The tried and tested secrets to reversing your skin age

Having people think you’re younger than you actually are, has been a blessing and a curse. In my 20s, I felt like people didn’t always take me seriously, but now I’m in my 40s I’m thankful for my youthful looks. People assume I’m in my late 20s or early 30s, but I can now confirm following a recent skin scan, that my skin age is a whole decade younger than my biological age.

Is it simply a case of good genetics, or has my longstanding skincare regime played more of a role? I put my non-negotiable skincare habits, treatments and lifestyle practices to the experts to get their take—here’s what they had to say…

Tretinoin

I’ve been using prescription tretinoin solidly for the last two years, and it’s the one active I can say for certain has transformed my skin. I get fewer acne breakouts, and my skin is smoother and more even in tone, plus I’m sure it’s helped to ward off lines and wrinkles.

The expert’s verdict

“Tretinoin is a vitamin A derivative like retinol, but the fundamental difference is that tretinoin is already retinoic acid, the biologically active form the skin can use directly. Retinol first has to be converted into retinaldehyde and then into retinoic acid, which means its effectiveness depends on the formulation, its stability and how efficiently your skin makes that conversion. Tretinoin bypasses all of that and gets straight to work.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that tretinoin simply exfoliates the skin—in fact, it actually changes how skin cells behave, regulating cell turnover and supporting collagen production deeper within the skin. It also reduces the activity of the enzymes that break down collagen following UV exposure, which is one of the reasons it has such a strong evidence base for photoageing, fine lines and texture.

“For someone in their 40s dealing with breakouts, congestion and pigmentation at the same time as collagen loss and skin ageing, it can address all of those concerns simultaneously, and long-term tretinoin use has been shown to increase epidermal thickness, collagen production and dermal remodelling. When used consistently at the right strength, alongside good barrier support and daily broad-spectrum SPF, it is one of the most powerful tools for keeping skin looking younger for longer.”

Teresa O’Nwere-Tan, Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Clinical Director at Tan&Co.

SPF

For a few years in my late teens, I developed a sunbed addiction, but after coming to my senses I made daily SPF a non-negotiable. Come rain or shine, I never skip my daily dose of sun protection. It’s taken me a while to find formulas that work on my sensitive, acne prone skin, but I credit my diligence as part of the reason why I’ve managed to keep sun spots, and lines and wrinkles at bay.

The expert’s verdict

“Every time you’re exposed to ultraviolet radiation and you’re not wearing sun protection, your skin will experience biological stress, even when there is no visible redness or sunburn. UVB acts predominantly within the top layer of the skin and can directly damage cellular DNA, while UVA penetrates deeply into the middle layer, where it generates reactive oxygen species that damage DNA, cell membranes and proteins.

“This activates enzymes called matrix metalloproteinases, which break down collagen and interfere with the skin’s ability to produce and organise new collagen effectively. The skin has sophisticated repair mechanisms, but these are not perfect; with repeated exposure day after day, year after year, damage accumulates faster than the skin can repair.

“Often this exposure is compounded by the fact that people don’t appreciate how significant incidental daily exposure is: UVA passes straight through glass, so driving or sitting near a window, and walking to work all count. Studies suggest that up to 80 per cent of visible facial ageing is attributable to UV exposure, so daily sunscreen use a no-brainer.

“It makes sense that anyone who has been using sunscreen almost daily for decades would present with skin that’s a decade younger than their biological age.”

Corina Mihalache, aesthetician and Ace Skin Health Clinic Founder

Biostimulators

I’ve been booking in for polynucleotides, exosomes, PRP and PLLA treatments consistently for several years now. I was drawn to them as alternatives to dermal filler and I’ve been impressed by the results, including natural looking fullness, structural support and healthier looking skin. 

The expert’s verdict

“Traditional dermal filler works very differently to biostimulators. With filler, we’re mainly replacing (or adding) volume or structural support, while biostimulators encourage the skin to do some of that work itself. They do that by stimulating fibroblasts and collagen production, which is why the results tend to look different.

“You’re not seeing an immediate change in shape or volume with a biostimulator; the improvement is more gradual, with skin becoming firmer, denser and generally healthier-looking over time. The treatments all get put under the same regenerative umbrella but they work through different mechanisms: PRP uses your own blood’s growth factors, exosomes boost cell-to-cell communication, polynucleotides regenerate skin cells, and PLLA stimulates fibroblasts to produce more collagen over time.

“It’s important to understand that biostimulators, SPF and retinoids are not doing the same thing—they work on entirely different aspects of skin ageing. SPF is preventing damage, retinoids are improving cell turnover and supporting collagen, and biostimulators work within the tissue to encourage repair and remodelling.

“But there is very little point in spending money stimulating collagen if you are then exposing skin to daily unprotected UV, which will degrade new collagen and accelerate the very processes you are working to reverse. However, used together consistently over years, these habits compound each other in a way that genuinely shows.”

Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, GP, Aesthetics Doctor and owner of The Aesthetics Doctor

Sleep

Peri menopause really did a number on my sleep when it first started to rear its head. Not being able to sleep for hours after getting into bed, night sweats, broken sleep, and early waking all had an impact on my skin. Overhauling my sleep routine was a must, and being more intentional about getting a good nights rest has truly made a difference to how my skin looks.

The expert’s verdict

“Skin follows a circadian rhythm, so certain processes become more or less active at different points over 24 hours. During the night there are changes in cell turnover, DNA repair, barrier function and blood flow, and deep sleep is when we see a significant release of growth hormone, which is involved in tissue repair. Poor sleepers have been shown to have poorer skin-barrier function and slower recovery after the barrier has been disrupted.

“What I find more significant than looking tired after one bad night is what happens when poor sleep becomes chronic. Your skin is an organ that is constantly dealing with environmental stress and repairing itself—if its recovery is repeatedly compromised over time, it makes sense that you would eventually see that reflected in skin quality.

“Perimenopause is particularly complex because there are potentially two things happening at once: oestrogen levels are changing, which can directly affect collagen, hydration, skin thickness and elasticity, and symptoms such as night sweats can significantly disrupt sleep on top of that. So, it isn’t necessarily poor sleep alone ageing the skin—hormonal changes are affecting it at the same time.

“Improving sleep quality—duration, consistency and depth—supports almost everything else. Better barrier function, better recovery, better regulation of the stress response. If you’re sleeping properly, you’re giving your skin the conditions to make the most of everything else you’re doing for it.”

Dr Ahmed El Muntasar, GP, Aesthetics Doctor and owner of The Aesthetics Doctor

Regular treatments

There are a plethora of in-clinic devices available to ‘perfect’ the skin, and while I’ve tried most, there are a few I think are well worth having on a regular basis. I’ve noticed that treatments like microneedling, chemical peels, lasers, radio frequency, ultrasound and topical exosomes have helped improve the texture, laxity, and clarity of my skin.

The expert’s verdict

“The most significant difference between professional treatments and home skincare is depth of action—even the best-formulated home products are designed to work on the uppermost levels of the skin, as penetration beyond that requires either a medical prescription or a professional delivery method.

“Professional treatments can work at controlled depths and intensities that would not be safe or appropriate for unsupervised home use, providing targeted exfoliation, stimulating a wound-healing response, remodelling collagen or enhancing the delivery of professional solutions that support repair and regeneration.

“The practitioner also offers something no product can provide: assessment and adaptation. Home routines, however sophisticated, are essentially static as they do not adapt to your skin’s changing state, in the way a consultation-led treatment programme does. Not only that, consistency is also key as regular treatment intervals produce better cumulative results than occasional intensive sessions, and that can help lower the skins’ age dramatically.”

Corina Mihalache, aesthetician and Ace Skin Health Clinic Founder