I'm In My 30s & Already Have Fine Lines On My Chest Décolletage — What I'm Doing To Help Reverse The Damage

The 30s are usually when folks start to see the first signs of aging skin. The elements that make up the skin structure (collagen, elastin, lipids, and so forth) start a slow decline around this time of life, and thus you'll start to see the effects. If you've been taking care of your skin and living well, these are typically pretty subtle and easily managed. 

As someone who spent their 20s working in beauty media, I've been very diligent about skin care for the past decade. (Truth be told, even before that, I was pretty good with my routine.) So for the most part my complexion is very healthy at 32.

But one area that I'm noticing fine lines is my décolletage. This is due to three things. First, I've admittedly been less diligent with my skin care in the area. I'm also a side and stomach sleeper, which means the skin is folded and compressed throughout the night resulting in sleep wrinkles.

Finally, it's the area that has probably accumulated the most sunburns and UV damage over the years. It's no wonder that it's the area where premature aging is showing up!

Hand creams (even the top-notch kind) tend to be a bit more reasonably priced than face serums and creams. So you can feel comfortable using it much more liberally and often. And application is easy: When I use it on my hands, I apply a layer to the area as well. It really doesn't add any extra time to your routine. 

My personal go-to is the mindbodygreen postbiotic hand cream. The formula is made with a nutrient-dense blend of organic aloe, shea butter, biotic ingredients (such as pre- and postbiotics), and loads of antioxidants such as botanical oils (moringa and oat oil), coenzyme Q10, and a fruit extract complex.

The skin on the chest is slightly more sensitive than the rest of the skin on the body. So you shouldn't go overboard with harsh ingredients, such as retinol or exfoliants. However, when these are used responsibly and with moderation, they can be useful tools to help the complexion appear more vibrant. 

I have certainly learned my lesson about sun protection and wear sunscreen with much more exuberance than I did in my youth. Applying and reapplying sunscreen is the foundation of my sun care routine.

I'm also very good about being mindful of how much time I spend in the sun overall, as well as what times of the day. For example, you won't catch me sunbathing in the middle of the afternoon—I'm always tucked away under an umbrella or wearing UPF clothing to protect the skin. 

You can also use antioxidants to amp up your sun care routine. While they can't replace actual sunscreen, there are certain antioxidants that have been shown via research to have photoprotective qualities.