’t pose health risks. “You can get skin infections on your hands, so that’s something that we have to look for. And I remove skin cancer from the backs of people’s hands every week,” Rogers said. “In regards to the hand dermatitis, it’s incredibly uncomfortable because ... your hands burn and itch. But a lot of it is aesthetics.”
Want A Hand Cream With Retinol? Here Are Some Suggestions From HuffPost Shopping Writer Lourdes Uribe.
HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
Soft Services Theraplush overnight repair treatment
This is the one everyone's talking about. Not only is this night cream for hands formulated with top-notch anti-aging ingredients, but it comes in the cutest reusable vessel I've ever seen. It's a great option for anyone who is serious about repairing and renewing their hands. The cream has a medium-weight density that is soft and slightly waxy, so those who are prone to touching their face or don't like the feeling of freshly lotioned skin might not love it. But if you don't mind it, then your hands will thank you in the long run. It's infused with retinol, colloidal oatmeal and panthenol so you can wake up with youthful, beautiful hands daily.
Promising review: "In love with this product! I've only been using this product for a few weeks and see a difference already. I'm 60 years old and produce food videos so I'm very conscious of the appearance of my 'mature' hands. Theraplush has absolutely enhanced the overall smoothness and texture; so impressed with this lovely cream!I would recommend this product to: Anyone who is aware of the importance of taking extra care of their hands!" —
SheriBeauty Pie Super Retinol Hands anti-aging moisture cream
Get all the benefits of a deeply moisturizing, rich hand cream with the added power of encapsulated retinol with this Beauty Pie cream. It can help with common signs of hand aging, targeting dark spots, smoothing and elasticity. Throw it on before bed and wake up to baby-soft hands.
Promising review: "A must for older hands. Wonderful night time hand treatment for aged hands. Helps with age spots and crepey skin. Also very moisturising without being sticky." —
MaryNécessaire The Hand Retinol
For a fairly high concentration of retinol, consider this hand serum from Nécessaire. it has 0.25% of retinol alongside peptides, AHAs, amino acids, vitamins and glycerin to hydrate deeply. It's a great option for anyone looking to treat or prevent crepey skin, dark spots, scars and even ragged cuticles. You'll feel like you just stepped out of a nail salon every morning.
Promising review: "Absolute wonder! I bought this based on a dermatologist's recommendation, and it really delivers! After a very short time my hands look and feel so much better! I was starting to notice my hands were looking older, and this has really helped." —
ROinCoChantecaille Retinol hand cream
If you want something a little less intense than an overnight treatment, try this luxurious hand cream that can be used regularly throughout the day. It's made with retinol and Chilean tree bark extract alongside antioxidants and other hydrating ingredients, so you get all the benefits of a retinol, but it's gentle enough to use regularly.
Promising review: "Best hand cream ever!I've tried every hand cream under the sun and this one is the best by far. My hands were looking very old and wrinkly one winter so I bought this and literally overnight I had hands that looked 20 years younger. The difference was incredible! The thing that impresses me the most is it's effectiveness, but it's also feels very nice to use. It goes on light -- not greasy at all. it's very quickly absorbed but you still feel like your hands are soft so there is no need to keep reapplying all day like with other hand creams. I use it once in the morning and once at night and that's enough. It's pricey but lasts a long time because you don't need to use a lot of it -- 1 tube lasts me all winter." —
Productjunkie1A multifunctional retinol and vitamin-enriched hand cream
The glowing reviews speak for themselves when it comes to this anti-aging hand cream. It deeply conditions not just hands, but nails and cuticles as well, drenching the entire area with vitamins and retinol. It boasts a rich and creamy formula that feels luxurious but won't break the bank, so you can show off youthful-looking skin with minimal effort. Just be aware that it has a nostalgic scent that might not be for everyone!
Promising review: "I like the moisture and lively texture of my hands. Before they looked dry and older because of all the hand sanitizer I have used over the last 3 years. Now they look healthy and feels so soft, and I don’t mind shaking hands if needed." —
Nene Love it"I really like this hand lotion. I am 36 and a hairdresser so my hands get a beating daily. I’ve noticed them aging so I wanted something to help slow that. This lotion feels very soft when you put it on. My kids did comment that it smells like a Grandma. And I think it kind of does smell like it too. Not a bad smell just does have a distinctive smell. I do like it!" —
KarenRobanda Retinol Anti-Aging hand treatment SPF 15
I came upon this Robanda retinol hand cream during my research and was intrigued by the fact that it contains SPF alongside retinol. Along with antioxidants, it helps to infuse the skin with anti-aging ingredients and can improve the look of wrinkles and sun damage while leaving skin healthy, smooth and safe from the sun's harmful UV rays.
Promising reviews: "Love the creme. Daughter asked to try it and as she was going back home to CT, called for the exact name and a picture. She loved it also. Works good on old hands. Of course mine are a lot older than hers." —
Aging"I have a stress eczema on my hands. This cream healed my hands in 3(!) days! Now I recommend it to everyone! And use the crème on daily basis." —
OyukaNatureWell Clinical Retinol Advanced moisture cream
NatureWell uses advanced micro-encapsulated retinol to help improve skin tone, smoothing texture and boosting firmness and elasticity. The pump dispenser delivers the right amount so you don't worry about wasting product, and helps to lengthen the cream's product life. It's incredibly popular on Amazon, boasting 4.5 out of 5 stars and over 12,100 ratings. It's also the most affordable option on this list and the most versatile, as it can be used on hands, face and body. It's just rich enough to use all over without feeling too greasy, though reviewers find it's great for hands and arms.
Promising review: "Nice smell works well on lighting the spot on my hands and a couple of spots on my face." —
Kathleen K. Goodman"Reduces crepey skin. For 1 week I only put it on my left arm and after a week you can see the difference. The left arm looks so much better and is so much softer than the right." —
Debi V.Gold Bond Age Renew Retinol Overnight
Lock in that anti-aging and hydrating goodness with this ultra-moisturizing overnight cream from Gold Bond. The retinol-peptide complex can help to lift, tighten and moisturize skin without leaving you feeling greasy or with the irritation that can commonly accompany retinol usage. Pop it on your hands (and beyond) and start to see and feel the difference. While not explicitly a hand cream, reviewers noted that it is just the right texture for hands and leaves their hands looking and feeling as good as new.
Promising review: "It's light and smooth, very comfortable and nonirritating. I use it mostly on my hands and neck. It feels light and very comfortable and it has no scent which is great for those who are sensitive to that. For the price and the amount you get for a body lotion that have great ingredients including retinol and vitamins i say its worth the try and see how much improvement it gives to the look of your hands and/or neck. I havent used it on my other parts of my body since im using a diff product with retinol on my face. They also ship it with tape on the opening so it wouldnt spill out which is great." —
EmieSupport Free Journalism
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