As with facial anti-ageing, prevention is better than cure; avoid telltale ageing by regularly applying sun protection of factor 20 and above, even on cloudy days. Signs of premature ageing can be pigmentation spots, sagging skin that begins to look wrinkled and protruding veins and tendons as youthful tissue padding is lost (think Madonna).

My advice is to try to nurture your hands at night – this will help the superficial appearance of the skin. My mother covers her hands in Vaseline and a pair of gloves! However if your partner does not take kindly to you wearing a pair of ‘Marigolds’ in bed then at the very least try to moisturise regularly throughout the day. Good quality creams don’t have to be expensive. Never wash up, garden or perform car mechanics (!) without first protecting your hands with gloves. Keep a tub of hand cream in every handbag and by every sink in the house – applying hand cream soon becomes habitual.

Ultimately don’t despair if you think it’s too late as there are first aid measures that will help plump and re-hydrate the skin, disguising protruding tendons and blood vessels.

Several rejuvenation treatments are available:
• For dry skin Restylane Vital will re-hydrate, 4 sessions advised
• For pigmentation problems, collagen boosting and crêpy skin try Fraxel Laser, 3 sessions advised
• To replace vital lost volume and disguise ugly veins and tendons I use injectable long lasting Radiesse, a one off treatment repeated every year or so