You can lie about your age, but your skin won’t

Did you know: your skin starts aging when you’re in your 20s.

In Aging

What is it about our faces that gives away our age? These are the signs to look out for.

Aging really starts in my 20s?

Yes — production of collagen and elastin, which are responsible for keeping your skin looking plump and young, has already begun to slow down. At this age, skin may appear a little dry and dull because of this. And here’s when you should pay special attention to the skin around your eyes, which is nine times thinner than the rest of the body. The chances of developing fine lines and wrinkles are higher in this area than the rest of your face.

What will happen to me in my 30s?

As collagen and elastin production continues to slow down, when women hit their 30s, fine lines and wrinkles appear. Where? At the areas where our skin is repeatedly pulled when we make facial expressions. You must’ve heard of the term ‘frown lines’, which can form on the forehead and between the eyebrows, as well as ‘smile lines’, which form from the tip of the nose to the corners of the mouth, and where our eyes crinkle in its corners. These lines deepen with age, and can become permanent as our skin loses its ability to repair itself.

Uh oh — what’s going to happen in my 40s?

The beauty of heading into your 40s is that breakouts will be less common, as oil production in the skin slows down. But that also means skin may start to dry out, accentuating a lined and wrinkled complexion. As skin continues to lose volume and elasticity, a woman in her 40s will also have to deal with sagging skin. This is often most noticeable in the jawline, as skin starts to slacken, changing the overall appearance of the face.

So what can we do about all this?

You’ll have to start in your 20s, even though you haven’t noticed any age lines yet. On top of ensuring skin is hydrated with a good moisturizer and proper water consumption, take extra care of the skin around your eyes with an eye contouring gel or cream to strengthen and tighten skin to delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.