Find Your Perfect Skin: What You Need In Your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and Beyond

The skin you live in changes from decade to decade and to keep the healthy glow, so should your beauty routine. You must treat your skin differently as it ages. There may be more dry patches and pimples in different places, with age. Some of what you see may be hormonal, but most of it is manageable with a good cleansing and moisturizing regiment.

By Dawn Tongish
The Plastic Surgery Channel

The Skin You’re In: The 20’s

The name of the game in the early years is skin protection. Most young people in their teens and 20’s will not see the signs of aging, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing happening underneath the layers of the skin. Experts say these are important years to practice prevention with a good sunscreen with UVA and UVB coverage. It is wise, experts say, to make sure that every time you are in the sun, sunscreen is applied to your face and any other areas that may be exposed. “These are really the years where you need to take care and protect the skin very well,” says Dr. Kevin Smith, a board-certified plastic surgeon from Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Smith says good habits about proper skin care start in the early years.

“It is imperative throughout that a person learn to cleanse the skin and also to moisturize.”

Dr. Smith is a firm believer and actually uses the SkinMedica line of products to slow the signs of aging and reduce fine lines. Along with a good product, it is also wise to avoid tanning beds. Using a tanning bed before age 35 can dramatically increase the risk of melanoma.

Maintenance, Maintenance/The 30’s

This is the decade when the fine lines may begin to show, especially around the eyes and mouth. Don’t panic! Experts recommend using facial creams at home that promote elastin and collagen development. Look for a cream with retinol. Most women will want to address pigmentation issues and ways to brighten the texture of the skin. Don’t smoke. The 30’s are all about maintaining a good completion and keeping it that way.

“People are just doing so much to take care of themselves. It is really a cool time that we are living in,” says Dr. Jason Pozner, a board-certified plastic surgeon from Boca Raton, Florida. Dr. Pozner says that trends are changing quickly when it comes to skin care and looking good. He says more consumers are opting out of invasive cosmetic procedures and looking more toward simple lifestyle techniques to turn back the clock.

“It used to be that people wanted a facelift right away, that doesn’t happen so much anymore. Now, we are all about skin care, sun avoidance, hormones and vitamins to delay the aging process.”

A Little Something Extra/The 40’s

The hands of time will eventually roll around and catch up with you. A wrinkle or two will appear, despite the best habits through the years. Plastic surgeons advise using botox early on, but potentially ramping it up in the 40’s to take care of any extra lines that may appear. This may also be the time to begin to use filler to smooth out unwanted lines around the mouth or to add volume where there is deflation, typically around the jaw line or the cheeks. Beyond the 40’s and in the 50’s, experts say the skin may become dryer, thinner and lose firmness due to decreased production of estrogen and progesterone. This may require a facelift to achieve the desired results. Still, Dr. Smith believes the message about good habits, early on is becoming the norm.

“I am lasering 50% fewer people than I was five years ago. I think it is because people are just taking better care of their skin and opting for good maintenance over so many procedures.”