Anti-ageing in your 30s: what to do and what to skip

Key takeaways

• Daily sunscreen is the most proven anti-ageing step. In a randomised trial, daily users showed no detectable increase in skin ageing over four and a half years.
• A retinoid at night is the most studied cream for sun-related ageing. Start slowly; not in pregnancy.
• Your 30s are usually about early fine lines, pigment and texture, not sagging.
• Treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections or peels are a choice for a specific concern, not a requirement.
• Skip long product routines, glutathione drips and packages sold as "prevention".

What changes in your skin in your 30s?

People in their thirties come to me with a particular worry. "Doctor, I'm seeing a line here. Should I start something now so it doesn't get worse?" Fair question. Let me tell you what is actually going on first.

See, what happens is, in your thirties the changes are mostly on the surface and in movement: - Expression lines that stay a little after you stop frowning or smiling, especially between the brows, on the forehead and at the corners of the eyes. The Mayo Clinic notes that repeated expressions like squinting and frowning eventually form lasting lines. - Pigment. Sun spots, uneven tone and, in many Indian women, melasma, which often appears or worsens in this decade. - Texture and dullness. Skin renewal slows a little and sun damage starts to show. - Under-eye changes, often from genetics, sleep and pigment more than volume loss.

Sagging and real volume loss usually come later. So the plan for your thirties is different from the plan for your fifties.

What should I definitely do?

These are the steps with the strongest evidence, and they are also the cheapest.

About sunscreen: the Australian trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2013 followed adults for four and a half years. The daily sunscreen group showed no detectable increase in skin ageing, and ageing was 24% less than in people who used sunscreen only when they felt like it. That is very important to understand. Nothing in a clinic gives you that kind of evidence for so little money.

About retinoids: a 2006 review in Clinical Interventions in Aging described tretinoin as possibly the most potent and certainly the most studied retinoid for sun-related ageing. It also noted irritation as the main problem, which is milder with retinol and retinaldehyde. So start gently. My article on retinoids for ageing explains how.

When does treatment make sense in your 30s?

Only when there is something specific you want to change. Normally, these are the concerns I see in this decade, and the options: - Frown or forehead lines that bother you. Anti-wrinkle injections (botulinum toxin) relax the muscles that make them. Small doses can soften lines while keeping expression. Effects wear off over a few months, so it is an ongoing choice, not a one-time fix. - Pigment, melasma or sun spots. Prescription creams, chemical peels or laser therapy, chosen carefully for Indian skin. This is often the most useful treatment in the thirties. - Dull skin or early texture changes. Medical facials, peels, or laser treatments for texture. - Acne marks or scars that make skin look older than it is.

What I generally do not suggest in the thirties unless there is a clear reason: fillers for "prevention", thread lifts, or tightening devices for skin that isn't loose yet.

Is "preventive" anti-wrinkle treatment a good idea?

This is a common question now. The logic is: if the muscle moves less, the line forms less deeply. There is some sense in that for people with strong frown lines that are starting to stay.

But here's the truth. If you start at 30 and keep going, that is many years of repeat treatment and cost. I'd rather you start when a line actually bothers you, at a dose that keeps your face natural, than start on a schedule because someone said "the earlier, the better". It is your call. I'll tell you what I would do.

What can I safely skip?

• Ten-step routines. Sunscreen, a retinoid, a moisturiser and a cleanser cover most of the evidence. Add a vitamin C or niacinamide serum if you like it.
• Glutathione drips and "glow" injections. The evidence is very weak and there are safety concerns. I've written about IV drips and glutathione.
• Packages of many sessions bought upfront. If you don't know whether a treatment suits you, don't buy ten of it.
• Collagen drinks as a replacement for sunscreen. The evidence for supplements is limited at best, and they do nothing about sun damage.
• Anything that promises to "stop ageing". Nothing does.

How do I plan for the next 15 years?

This is how I think, from the chess I learnt as a child: decide the endgame first. Ask yourself where you want to be at 45. Probably: skin that looks healthy and rested, few sun spots, lines that are soft rather than etched. Then work backwards.

For most people in their thirties that means: 1. Protection every day, without fail. 2. One treatment at a time, only for a concern that matters to you. 3. A review once a year to see what has changed.

Small steps over years. That is how faces stay rested, not different. You can read more about this in when to start anti-ageing.

How I approach anti-ageing in your 30s at Dr Tvacha

At a face assessment, I look at your skin, ask what bothers you and what you do not want to change, and tell you whether you need any treatment at all. Often the honest plan in the thirties is skincare and a yearly review. If treatment makes sense, the plan and fee are written down before you pay. You can read about the Long Game Anti-ageing Plan or find our centres in Thane and Mumbai.

Written by

Dr Amit KarkhanisAesthetic Physician · MBBS, Dip. Dermatology (UK) · Reg. No. 2001/02/1124

Founder of Dr Tvacha, practising in Thane since 2005. Leads the weight loss and hair programmes.