Prevention beats correction: why the best time to look after your skin is before you see the signs

Most of us start thinking about our skin when something changes. A line that didn’t used to be there. A shadow under the eyes. A few spots on the backs of the hands. By then, we’re trying to correct what has already happened.

The better approach is quieter and starts earlier: protect the skin you have.

The single biggest factor is the sun

A study of nearly 300 women found that UV exposure appears to be responsible for around 80% of visible facial ageing signs, including lines, uneven tone and loss of firmness. Genes, sleep, stress and diet all play a part, but daily sun exposure adds up more than anything else, even on cloudy days in the UK.

The good news is that protection works. In a four and a half year trial of over 900 adults, people who used sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing, while those who used it only now and then aged noticeably more.

What daily protection looks like

• Use SPF 30 or higher with at least 4 star UVA protection, every morning.
• Apply it to your face, neck and the backs of your hands. These three areas take the most sun and often show ageing first.
• Reapply about every two hours when you’re outdoors, and after swimming or sweating.
• In strong sun, add shade, a hat and sunglasses.

Prevention is more than sunscreen

Sleep, staying active, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and drinking enough water all support your skin. None of these are quick fixes. They’re the foundation that makes everything else work better.

Treatments come later, if at all

Aesthetic treatments can help when you’re ready, but they work best on skin that’s already being looked after. And choosing not to have treatment is always a valid choice.