Like most other areas of our health, when it comes to keeping the skin looking young and healthy – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As our skin ages, we begin to see wrinkles and fine lines, loss of skin strength and tightness, changes in texture, and uneven pigment. Here are a facial plastic surgeon’s top tips in 2025 to fight these changes and keep your skin youthful and bright:
Neurotoxin – Botox® , Daxxify®, Dysport®, Jeuveau®, Xeomin®
Neurotoxins are medications which are injected into the muscles of the face to prevent movement and block the formation of wrinkles. The magic of these meds is hardly a secret. Neurotoxins are the most performed cosmetic treatment in the USA with roughly 10 million injections per year and steadily growing, and I feel that these meds should be part of nearly every anti-aging regiment. There is very little cosmetic downtime and although temporary, a single treatment can melt away fine lines and wrinkles. Research on identical twins has suggested that repeated use of neurotoxin (over years) can permanently improve overall skin quality and prevent deep wrinkles.[1]
Sunscreen
Light damage to the skin is the main factor (+/- genetics) which results in skin aging – dark spots, wrinkles, and more. Energy from the sun damages collagen and elastin in the skin and also causes DNA mutations which can lead to skin cancer. Sun protection with SPF 30 or greater should be part of everyone’s daily routine regardless of skin tone. Although the skincare market focuses on products that reverse aging, it is much more effective and affordable to focus on prevention!
Why should I wear sunscreen every day?
UVA (the primary driver of aging) penetrates clouds and glass – so sunscreen is important on rainy and cloudy days. One of my favorite clinical trials randomly assigned 900 people to use sunscreen every day or at their own choice – the 442 people who used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin aging after 4.5 years – 24% less than the other group! [2]
Medical Grade Skincare
The nitty gritty of medical grade skincare is beyond the scope of this list, but I tell my patients – your routine does not need to be overly complicated! For most people, 80% of the results can be obtained with 20% of the effort. Vitamin A (retinol/tretinoin) is the most well studied and proven anti-aging medical cream and should be a top priority – but it isn’t tolerated by all skin types. Find a simple cleanser, moisturizer, and peptide or Vitamin C serum that fits your skin type to see a boost in overall skin quality with more collagen production, more even pigment, and fewer fine lines without a medicine cabinet full of products.
Microneedling (with growth factors!)
Microneedling devices make tiny punctures in the skin to stimulate collagen production and improve fine lines, skin texture, and break-up scars. Because microneedling works under the skin’s surface, this is a great treatment for those looking for minimal downtime. Most patients have redness and swelling for 48 hours or less. It is also a great way to deliver skin boosting compounds that would otherwise not penetrate the top layer of skin. Some of the most common anti-aging compounds we use with microneedling are PRP/PRF, nanofat stem cells, growth factor serums, peptides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin c, niacinamide, and more.
Chemical Peels/Lasers
Periodic skin resurfacing is the next critical step to maintaining your youthful skin. Resurfacing means intentionally causing a controlled injury to the skin in order to stimulate the skin to turnover and produce collagen, elastin, and overall younger/healthier skin cells. Most of my patients on a maintenance plan choose to lightly resurface the skin with a peel or laser once every year or two. Deeper resurfacing is more powerful and usually performed every 2-3 years if necessary or desired. Some of my favorite resurfacing lasers and Erbium-YAG and CO2. Chemical peels containing custom combinations of trichloroacetic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and citric acid are most commonly used in my practice.
Diet and Exercise
Bonus! I couldn’t miss this one. Many people don’t want to hear it, but this is probably the most important item on this list. The nutrients we eat are essential to maintain skin health and heal damaged skin. Supplements can help, but there’s no substitute for a balanced diet. Exercise has a whole range of health benefits but also directly generates chemical signals in our body which increase skin elasticity and thickness. [3] There is no shortcut to this step!
Every face is different, but for most people, some combination of these tips is the key to keeping your skin looking young. Just as important as what is on this list is what is not. Trust your face to a facial plastic surgeon or physician with the expertise and training to guide you. Avoid the fads and stick with the treatments that are scientifically proven to be both safe and effective!
Disclaimer: This blog does not constitute medical advice and no doctor-patient relationship is formed by reading it. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Additional facts or future developments may affect subjects contained within this blog post. Before acting or relying upon any information within this publication, seek the advice of a medical doctor.
References
- Rivkin A, Binder WJ. Long-term effects of onabotulinumtoxinA on facial lines: a 19-year experience of identical twins. Dermatol Surg. 2015 Jan;41 Suppl 1:S64-6
- Hughes MC, Williams GM, Baker P, Green AC. Sunscreen and prevention of skin aging: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Jun 4;158(11):781-90.
- Nishikori S, Yasuda J, Murata K, Takegaki J, Harada Y, Shirai Y, Fujita S. Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 23;13(1):10214.