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8 everyday habits that could be ageing your face faster – according to dermatologists

• Vicky Chandler

Published: October 30, 2026 at 12:05 PM

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We’ve become increasingly preoccupied with ageing – and, more specifically, how to stop it showing on our faces. Botox is no longer the preserve of Hollywood, and the skincare industry offers an ever-growing arsenal of lotions and potions that promise to turn back the clock.

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But what about the everyday things that might be ageing us? We know about smoking and sun damage, but what about the glasses of wine that add up at the weekend, a stressful week at work, poor sleep, or even our skincare.

The answer isn’t always straightforward. There’s a difference between something that temporarily leaves you looking tired, dry or dull and a habit that contributes to premature skin ageing. And, while the evidence behind some is unequivocal, for others it’s far less clear-cut.

We asked three dermatologists which everyday habits are worth paying attention to, what they could be doing to our skin, and the simple changes that might make a difference.

8 everyday habits that could be ageing your face faster

You only wear SPF when it’s sunny

If suncream only comes out when the temperature climbs, this is the habit our experts would change first. Aesthetics doctor, Dr Stephen Hennessy, says it’s the UV exposure we accumulate over the years that matters when it comes to skin ageing.

“UV lights set off a cascade of damage within the skin, with one of the end results being the breakdown of collagen,” he explains. “Collagen is essentially the scaffolding of your skin, so if you are damaging it bit by bit over many years, you will eventually start to see that in the form of lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness.”

UV exposure can also disrupt melanin production, contributing to age spots and uneven skin tone. UVA can penetrate clouds and glass, so it isn’t something we only need to think about on sunny days.

Consultant dermatologist Dr Amy Perkins says it’s a step worth prioritising before spending fortunes elsewhere. “One of the most common mistakes I see is people spending considerable amounts of money on serums, retinoids, lasers, and various treatments and other anti-ageing products while overlooking consistent sun protection,” she says. “Those products may offer benefits, but they cannot compensate for ongoing UV damage.”

Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen for UVA as well as UVB protection and don’t rely solely on SPF in make-up, as most of us don’t apply enough to achieve the protection stated on the label.

You smoke

We all know smoking is terrible for our health, and the evidence around premature skin ageing is clear, too. Dr Hennessy says smoking affects the skin in several ways at once, including restricting its blood supply and exposing it to chemicals that contribute to oxidative stress and the breakdown of collagen and elastin.

“Over time, you can see that combination reflected in the skin,” he says. “Smokers can develop a dull or greyish complexion, more pronounced lines and wrinkles and a general loss of elasticity and firmness.”

And what about vaping? While there are plausible reasons to be concerned about its impact on skin health, including nicotine, other chemicals, and oxidative stress, Dr Hennessy says we simply don’t yet have the long-term evidence to quantify its effect on facial ageing in the same way as smoking.

You’re regularly exposed to air pollution

You might think about what traffic fumes are doing to your lungs, but perhaps not what they’re doing to your face.

“There is growing evidence linking long-term exposure to air pollution with visible signs of skin ageing, particularly pigmentation changes and wrinkles,” says Dr Hennessy. “I often describe free radicals to patients as being a little like the shrapnel from an explosion,” says Dr Hennessy. These highly reactive molecules can damage structures involved in keeping skin healthy, including collagen and elastin.

Thankfully, this doesn’t mean you need a bathroom cabinet full of products labelled ‘anti-pollution.’ Dr Hennessy’s advice is to concentrate on the basics – cleanse properly at the end of the day, consider an antioxidant product and, importantly, wear sunscreen.

You’re not getting enough sleep

There’s a reason a bad night’s sleep can show on your face the following morning. But whether regularly burning the candle at both ends makes your skin age faster is a different question.

Dermatologist Dr Katherine Armour, founder of Bespoke Skin Technology, points to small human studies associating poor sleep with poorer skin-barrier function, while sleep-deprivation studies have reported dark circles, swollen eyes, fine lines and paler skin.

“In 2026, evidence linking regular poor sleep to premature skin ageing is suggestive,” says Dr Armour. “But most of this data is observational in nature. So, a clear cause and effect cannot yet be established.”

For overall health and skin function, she says most adults should aim for around seven to nine hours a night, while recognising that individual sleep requirements may vary.

You regularly drink too much alcohol

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror in the morning after a few drinks and felt you’ve aged overnight, you’ll be pleased to know that some of what you’re seeing is temporary.

According to Dr Armour, alcohol can cause facial flushing, exacerbate rosacea and contribute to dehydration, which can leave skin looking less plump and make fine lines more noticeable. Its effect on sleep can also contribute to puffy eyes and a dry, sallow-looking complexion.

But does alcohol actually make your face age faster? “There is some evidence linking heavier alcohol consumption with signs of premature facial ageing, but the evidence is mainly observational,” says Dr Armour. “It does not prove that alcohol directly causes collagen loss or permanent wrinkles.”

Heavy drinking could affect skin through oxidative stress, inflammation, disrupted sleep and nutritional deficiencies, but the evidence is less established than it is for UV exposure or smoking.

Cutting back may improve puffiness, flushing and dull-looking skin, Dr Armour adds, but there’s no evidence it reverses established wrinkles.

You’re constantly stressed

We’ve all heard someone say that stress has ‘aged them’, but there may be more to the phrase than we realise.

“There is good scientific evidence that chronic stress can lead to impaired skin barrier function and skin repair,” says Dr Armour.

Stress hormones can affect skin-cell function, immune activity and repair, while laboratory research suggests they may also increase oxidative damage and alter the activity of fibroblasts, the cells responsible for producing supporting collagen and elastin.

What scientists can’t yet tell us is just how much everyday psychological stress independently accelerates skin ageing in humans. It can also disturb sleep and change behaviours around smoking, drinking, diet and skincare, making it difficult to isolate stress itself from everything that comes with it.

You keep using skincare that irritates your skin

Retinoid, vitamin C, exfoliating acid, another exfoliating acid… with so many active ingredients promising smoother, brighter and younger-looking skin, it can be tempting to assume that using more of them must deliver better results.

“Many people tolerate retinoids, AHAs, BHAs and vitamin C very well,” says Dr Amy Perkins. “It is entirely possible to have a routine incorporating all of these without irritation. The question is whether the products, strengths and frequency suit your individual skin.”

When a routine doesn’t suit your skin, Dr Perkins says barrier disruption can show up as dryness, tightness, burning, itching and inflammation. There’s even a biological concept known as ‘inflammaging’, which Dr Perkins describes as chronic, low-grade inflammation contributing to tissue ageing. But she stresses this doesn’t prove irritation from skincare causes permanent wrinkles or accelerates skin ageing.

“These changes can contribute to an older-looking appearance without necessarily representing the same process as age-related collagen loss,” she says.

Her advice if you’re experiencing persistent stinging, itching or peeling is to rethink rather than push through – simplify your routine, allow the skin to settle then reintroduce gradually according to tolerance.

And the piece of skincare advice you don’t need to worry about? Completely overhauling your skincare routine every time you reach a milestone birthday. Dr Perkins says our skin and its needs can change over time, but not according to an arbitrary age on the calendar.

“There is no need to replace a comfortable, effective routine simply because you have entered a new decade,” she says. “There is a big marketing drive around age-specific skincare, but an age bracket on a jar does not tell you whether that product meets your needs.”

You deliberately try to get a tan

Of all the habits on this list, UV exposure is one our experts are most concerned about. A tan might make us feel like we look healthier, but our skin tells a rather different story. “A tan isn’t healthy – it’s a marker of damage from the sun, which is driving your skin’s ageing,” says Dr Perkins. Repeated exposure can contribute to collagen breakdown, pigmentation changes, wrinkles and loss of firmness over time.

It’s also why sunscreen shouldn’t be viewed as a licence to spend unlimited time in direct sun. Dr Perkins recommends thinking about sun protection as a combination of sunscreen, shade, clothing and a hat, rather than relying on one product.

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Vicky Chandler

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