Medically Reviewed June 2023, by Dr Benedetta Brazzini, for sk:n. Next review due June 2024.

Medically reviewed by Dr Tariq Sumrein.

Wrinkles are a natural part of growing older, although, developing them at a younger age does happen. Premature wrinkles are a cruel reminder that we need to take good care of our skin to prevent them from worsening sooner than planned. 

Wrinkles at a young age reasons

Premature ageing is the process where the skin’s condition declines earlier than usual and this results in lines, creases and folds forming in the skin at a younger age.

It’s normal that at 25, the first wrinkles begin to appear and these are often prominent on areas exposed to the sun – like the face, neck, chest and hands – or on the facial muscles that are used a lot – like the eyes, mouth and eyebrows. 

In your 30s, you can usually expect your skin to change further and become more prone to developing horizontal wrinkles on the forehead, known as glabellar lines. As your skin matures, these wrinkles begin to look visibly more pronounced and form in deeper furrows and folds than before.

When premature wrinkles appear, the causes can vary from individual to individual, but it is usually due to:

• Genetics – genetics play a large role in skin structure, so if your parents had wrinkles from a young age, you may also develop them earlier.
• Excessive sun exposure – when your skin is unprotected against the sun, ultraviolet light radiation breaks down the skin’s connective tissues and causes the declination of collagen and elastin. These are essential proteins that keep the skin strong, firm and youthful. 
• Smoking – cigarettes accelerate the skin’s ageing process and have a very damaging effect on collagen production. Smoking is one of the top reasons for premature wrinkling.
• Environmental pollutants – prolonged exposure to air pollution can cause oxidative stress in the body which leads to an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Smog, vehicle exhaust fumes, dust and soot, therefore, all contribute to an early wrinkled appearance. 
• Repeated facial expressions – smiling, squinting, laughing and frowning can cause wrinkles and if your skin genetically ages faster, your skin cannot spring back into place as it once did.

How to prevent wrinkles at a young age

The best methods for preventing wrinkles alter slightly depending on age. We have outlined the most helpful tips for 20s and 30 year olds and the type of wrinkles you have below:

Preventing forehead wrinkles at 20

Generally in your 20s, you have high levels of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in your body, however, preventative measures need to be taken, to ensure these levels don’t diminish early. Some key things to do are:

• Use hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid has been heralded for restoring moisture retention and its firming and plumping abilities. As glabellar lines are developed from elastin and collagen breakdown, having a strong anti-ageing skincare regime is essential to keep deep forehead wrinkles from developing at a young age.  Other collagen-boosting ingredients are: retinol, peptides and matrixyl (a peptide derivative that stimulates the growth of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid). 
• Invest in a jade roller. Whilst the efficacy of jade rollers alone is disputed, they may work to enhance the active ingredients in your skincare products. Semi-precious stones, like jade and rose quartz, have deep histories in holistic medicine. They are known for their skin-healing abilities and although this sounds unconvincing, they are now used to help promote lymphatic circulation and massage the face. Facial massages have some ability to tone and tighten the face so this may help to improve the appearance of forehead lines.
• Always wear SPF. Sun exposure and smoking are the main culprits for wrinkled skin. Wearing SPF can help build a barrier against environmental pollution too.
• Undergo preventative treatments. Non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatments can help to prevent future wrinkles. HydraFacials, skin peels and Spectra Laser Peels are professional level facials that are most suitable for diminishing forehead lines and preventing the recurrence of them.

Preventing forehead wrinkles at 30

At 30, your skin begins to lose more elasticity and may be prone to spouts of hyperpigmentation. At this age, you know your skin well, you’re wearing SPF daily and you have a jade roller, but you still have forehead lines. The most recommended advice is to finely tune your skincare regime. Here’s how:

• Detox your skincare regime. Omit any products that aren’t doing anything for your skin. Logically, having lots of skincare products should ensure the ultimate protection and anti-aged complexion but this isn’t always the case. You should invest in a day and night cream – especially for forehead wrinkles. Night creams are essential as they help to nourish and rejuvenate your skin overnight. They also focus on water restoration and pigmentation correction. 
• Professional treatments. In your 30s, we recommend treatments with immediate results. Our anti-ageing injectables can help to calm overactive muscles that contribute to deep forehead lines. If you prefer a non-injectable approach, we offer other alternatives like microdermabrasion, microneedling and laser resurfacing. All three of these treatments work to revitalise the skin and encourage skin cell renewal to alleviate wrinkles.

Preventing under eye wrinkles at 20

In your 20s, preventative measures need to be taken to avoid the worsening of eyelid wrinkles. This can be helped by living healthily, using eye smoothing skincare products, tools and non-invasive treatments.

• Your diet can play a role in an aged eye area. By incorporating a high vitamin K diet, including lots of water, green vegetables and antioxidants, it may help to brighten tired looking eyes. 
• Certain skincare products like caffeine, hyaluronic acid, peptides and vitamin A are key ingredients to look out for too. Eye rollers and eye strips are also helpful in boosting moisture and smoothening the under eyelid area. They are especially effective if you use them with collagen-firming products too. 

At sk:n we have a range of clinical-level skincare products developed for specific age groups, browse our shop here. 

Preventing under eye wrinkles at 25 – 30 

Between the ages 25 – 30s, the skin progressively loses more elasticity year after year, causing it to sag, droop and become more lined than before. An intuitive skin care approach can be taken and we have plenty of skincare products for 25-30 year olds. 

As a lot of skin damage has already been done (no matter how unintentionally) – visible, fast action should be taken to avoid any further development of deep wrinkles. As you know what works best for your skin, we can help by recommending a range of solutions to help you match the right treatment to your preferences.

• Tear trough fillers – especially made for targeting wrinkles in the eye area. Helps to reverse the signs of ageing by stimulating collagen production and smoothing undereye wrinkles.
• HydraFacial – a professional level facial to brighten, tighten and deeply clean your whole complexion. Helps to improve lymphatic circulation too.
• Skin peels – reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and floods the skin with amazing anti-ageing ingredients to encourage skin regeneration. 

Here at sk:n we follow strict medical standards to ensure that only the safest and highest quality of treatments are delivered in appropriate, clinical environments by highly trained and experienced practitioners. We employ over 300 nurses and practitioners to carry out these treatments, with many of the nurses already meeting the governments new proposed minimum qualification standard of Level 7 – the educational equivalent to a master’s degree.

To read more about the new government changes and our partnership with the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners click here.

Click here for information on how to get rid of wrinkles at a young age or have a consultation with one of our dermatologists for an expert-led conversation on premature wrinkles and what to do.     

Key Learnings

• Prevention is key in helping reduce early onset wrinkles
• Premature wrinkles can be caused by intrinsic factors, like genetics, but can also be influenced by external elements, like smoking and sun exposure
• A strong anti-ageing skincare regime is essential for those with premature wrinkles
• The best way to remove wrinkles from a young age is by having professional facials and treatments to completely combat their occurrence