For most of us, age is simply the thing we celebrate at birthday parties; That is until our bodies begin displaying signs of aging. At what point in a person’s life do they start concealing dark circles, and trying every “age-rewinding” cosmetic product on the market, in hopes that at least one will reduce the appearance of the crows feet that seemed to appear overnight?

1. The very first signs of aging (the 20’s)

Whether the first sign that your youthful glow is slowly fading becomes apparent at age twenty on the dot, or when you’re just on the brink of your thirtieth birthday, a person’s twenties are when most of us see the first signs of aging. Each individual may experience these changes in a different order; however, the difference that is often detected first is small lines, also known as “fine” lines. These lines settle in around the mouth, nose, and even the eyes. You may begin to spot dark circles under your eyes as well, for some these dark circles could simply be the result of a poor night’s sleep. However, for many others, it is another gift granted by the aging process.

Luckily, there are steps that can be taken to help delay the evidence of growing older. One of the most efficient ways to keep your skin healthy, and young is by implementing a skin care routine that is personalized to you. Taking care of your skin when it’s still smooth, and age spot free can greatly benefit you in the long run.

signs of aging

1.1 Effective skin care routine (the 20’s)

The first thing you will need to do before selecting the skin care regimen for you, is identifying what your skin type is. Do you have oily, combination, dry, or sensitive skin? Knowing the difference in these four skin types is essential in order to accurately select a cleansing pattern that will work for you.

1.2 Example of skin care routine (the 20’s)

Using a cleanser first, then exfoliating, and following up with a moisturizer. (Moisturizers with SPF are recommended). Perform the routine once in the morning, and a final time at night for best results. Basic skin care routines like this one have been known to work best for people who suffer from dry skin.

Don’t suffer from dry skin? Don’t worry- there are other routines specifically designed to clean and nurture skin types with more complex issues. Those who battle oily, sensitive or even combination skin will need to try a more detailed plan. While each person reacts differently to certain things, one helpful tip to creating a more precise skin care plan is simply adding a toner and a serum into the basic routine previously outlined.

For the majority of individuals who tested out the basic routine, then tried it again with the toner, and serum added, agreed that the toner and serum made quite a noticeable difference. However, if trying a default routine is not your cup of tea, there are plenty of products that you can pair together to create the perfect system for you. The difference that these small improvements can make are well worth the ten minutes it takes to perform the skin care routine of your choosing.

2. Signs of aging (the 30’s)

As time passes our skin loses its elasticity. Because of the decrease in elasticity, many individuals in their thirties develop what is commonly referred to as worry/frown lines, and/or laughter lines. These are similar to the fine lines that begin to take shape during the twenties, but these lines tend to be quite a bit more defined.

These lines come from the expressions that each of us makes daily leading up to our thirties, that is why they can be associated with smiles, and laughter, or worry, and unhappiness. Once age thirty has been reached some transformations can seem to occur one after another. Numerous adults find themselves wondering when the signs of aging started to take effect so quickly. Suddenly you may start to feel as though your skin is changing; not only on the surface but below the surface as well. This is because as we grow in age our skin loses certain factors that once kept it looking fresh and bright. A few examples of these factors are collagen, elasticity, and melanocytes. Along with these signs of aging, some people even experience a decrease in the thickness of their upper lip.

3. Signs of aging (the 40’s)

By the time most people reach age forty, the once mild lines placed in different areas of their face have deepened, multiplied, and have been joined by a few unsettling brown tinted age spots. Some men and women even begin to see and feel the skin covering their faces, and necks getting looser. Skin loosening can be one of the first indicators of sagging. The decisions that we make in our early lives affect the way that our skin changes with the growing process. For instance, some things that have an effect on when we start to notice the signs of aging, are smoking, excessive sun exposure, tanning bed usage, drinking alcohol, recreational drug usage, genetics, and how well a person cared for their skin up to this point.

Because of the many factors that contribute to the way a person’s skin matures as they age, it can be very difficult to compare when two separate people may encounter the various signs of aging, even if they belong to the same age group.

3.1 CASE STUDY (the 40’s)

WOMAN #1: 41 years old, a lifelong vegetarian, Always taken excellent care of herself, Very active, Has a busy work schedule, Becomes stressed quite frequently, Only gets 3-4 hours of sleep each night, Has been a smoker since age twenty one.

WOMAN #2: 43 years old, Frequents fast food establishments, Works in an office setting, Has 3-5 glasses of wine a week, Does not smoke, Bikes to work each day, Participates in a weekly yoga class, Has a set sleeping schedule that provides 7-8 hours of restful sleep each night.

3.2 CASE STUDY RESULT (the 40’s)

When you pictured woman #1 in your head, did she have deep embossed stress lines stretching across her forehead in a set of three, Droopy eyelids, and a chin that was showing early signs of sagging? Or did she have a clear complexion, accompanied by thin crows feet that gracefully rested at the side of each eye?

What about woman #2? Certain aspects of her life could lead some to picture her with poorly aged skin upon first glance, but as more influencing factors emerged it seemed hard to pinpoint if woman #2 would have problematic skin, that was likely caused by poor dietary habits, her mostly sediment work life, and the amount of alcohol she consumed on average per week. As we learned more about woman #2 it seemed as though she could be fresh-faced and energetic, because of the health benefits of her recreational activities, steady sleeping routine, and choice to not to smoke cigarettes.

The point that the example should have gotten across is that although certain ages can (and often do) bring about personal changes for each and every one of us, each decision we make can alter our overall health, and wellness not only when each decision is made, but also in our futures as well. This makes it difficult to measure the exact similarities in the way we have aged over time in comparison to our peers. There is simply no way to accurately determine the decision or action that caused each line or spot marking our new-found maturity. This is why woman #1 and woman #2’s changes over the years could not be measured simply based on the information provided; because there was too much critical information missing from the equation.

4. Signs of aging (the 60’s)

As with the majority of changes that we all inevitably goes through at some point during our lives, the way we cared for ourselves, the foods we ate, and even the illness we have long recovered from all play a role in who we become as senior citizens. Everything from the wrinkles on your face, the increasing amount of stiffness you feel in your bones and joints, the muted gray color of the hair covering your head, and the way your senses slowly lose their once noteworthy effectiveness all resulted from a past decision. There is no strict “must-follow” guide to the signs of aging. There are however a few things that men and women near, or in their sixties commonly experience, as more and more effects of transitioning into a senior citizen start to settle in.

4.1 Challenges of adults (the 60’s)

Thinning skin, achy joints, due to cartilage being worn away over time, the risk of heart disease increases, there is also a decline in hormones. This decrease in hormones effects both men, and women. A decrease in normal progesterone and estrogen levels in females often leads to vaginal dryness, as well as a significantly lower sex drive.

For men, a significant drop in testosterone can negatively impact many aspects of a man’s day to day life. Even for those people with a superb memory, once an adult enters their sixties it is not uncommon for memories to become scrambled, and nonsensical at times. For instance, you let Fito out to do his business, and step into the kitchen to put away the groceries you purchased that day. After the ten minutes spent putting away the groceries, you catch yourself walking towards the front door getting ready to open it only. It seems you can’t quite remember what you were opening it for. The incident gets brushed off, and you focus your mind on other activities. Two hours pass by, and suddenly it hits you! Oh no! Fito is still outside. This is caused by the slowing of the transmission of nerve impulses located between the cells.

5. What is Premature aging?

Premature aging, much like other aspects of the aging process simply does not have a singular root cause. Everything around us has some sort of impact on our bodies, and the rate at which it ages. Most members of the youth/young adult population all share unhealthy sleeping habits. It has never provided the sufficient amount of rest one needs in order to be productive throughout their day.

A few more habits that many members of the young adult/youth community share is the intake of alcoholic beverages while under 21 years of age. However, poor dietary habits, recreational drug usage constantly rising stress levels. It can be all too easy to disregard how much of a toll our day to day activities take on our wellbeing when such unhealthy choices are being made. While not every member of the younger community partakes in all of the listed activities, the vast majority admit that they are guilty of at least four items out of the five on the list. While the items listed are not the only contributors to premature aging, they are the factors that many of us would not consider as issues in today’s day in age.

5.1 How can premature aging be avoided?

In order to avoid suffering from premature aging always start with these basic steps:

Wear a high-quality sunscreen when you plan on spending longer than a few minutes outdoors. This will protect your skin from the harmful rays the sun gives off.
Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, if 7-8 hours is not possible, you should try to aim for 6 restful hours each night.
Steer clear of tanning beds, at all costs
Always stick to your skincare routine, and try to keep your skin moisturized.
Try to remove yourself from situations where drugs and alcohol will be easily accessible.
Cut out unhealthy eating habits, choose healthy alternatives to your favorites instead.

Conclusion

Although there is no guaranteed way to determine when certain signs of aging will affect us all individually, each of us can do our part by practicing preventative measures. We must stay as active as possible. No two people are the exact same, so do not be taken by surprise if certain aspects of growing older effect some people, but not others. The best way to stay positive in all areas of life is to strive to be the best version of ourselves that we can be each and every day.