11 Habits That Prematurely Age Your Skin and How to Avoid Them
Wellness & SelfcareSkin Care

11 Habits That May Contribute to Premature Skin Aging

From skipping out on sleep to skimping on SPF, here are the habits that can prematurely age your skin.
11 Habits That May Contribute to Premature Skin Aging
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Updated on April 10, 2025
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Sometimes skin ages faster than it might normally, making you look older than you are. Signs of premature skin aging include wrinkles, age spots, dryness, and sagging. While it's not always possible to influence how our skin ages, some habits can contribute to older-looking skin.

 Help keep your complexion plump, bright, and smooth by avoiding the following habits.

1. Persistently Rubbing Your Eyes

Undereye bags develop as part of the natural aging process and occur when muscles around the eyes weaken.

 For most people, rubbing the eyes [occasionally] isn't a problem and won't cause any permanent side effects, says Paul Jarrod Frank, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and the author of The Pro-Aging Playbook.
But continuous eye-rubbing is a huge culprit in creating dark circles and fine lines, says Asmi Berry, DO, a board-certified dermatologist in Los Angeles. “There's even a name for these bags and wrinkles: Dennie-Morgan lines,” named for the two dermatologists who described them. In some cases, it can look almost look like you have a black eye.

Skin Solutions Figure out why you're rubbing your eyes. A common cause of eye itching (and excessive eye-rubbing) is allergies, so visit an allergist to diagnose and treat symptoms.

 Often, using a hydrating eye cream, sleeping on a silk pillowcase, and using gentle eye drops targeting itching can help reduce itching and dry eyes, says Dr. Berry.

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2. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep is essential for energy, concentration, and your complexion. At night, skin goes into a renewal state.

Skimping on sleep can show on your face over time. One small study found that sleep restriction for two nights (defined as sleeping for three hours each night) resulted in skin that was drier, had less elasticity, was duller, and had more visible dark undereye circles.

Skin Solution To get enough sleep:

  • Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day so your body gets on a schedule.
  • Make your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
  • Finish eating two to three hours before bed.
  • Limit the amount of caffeine you consume in the afternoon.

3. Sipping Out of a Straw

Do you drink sodas, tea, and coffee through a straw? It may help prevent staining your teeth, but it can cause fine lines around your mouth.

Reszko points out that when you're sipping out of a straw you're activating the muscles around the lips: “Using a straw causes repetitive pursing of the lips, which can contribute to the formation of fine lines.”

Skin Solution “Although it will not cause a drastic change, eliminating drinking from a straw can reduce these movements and have a small effect on slowing the formation of fine lines,” says Reszko.

4. Having a Lot of Stress

“Every part of our body is affected by our stress,” Dr. Frank says. That includes your skin.

Stress releases cortisol, causing collagen breakdown. If you're chronically worried (or losing sleep), your body is pumping out stress hormones nonstop, which can cause premature aging.

“Cortisol, the major stress hormone, breaks down collagen, which leads to sagging skin and wrinkles and causes inflammation,” says Amy Wechsler, MD, a New York City–based board-certified dermatologist and psychiatrist. Chronic stress can speed up the aging process in part because of increased inflammation.

Skin Solution “Stress can be reduced through lifestyle changes, including good food, good sleep, and meditation, which all have an enormous effect on the biological and cosmetic aging process,” Frank says.

Figure out what helps you relax and do it regularly.

5. Relying on Makeup for Sunscreen

To protect the skin from premature aging, SPF is king. Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is the primary cause of premature skin aging, degrading collagen and elastin, which leads to wrinkles, sagging, and hyperpigmentation.

But if you're relying on makeup containing SPF to block harmful UV rays, you may not be sufficiently protecting your skin.

“Makeup with sunscreen is better than nothing, but it's not enough on its own,” says Berry. One reason is that the amount of makeup product that we typically use on our face is too small to supply the skin with the SPF that's listed on the bottle. (The SPF listed represents using a nickel-sized amount, says Berry.) Plus, it often doesn't cover both UVA and UVB rays, which is what's needed for adequate protection.

Skin Solution Apply sunscreen or moisturizer with broad-spectrum SPF before putting on your makeup. Broad-spectrum means the product will protect your skin against UVA rays, which contribute to skin aging, and UVB rays, which can cause sunburn.

“People need SPF as a separate application from their makeup,” Frank says. “SPF 30 is usually the acceptable number for protection.”

Berry also recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours. “If you're wearing makeup, I like powders or facial sprays that have SPF.”

6. Ignoring Your Neck and Hands

Avoiding ultraviolet light is the single most important way to avoid skin damage.

 But even the most diligent SPF users may neglect their neck and hands, which may be why they're one of the first areas to give away your age, says Berry. As the delicate, thin skin on your hands ages, it loses volume and fat, and veins, joints, and tendons in the hands become more prominent.

Berry says the neck can become discolored and older-looking as well, usually as a result of long-term sun exposure. “People don't usually put sunscreen on these areas, and that can result in wrinkles, crepey skin, and dark spots.”

Skin Solution Again, avoiding harmful UV rays can help — and if you go outside, seek shade and wear a hat with a brim, sunscreen, and sun-protective clothing.

 In addition, care for these areas with good skin habits. “Make sure that whatever skincare products you put on your face — like sunscreen, retinol, or vitamin C — you extend that down to your neck, chest, and backs of your hands,” says Berry.

7. Forgetting Sunglasses

Sunglasses protect the eyes from UV rays, which can harm the eyelid, cornea, lens, and retina (and, as previously noted, UV rays can damage the delicate skin around the eyes, too).

In addition to eye damage, forgoing sunglasses can also affect the surrounding skin. “Sunglasses help stop repetitive squinting, which can cause dynamic wrinkles that turn into permanent creases over time. They can also physically block some of the UV rays, which break down collagen and elastin that leads to the signs of premature aging,” says Berry.

Skin Solution Slip on sunglasses when it's bright and sunny outside, says Berry. To ensure your sunglasses are providing enough protection, search for a pair that says “100 percent protection against both UVA and UVB” or “100 percent protection against UV 400” on the label.

8. Using Drying Soap

Bars of soap often contain harsh detergents that strip skin of natural oils. Dryness is one symptom of aging skin.

 Plus, dryness itself can exacerbate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, says Berry.

Skin Solution Use a hydrating cleanser. Berry recommends using a gentle, nonstripping cleanser. Unless you have oily skin, avoid foaming cleansers or those that have sulfates as an ingredient. Instead, look for humectant ingredients, which draw moisture into the skin, she says, including hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Seal in the hydration with a moisturizer that contains emollients like ceramides, squalene, or shea butter.

9. Eating a Diet High in Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates

“Everything we eat shows up on our skin, which can be good or bad for our overall skin health,” says New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Anetta Reszko, MD, PhD. A diet rich in ultra-processed foods, which includes those with excessive added sugar and refined carbohydrates, can trigger body-wide chronic inflammation.

 This causes problems on multiple fronts, but for your skin, says Dr. Reszko, this diet pattern can contribute to acne, rosacea, and premature skin aging.
Skin Solution Focus on consuming a whole-food, plant-based diet, focusing on foods like nuts, seeds, vegetables (especially green leafy ones), and olive oil. This type of eating pattern provides ample antioxidant vitamins like A, C, and E, and healthy fats, which protect cells from damage and inflammation — and it's been found to be a diet that research recommends for maintaining younger-looking skin.

10. Drinking Too Much Alcohol

Some studies show that alcohol use has been linked with an older appearance.

 “Alcohol consumption, especially in excess, can play a role in skin health because it can cause many inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and rosacea,” says Reszko. “Because alcohol is also a diuretic, it can cause flushing, dryness, and, in some cases, premature fine lines and wrinkles,” she adds.
Specifically, drinking more than eight drinks per week — an amount considered heavy alcohol use — is associated with more facial lines, undereye puffiness, facial volume loss, and visible blood vessels.

Skin Solution Limit alcohol or avoid it altogether, says Reszko. With the World Health Organization declaring that no amount of alcohol is safe for health, your skin may be one more reason to cut back.

11. Smoking and Using Tobacco Products

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your health, says Reszko. “And this is no exception when it comes to your skin.” She explains that nicotine and toxins from smoke damage collagen and elastin, which is why smoking is associated with skin wrinkling.

 Nicotine also affects melanin production (the pigment in the skin), resulting in dark spots, Reszko adds.
Skin Solution “The sooner you quit smoking, the better,” says Reszko. This can be a difficult journey, and sometimes it takes multiple attempts to find success.

The Takeaway

  • Although everyone's skin ages, premature skin aging refers to earlier-than-expected skin changes, such as fine lines and wrinkles, discolorations, and loss of volume and elasticity.
  • Daily habits make a difference in your skin health and appearance. Habits like sipping through a straw, forgetting to wear sunglasses, or rubbing your eyes often can be damaging.
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by getting adequate sleep, avoiding alcohol and tobacco products, consuming a balanced diet, and wearing sunscreen regularly goes a long way toward keeping your skin healthy and slowing down skin aging.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  6. 10 Tips for a Better Night's Sleep. National Sleep Foundation.
  7. Lip Lines. Cleveland Clinic. October 25, 2022.
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  10. UV Radiation & Your Skin. Skin Cancer Foundation. September 2024.
  11. Health Effects of UV Radiation. United States Environmental Protection Agency. February 4, 2025.
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  13. Skin Cancer Prevention. Skin Cancer Foundation.
  14. What are sunglasses really doing for your eyes? Piedmont Healthcare.
  15. How to Tell if Your Sunglasses Are Really Protecting Your Eyes. University of Utah Health.
  16. Liang Y, et al. Skin Ageing: A Progressive, Multi-Factorial Condition Demanding an Integrated, Multilayer-Targeted Remedy. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. May 9, 2023.
  17. Wrinkles. Mayo Clinic. December 12, 2023.
  18. Asensi MT, et al. Low-Grade Inflammation and Ultra-Processed Foods Consumption: A Review. Nutrients. March 22, 2023.
  19. Solway J, et al. Diet and Dermatology: The Role of a Whole-food, Plant-based Diet in Preventing and Reversing Skin Aging—A Review. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. May 1, 2020.
  20. Liu X, et al. Beverage consumption and facial skin aging: Evidence from Mendelian randomization analysis. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. January 4, 2024.
  21. Goodman GD, et al. Impact of Smoking and Alcohol Use on Facial Aging in Women: Results of a Large Multinational, Multiracial, Cross-sectional survey. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. August 2019.
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  23. Defining skin aging and its risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. November 11, 2021.
  24. How to Quit Smoking. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 27, 2024.
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Jacquelyn Dosal

Jacquelyn Dosal, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Jacquelyn Dosal, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing at The Dermatology House in Park City, Utah. Her areas of expertise include acne, rosacea, integrative treatments of inflammatory skin diseases, as well as laser treatment of the skin and injectables.

Dr. Dosal writes cosmetic questions for the certifying exams for the American Board of Dermatology. She is also the deputy editor for the American Academy of Dermatology's podcast, Dialogues in Dermatology.

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Jessica Migala

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Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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