How To Navigate Skin Changes in Your Mid-30s: Tips from Dr. Ablon and Dr. Dray

Your mid-30s are a prime era of adulthood, ushering in more confidence, new opportunities, and greater perspective. By 35, you may also notice subtle shifts in your skin caused by declining collagen, fluctuating hormones, and slowed repair. This makes it an ideal time to implement a preventative skincare routine with red and near-infrared light therapy, which stimulates collagen production and supports visible skin rejuvenation before deeper signs of aging appear.

We’ve partnered with board-certified dermatologists Dr. Glynis Ablon MD, FAAD and Dr. Andrea Suarez MD, FAAD to share their expert insights on how to navigate skin changes in your mid-30s with a proactive approach to skin aging.

What Actually Changes in Your Skin After 35?

After 35, declining collagen levels, a thinning epidermis, slowed skin repair, gradual fat pad loss, and hormonal shifts can contribute to visible changes in your complexion.

Declining Collagen and Elasticity

Your body gradually produces less collagen starting in your mid-20s, meaning collagen loss after 35 may contribute to early fine lines, reduced firmness, and diminished elasticity, especially around delicate areas like your eyes, mouth, and neck. Preventative skincare revolves around strengthening collagen networks to bolster your skin’s underlying structure, making it more resilient from within.

Changing Tone and Texture

The skin’s outermost layer, called the epidermis, progressively thins with age. As the skin becomes thinner, enlarged pores, crepey texture, and uneven skin tone may become more prominent.

Slowed Skin Repair and Increased Sensitivity

The skin’s natural ability to repair and regenerate diminishes over time. As damaged skin heals more slowly, your skin may become drier, more reactive, and more vulnerable to environmental stressors, like pollution and harsh weather. Hormonal aging skin due to fluctuations like perimenopause can further exacerbate this dryness and contribute to new-onset adult acne.

Early Fat Loss and Volume Changes

The fat pads that keep your skin plump start to thin and shift in adulthood. Together with plateauing bone density, this can subtly affect your face’s natural contours and overall radiance.

Hormonal Shifts

Some women in their mid-30s begin to notice the effects of perimenopause, a hormonal stage characterized by gradually declining estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels in the lead-up to menopause. It might cause your skin to feel drier, thinner, less elastic, and more sensitive.

Keep reading to learn more about how perimenopause affects the skin with insights from Dr. Glynis Ablon, MD, FAAD.

Why Preventative Care Matters Most in Your Mid-30s

While inevitable, skin changes in your mid-30s highlight the benefits of preventative skincare, like LED light therapy sessions, to ward off more visible shifts and preserve your skin’s innate regenerative abilities.

How LED Light Therapy Supports Skin Before Aging Deepens

Red (633 nm) light prompts your cells to create more energy, supporting skin cell repair and renewal. Near-infrared (830 nm) light reaches the deeper fibroblast cells, stimulating collagen and elastin production to strengthen the skin’s underlying structure. Together, these light wavelengths serve as invaluable tools in preventative aging skincare, helping to keep skin firmer, brighter, and more resilient with consistent use.

Why is Preventative Care Particularly Impactful in Your Mid-30s?

Your mid-30s are the ideal time to invest in preventative care and safeguard your skin’s youthful glow. “Preventative care is most effective when the skin still has a strong baseline capacity for repair. In your mid 30s, collagen production has slowed but is not yet severely diminished, making this an ideal time to support cellular function and protect existing collagen. Intervening at this stage can delay the progression of deeper wrinkles, laxity, and uneven tone. Patients who adopt consistent preventative strategies in their 30s often require fewer aggressive interventions later on,” says Dr. Andrea Suarez, MD, FAAD.

Why Choose Omnilux for LED Light Therapy?

Omnilux is a leader in LED light therapy, offering FDA-cleared, medical-grade devices with optimized wavelengths to generate tangible results. Backed by over 40 peer-reviewed clinical brand studies, Omnilux LED light therapy devices address a complete spectrum of skin concerns, including early signs of skin aging like fine lines, dull skin tone, and volume loss.

Perimenopause and Its Early Impact on Skin Health

We spoke to Dr. Glynis Ablon, MD, FAAD to learn more about how perimenopause affects the skin, including preventative skincare for perimenopause.

Q: How do you define perimenopause from a dermatologic perspective?

A: “Perimenopause is a very nondescript term, as it can begin much earlier than many people expect. There are around 100 possible symptoms that may or may not occur, and they are often highly individual. From a dermatologic perspective, symptoms can include dry skin, acne, hair changes, pigmentation changes, loss of elasticity, increased skin sensitivity, and the worsening of existing skin concerns.”

Q: At what age range do women typically begin experiencing perimenopausal skin changes?

A: “There is a wide range. Some women may notice early skin changes as soon as their mid-30s, though symptoms are more commonly observed in the 40s and 50s.”

Q: What are the most common skin shifts women notice during this phase?

A: “Dryness, increased sensitivity, texture changes, and acne flares are all very common during perimenopause.”

Q: What is happening hormonally that drives these changes?

A: “During perimenopause, levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone begin to fluctuate and decline. These hormonal shifts directly impact collagen production, skin hydration, barrier function, and overall skin resilience.”

Q: What preventative or supportive steps do you recommend women take to maintain skin resilience during perimenopause?

A: “I always say, 'you are what you eat,' so nutrition and understanding what your body needs during perimenopause are key. From there, skincare should evolve as the skin changes, and seeing a dermatologist can help address concerns as they arise. Finally, consistent at-home care is essential. It helps maintain results and can delay the need for medical intervention.”

Q: How can red and near-infrared light therapy support the skin through these changes?

A: “Low-level lasers and light-emitting diodes are fantastic tools. The saying 'no pain, no gain' is simply not true when it comes to these therapies. Improvements in collagen stimulation and the healing of acne and other skin concerns make red and near-infrared light therapy an ideal option, either on its own or in combination with in-office procedures and skincare, as women navigate the perimenopausal transition.”

How to Use Omnilux as a Preventative Aging Step

Omnilux LED light therapy is designed to slot effortlessly into your existing routine, providing a supportive boost for your skin’s evolving needs. Here’s the recommended protocol:

• Protocol: 3 to 5 10-minute treatment sessions per week
  
  
• Device recommendations to deliver LED light therapy for the prevention of skin aging:
  • Contour Face uses red and near-infrared light to support collagen production, even skin tone, and improve skin texture.
  • Contour Neck & Décolleté targets the delicate skin on the neck and décolleté to improve skin firmness, texture, and wrinkles.
  • Omnilux Men is specifically designed for men’s 25% thicker (on average) skin, with the addition of a third light wavelength, near-infrared (1072 nm), to penetrate deeper and promote skin rejuvenation.

Pairing LED Light Therapy with Topical Skincare

To maintain the results of your LED light therapy sessions, consider Omnilux topical skincare. Formulated for use with LED light therapy treatments, these products create a balanced routine to support natural skin regeneration.

• Cleanse: Enzyme Powder Cleanser for gentle exfoliation or Salicylic Acid Cleanser for blemish control
  
  
• Hydrate and Balance: Hyaluronic Acid Serum or Noni Balancing Serum to deeply quench and calm the skin
  
  
• LED Treatment: 10 minutes using your Omnilux device of choice
  • Anti-Aging LED Devices: Omnilux Contour or Omnilux Men
  • Anti-Acne LED Devices: Omnilux Clear
    
    
• Apply SPF: Mineral Facial Sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 50+, glycerin, and squalane for a soothing, hydrating boost

Q&A With Dr. Dray: Age 35+ Skin Changes

Learn more about how your mid-30s affect your skin with Dr. Andrea Suarez, MD, FAAD.

Q: Which skin changes do you most frequently see emerging around age 35?

A: “Around age 35, I commonly see the earliest signs of structural skin aging begin to surface. These include subtle fine lines, particularly around the eyes and mouth, mild loss of firmness, and slower recovery from inflammation or breakouts. Skin may appear duller due to decreased cell turnover, and patients often notice that their skin does not bounce back as quickly as it once did. These changes are usually gradual, but they signal the transition from purely preventative skincare to a combination of prevention and early intervention.”

Q: Why do collagen, elasticity, and cellular repair naturally start to decline at this stage?

A: “By our mid 30s, collagen production decreases by approximately 1 percent per year, and elastin fibers become less organized and resilient. Fibroblast activity slows, meaning the skin is less efficient at producing and repairing its structural components. Mitochondrial function within skin cells also becomes less efficient, reducing the energy available for repair and regeneration. These changes are part of the natural aging process, but their visible impact depends heavily on cumulative environmental exposure and skincare habits.”

Q: How do environmental factors such as UV exposure, stress, and lifestyle compound these shifts?

A: “Environmental stressors accelerate the biological aging processes already underway. Chronic UV exposure breaks down collagen and elastin through oxidative damage and inflammation. Psychological stress increases cortisol levels, which can impair barrier function and delay repair. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, alcohol use, and inconsistent skincare further compromise the skin’s ability to recover. Over time, these factors compound intrinsic aging and make early changes more noticeable and persistent.”

Q: How does LED light therapy support collagen, cellular energy, and overall skin health before deeper aging sets in?

A: “LED light therapy works by delivering specific wavelengths of light that are absorbed by the mitochondria in skin cells. Red and near-infrared light increase cellular energy production, which supports collagen synthesis, improves circulation, and enhances the skin’s natural repair processes. Devices like the Omnilux Contour Face provide these wavelengths in a controlled, clinically studied format that can be used consistently at home. When incorporated into a preventative skincare routine, LED therapy helps maintain skin firmness, resilience, and overall health before more advanced signs of aging develop.” 

Prioritizing preventative skincare in your mid-30s is an act of self-love and a proactive choice for your future. Consistent habits and Omnilux LED light therapy help shield your skin over time, keeping it radiant and resilient as you navigate this stage of life.