The signs of aging in the face usually start with fine lines around the eyes and forehead, then move on to deeper lines, some loss of fullness in the cheeks, thinner skin, a softer jaw line and grey hair. The timing varies by years from person to person. Curious what your own face suggests. Try our free age guesser.
Aging is normal, and it is personal
Every face changes over time, and there is nothing wrong with any of the changes below. They are a mix of what happens inside the skin and what life adds on top, such as sun and smoking. Two people born on the same day can look years apart. This guide describes common patterns, not rules, and it is not medical advice.
What changes under the surface
Three things drive most visible aging, according to medical sources like MedlinePlus and Harvard Health.
- Skin. The outer layer thins, skin makes less of the proteins that keep it firm and springy, and it holds less moisture. Lines form more easily and smooth out more slowly.
- Fat. The pads of fat that give cheeks and temples their fullness shrink and shift lower.
- Bone. The bones of the face slowly lose volume too, which changes the support under the skin, especially around the eyes and jaw.
The signs of aging, decade by decade
In your 20s
Most faces are full and even in tone. The first expression lines may appear where you move most, such as faint lines at the outer corners of the eyes when you smile. Sun damage that shows up decades later often starts now.
In your 30s
Fine lines around the eyes and on the forehead become easier to see, especially in strong light. Skin renews itself more slowly, so it can look a little less bright. Some people notice the first light shadows under the eyes.
In your 40s
Lines from the nose to the corners of the mouth often deepen. Cheeks may lose a little fullness, and the area under the eyes can look more hollow. Sun spots and uneven tone become more common in skin that has seen a lot of sun.
In your 50s
Skin tends to get thinner and drier, and many people notice a softer jaw line. Lines are deeper and stay visible when the face is relaxed. For many women, the hormone changes around menopause bring drier and thinner skin.
In your 60s and beyond
Skin is looser and more delicate, folds around the mouth and jaw are deeper, and grey or white hair is common. Harvard Health notes that over time hairlines can recede, ears can lengthen slightly and the tip of the nose can droop as supporting tissue weakens. Lips and brows often look thinner.
What changes the pace
- Sun. Sun exposure is one of the biggest outside causes of lines, spots and rough texture. Compare the skin on your face with the skin on the inside of your arm to see the difference.
- Smoking. Smoking is linked with earlier lines, especially around the mouth.
- Genes. Some families simply show age later or earlier.
- Skin tone. Deeper skin tones have more natural protection from the sun and often show lines later, though they can still develop uneven pigment.
- Lifestyle. Sleep, diet, alcohol and stress all play a part, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
If you want practical steps, our guide on how to look younger covers the habits dermatologists recommend and what helps in photos.
How people read age from a face
Nobody reads age from one feature. People take in many clues at once, often without noticing.
- Skin texture. Fine lines, pores and an uneven surface are some of the strongest clues.
- Even color. Spots and uneven tone suggest more years of sun.
- Facial contrast. A 2013 study in PLOS ONE measured the contrast between features such as the lips, eyes and brows and the skin around them in a large sample of adult white women. That contrast fell with age, and when the researchers raised it artificially, the same faces looked younger. The authors suggest this is part of why makeup can make a face look younger.
- Shape and fullness. Fuller cheeks and a crisp jaw line read as younger, while hollows and softer edges read as older.
- Hair. Grey hair and a receding hairline are strong clues, sometimes stronger than the skin.
Because so many clues add up, one feature that looks older than average rarely changes the overall impression much.
Things that make anyone look older for a day
Some changes have nothing to do with years. A short night, a long cry, a cold, dry indoor air or a salty meal can all leave the face looking tired, puffy or dull for a day or two. So can a photo taken in harsh overhead light. If you compare two photos of yourself, make sure they were taken on similar days in similar light.
Why age is harder to read in older faces
We measured how well an AI can guess age from a face, using the same model as our age guesser and 156 public photos of people whose exact ages we knew. For people aged 15 to 24, the guess was about 3 years off on average. For people aged 65 to 74, it was about 8 years off.
That pattern makes sense. Young faces change in similar ways at similar times. With every decade, sun, habits, genes and health pull faces further apart, so two 70 year olds can look far more different from each other than two 20 year olds. People find older ages harder to guess for the same reason.
Signs in photos are not the same as signs in life
Photos can make the signs above look stronger than they are. Light from straight above deepens every line, a camera held below the chin weighs down the jaw line, and a wide lens close to the face changes its shape. Before you judge your face by one photo, try soft light from the front and a camera at eye level. Our selfie guide shows how.