“I think ‘premature’ aging is relative for everyone,” says Jennifer Gordon, MD, dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas. “It is just aging faster or sooner than you want it to,” she explains.
If you’re starting to notice subtle skin changes, find out what to look for when, why it’s happening, and what can be done to slow down the clock.
1. Sun Spots
“Sun damage causes brown spots or sun spots that are also more apparent as time goes on,” says Dr. Patel. “They may look like freckles but soon get bigger and more numerous. They are premature if [they appear] before your twenties,” she says.
What You Can Do About It When it comes to treatment, look for topical products with antioxidants like vitamin C, E, ferulic acid, and niacinamide, which help protect skin from damage and promote a more even skin tone. “SPF of at least 30 should be used daily in the morning regardless of the amount of sun one is anticipating getting,” Patel says.
2. Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Fine lines and wrinkles can definitely sneak up on you. Maybe your eyes crease when you smile or your forehead develops lines when you’re surprised. Over time, the lines that appeared only when you were moving your face begin to stick around, permanently etching themselves into your skin. “Fine lines are shallow surface-level lines that appear as the skin first starts to lose elasticity and moisture. They are common at first around the mouth and eyes,” says Patel.
What You Can Do About It To treat wrinkles, you’ll need more than a topical solution. Options include minimally invasive treatments like neuromodulator injections (such as Botox or Dysport) or in-office procedures like lasers and radio-frequency devices, Patel says.
3. Dryness
4. Crepey Skin
In addition, loss of facial fat and changes in facial bone architecture affect the way the face appears. “[This gives] the skin a different structure to hang on,” says Patel. You can notice hallowing (volume loss) around the eyes, temples, and cheeks, she says.
If this happens before your forties, it’s considered premature, adds Patel.
5. Bruising
One common change in skin with age that doesn’t get as much attention as the others is bruising easily. “Nobody really knows why our skin starts to bruise easily,” says Gordon. “Most likely it is part sun damage, part thinning [of skin], and part loss of strength of vasculature (blood vessels),” she explains.
The Takeaway
- Premature skin aging refers to signs of skin aging that show up earlier than expected. Many factors contribute to premature skin aging, such as sun and pollution exposure, genetics, and dietary and lifestyle habits.
- Different signs of skin aging appear at different stages of a person’s life, usually starting in your twenties, with other signs appearing in your forties and fifties. These signs of aging can range from wrinkles and fine lines to sagging skin to dryness and bruising.
- Numerous topical products, procedures, and minimally invasive treatments can treat signs of skin aging. Talk to a board-certified dermatologist about your options.