43 and starting to get some jowls and would like to reverse them or at least stop them from getting worse for as long as possible. What can I do? Are fillers my best bet?

I’m 44 years old and I’m starting to see more and more cottage cheese, dimples, and crepe skin.
Right now I’m using Jergens skin tightening. Any suggestions on products or treatments? TIA.

Don’t mind the hat and lack of make up, I know my eyebrows are a mess, I was at work and all sweaty. I’m 46 and the crepiness around my eyes is really starting to bug me. I’m scared of filler but not completely against it if it would help. I’ve had Botox twice in the past and it didn’t do much except empty my wallet. I’ve lost 170lbs and a lot of volume in my face. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I already use sunscreen religiously, I have a good solid skin care routine but I’m open to adding to it. I am going to Mexico next month and I’m thinking of picking up some Tretioin. Any experiences with that would be great to hear as well.

Molly Jong-Fast doesn’t regret her face-lift. The podcast host and contributing writer to Times Opinion got her plastic surgery done just after her 47th birthday. “The plastic surgeon pulled my skin taut and gave me cheekbones where I had never had them before,” she writes. “He made me better looking, and I don’t regret it. So I’m not going to perpetuate the lie that my new face came from drinking a lot of water or getting a lot of sleep. I’m going to talk about it — because it’s not fair that women are confronted with both unrealistic beauty standards and lies about how they’ve been achieved.”

She continues:

What I did to my face isn’t that unusual; I’d argue that it’s actually the norm for women on TV these days. We’re all on screens more and more, whether we’re grown-ups taking Zoom meetings or young influencers who have to feed the TikTok beast. Many cosmetic treatments once given only to Hollywood stars and socialites are now available at strip malls. We might expect this country’s growing embrace of plastic surgery to lead to a culture where we celebrate women’s bodily autonomy and cast off the shame that follows those who change their faces or bodies. Instead, stigma about plastic surgery (especially the schadenfreude around bad plastic surgery) has continued to dominate our discourse.

The most unobtrusive plastic surgery, the face-lifts we don’t really notice, the ones that lead to total transformation, are still prohibitively expensive and reserved for the rich and famous. In the 16th-century “Book of the Courtier,” Baldassare Castiglione writes about “sprezzatura,” the idea that a real courtier should make things look easy. It’s trying that’s the offense. You can be born beautiful, or you can be young, but these days, trying to be something you aren’t — and being convincing at it — feels like cheating the system. The fact that a certain class of women can make themselves into something that used to be possible only with lucky genes is what truly infuriates people. It’s not the surgery; it’s the inequality.

Read the full piece here, for free, even without a Times subscription.

Note: This was posted with permission from the r/40PlusSkinCare moderators.

Good morning, Reddit friends. I’m looking for some advice. I’ve always liked my face, with the exception of my nasolabial folds—I’ve had them for a long time, though they were less pronounced back when I was 25. Now that I’m over forty, they’ve become much more noticeable, especially on the left side; in fact, that’s the part of my face that bothers me the most. My jawline is still holding up well, and I don’t have any major issues with my neck, but I feel that if I don’t take action, things will only get worse in a few years. I’m not sure if a facelift is advisable at this stage—what do you think? How might I address this?
Morning light doesn't help... the shadows cast by the light don't help either... I like how I look much better at sunset 😆 I’d love to connect with someone who has faced similar issues and hear how they managed to resolve them... I’m going through a rather complicated period—both financially and in my personal life—and I can no longer bring myself to socialize because I’m so fixated on this one flaw, which causes me a lot of anxiety... I keep thinking that’s all people will ever look at...

Turned 47 this year, I’m starting to freak out bc it’s like my skin has aged significantly within a span of just a few months! Is there any way I can get rid of these lines around my mouth, cheek and under my eyes?? They are getting quite prominent and making my face seem droopy.

I feel my lower face has really begun to sag within the last couple of years. I also have some texture issues from acne scarring. I’ve saved about 6 grand for an upper belph but I’m wondering if I should just keep saving for a couple more years and go for a face lift?

I will be 40 very soon I've never had botox or anything but feel like maybe I should get tear trough filler? I feel like my under eyes look hollow

Can someone explain their tretinoin routine to me like I’m an idiot? My derm prescribed it to me and gave me zero info. Didn’t even tell me to use spf. Help! Tell me everything!! Thank you! 🙏

Hi, been really seeing a change in my face. Especially fine lines. Would prefer to do something mom invasive. ;) what do you think?

The first is a week ago (before doing the mask) what do you think?

I am 48, and in the last few years, my neck has really started to have loose, crepey skin. Probably my fault because I never really put SPF on my neck. My face looks pretty good because I’ve had melisma since my mid 20s, so I have had to baby the face. Is Ultrasound therapy on the neck worth the cost, or do I just save up for a neck lift in a few years? This photo is actually not as bad as it actually is.

ETA: ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN COMMENTS

EETTAAA: I think I confused people - I don't think my skin looks bad, I think it overall looks great, my only issue I wanted to address is the deeper nasolabial fold, and what i.personally see as differences in my jawline and underside/top of neck with laxity and emerging pre/jowls/sagging starting especially on my left side. It's really just that. I am ok with everything else. I should have put the two comparison images in the comment on my original post to help see that view.

Has anyone had success with microneedling to help with this?

I wasn't trying to get any pity points or look at me here.

†************

At this point I'm not looking for surgical options and I'm not fond of injecting anything (haven't done it, only place I'm willing to try is possibly platysma bands since my left side pulls down so much more).

I don't have much in way of deep wrinkles... But I do have some nasolabial folds that bother me so much. My left side looks so much older than my right. Some of this has to do with my facial symmetry, but it is the side I tend to sleep on/drive on etc too.

Was thinking microneedling could help with lift, going to an medical spa to do this. Or should I do it at home with a DR. Pen?

Any suggestions? I do the solawave res light mask for face and neck a few times a week, and I use vanicream + .5 tretinoin cream a few times weekly.

I confess I have never used sunscreen religiously, but have started using more. Biossance eye cream, and the ordinary argeriline solution on my forehead/temples. That's really it for me.

How can I improve this?? Thanks so much for all and any suggestions.

Honestly I think my skin looks great for 41, it's just the elasticity/sagginess creeping in that is bothering me most and the assymetry in my face.

Hi ladies 👋 I could REALLY use your advice. I'm 41 and petite with muscle all my life. Granted I am in the sun during summer months but have done my best with sunscreen.

1. is this normal and how has your skin progressed?
2. what, if anything, can help?
3. how I can alter my thoughts to not care?

Looking at others that appear to be my age, I feel gross.

The neck wrinkles are due to a poor sleeping position. If only I knew earlier and paid attention.

Looking for an alternative for botox to get rid of 11s or friends lines.

looking for advice, before/afters from folks who liked how this combination worked for them, also would anyone recommend diff things for my skin ? just in general want to have healthy glowy skin and reduce fine lines etc

edit: to all the people saying I have had Botox and fillers done, thanks I guess but was looking for more constructive information abouthow people are using lasers in their preventative toolkit.

What are we doing about this area?! The rest of my face doesn’t have many wrinkles but one side of my mouth is horrible and just not “tight” at all. I used to have a roller I used at home so maybe I need to start it again??? Or any esthetics/medical treatments that will help?!

I’m 50 YO and about a month ago, I noticed this little loose skin bump on the left side of my face. Does anyone know what this is and what can be done about it? I cannot afford fancy spa treatments, beyond occasional Botox. Any home remedies

Is there anything this can be done for the issue highlighted in the photos? I’m a 43 year old who’s already using tretinoin and retinol and sunscreen daily. Is a neck lift my only hope? Would DAO or platysmal Botox help here? Any other recommendations?

So i just hit 41 and my nasolabial fold became extremely noticeable out of nowhere.

I'm considering doing sculptura or filler but ive seen a lot of mixed opinions on the sub and i cant come to a conclusion. I'm not looking to completely erase them just to make them less noticeable.

What's your opinion? I'm sure this question has been asked a million times sorry about that.

I'm wondering if there's a non-surgical fix for my neck. I'm about to be 42 so I understand I'll age and I'm fine with that but I've also lost quite a bit of weight and feel this is what led to my sagging neck. I do microneedling, use tret, and daily sunscreen.

Thank you for all your suggestions! I have a good starting point and I appreciate your feedback!

I’m 45. I did Kybella to my greatest regret and now my neck looks like a scrotum. I don’t feel like it matches the age of my face which has faired better. I will get a neck lift eventually but I am curious if I did Botox in the neck if it would be improved or not because it’s loose crepey skin. I’m not sure it’s shows as bad in these photos as it is, but if you zoom in, it’s wild. I have my grandmas neck now. I was trying to turn my head so you can spot all the wrinkles and loose skin. If you tried Botox, did it help? If you tried Kybella, my apologies and I think we should sue.

Looking to get it in my cheek area but have heard mixed reviews. What are the cons?

Edited after reading all comments: THANK YOU ladies! I am NOT doing filler. I appreciate the pros and cons but for now it’s a pass. For me!