What happens to men’s skin after 35? Here’s what dermatologists want you to know

Turning 35 doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly wake up looking older. But it is around this age that your body starts changing in ways that become harder to ignore.

Your metabolism may slow down, making it easier to gain weight. Testosterone levels also begin to decline gradually, which can affect your energy levels and libido.

Your skin often shows these changes first.

Collagen is the protein that keeps skin firm and smooth. From your mid-30s, your body naturally produces less of it, while existing collagen breaks down more quickly. That’s why dark eye circles, dullness, dryness and fine lines become more noticeable, and your skin may not recover as quickly from late nights or too much sun.

According to Dr Melvin Tan, medical director at Epion Clinic, men usually get away with neglecting their skin in their twenties and early thirties because their skin is naturally thicker, oilier and more resilient.

“By the mid-to-late thirties, however, the skin’s natural repair process slows down, making pigmentation, wrinkles, enlarged pores and sagging skin more obvious,” he explained.

Dr Roy Soo, medical practitioner at IDS Clinic, says lifestyle habits from your younger years also start catching up with you.

“Late nights, smoking, frequent drinking and spending time in the sun without sunscreen all speed up collagen loss,” he said.

In other words, what feels like sudden ageing is often the result of years of accumulated damage finally becoming visible. It is now that skincare really matters.

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