Aesthetic treatments in your 20s: what's worth it and what to wait on

TL;DR

• The best-evidenced anti-ageing step in your 20s is daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, every day, all year.
• A retinoid at home, plus an occasional Hydrafacial or superficial chemical peel, covers most of what young skin needs.
• Active acne and acne marks are worth treating early, starting with your pharmacist or GP and adding clinic peels where they fit.
• Preventative anti-wrinkle injections have limited long-term evidence, and dermal fillers are rarely the right first step in your 20s.
• At CoLaz, every plan starts with a free consultation and is written down before you book anything, and sometimes the plan is to do less.

More people in their early and mid 20s now book consultations for aesthetic treatments than at any point in the 20 years CoLaz has been open. Many arrive with a list built from social media: filler for the lips, anti-wrinkle injections “to prevent lines”, a different facial every fortnight. The honest answer is that most aesthetic treatments in your 20s are either unnecessary or premature. A few are genuinely worth it. This guide sets out which is which, so you can spend your money where the evidence is strongest.

What are aesthetic treatments in your 20s really for?

In your 20s, aesthetic treatments are mainly for keeping healthy skin healthy and dealing with specific concerns such as acne, not for reversing ageing that has not happened yet.

Most people in their 20s have plenty of collagen, good skin bounce and very little lost volume. The main things that speed up visible ageing at this age are outside the treatment room. The American Academy of Dermatology lists daily sun protection, avoiding tanning, not smoking and a sensible skincare routine as the core ways to reduce premature skin ageing.

That is why “preventative aesthetics” (sometimes called “prejuvenation”) needs careful handling. Some prevention is well supported by research. Some is marketing. The difference matters, because the second kind costs a lot more.

Why is daily SPF the most effective anti-ageing step in your 20s?

Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is the most effective anti-ageing step because ultraviolet light drives most of the visible early ageing of the skin, and sunscreen is one of the few measures shown in a controlled trial to slow it.

In a randomised trial of 903 adults under 55, people asked to apply sunscreen every day showed no detectable increase in skin ageing over four and a half years. Their skin ageing was about 24% lower than in the group who used sunscreen only when they chose to. No injectable has comparable long-term data in people with no lines to begin with.

For the product itself, the NHS advises a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 for UVB and at least 4-star UVA protection. In practice that means:

• Applying it every morning as the last step of your skincare, including on cloudy days.
• Using enough to cover the face, ears and neck properly, not a thin smear.
• Reapplying if you are outdoors for long periods.

If you are planning any peel, laser or IPL treatment later, consistent SPF also makes your skin safer to treat. Tanned or recently sun-exposed skin is one of the reasons we delay energy-device treatments.

Should you start a retinoid in your 20s?

For many people, a gentle retinoid in the evening is worth starting in the mid to late 20s, because retinoids are among the best-studied topical ingredients for improving signs of sun damage and supporting skin renewal.

Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives. They speed up how quickly skin cells turn over and support collagen in the deeper layer of the skin. A systematic review of randomised trials found tretinoin, the prescription-strength form, improved fine wrinkling, uneven pigment and sallowness, and was generally well tolerated.

A few practical points we cover at consultation:

• Start slowly. Two or three nights a week is enough at first, as early dryness and flaking are common.
• Retinoids make the skin more sensitive to the sun, which is one more reason daily SPF is non-negotiable.
• Prescription retinoids such as tretinoin need a prescriber. Over-the-counter retinol is gentler and a sensible starting point.
• Retinoids are not suitable during pregnancy or while trying to conceive. Speak to your GP or pharmacist if that applies to you.

We also pause retinoids before certain clinic treatments, such as peels and microneedling. We tell you exactly when to stop and restart in your written plan.

Are Hydrafacials and chemical peels worth it in your 20s?

An occasional Hydrafacial or superficial chemical peel is worth it in your 20s if you have congestion, dullness or breakouts, but neither replaces SPF and a good home routine.

A Hydrafacial cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates the skin in a single 30 to 60 minute session, with no downtime. At CoLaz it starts from £99 for the Express treatment (30 minutes). It is excellent before an event or as regular maintenance. What it will not do on its own is shift acne scarring, pigmentation or enlarged pores. Hydrafacial is overprescribed as a fix. We would rather you hear that before you book than after your third session.

Superficial chemical peels use acids such as salicylic (BHA), glycolic (AHA), mandelic or lactic acid to exfoliate the surface of the skin. A review of peels for active acne found glycolic and salicylic peels to be well tolerated and helpful, with salicylic acid suiting darker skin types particularly well. At CoLaz, peels start from £99 for a single BHA salicylic peel, and a typical course is 3 to 6 sessions, 2 to 4 weeks apart.

Peel choice matters more than peel strength. We match the acid to your Fitzpatrick skin type (a scale that describes how your skin reacts to the sun), because a deeper peel on skin prone to pigmentation can leave it darker than where it started. In your 20s, superficial peels are almost always the right level.

What should you do about acne and acne marks in your 20s?

Acne in your 20s is worth treating early, starting with your pharmacist or GP, because active breakouts that are left alone are the main cause of the scarring people later pay much more to improve.

The NHS acne guidance suggests a pharmacist for mild acne and a GP if spots are deep, painful, causing scars or affecting your mental health. Your GP can prescribe treatments that a clinic cannot, and can refer you to a dermatologist where needed. We often ask patients to speak to their GP first, particularly if acne has appeared suddenly or comes with irregular periods or excess hair growth.

Clinic treatments can sit alongside medical care, not replace it. Our Acnelan protocol combines a course of in-clinic peels (typically 4 to 6, 2 weeks apart) with an at-home routine to help reduce active breakouts and post-acne marks. It is priced at consultation. We do not treat anyone who has taken isotretinoin in the last six months with peels or microneedling, because the skin needs time to recover.

For established scarring, we usually plan microneedling rather than one large resurfacing treatment. One patient in his late twenties came to our Hounslow clinic with mild rolling acne scars on his cheeks, having been quoted over £1,500 elsewhere for a single laser resurfacing session. We planned four Dermapen sessions, six weeks apart, with a polynucleotide booster in the middle. The downtime was 24 hours of mild redness, and by the end of the course his scars were noticeably softer. Not gone, because that is not realistic, but clearly improved. The biggest, most expensive treatment is not always the right one.

Is preventative anti-wrinkle injection worth it in your 20s?

For most people in their 20s, preventative anti-wrinkle injections are not worth it yet, because the long-term evidence is limited and there is usually nothing to treat.

The idea behind “preventative” botulinum toxin is that relaxing a muscle early stops lines forming. There is some logic to it, and a few small studies support it. A 2025 review of the evidence found it a promising approach but described the data as inconsistent, with long-term safety and effectiveness not yet established. The authors called for larger, longer studies.

What we do see in practice:

• Most people in their early 20s have no lines at rest. A line that only appears when you frown or smile is normal movement, not damage.
• Results last 3 to 4 months, so “prevention” means repeat treatments, at From £199 per area, for many years.
• Daily SPF and a retinoid address the same long-term goal with stronger evidence and lower cost.

There are exceptions. Someone in their late 20s with a deep frown line that stays visible at rest may be a reasonable candidate for a low dose in one area. That is a decision for a face-to-face consultation, not a trend. Most patients who ask for anti-wrinkle injections do not actually want a frozen face. They want to look like themselves, rested.

Why we usually suggest waiting on dermal fillers

Dermal fillers are hyaluronic acid gels that add volume. They have their place, and in later decades they can restore volume that has genuinely been lost. In your 20s, there is usually very little lost volume to restore, so filler is adding to a face rather than restoring it.

That has two consequences people do not always hear about. First, filler often lasts longer than expected. An imaging study using MRI and CT scans found cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel still present 2 to 4 years after a single treatment, with some product found in deeper layers than where it was placed. Second, repeated top-ups through your 20s can build up gradually, so the overall look drifts away from your natural features. Hyaluronic acid filler can be dissolved, but that is a second procedure, not a reset button.

We do treat patients in their 20s with filler where there is a clear reason, such as a natural asymmetry they have always been conscious of. What we will not do is start a cycle of lip and cheek top-ups because a trend suggests it. If we do not think you are a good candidate on the day, we say so. Patients deserve to be told no when no is the right answer.

How UK rules protect younger patients

UK law and advertising rules both draw a line at 18, and choosing a properly qualified practitioner matters at any age.

The Children Act 2021 (the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act) made it an offence in England to give botulinum toxin or cosmetic filler injections to anyone under 18. Since May 2022, the Advertising Standards Authority has also required that ads for cosmetic interventions are not directed at under-18s, citing the risks of these procedures and their appeal to young people struggling with body confidence.

Turning 18 does not make every treatment a good idea, of course. Wherever you go, check the practitioner’s training and insurance. Voluntary registers such as the JCCP register and Save Face list practitioners who have met set standards. At CoLaz, every practitioner delivering laser, IPL and energy-device treatments holds a VTCT / Ofqual Level 4 qualification.

A simple plan for aesthetic treatments in your 20s

Here is the plan we would broadly suggest for most people in their 20s, before any individual adjustments at consultation.

Priority	What	Why
Every day	Broad-spectrum SPF 30+, 4-star UVA	Strongest evidence for slowing visible skin ageing
Most evenings	Gentle retinoid, introduced slowly	Supports skin renewal and evens tone over time
If you have breakouts	Pharmacist or GP first, then clinic peels if they fit	Early treatment reduces the risk of scarring
Occasionally	Hydrafacial or superficial peel	Maintenance, congestion and pre-event skin
Usually wait	Preventative anti-wrinkle injections	Limited long-term evidence, ongoing cost
Usually wait	Dermal fillers	Little volume to restore, can build up over time

This is deliberately modest. In our experience the people who are happiest with their skin at 35 are rarely the ones who had the most treatments at 25. They are the ones who wore SPF.

How to start at CoLaz

Every plan at CoLaz begins with a free consultation at one of our seven UK clinics: Derby, Wembley, London Paddington, Slough, Reading, Southall and Hounslow. We take your medical history, current skincare, medication and Fitzpatrick skin type, talk through what you would like to change, and discuss realistic expectations.

At the end, we write down the recommended plan, including the number of sessions, the spacing and the price per session, before anything is booked. You take it away and decide. For many patients in their 20s, that plan is a better SPF, a retinoid, and perhaps a peel or Hydrafacial a few times a year. We think that is a good outcome. The quickest way to book is by WhatsApp to your nearest clinic.