A Decade-by-Decade Guide to Anti-Aging

Sleep more Getting less than 6 hours per night increases your production of the stress hormone cortisol, which contributes to collagen breakdown. Sleep is also the time when your body repairs itself. Avoid caffeine within 6 hours of going to bed, so that your sleep is more restful. For help improving your sleep hygiene and setting a sleep schedule, click here.

Try hydroquinone. Over-the-counter products containing this chemical slow the skin’s pigment-making process, which evens out the tone of your skin and lightens the brown areas you already have. For help detecting troublesome spots at home, click here. Note: It’s important to have any darkened spots on your skin looked at by a dermatologist to make sure they are not signs of something more serious. You should also know that hydroquinone can cause a darkening or thickening of the skin in some people.

A treatment to consider: A new skin treatment called Thermage uses radio waves to tighten skin by stimulating collagen production. The non-invasive procedure performed by a dermatologist can be used for cellulite on the body as well as sagging skin on the face. 

In Your 50s

What you’re battling

Estrogen loss. When women reach their 50s, they have about one-tenth of the estrogen they have had as an adult up to that point. Since estrogen stimulates both collagen and oil production, that dramatic loss shows up as very dry skin. Cracks begin to appear, along with age spots, and fat loss in your face contributes to skin sagging.

What you can do

Use just 2 lotions Don’t buy up every product you see on pharmacy shelves. Using too many products or combination creams can actually irritate and redden your skin making matters worse. The only 2 you need are:

• A moisturizer with SPF 30 during the day.
• A mega-moisturizer at night. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just look for one that contains ceramides, which are natural elements of the skin that hold moisture in. They will increase radiance by temporarily plumping lines and boosting your glow.

A treatment to consider: Fillers, which are products a dermatologist injects into facial lines (such as the ones that show how much you’ve smiled your whole life), along the jaw line, and also in the cheeks to do the job of collagen and support the skin, minimizing the look of wrinkles. These non-surgical treatments can last 6 to 12 months.

For more tips on establishing your anti-aging regimen, take Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Anti-Aging Challenge.