The Best Skin Care Routine for Your 20s

In your 20s, you may not notice any major changes that age brings but skin changes do occur before you can see it and that is why preventive skin care regimen is the best way to take care of your skin in 20’s .

Not much changes are seen at this age but reduction in skin hydration & barrier function does make your skin drier and dehydrated.

Also, with every year , 1% collagen starts degrading. So you may not notice any thin skin or wrinkles now but prevention of collagen degradation at this stage will definitely help in taking care of visible signs of ageing in future. This is the age where we are most unaware about a healthy lifestyle and healthy environment around us- Eating/ drinking addictions, nutritional imbalances, high level of sun exposures and chemical exposures.  cosmetics & Hair treatment are very common at this stage and should be moderated as much as possible.

The idea to start a skin care regimen in your 20’s to build up a foundation for a healthy skin .

Now the first basic question that comes to mind is what should my skin care regimen be in 20s. Regardless of your age, your skin has basic needs : cleaning, hydration , UV light protection and ingredients to support barrier function and combat external stressors. Those are the basics, but as you age, you may want to expand your skin care routine to address other skin concerns too.

So let’s talk about the most important ingredients you must have when you are in 20s :

1. Cleanser- Use a gentle cleanser twice daily that will help remove makeup and impurities without irritating your skin.
2. Moisturiser & SPF- During the day, use a moisturizer with sunscreen for sun protection. A non-greasy , quick-absorbing cream that hydrates skin is an ideal daily moisturizer for face and neck. Sunscreens with broad-spectrum protection can help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmented age spots, skin darkening  and uneven colouration.
3. Eye cream- Many patients consult me for hollowness under eyes. It is  true that the eyes are one of the first areas to show signs of aging

Skin is thinner and more delicate around the eyes making it more susceptible to visible sign of aging. Combined with repetitive muscle contractions from facial expressions, crow’s feet in the eye area may start to appear. In addition, compromised vascularity may contribute the appearance of dark circles and puffiness. Twice daily, use an eye cream that helps moisturize and brighten the eye area and minimize the appearance of early signs of aging.

1. Vitamin C- Vitamin C is a wonderful anti-oxidant which protects from damaging free radicals caused by UV exposure and the other stressful events on your skin. It also inhibits melanin production in the skin, which helps to even out skin tone and enhance skin radiance. It promotes collagen production, which diminishes fine lines and is essential for firm, youthful skin.

Besides these basic and most necessary ingredients, one should start with treatments depending on indications they have after consulting.

The most common consultation I get these days is of acne and acne scars. People think that acne are just for teenagers and wonder why do they still have breakouts when they are in their 20s. The hormonal changes during teen years cause sebum production and can lead to skin becoming oily and acne prone. This usually  disappears as the teenager matures. For some, acne can continue into their 20s and beyond. This is known as persistent acne or new onset adult acne after adolescence. It’s important to include an anti-acne product that contains salicylic acid & retinols in your skin care routine because acne that persists for longer periods may be more likely to lead to scarring. For acne scarring , one can go treatments like MnRF, CO2 lasers, FSR, TCA cross etc. These treatments should be started as early as possible because older the scars, the less efficient these treatments are.

In your 20s, you are young , you want to go out, hang out with your friends and for that I see patients going for salon procedures very frequently. These procedures (waxing and facials) can damage your skin which you might notice later. This is the right time to start taking procedures like laser hair reduction, medi facials, peels etc to keep your skin hydrated and hair free in the long run.

Most of the time, at this age, patients come to us with dehydrated skin or loss of glow or appearance of fine wrinkles  and open pores.

A good idea is to start procedures like microneedling with infusion of serums with the gap of 3 months to maintain a youthful skin.In tan prone skin, It is advisable to undergo laser toning @ 3 monthly gap to reduce tanning with the effect of environment factors and boost up the degrading collagen also.

If you are unsure of first step, don’t sweat it. Whether you want to ensure wrinkle free skin is the future or you simply want to maintain its long term health, implementing these tips into your skin care regimen now is crucial. The first step is obviously to take a consultation and know the right treatment according to your needs.