How Your Face Ages

When you look at pictures of yourself from a decade or more ago, you can certainly see the changes in your face. It’s obvious that your face does not look exactly the same as it did 10, or even 20, years ago. Nevertheless, those pictures are still recognizable as you. You may be wondering exactly how your face can go through the process of aging, yet still be recognizable as yours. In fact, there are specific changes that your face undergoes during each decade of your life, from young adulthood onward. Let’s take a look at the process by which your face ages, starting in your 20s.

Your Face in Your 20s

By the time you exit your teens, your face will have undergone some of the most dramatic changes of your entire life. Between ages 13 and 19, your face will have lost all of the “baby fat” associated with childhood. Your face will no longer be rounded and plump, but instead will be more elongated and have the contours and features that are normally associated with adulthood.

However, young adulthood may be when the first signs of future facial aging will begin. If you spent much of your youth outdoors, particularly during the summer, and did not use adequate sun protection, you may have started to develop some of the fine lines around the outer corners of your eyes or between your brows, which will become more noticeable later in life. Excessive sun exposure can dry out your skin, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.

Our staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery suggests starting a face care regime that includes a good moisturizer, as well as a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) if you plan to be in direct sunlight for more than 20 minutes. We also suggest a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses to protect the delicate skin around the eyes.

Your Face in Your 30s

By the time you are in your 30s, you may be starting to see some more signs of aging, even though your face will still look youthful. Most significantly, crow’s feet and lines between the brows will become more noticeable. You may also notice that your skin is not as glowing or youthful as when you were in your 20s.

Our staff suggests that your 30s is the time when you will want to get more serious about your skin care. Products that contain retinol will provide your skin with extra nourishment to help you retain that dewy glow from your 20s. This is also the time to start looking at possible microdermabrasion or laser treatment to smooth out imperfections in your skin, such as acne scars or discolorations on the skin.

Your Face in Your 40s

By this point, both fine and deeper lines will be evident on your face. In addition to crow’s feet, you may see furrows between your brows and along your forehead, lines around your mouth, and general sagging. Much of this is due to the loss of collagen (a protein that helps to keep your skin looking firm and full), which happens over time as you age. This is the time when you may well be considering cosmetic surgery as a way to offset the effects of aging.

Non-invasive procedures, such as dermal fillers, will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Botox injections work to smooth over deeper lines along the brows by relaxing the facial muscles in that area. Facelifts can be performed on the entire face, or on just the forehead, cheek, or neck and chin areas, depending on the amount of work you wish to have done. Our surgeons can also address excess skin and fat around the upper and lower eyelids.

Your face will change a great deal over the course of 20 years. Our staff can help you keep it looking as youthful as possible throughout that time period.