Your best anti-aging practices by the decade

Overview: Let’s face it. What you do to age well in your 20s will be different than the skincare regimen you follow in your 40s or 50s. For every decade, we have tips and treatments to keep you looking as young as you feel.

A good anti-aging plan focuses on prevention, consistency and matching treatments for your age, skin type and goals. The biggest improvements usually come from combining daily skincare with selected in-office treatments.

Here are some recommendations and treatments to consider from the experts at MercyOne Genesis Medical Spa.

In your 20s - Prevention

Use daily:

• Broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 minimum- every day (This is your most important anti-aging product).
• Gentle cleanser
• Vitamin C serum in the morning
• Moisturizer
• Retinoid or retinol (Use two to three nights per week, increasing to nightly as tolerated.) 

Skincare routine: What products, in what order?

Medical spa treatments:

• HydraFacial every four to eight weeks
• Light chemical peels three to six times per year
• Microneedling for acne scars or prevention one to three times per year

In your 30s - Early correction

Add to your daily routine:

• Prescription tretinoin cream or stronger retinoids
• Hyaluronic acid serum for hydration
• Peptides or growth factor serums

Medical spa treatments:

• Neurotoxins, such as Botox, Daxxify or Jeuveau, for dynamic wrinkles or expression lines. Start using when lines remain at rest and treat every three to four months. 
• Chemical peels every one to three months
• Microneedling – A series of three treatments and then every six to 12 months
• IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or BBL (Broadband Light) photofacials for sun damage, one to three treatments initially and then annually.

In your 40s - Collagen preservation

Continue using:

• Daily sunscreen
• Retinol nightly
• Vitamin C serum and antioxidants

Medical spa treatments:

• An injectable neurotoxin every three to four months
• Fillers (hyaluronic acid): Lips every six to 12 months; cheeks and jawline every one to two years
• Microneedling with radiofrequency - one to three treatments per year
• Fractional laser resurfacing, such as Clear and Brilliant, two to four treatments a year
• IPL/BBL photofacials – annually

In your 50s and up - Rejuvenation and maintenance

Daily skincare:

• Morning: Gentle cleanser, vitamin C serum, growth factor or peptide serum, moisturizer and sunscreen (SPF 30 minimum)
• Evening: Cleanser, tretinoin, rich moisturizer, neck and chest care

Medical spa treatments:

• Neurotoxin - every three to four months
• Biostimulator- every one to two years
• Fillers- as needed every 12 to 24 months
• Laser- two to four times a year and IPL or BBL annually
• Microneedling - one to two times a year/year
• HydraFacials – monthly

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Here’s a sample well-aging schedule for someone in their 50s:

• Daily:  SPF 30 minimum, Vitamin C, tretinoin
• Monthly: HydraFacial
• Every three to four months: neurotoxin
• Twice yearly: IPL/BBL or fractional laser resurfacing
• Bi-annually: biostimulator maintenance

Anti-aging treatments with strongest scientific support

With so many anti-aging products and treatments out there, it’s good to know which ones have the strongest scientific backing. There are also healthy habits you can adopt now that will help you keep a more youthful glow as you grow older. Here’s a rundown:

Essential

• Sunscreen

Strong evidence

• Medical-grade retinoid (starting in your 20s and 30s)
• Vitamin C serum
• Neurotoxins/neuromodulators
• Fractional laser resurfacing
• IPL/BBL
• Microneedling

Medium evidence

• Hyaluronic acid fillers
• Biostimulators
• Peptides and growth factors

Lifestyle practices that matter most

• Avoid smoking and vaping.
• Limit alcohol.
• Exercise regularly (especially strength training).
• Eat a protein-rich, Mediterranean-style diet.
• Maintain a stable weight.
• Sleep seven to nine hours each night.
• Manage stress.
• Wear hats and sunglasses and avoid tanning beds. 

Everyone has different skin needs and concerns. Having a recommended, personalized plan of treatments and products to work with your budget, goals and schedule can provide natural-looking results by preserving collagen and skin quality rather than trying to reverse changes after they become advanced.

Learn more about MercyOne Aesthetic Care