Still a head-turner, the 62-year-old socialite has always been taking great care of her face, even to the extent of having a facelift two years ago to maintain her youthful appearance.

But while showing off her latest jewel-encrusted ring at a social event two months ago, she was taken aback by her own wrinkled hands.

Yes, the ageing process affects the whole body, not just the face.

There are many people who invest in the best skincare for their face while ignoring the remaining 95 per cent of the body's skin.

Dr Low Chai Ling, a consultant dermatologist at The Sloane Clinic, said body skin should be taken care of in totality. Generally, skin areas that are more often exposed to the sun, wind, or air-conditioning are more vulnerable to wrinkles and sun damage.

With the face clearly the most visible, many women think that a radiant face is all that is needed to project a youthful image. They forget though that there's also a saggy neck, or sun damaged skin on the hands. Even the decolletage can be a dead giveaway to one's true age or reveal years of neglect.

'The parts of the body that age the fastest will be different for everyone but, for most, it is usually the neck and hands,' DrLow said.

Don't worry though, for all is not lost. A balanced daily regimen of exercise, regular sleep hours, a healthy diet with lots of water, foods rich in antioxidants and cutting down on the 'cardinal sins' of skincare - smoking and excessive alcohol consumption - can go a long way towards keeping skin hydrated and supple.

Mr Charles Lew, a clinical dietitian at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, recommends consuming brightly-coloured fruits and vegetables as they contain more phytochemicals that are beneficial to the skin.

To slow the process of body skin ageing, Dr Low strongly recommends constant protection from sun damage and keeping the skin soft and supple with body lotion.

'Many Singaporean women are hard-pressed for time and do not make the effort to apply body lotion but, ideally, one should apply it at least once a day,' she said.

She cautions against taking long, hot showers as hot water removes the skin's natural oils and can lead to dryness and irritation.

The socialite mentioned earlier, who found that her hands had belied her age, sought the help of Dr Low, who plumped up the back of the woman's hands with some collagen and used laser treatment to remove discolouration.

While such treatments are a modern-day blessing to those who seek them, prevention is still better than repair.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Oct 16, 2008.