Our bodies change a lot as we age, including our skin. Women may think their skincare routine from their early 20s is still good enough in their 30s, but you’ll most likely have to make some adjustments as early signs of aging develop on your skin.
In your 30s, you may start to notice fine lines, frown lines, and wrinkles appearing around your eyes, forehead, and the mouth and lip area. Your undereyes may appear darker, and your lower eyelids may start to pouch and become more prominent than they were before. In addition, hyperpigmentation such as brown spots from sun damage or melasma (which is hormonally driven) may begin to surface.
For some women, these signs of aging may sound overwhelming. Fortunately, a proper skincare routine combined with appropriate cosmetic treatments can help improve the appearance and health of skin and slow down the signs of aging.
The Importance of a Skincare Routine for Women Over 30
Women in their 30s likely have more responsibilities and stress related to their family, career, finances, and other factors. The stresses of life, combined with lack of sleep, can quickly affect your complexion. In addition, your hormone levels also begin to fluctuate, and collagen and elastin production rates decrease.
Because of these changes, your skin typically doesn’t bounce back like it once did. The supportive tissues—the bone and fat—in your face may begin to gradually diminish, leading to volume loss and complexion changes. Your skin might also become newly dry or oily, or you may develop one or more of the following:
- Wrinkles
- Fine lines
- Adult acne
- Pigmentation
- Rosacea
Therefore, it’s important for women in their 30s to have a daily skincare routine. If you’ve been slacking in your skincare routine, it’s never too late to start caring for your complexion. While your skin’s previous appearance can contribute to the aging process, plenty of skincare products and MedCosmetic treatment options can help to rebalance your complexion and combat dehydrated or oily skin.
The 4 Best Cosmetic Treatments for Women in Their 30s
You can’t stop your skin from aging; however, you can influence the rate and extent it ages with cosmetic treatments, anti-aging facial treatments, and other skincare products. If you want to have lifelong healthy skin and look as young as desired for as long as possible—while also reducing your risk of skin lesions or cancer—it’s recommended that you take care of your complexion now.
As a cosmetic treatment provider in the Kansas City area, Mirabile M.D. recommends cosmetic treatments and other anti-aging preventative strategies to women as young as 30. These treatments can be extremely beneficial since they can help slow down and even reverse signs of skin aging.
There may be some stigma around women seeking cosmetic treatments while they are younger. We want all of our patients to know that, just like washing and moisturizing your face daily, cosmetic treatments early on can offer huge benefits for your skin both in its health and appearance.
Below, we’ll detail some common treatment options we recommend for women in their 30s to keep their skin looking fresh and young.
1. Cosmetic Injectables
Beginning cosmetic injectables in your 30s, like Botox and Dysport, is a great preventative measure for your skin. These treatments can help lessen the overall depth and severity of wrinkles in the long term. Botox and Dysport are both neuromodulators, meaning they are safe and effective for smoothing facial wrinkles.
During your 30s, you’ll start to notice expression lines like frown lines, crow’s feet, forehead lines, and smile lines between the mouth and nose. These lines progress to being permanently present on your face even while at rest. Botox and Dysport can help treat these fine lines by visibly smoothing and softening wrinkles.
Botox and Dysport are applied through injection with a tiny needle. The medication helps to temporarily relax facial muscles and reduce muscle contractions in the areas that cause wrinkles. These cosmetic injectables typically last three to four months, and with repeated treatment, can help to improve and slow down the formation of wrinkles.
2. Chemical Peels
Chemical peels, like the VI Peel, can be performed on many skin areas, including the face, neck, and hands. This skin treatment is typically used to improve your skin’s overall health and texture by tightening and toning. It can also help to treat:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Certain types of acne
- Sun damage
- Mild acne scarring
- Melasma and age spots
- Hyperpigmentation
When receiving a chemical peel, a chemical solution is applied to your complexion to destroy the skin’s outer layer and help stimulate rapid skin cell growth. Our chemical peels are ideal for all skin types, including darker skin, and there are three different options we offer: the traditional VI Peel, the VI Acne Peel, which purifies skin that is blemish-prone, and the VI Peel Precision Plus, which is designed to treat stubborn hyperpigmentation and melasma.
3. Laser and Radiofrequency
Loss of collagen and elastic fiber can begin as early as your 20s, eventually causing wrinkles, loss of skin firmness, and enlarged pore sizes. Starting early with laser and radiofrequency treatments can improve skin appearance and reduce the need for invasive treatment later.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), also known as a photo facial, helps to correct skin imperfections like redness, sun damage, rosacea, dark spots, and freckles on multiple areas of the body, including the face, neck, chest, and other areas. Vascular issues, like port wine stains, spider veins, and leg telangiectasias, can also be corrected using IPL.
Clear & Brilliant treatment uses a gentle laser to create microscopic treatment areas on your skin, replacing damaged skin cells with younger, healthier-looking tissue. This treatment can reduce pore size, the appearance of fine lines, and other signs of aging by increasing collagen production over time.
4. Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers, like Juvéderm, Restylane, and Radiesse, can add volume to your complexion, improve facial asymmetry, improve the appearance of dark undereye circles, brighten your complexion, and provide fuller lips. Juvéderm and Restylane filler products can help to smooth wrinkles around the nose and mouth and are used for lip augmentation, including correction of asymmetry and adding fullness and definition to the lip. Radiesse is great for reducing fine lines and wrinkles as well as fold.
Your Morning Skincare Routine After 30
In addition to considering skin treatments, skincare in your 30s should also include a daily routine to prevent damage and keep your skin looking healthy.
Every woman’s skin is different, so a skincare routine for one person may not be ideal for someone else. Products may vary across routines depending on what works best for you; some may not experience irritation, dark spots, or breakouts as they get older, while others may be more susceptible.
It’s ideal if your morning skincare routine includes the following steps:
- Light Cleanse: You’ll want to choose a mild cleanser that draws moisture into your skin and doesn’t strip it of its natural lipids. Key ingredients to look for include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, all of which moisturize and protect your skin and reduce sun damage. If your skin feels tight or looks extremely red after washing, your cleanser is too harsh.
- Toner: After cleansing, use an alcohol-free toner to remove any other dirt or residue your cleanser may have missed. The best toners for your skin usually include antioxidants, exfoliating acids, and anti-inflammatories.
- Hydrating Serum: Facial serums help to reduce fine lines and correct uneven skin tone. They also hydrate your skin and up your environmental protection against the sun.
- Moisturize: Use a specialized face moisturizer, like a day cream, to bring hydration to your skin. Keep in mind that you’ll always want to apply creams from lightest to heaviest. It’s best to moisturize after applying serum and before applying SPF.
- SPF: The best skincare routine for your 30s always includes SPF. Products like broad-spectrum sunscreen will help protect you against UV rays, reducing sun damage and protecting skin tissue.
Your Evening Skincare Routine After 30
Just like you take care of your skin in the morning before you start your day, it’s best to also have a nightly skincare routine before you go to bed. Consider these skincare steps in your 30s for your nightly routine:
- Removing Makeup: It’s important to remove your makeup at the very beginning of your evening skincare routine. Your skin undergoes a renewing process while you sleep, and leaving makeup on can prevent this from happening and may cause further damage to your skin. Instead of using makeup wipes, remove your makeup with an oil cleanser that’s lighter on your skin and less likely to irritate it. Oil-based cleansers are the best option for removing makeup because they help to deep clean your complexion without disrupting your skin’s natural microbiome.
- Cleansing and Exfoliating: Use a light cleanser and toner-exfoliator to improve wrinkles and excess pigments. Exfoliating helps clean your pores and hydrate your skin, but it’s important to find a gentle product to avoid any harsh irritation.
- Hydrating Serum: Like using a serum in your morning routine, you’ll want to use one at night to offer additional hydration for your complexion.
- Night Cream: Hydrating night creams help to support your skin’s regeneration process and make it more efficient so that your skin is properly moisturized.
- Eye Cream: These creams are made to be gentle on the skin around your eyes. They deliver active ingredients as other moisturizers do, but they’re made to be gentle on thinner skin and treat fine lines and wrinkles.
What to Avoid in Your Skincare Routine After 30
You should avoid any harsh skincare products that cause redness, reactions, or other irritation. It’s best to avoid makeup wipes and opt for a gentler way to remove your makeup since these wipes can be incredibly abrasive and disturb the natural barrier function of your skin, causing dehydration and sensitivity. If you are traveling and need to use makeup wipes out of convenience, it’s best to do so sparingly.
At Mirabile M.D., we want all women to feel comfortable in their skin and enjoy a youthful complexion for as long as possible. To learn more information, or to schedule an appointment, contact us today at 913-888-7546.
