Fine lines and wrinkles develop over time, but you can lessen them with the right products. Using sunscreen, retinoids, and moisturizers with hyaluronic acid can decrease their appearance.

Your 20s

As you get older, your skin will age, but sometimes aging can happen earlier—known as premature aging. It's possible for wrinkles to form in your 20s due to lifestyle factors or from repeated expressions (i.e., concentration or anger may create dynamic wrinkles between your eyebrows, sometimes called "elevens.") Fortunately, you can do something about premature aging.

1. Use Sunscreen 

Wear SPF 30 or higher whenever you're outside, regardless of the weather or time of year. Blocking ultraviolet (UV) rays prevents collagen—the network of tissue deep within the skin that keeps the surface plump and line-free—from breaking down and creating deeper lines.1

If you have sensitive skin, look for products with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. They are gentler than their chemical counterparts, like oxybenzone or avobenzone.2

2. Add Glycolic Acid or Salicylic Acid to Your Routine

Both ingredients can exfoliate your skin and help keep it smooth.3 Swipe your skin with a saturated pad after cleansing and before applying sunscreen—one to try: Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix.

3. Wear Your Sunglasses

If you shield your eyes from the sun, you can save yourself from squinting-induced fine lines later. You can do so by wearing the appropriate sunglasses to protect your eyes. Choose sunglasses that:4

• Cover the skin area around your eyes
• Fit comfortably
• Stay in place

Your 30s

You may see fine lines around your eyes and 11s between your eyebrows during your 30s. Also, people with lighter skin tend to see lines earlier than those with darker complexions, possibly because more melanin in the skin equals more wrinkle protection.5

4. Add a Retinoid 

Retinoids are substances derived from retinol (vitamin A) that have anti-wrinkle effects.6 Over-the-counter (OTC) creams with retinol, like Eve Lom Time Retreat Intensive Night Cream, are gentler than prescription retinoids (like Retin-A), so they're suitable for sensitive skin.

To minimize irritation, begin applying every other night and work up to nightly use. Daytime use of retinoids can increase skin sensitivity to sun exposure.7

5. Use Products That Don't Clog Pores

Mineral and other oils tend to clog up pores. Clogged pores trigger acne but also stretch out pores, which happens when you age as well.8 Ultimately, longer pores can connect and create spaces on the face that look like wrinkles.9

Non-comedogenic products are those that won't clog pores. Look for products to use with the words "non-comedogenic," "oil-free," or "won't clog pores" on the label.8

6. Quit Smoking and Avoid Secondhand Smoke

Quitting smoking and limiting your exposure to secondhand smoke can allow you to see fewer wrinkles. Both smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke have been linked to wrinkle formation. Also, the longer you smoke and the more cigarettes you smoke, the more wrinkles you can have.10

Your 40s

This decade might bring more pronounced wrinkles. Because the skin becomes drier with age, fine lines and wrinkles increasingly appear.11

7. Opt for a Serum With Growth Factors

Not to be confused with growth hormones, growth factors are polypeptides—proteins made of amino acids—in the body. They are produced naturally by the skin and help repair it.12

Your skin makes less of these substances as you age. However, research has shown that using a serum with growth factors, like PCA Skin Rejuvenating Serum, nets you fewer wrinkles and creases.13

8. Consider Antioxidants

You may be aware of antioxidant benefits for chronic disease prevention, but antioxidants can also be protective against skin wrinkles. For example, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) can exfoliate the skin and improve the appearance of surface lines and wrinkles.14

9. Lather on Moisturizer

Moisturizers can offer hydration when your skin becomes drier.11 Look for a cream with ingredients that plump the skin, such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin. You may also want to invest in separate moisturizers for nighttime and daytime use.

Your 50s

You may notice that forehead lines become more profound, the 11s and crow's feet are more prominent, and creases start to form at the corners of the mouth. Also, if you're going through menopause, the change in estrogen levels can reduce collagen production.15

10. Find a Trusted Dermatologist

A good dermatologist can ensure you're using the right products. They can also make changes to your nightly retinoid dose if needed so you get the best results.

11. Try To Get Quality Sleep

Sleep is important for reducing wrinkles. Not getting enough sleep can lead to increased fine lines, but your skin has the chance to renew itself when you get adequate sleep.1611

Unfortunately, how you sleep changes as you age; you can have a hard time getting the sleep you need. Still, having good sleep hygiene—like waking up and going to bed at the same time daily and sleeping in a cool, comfortable area—can help you reach quality sleep.17

12. Exercise Regularly

Adding workouts to your weekly routine benefits your physical health, including the appearance of your skin. Exercise improves blood flow throughout the body, which can help give your skin an instant glow.18

Recommendations for exercise include doing cardio exercise for at least 150 minutes during the week. It's also essential to add strength training for at least two days of the week.19

Wrinkle Treatment Procedures

Lifestyle changes might not be enough to get the results you want when it comes to your fine lines. The following treatments may be helpful for more dramatic results.

Botulinum Toxin Therapy

Dispensed under Botox, Dysport, Rejuveau, Myobloc, and Xeomin, this neuromodulator turns off the signals that tell your facial muscles to tense and squint. After about a week, a couple of shots in critical areas can soften wrinkles by preventing the movements that cause them.20

A dermatologist may apply a numbing cream before the injections. The best course of treatment is having the therapy every three to six months, but over time, your lines may become more shallow even when it wears off.20

You may be a good candidate for this treatment if you have frown lines between the eyebrows or crow's feet.21 However, side effects after botulinum toxin therapy may include:20

• Bruising
• Mild headache, which is uncommon
• Redness
• Signs of botulism, like breathing or swallowing problems
• Soreness or swelling
• Weakness in nearby facial muscles

Fillers

Hyaluronic-acid dermal fillers—sold as Juvéderm, Perlane, and Restylane—differ from Botox. While neuromodulators prevent you from making wrinkle-causing expressions, dermal fillers fill existing wrinkles. They can also add volume to sagging cheeks and plump up undereye hollows.22  

A dermatologist numbs the skin, then injects filler as needed. Over time, the fillers may stimulate collagen production, softening wrinkles.23 If you're unhappy, the dermatologist can dissolve most of those fillers.

People looking to reduce aging signs like scars and fine lines can be good candidates for this treatment.22 Results are immediate and last one to two years, and the cost may be $800 and up per treated area.

Filler treatment has short-term side effects, such as bruising, redness or swelling, and tenderness. However, more serious side effects can happen if a person receives fillers from an inexperienced provider or beyond a medical setting. Those effects may include:24

• Allergic reactions
• Infection
• Lumps or ridges
• Over-filled areas
• Severe swelling

The most serious complication from filler injection is direct intravenous injection. This can lead to tissue death and, most dramatically, blindness.