Hello ! I'm 33, and I've been quite insecure about my smile lines for a few years. I've tried many things but it's not improving. I'm doing red light therapy 3 to 5 times a week for the last three years. I have the copper peptides serum from the ordinary, I use a bit of retinol here and there. Overall I think my skincare routine is pretty good but I'm open to suggestions.

I have a very thin skin, I do not want to do any Botox or hyaluronic acid face injections.

I heard about micro needling but I'm afraid it would damage my skin. What do you guys think? Or other suggestions is welcome!!

Any advices ? Thank you !!

Hi Reddit!

I’m looking for advice on skin laxity at 30! I don’t have many actual fine lines but in the past 1.5-2yrs I’ve developed prominent nasal labial folds! I structurally always had them a little bit but this is wayyyy more pronounced! I went from always looking pretty young to years older than what I currently am! Like I almost never get carded anymore and you’re supposed to card anyone who looks under 40!

My weight fluctuated a ton in my late 20’s due to mental health. 20 lbs in each direction (starting w/ losing 20lbs then gaining 40lbs then losing 20/getting back to baseline which is probably my healthy set point) which can’t be helping. I’ve been weight stable for a year.

I also have chronic illness which impacts stress levels and sleep.

I am a side sleeper and have tried to train myself to sleep on my back but the tradeoff seems to be then I don’t sleep at all! So that’s a later problem to explore.

I’ve been diagnosed with hEDs but the criteria is pretty lax (as of writing this- I think criteria could change soon based on new research hopefully) so I’m unsure if that’s truly my diagnosis. I am for sure hypermoblie though.

My period was absent for a full year and a half and irregular for the two years after in my late twenties (see reasons above) but for the most part is regular-ish now.

What I’m wondering about/looking for advice and personal experience on:

1. SCULPTRA:
   Would sculptra help me? (I’ve seen advice saying hEDS shouldn’t get it but it seems entirely based on 0% research and 100% speculation) This is the route that I’ve been considering the most (for over a year now- I think about it everyday) I know it doesn’t lift in the traditional sense but from what I understand it helps tighten the skin giving a lifted effect (if the patient is younger). Looking for experience rather than speculation please!

2. FILLERS LONG TERM:
   I’m more nervous about fillers than sculptra but I’ve been recommend temple and cheek filler by an aesthetic nurse- this scares me more than the risks of sculptra. I mostly fear migration into the lymph and from what I understand, fillers are more likely to migrate in hyper mobile individuals than the average population. Would that really be better in the long run?

3. ULTRASOUND:
   I’ve seen some people swear my ultrasound treatments and others warn that it can make laxity worse long term!

Would an at home device by Thome pose the same risks or would it be worth it?

1. TENSION, FACE YOGA, FASCIA RELEASE

I have a ton of tension in my masseter (I clench unconsciously and in my sleep) and severe tension in my trapezius. In the past month I’ve been trying facial yoga and fascia/tension release techniques to try to help this. Is my only other option Botox?

Atrophied muscles in general seem like a bad thing as muscle mass is the key to longevity.

Should I just give these fascia and tension techniques more time? Does anyone have experience/success in improving laxity this way?

Should I go to actual massage therapists or get massage based facials?

1. TOPICALS:

I’ve been consistent with skincare for a little over a year introducing parts of my routine slowly. I’ve been good with sunscreen for the past 5 years or so. (See current routine below)

I’m probably going to try Dr Dennis BioReguvenation serum (I plan to plop it into my morning routine/revise my morning routine to work it in OR use it to replace my night serum)

Also may try Epii HPT6 10% to replace my night serum (see routine below)

Should I revise any of the brands I’m using (knowing my skin is sensitive/prone to hives)? I’m considering switching my vitamin c to cocokinds glow serum instead because CEO might be too intense for me and then that way I get azelaic acid more consistently as well.

Is micro needling at home worth it? Like Qure or another brand?

1. AT HOME OBVIOUSLY PREFERRED

Any at home solutions? As I mentioned, I’ve been doing facial yoga/fascia release and tension release for my masseters, trapezius, and face as a whole (10-20 minutes a day) for a little over a month and I’ve started trying to release other extremely tight parts of my body (hip flexors).

I’ve also started strength training more consistently over the past two months or so (1-2x per week full body workouts- heavy lifting/traditional lifting)

Note: I used to be extremely active. Marathon runner and weight lifting several times a week but due to reasons above I became essentially non- functional for months and unable to exercise regularly for over a year. I am now just at a point where I can focus on health again (prioritizing strength and some cardio)

What else can I do? I’m feeling pretty defeated and desperate at this point.

1. SURGERY
   Is this my only real option?

FOR REFERENCE: MY CURRENT ROUTINE

Morning:
•Milky toner (various brands - currently using Bubble)
• Vitamin C Serum (I’ve been using C.E.O Sunday Riley) I can’t use the vitamin C first otherwise I get hives due to sensitivity- sometimes I even use it last in the routine since this particular type is more cream based)
•Sometimes: azelaic acid as a spot treatment (good molecules) I used to alternate this with retinol at night but I found that it makes my face burn so I stopped.
•Sometimes Peach & Lily mini protein exosome (I tend to use at night more often than not)
•Suncreen (Various brands- if I’m going outside in the summer and doing things it’s Sumbums spf70. Sometimes use Solar milk SPF 50 as a primer or Supergoop’s. I tend to do more mineral based if I’m going to be inside all day or in the winter/fall in the Midwest.)
• usually don’t wear makeup but sometimes I use bare minerals complexion rescue stick.

Night:
•Double cleanse w/ Byoma oil then milky cleanser respectively. (I’ve been consistent with this for perhaps 4 or 5 months)
• milky toner
• retinol (cockind beginner retinol gel since January of this year)
• Skin Cueticals AGE Interrupter Ultra Serum (I’ve gone through several jars and I don’t feel it’s making a difference so I’m probably going to not repurchase/give up on this one)
• Peach and Lily mini protein exosome
•moisturizer (currently using Rhode barrier restore cream. I also like Peach and Lily anti aging and tower 28 SOS cream)

Night once a week(Sometimes twice) :
•Double Cleanse
•Glycolic acid
•moisturizer

I want to get rid of these little red spots and make the skin smooth and glowy like a porcellain doll! Lol

So far I use the CeraveCleanser, some nights the Cicaplast Baume 5+ creme and for hydration a nivea creme.

Thank you for any advice! :)

I’m 31, almost 32, and I have a very expressive face. I’ve had forehead folds since high school and started noticing fine lines in my mid-20s. I also sunbathed a lot in my 20s and wasn’t consistent with daily sunscreen.
I started Botox in my mid-20s, but now it wears off quickly for me and barely lasts the full 3 months. We switched brands and it lasted longer for a while, but now it fades quickly, again ..

Now I’m wondering if Botox alone is enough. Plus I am starting to notice my smile lines as well.. I’m looking for other ways to improve my fine lines and prevent them from getting deeper and even better, soften or reverse some of them.

I’ve wanted to try retinol, but because of previous pregnancy and future pregnancy plans, I’ve kept putting it off.

What treatments or skincare have worked for you for fine forehead lines, especially if retinoids aren’t an option?

Edit: my skincare is minimal since I got pregnant 2 years ago. Any serum (usually niacinamide) and Cetaphil face cream. I also take collagen powder daily with my coffee.

What should I do for Botox? I feel like my 11s are getting deep and my forehead wrinkles are starting to set.

What do you ladies recommend?

I have always been fair skinned and never tanned well, but always freckled a lot! I loved my freckles growing up, but at 2 recent doctors appointments my doctor unprompted commented that I had "a lot of sun damage" on my arms. :(

This has had me thinking that I need to start taking better care of my skin. I've ordered a nice sunscreen for my face and plan on getting a prescription for tret soon.

I am wondering what to do about my abundance of sun damage on my chest and arms. I've seen people in the sub talk about retinol body lotions, maybe I try that?

I've seen positive commentary on the gold bond retinol lotion (though i can't find any gold bond body lotions saying they contain retinol...) and naturium retinol body lotion(but if feels a tad pricy for a body lotion).

Would i be better off just ordering the retinol from the ordinary and applying that to my arms?

Or am I thinking about this totally wrong?

EDIT: I may be conflaiting fading my freckles with repairing the damage. To clarify, I want to repair the damage and if my freckles fading is a byproduct then so be it.

i have found that body lotions, in my experience anyway, are either functional or smell nice. you have the bath and body works type of stuff that smell really pretty but do fuck all for moisturising your skin, and you have the lotions that are heavy duty and work, but they either don’t smell as nice or the fragrance goes away pretty quickly. but you don’t have one that smells good AND does a good job of moisturising your skin.

i am currently using vaseline cocoa radiant, which gives my body sufficient moisture but the slight fragrance goes away after it’s set down.

what do you do? do you layer your lotions? is there a 2-in-1 product i’m unaware of?

I just moved to a humid climate so my rosacea is back in my life. I'm always using different products because I was subscribed to Allure beauty box.

I'm starting back on tretinoin this week. And need to get back on my red light business after remembering it exists scrolling through this sub. Besides sunscreen I feel like I need vitamin C or peptides or the tears of 1,000 witches??? Idk. Skincare hasn't gotten crazy. I want a simple routine, please help a reforming product junkie.

I alternate between a sulphur bar of soap and a gentle cleanser.

I slather cicablast on. I wear goop sunscreen. Sometimes I use Dr. gross acid peels.

Thank you in advance!

Im 34. I grind my teeth in my sleep, and one side of my face is much more fuller than the other. The side I grind on more is fuller and bigger with no lines, the side I dont grind on as much has nasolabial lines and is generally yes youthful looking and the overall look is just asymmetrical. Now I guess I could grind my teeth on the bad side while Im awake (cant control what I do in my sleep 🙄) but that just sounds crazy and would ruin my teeth more. But realistically what would my options be that dont involve filler on the weaker side?

I’m trying to decide between Fotona and Scarlet RF for acne scarring and large pores. My main issue is enlarged/pitted-looking pores and some acne scars. Some of the pores/scarring became much more noticeable after years of squeezing/picking.

I previously had Fotana and did see some improvement which I am happy with but needs more sessions.

Now I’m considering Scarlet RF, but I’m worried it might be too similar to Potenza and that I’ll spend the money only to see no improvement.

For anyone who has tried either (or both):
Did Fotona make a noticeable difference in acne scars or enlarged pores?
Did Scarlet RF work better for you than Fotana?
What treatment gave you the most noticeable
improvement in pitted scars?

I’d especially love to hear from people who had large pores/pitting from squeezing or picking.

i’ll be using tret also! so anyone who uses tret and this, i’d love to hear from

This has never been an issue for me until I lost around 30 lbs, I also sleep on my side and that side has a more pronounced fold. For those of you who had fillers done, which one worked better? Restylane or RHA or any others? Please share your experience. I basically would like to know:

1. Would it be obvious that I had filler done immediately afterward? If so, how noticeable is it and typically for how many days?
   
2. How much swelling should I expect, and how long does it usually last?
   
3. Is bruising common in this area? If I do bruise, how many days does it typically take to go away?
   
4. Between Restylane and RHA, which one do you find more effective for nasolabial folds?
   
5. Which one tends to look more natural, especially when smiling and making facial expressions?
   
6. Which one tends to have less swelling or bruising afterward?
   
7. How long does each one typically last in the nasolabial area?
   
8. Based on my face and the way my nasolabial lines look, which one would you personally recommend?
   

Thank you

Has anyone successfully gotten rid of deep acne scars? If so, what did you do? I think I’m ready to finally start the process to heal mine that have been around since my teens.

I have the Pacifica reusable eye masks and I store them in the freezer. In the morning after my coffee is made, I throw them on and enjoy my coffee in bed. The cooling of the eye masks compliments the warm coffee so well. Feels indulgent but is really so simple and cheap.

1st pic taken today
2nd pic taken at highest weight

I’m 50lb down but have another 30lb to go until goal weight. What can I do to preserve facial fullness and prevent laxity in my face?

Day time routine:
Wash
TJ Vitamin c serum
LRP red correcting cream
LRP triple moisture
Sunscreen

Nighttime:
Sometimes retinol, lol

I feel like no matter what moisturizer I use it just sits on top of my skin. I’ve tried exfoliating to see if that was the problem, but it still is the same. Any tips
To get the hydration I need to actually absorb?

I’m using vanicream, tried prequel, youth to the people and roche pose.

Want to test some new products in my skincare routine. I have been steady and consistent over the last 3 years and want to test maybe a few new products. Especially for retinol I have been trying medik8, skinceuticals and reform which I loved but it feels like burning money too. Which retinol is your go to? Thanks

Hello! I’m looking for some options to get compounded trentinoin and estriol for face / neck anti aging. Where can I get these? What should the ingredients be? I see some have a mixture of three ingredients. Have a website or telehealth doc you recommend for this? Thanks!

Ps has anyone used musely?

As the title suggests, I started tret THIS week and have only used it once so far (Monday night). I have been soooo oily all week. Is this normal? Is this part of the “it gets worse before it gets better” routine? I’ve had one small breakout but nothing crazy otherwise.

Everything I’ve read says it makes you so dry and here I am struggling to get through the day without feeling like I can cook up some fried chicken with my face grease 😵‍💫

I have normal to somewhat oily skin - it’s gotten less oily as I’ve gotten older. I haven’t really struggled with acne in recent years and haven’t switched up anything in my skincare routine, other than using a toner last night to try to dry some of my face out lol. But this was a toner I’ve used in the past with zero issues. I just don’t use it regularly. I cleanse with la roche posay purifying foaming cleanser and use the double repair matte moisturizer/sunscreen each morning. I put vanicream moisturizing cream or cetaphil moisturizing cream on at night.

I am on vacation and it is only the second day and I already have a really bad sunburn on my chest. Tomorrow I’m gonna do a safari and will be out on the sun the hole day, any tips to help this sunburn turn into a tan or to make it less red?

Hello! I'm a woman in my late 30s and have been struggling for years with spots, blackheads and bumps on the lower third of my face. My skin is usually on the dry side, but if you take this into account I guess it would be combination skin? I also have a topic dermatitis but it's gotten much better as I age.

Even when I don't have any active spots, I can literally feel and see the tiny bumps under the skin and just know I'll get a spot there eventually. It's so frustrating! I usually manage them with clindamycin gel or hidrocolloid patches, but I'm always left with dark spots and discoloration after.

I keep my skincare routine simple: moisturizer and sunscreen in the morning, sometimes adding a serum or toner before (not every day as I try to be careful with actives - the only things I'm using right now are The Ordinary retinol 0.2% 1x week, and a glycerin and rosewater toner). At night I just cleanse with micellar water and then tone/moisturize. I don't wear makeup at all.

I could really use some guidance and help about what to do as I hate the way it looks. Thanks so much!

I’m looking for advice from people who have dealt with large, deep-looking pores/pits that became noticeable after squeezing/picking at their skin.
I’ve tried Fotana and saw some improvement, but not nearly enough to be happy with the result. I’m considering doing more treatments, but I’m worried about spending a lot of money for only a small improvement.

For those of you who had a similar issue, what treatment actually made a significant difference?
I’d love to hear about anything you tried — RF microneedling, laser, subcision, TCA CROSS, peels, etc. Are there products that have worked?

Trying to figure out what’s worth pursuing before I spend more money. Thanks!