12 Bad Habits That Make You Look Old

It’s impossible to look young forever, but you can prevent time from marching across your face. 

Don’t let these 12 beauty blunders age you. Just a few easy fixes can keep your skin looking fresher than Mother Nature intended.

See below the mistakes>>

Don’t be too skinny

“Loss of facial fat causes sagging and a gaunt, aged appearance,” says dermatologist Mary P. Lupo, M.D., clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University in New Orleans. 

Don’t rub your eyes

“Pulling, tugging and rubbing on delicate skin around the eyes can cause darkness,” says dermatologist Jeannine Downie, M.D., co-author of Beautiful Skin of Color(HarperCollins) and director of Image Dermatology in Montclair, N.J. 

Don’t cheat on snooze time

“At night, skin goes into a renewal state,” says Jeannette Graf, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at NYU Medical Center. “Not only does it repair itself, but there’s also a difference in its pH and circulation so anti-aging products penetrate better.” 

Don’t sleep on your side

The fetal position may be comfy, but it hurts skin. So does snoozing on your stomach. “Pressing your face into the pillow eight hours a night for years can break down skin and cause wrinkles,” Lupo says. 

Don’t sip out of a straw

“Over the long-term, pursing your lips to sip out of a straw [or suck on a cigarette] causes wrinkles around the mouth,” says skin-care expert Renée Rouleau, creator of skin products and an esthetician to celebrities, including Lisa Rinna and Melissa Rycroft. 

Don’t use wrinkle-fighters in the wrong product

“Many cleansers have anti-aging ingredients, but they’re typically not in high enough concentrations or in contact with your skin long enough to provide significant results,” says Dee Ann Glaser, M.D., professor of dermatology at St. Louis University. 

Don’t stress out 24/7

“Cortisol, the major stress hormone, breaks down collagen, which leads to sagging skin and wrinkles and causes inflammation,” says Amy Wechsler, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist and psychiatrist. 

Don’t rely on makeup for sunscreen

“Most makeup protects against UVB rays, but don’t block UVA rays, which cause fine lines, brown spots, enlarged pores and crepey-ness,” Glaser says. Plus, you need to slather on a lot of makeup to get the sunscreen benefit. 

Don’t focus only on wrinkles

Lines aren’t the only age giveaways. Dark spots and areas of pigmentation can give your complexion a dull, old appearance. They "can make women look at least 10 years older than they are,” says Downie, the Montclair, N.J., dermatologist. 

Don’t ignore your neck and hands

Our poor necks and hands rarely get attention, which may be why they’re the first to give away our age. In fact, a 2006 study found that women whose hands had spots and wrinkles were thought to be older. 

Don’t forget sunglasses

“Repetitive movements like squinting, laughing and frowning etch lines and wrinkles into your face over the long term,” Downie says. Plus, sun exposure breaks down collagen in the skin around your eyes and can cause pigmentation. 

Don’t use soap

Soap often contains harsh detergents that strip skin of natural oils. “Though dry skin doesn’t cause wrinkles, it makes them more noticeable,” says St. Louis University’s Glaser.