Premature wrinkles in 20s, what now?

are you male or female because women seems to age faster just wondering

Hi,

First off, the first step on the road to reversing your sun damage is precisely to stop tanning (damaging your skin like that) and to start wearing a sunscreen every day, even in winter. This way you know beyond a doubt that you are doing what you can to prevent from adding to your existing damage.

In your situation though, I would also have a chat about your skin with a dermatologist. You can discuss laser resurfacing to reverse the visible damage you sustained but should also be assessed for skin cancer risk and keep a close eye on any changes you see anywhere on your skin.

Just wondering if you objectively look much older and/or have that much sun damage or whether this is simply your personal assessment. It's always a good idea to swing by a good dermatologist in cases like this, for a more objective assessment and recommendations for treatment. If you're looking for a fresher face though, something like a salicylic peel can never hurt anyone, and would be suitable if you just think you need some refreshment as it were. If mind you you do have actual damage, then something like dermarolling or a TCA peel might be worth considering for you. There's also Dermafrac which combines several interesting cosmetic treatments. And yes, do use a sunscreen.

Hello. I just had this discussion with a friend. We are the same age. She looks 10 years older than me because of her wrinkles (people always ask if she's my older sister). We figured out our daily differences.  -We both drink more water than anyone we know -I wear a serum, eye cream, lotion, and sun block everyday / She hates lotions and oils so wears nothing.  -I wear serum, eye cream, night cream / She splashes water on her face.  -I hate sun tanning (I would rather hike with a hat)/ She sun baths without sunscreen -I get facials 3 times a year / she's never had one and won't lol

Keeping your face hydrated and protected will take you far. Luckily my mom worked for makeup companies like MAC, Channel, and such, so I learned at a young age. But it's never too late to start. Good luck. And don't worry, a lot of wrinkles are reversible at our age. Just eat healthy and take care of yourself. 

Hello and thank you for replying to my thread! All of you! I appreciate it. The post by LonelyLotus to which I am replying stood out to me for two reasons though, and that is because you said your mom worked for reputable makeup companies and because you said there are ways to reverse wrinkles. Is this really true? Without extensive procedures such as some kind of plastic surgery?

I do drink lots of water FWIW. I also eat a healthy and balanced diet now, though have not always done so, and also exercise regularly. I don't get facials. Is that what I should be doing? What else might you recommend for me?

Hiya that's rough. I'm sorry. I know that for ME, and I mean I don't smoke no more, most definitely don't use no tanning beds, do have the odd drink regularly and a bit too much on the weekends LOL, and do have a chronic lack of sleep as well as a fair bit of stress in my life... well, my SKIN looks better when I feel better. For real. For me that means making self care a priority. Actually more so when I do not have the time than when I do. That's when I need it most, you know? To take care of:

• Nutrition - no fast food, plenty of greens, plenty proteins
• Sleep - take care to get at least 8 hours!
• Destress - take care to do something just for you like a nice bath with a bath bomb, get hair dyed, blablabla, whatever's good for you
• Exercise - don't skip this either. You look better when you exercise
• Skincare - don't neglect to take your makeup off at night or stuff like that just cause you feel stressed/under the weather/whatever. Take care of your skin. For dehydrated skin which can give the appearance of premature wrinkles that aren't actually really there, at least not permanently, please consider hyaluronic acid which is pretty awesome.

When I was 23, I started noticing wrinkles. They were around my eyes mainly but also on my forehead to a lesser extent. It really upset me. I found my first grey hair a few years later as well. Both things were a big deal. Now I'm 34 and loving my body a lot more. Yes, I am older and look it, but I also know that I take care of my body and soul and I do feel beautiful. I have more wrinkles than the laughable few I considered a problem in my early 20s. And yet I don't care.

Sure, it is possible that you have excessive wrinkles, that you need a lifestyle change or even that you have a medical condition. More likely though you are just feeling insecure about your body right now. Why not try to see in friends' faces what you see in your own? You may be surprised at what you find.

Women seem to age faster? You have to be kidding! I don't think women age faster at all, I just think that there's a kind of thinking in which wrinkles and grey hair are sexy and handsome on a guy, and a sign of being over the hill for a gal. Women are are expected to look like they're in their 20s or 30s forever basically, expected to get fillers, hair dye, to work out all the time, wear anti-aging makeup and creams and so on, and there just isn't that same pressure on men at all. This is not because women age faster but because men apparently want women to look young forever.

I fell victim to this train of thought in my 30s as well. I felt like I needed to do something to reverse or freeze aging. Actually I should never have stressed about that at all. Taking good care of your skin? Great! Extreme measures to look young? Only if you really want to, not for society.

hmm good answer im at a lost for words right now i think you misconstrued me .women seems to get older faster because they worry too much about their looks and stress out more .theres always something in their mind and looks is one of them .if they would relax more like us men do maybe they wouldnt get old and wrinkle so fast .also i think our skin is more tougher than women that could be it too i dont think society has nothing to do with why women get older faster than men .

I'm not saying all wrinkles are, and at some age we're bound to have them. But yes, taking care of yourself makes a changeable difference. Make sure to love the laughing wrinkles though, means you're enjoying life.

What cream do you recommend, what serum? I have heard a lot about hyaluronic acid serum lately as well as vitamin C serum. You can get serums where both are combined in one and that really appeals to me. Vitamin C is meant to perk the skin right now, and even reduces pigmentation, which also helps you look younger, and hyaluronic acid is there to attract more moist to your skin and plumpen it out, basically. I have not tried it yet though. I'm also considering retin A which is great against acne and age signs in one, they say, but it requires a prescription.

I am sorry you are dealing with this.

In your situation, I would have no qualms about seeing a doctor about this and trying to get it covered by insurance. This is not just a cosmetic thing, it is worrying and might even be the sign of a medical issue. I am not sure whether treatments such as laser, face lift, dermabrasion, and so on are available for you. That would depend on the underlying cause. But I would definitely see a doctor.

Hiya OP, I don't know if you've been back here or if you're frustrated that there doesn't seem to be a quick and easy solution for this thing, which I'd totes be 'cause who wants wrinkles before they're even old, but I am wondering if you have an update perhaps? If you've seen your GP or a dermatologist, I'm sure loadsa people could benefit from hearing what they said and what you are planning to do next. If you have any idea what the cause is then that'd be interesting to hear about as well...

FYI, these are the most common reasons for premature aging:
1. Sun exposure
2. Smoking
3. Too much alcohol

You will notice things like less elastic skin, sun spots, leathery skin, blotchy patches, red blotches on the cheeks, wrinkles that only go away when you go out of your way to stretch the skin tight, etc. The best bet you have is to start taking care of your body as well as you can. More tea, less alcohol, no smoking, always use a sunscreen, eat healthily, all those things. If you are not smoking, drinking or spending lots of time in the sun there may be something else going on and you will definitely want to see a doctor to find out what.