As women age, their bodies tend to change due to hormones and of course gravity. How well you take care of your skin in your early years will dictate how well your skin ages in your later years. There are of course inevitable changes that will take place, regardless of how well you take of yourself.
In Your 20s
As your skin heads from teens to adulthood, it shows a more “womanly” appearance. You start to lose the baby fat and you begin to look more like a woman and less like a child. This is the beginning of the aging process. This is the stage where motor wrinkles begin to form, which are creases and lines that are related to movement in your facial muscles. If you spent a lot of time in the sun, you may also see expression lines around the eyes, known as crow’s feet. This is also the decade where upper lip facial hair begins to sprout. There could also be the appearance of melasma, which is brown discoloration that appears on the forehead and cheeks and is usually caused by hormones, antibiotics, pregnancy, and even sun exposure.
In Your 30s
This the decade where you start to notice your skin looking dull and tired. You will also notice crow’s feet and previous sun damage. You may also start to notice dilated blood vessels. This is also the decade you may begin to see the ‘11’ lines between the brows. There may also be shadows forming in the triangular areas between your nose and corners of your mouth.
In Your 40s
This is the decade that fine lines start to appear around your upper lip, especially if you smoke. This is known as the “purse string” muscle, which is prominent and more at risk for sun damage. All other lines that we discussed in your 30s will now deepen and possible extend in length.
In Your 50s and Beyond
As you continue to age, your skin will hang in there, as long as you have treated it well. However, if you were not using sunscreen and were smoking, you may have some cumulative effects that will truly show your age. Lines and wrinkles will multiply and deepen in their appearance. Collagen levels decrease and the firmness that creates your face will soften and cause sagging. We also lose some of the fat in our face as we age, which causes loss of structure and an even translucent appearance. This allows blood vessels to look more prominent than they should. The drop of estrogen in our systems will also cause drier skin, making lines and wrinkles more prominent. The effects of gravity really start to take place at this point in your face’s life as well.
Self-Care
As your skin ages, protect it with sunblock and lessened time in the sun. When you get to your 30s, consider using retinols to help minimize wrinkles and fine lines. When you get to your 50s and beyond, consider doing a little more with fillers and botox.