8 Places Your Face Shows Its Age—And DIY Solutions To Treat Them (2024)

No one wakes up one day shocked to see an old lady staring back at her in the mirror. "Aging is a very gradual change that we notice most when we look at old photos," says NYC plastic surgeon Sachin M. Shridharani, MD, founder of Luxurgery. "The mind has an incredible capacity to recalibrate its view of our physical self, especially because we see ourselves every day." So to help you (and OK, ourselves, really) out, we got skin experts to pinpoint the eight facial changes that most betray our age. Here's what to notice and treat—or at least camouflage—to look vibrant and youthful at any age. (Lose up to 25 pounds in 2 months—and look more radiant than ever—with the new Younger In 8 Weeks plan!)

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Eyelid skin is already super-thin, and when it loosens with age, it creates a hooded effect. "As we age, we lose collagen, which provides strength and integrity, and elastin, which helps skin bounce back," Shridharani explains. "Also, muscles can stretch over time, making it difficult to fully open the eyes."

DIY Fix: Get a temporary tightening effect with eye creams containing retinoic acid, a vitamin A derivative that stimulates collagen. We like Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correction Eye, a lightweight gel-like formula that has antioxidants and skin-soothing agents on top of a potent dose of retinol. Minimize future damage by wearing sunglasses to avoid squinting and by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen made for eyes, like Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker Eye SPF 15.

Pro Fix: The gold standard is an eye lift (blepharoplasty) or a lateral brow lift, which lifts the lids by default. If surgery is not in the cards, a dermatologist or plastic surgeon can inject a neurotoxin, like Botox or Xeomin, strategically into the forehead muscles and around crow's-feet to lighten up the heavy lid look. Results last 3 to 6 months.

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DNA and sun damage are behind dyschromias, or brown splotchy sunspots, which come from overproduction of melanin.

DIY Fix: An ingredient called hydroquinone lightens dark spots by breaking down melanin pigment and decreasing its production; try Murad Rapid Age Spot And Pigment Lightening Serum. But since it's been known to cause irritation in sensitive skin, consider battling the brown spots with antioxidants. "I'm a huge fan of antioxidants, especially vitamins C, E, and ferulic acid, which I use daily," says NYC plastic surgeon Mark H. Schwartz, MD, a clinical assistant professor of plastic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. "Along with sunscreen, it is the best protection against hyperpigmentation and also improves fine lines and overall texture." Try Revision Skincare Vitamin C Lotion 30%, with one of the strongest concentrations of the antioxidant available. (Here are 3 more ways to get rid of brown spots on your schedule.)

Pro Fix: Talk to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon about BBL (Broad Band Light) or IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) laser treatments. "These lasers target the unwanted melanin," Schwartz says. The treatments require little downtime, but you may need repeated sessions to really erase spots. Schwartz often combines BBL with laser resurfacing to get better results with fewer treatments.

Blame your genes for disappearing brows, although aggressive tweezing and waxing over the years will damage the hair follicles and prevent regrowth over time, according to board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD, of Skinney Medspa. Being deficient in the nutrients biotin and iron will make it worse, as will having hypothyroidism. (Here are 6 signs you have an iron deficiency.)

DIY Fix: Put down the tweezers and consider applying a regrowth solution. King recommends FusionBeauty StimuLashFusion Grooming and Enhancing Brow Duo, which has lipids and peptides designed to help you keep the hairs you've got and stimulate growth of new ones. In the meantime, a product like Wunderbrow will thicken the look of brows by adding tiny clinging, hairlike fibers that also cover grays.

Pro Fix: See your doc to rule out nutritional deficiencies and low-functioning thyroid, and ask about off-label use of Latisse, an FDA-approved topical solution for regrowing lashes.

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Sun damage causes up to 90% of premature skin aging, including dry, loose, papery skin texture, according to board-certified dermatologist Elizabeth K. Hale, MD, a senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation.

DIY Fix: Prevent further damage with daily sunscreen. "It's never too late," Hale says. She cites new studies from Australia and New Zealand, the skin cancer capitals of the world, showing that people who start wearing sunscreen in their 50s and 60s go on to develop less skin crepiness and fewer sunspots and skin cancers. Hale recommends Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting SPF 30, which also has skin-firming peptides and niacinamide.

Pro Fix: Laser resurfacing is the new go-to treatment. "The Halo laser by Sciton is by far the best new treatment for improving overall tone, texture, and pigment irregularities," says Schwartz. It tightens both superficial and deep layers of the skin at once, with only a topical anesthetic, in 30 minutes to an hour. Expect 1 to 3 days of redness depending on the depth of the treatment.

Blame loss of collagen and elastin, which makes skin more brittle; a slower turnover of dead skin cells, causing dullness; less oil production and faster moisture loss; plus any acne scarring—and it's no wonder aging skin is no longer smooth and bright.

DIY Fix: Schwartz recommends retinol. "It's proven to help skin cells turn over more rapidly and retain collagen," he says. "This can also have the effect of improving skin texture, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, and fading dark spots." Try new over-the-counter MD Complete Advanced Wrinkle Corrector, which is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, peptides, and amino acids to boost its skin-smoothing powers.

Pro Fix: The Halo laser is a good bet. As it tightens and firms skin, it also treats pigment irregularities, acne scars, and enlarged pores, and it can be used safely on all skin types, according to Schwartz.

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It's not lack of sleep. It's loss of fat volume where the lower eyelid meets the cheek, and thinning skin, which makes increasingly prominent blood vessels under the eyes that much more visible, according to plastic surgeon Julius Few, MD, founder of the Few Institute for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in New York and Chicago.

DIY Fix: For subtle improvement, choose an eye cream with retinol and hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring sugar, to help thicken the appearance of the lower eyelid skin. A formula with caffeine extracts can help shrink the dilated blood vessels that are partly responsible for the shadows. You're likely to still need concealer, though. (Follow these concealer makeup tips for best results.)

Pro Fix: See a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for injectable fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm Ultra, which are hyaluronic acid fillers that subtly plump the under-area, tenting the skin to hide the dark blood vessels underneath. Results last six months or more. "Fillers are very safe and effective in skilled hands, and the next best thing to surgery," Few says. If you want a longer-lasting fix, go for lower eyelid cosmetic surgery (blepharoplasty).

Genes play a big role, but aging delivers a triple whammy: More fat gathers under the chin, there's less collagen and elastin to keep skin taut, and the neck muscles start to sag, dragging the skin down with it, according to Shridharani.

DIY Fix: Since fat plays a role, good old diet and exercise can help. Neck-firming creams can have some benefit, Shridharani says, especially formulas with light acids and retinols to improve texture and increase collagen production. You'll find these skin-thickening agents and other skin-loving ingredients in Dr. Dennis Gross Ferulic + Retinol Fortifying Neck Emulsion.

Pro Fix: You could get a surgical neck lift or liposuction of the neck, but for noticeable results and a lot less downtime, people are increasingly turning to Kybella, a newly FDA-approved treatment that involves injecting fat-dissolving enzymes into the neck area. "Kybella has been a big hit with patients wanting subtle or dramatic improvements without having to have surgery," Shridharani says. "It works wonderfully to permanently kill fat cells—and patients also get a tightening effect." Expect to need two to four treatments and to experience some swelling and discomfort.

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"As we age and ligaments loosen, the fatty tissue in our cheekbones tends to drop down, making the cheeks look flat, the smile lines more prominent, and creating jowls along the jaw line."

DIY Fix: Not much you can do here except protect against sun damage, which will help maintain the strength and integrity of the skin as long as possible.

Pro Fix: There are two popular options. A fat transfer is a surgical procedure by which fat is harvested from your body (usually the belly, butt, or hip area) and reinjected into the face, most often the cheekbones. It can look very natural, but results tend to vary by practitioner and how well the body establishes a blood supply to the transferred fat. A second option is injections of a dermal filler, usually hyaluronic acid. "My favorite is Juvederm Voluma by Allergan," Schwartz says. "It produces the most natural-looking lift, and the results are seen immediately." Juvederm Voluma can last up to 2 years.

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