As we grow older, normal changes to our skin include wrinkles, loss of elasticity and an increasingly mottled appearance, cites Great Expectations: Fit at 40.
Now, before you consider scheduling plastic surgery, realize that the above normal components of aging are often intensified by accumulated damage from smoking and excess exposure to the sun. There's a lot you can do to minimize these changes: Don't smoke, avoid the sun and drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day. (Inner hydration helps flush out impurities from skin and other organs and body systems.)
Also be sure to apply SPF 20 skin cream on face, neck, arms and hands every morning. (We're serious about the SPF 20 cream: Skin can get sun damage even through the windows of your office, car or house!) Clinical trials have found that alpha- and beta-hydroxy acid skin care products may minimize wrinkling, surface roughness and even some of the color changes caused by sun damage. Prescription skin creams containing vitamin A derivatives have also been found to reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture and appearance.
Take our quiz to understand what other changes your body may encounter in your 40s and beyond.
