Anti-Aging Moves That Really Work2

The Over-the-Beauty-Counter Fix
To soften lines without a doctor's help, "use products with hyaluronic acid, which captures and holds water in the skin, helping to plump up lines and wrinkles," Dr. Dayan says. Dr. Brandt Lineless Lines No More ($55; Sephora.com) boasts peptides to boost collagen production over time and hyaluronic acid, which plumps skin on contact so lines are less noticeable. Another must-have in your wrinkle-fighting arsenal: a product with retinol. "Retinol, derived from vitamin A, thickens the epidermis, increasing skin firmness," says Ronald Moy, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Dermatology and director of dermatology for the California Health and Longevity Institute. Try L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Complete SPF 30 Day Lotion ( $17; drugstores), which has Pro-Retinol A and SPF 30 (a plus, as sun exposure can accelerate collagen breakdown).

Dr. Moy also suggests applying a serum with epidermal growth factors (EGFs), one of the newest ingredients to hit the anti-aging skin-care market. "EGFs are peptides that thicken skin and may increase cell turnover even faster than topical retinoids," he notes. Try DNA EGF Renewal Growth Factor Serum ($145; dnaegfrenewal.com).

Results: After four weeks of using a wrinkle-plumping cream with hyaluronic acid, a daily moisturizer with retinol, and an EGF serum at night, you may look two to four years younger.

The In-Office Fix
Fillers (gels made with hyaluronic acid that are injected just beneath skin) remain the gold standard for plumping up wrinkles and fine lines. They also "add back some of the volume that disappears with age," Dr. Dayan says. A plastic surgeon or dermatologist can inject fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane, in a few minutes, and the wrinkle-smoothing results last 6 to 12 months. Unfortunately, those results come at a steep cost: a treatment with fillers starts at $350 and can go up to more than $1,000, depending on the doctor, the filler used, and how much is needed.

Results: In a recent study, doctors estimated that women who got filler injections looked up to seven years younger (while the women themselves thought they looked up to nine years younger!).