The most important thing for your skin during this decade is to develop good habits.  Hopefully, you've been using sunscreen regularly since you were a child. (To any parents reading this: Teaching your children about sun avoidance and protection is one of the greatest gifts you can give them!)  If you smoke, Stop!  Learn to incorporate skin-friendly foods into your diet, like berries and green tea for antioxidants, salmon and flax seed for omega-3 fatty acids.

Start using skin care products, such as Laser Cliniqúe Calming Green Tea Therapy.  This will help prevent damage to your skin's DNA caused by whatever sun exposure you get, and can "stop the clock" on several signs of aging.

I also encourage patients in their 20's to begin using retinols. Remember, "anti-aging" ingredients can almost always do more good as a preventive measure than they can as a treatment after the fact.  Prevent lines from forming as long as possible!

You may notice your skin becoming drier in your 30s, making proper hydration crucial!  Well-hydrated skin repairs itself better and shows fewer signs of aging.  If you have dry skin, avoid harsh cleansers, skip the toner, and look for moisturizers and ceramides.

Antioxidants are a good addition to your skin care regimen at any age, but if you're not using them by your 30s, it's crucial that you start!  They are the best way to fight the skin damage that leads to lines and wrinkles.  Add plenty of oral antioxidants to your diet and look for topical products with green tea.

I also recommend that patients consider starting a glucosamine supplement by age 35, there is strong evidence that glucosamine can help your skin generate hyaluronic acid, which is one of the dermal building blocks we lose with age (Hyaluronic acid is also the main component of dermal fillers like Juvéderm® and Restylane®.)

In your 30's, you may also start to get benefits from Botox®.  By decreasing muscle movement, Botox® can slow the formation of wrinkles, especially around the eyes. (Remember, it's always easier to prevent wrinkles than to treat the ones the have already formed!)

It is also during this decade that patients generally start to benefit from IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments to minimize the appearance of sun spots, broken blood vessels, and melasma. After these treatments, my patients are often surprised to realize that a spotty, uneven complexion contributes to an aged appearance as much as wrinkles do!

In the 40's, skin's texture also tends to become more of a concern.  ActiveFX® (fractional skin resurfacing) can be a great way to smooth skin, treat sun spots/age spots, fine lines and wrinkles. In your regular at-home regimen, be sure to use retinols and products with glycolic acid to improve the evenness of your complexion.

Dermal fillers start to have a particularly noticeable impact in the 40's. As far as fillers go, I prefer Juvederm® (for mild to moderate wrinkles) and Perlane® (for deeper wrinkles)- research shows that they may also stimulate the production of collagen, meaning you get both short-and long-term benefits!