BeautySA caught up with Dr. Cheryl Karcher, a board certified dermatologist in New York City and professional consultant for Avon, to discover what happens to our skin as we age.

What are the kinds of skin ageing one can expect to see during your 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s?

The signs of aging we see on our skin at any age really depends on your lifestyle. Things like smoking and too much sun exposure can accelerate the signs of aging on our skin.

In your 20s it’s more about protection than rejuvenation. Freckles can be a sign of ageing and you may start to see a few expression lines. In your 30s you see more evidence of the signs that began in your 20s, but you may also start to develop frown lines, crow's feet and more pigment from sun damage.

In your 40s you start to see more static lines, more severe dynamic lines and pigment issues which can age skin as much as wrinkles. Volume loss – which means loss of collagen and fat – can lead to more sagging with women in their 40s. In your 50s you start to see massive volume loss and this is the age that you truly see the results of your lifestyle on your skin. Expect lots of static and dynamic lines.

How do you remedy the signs of ageing skin through these different ages of ones life?

This depends on what signs you are seeing. For pigment, use even tone products, peels and lasers. For wrinkles, at the dermatologist's clinic you can inject toxins (botox), fillers and volumisers, or you could use Avon ANEW skincare range that is designed specifically for your age bracket.

What should your skin care routine consist of during these ages?

In your 20s it's all about protection and prevention, so use lots of sunscreen to protect from the elements. During your 30s it's still about protection, but also repair, so use products with antioxidants, and maybe retinol or AHAs.

In your 40s you need to start doing more repair and keep your skin barrier in tact with more moisturization. Your 50s are about moisturization and using products with antioxidants, retinol and AHAs.

Take us through the layers of ones skin and how ageing affects each layer.

• Epidermis – ageing thins the epidermis, damaging it and making the underlying layers more susceptible to damage.
• Dermis – which is where the collagen, elastin and blood vessels are; this layer gets thin through ageing.
• Fat – which changes depending where it is on your body, but on the face it falls and migrates down, causing sagging.

What is the relationship between SPF and anti-ageing?

The sun causes ageing, so if you protect the skin from the sun with an SPF every day it helps to slow down the ageing process.

When did anti-ageing become such an important skin matter?

I think this has always been an issue. Women have always wanted to look younger, but 1992 marked the start of a new age in skincare. That was the year Avon introduced ANEW, making the company the first to mass-market anti-ageing technology with Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA). Avon's pioneering use of AHA, which became an industry standard, ignited a skincare revolution. And today, ANEW is a US$1 billion brand.

When did you first start seeing signs of ageing in your skin?

Probably when I was around 40.

Do men age the same way as women do?

Yes, they age in the same way. There’s not a lot of difference between the skin of men and women.

What beauty wisdom can you share with our readers?

The most important thing is protecting and taking care of your skin. We tend to think we're invincible when we're younger! The key is protection and prevention, then you don't have to spend so much time and money fixing and trying to reverse the signs of ageing later in life. I would also say good health habits are key – no smoking, plenty of sleep and exercise and everything else in moderation.

Image: Pavel Lysenko/Shutterstock.com