How Long Do Anti-Aging Products Take to Work?
Dr. Pimple Popper reveals when you can expect results from your well-aging skincare.
Published:
7 minute read
Getting results from anti-aging skincare takes patience, but considerably less than most people assume. With the right dermatologist-recommended ingredients and a consistent routine, meaningful improvement is achievable within weeks for some concerns, and within a few months for others.
Board-certified dermatologist and SLMD Skincare founder Sandra Lee, MD (aka Dr. Pimple Popper) says the number one reason people don't get results from their anti-aging routine is quitting too soon — and that the older you get, the more patience your skin requires. Here, she walks through her most trusted well-aging ingredients and shares exactly what to expect from each one.
Fast facts: How long anti-aging skincare takes to work
- Skin cell turnover slows with age, extending how long results take
- Results depend on the ingredient, its potency, and your consistency
- Some ingredients improve skin within days; others take months
- Sunscreen is the most effective anti-aging tool available
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Why do anti-aging skincare products take so long to work?
The foundation for understanding any anti-aging routine is the skin's renewal cycle. In young adulthood, the process of new cells pushing to the surface, maturing, and shedding takes roughly 28 days. As we age, that cycle slows considerably — stretching to 60 days or more by our 40s and 50s. Dull, damaged cells linger on the surface longer, and ingredients working to repair or replace them need proportionally more time to generate visible change.
Dr. Lee points to three variables that determine how quickly any anti-aging product will work for a given person:
- The goal: what specific concern is the product targeting — fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, hyperpigmentation, or loss of firmness?
- The formula: how potent are the active ingredients, and at what concentrations?
- Consistency: how regularly is the product applied, and how does the individual's skin respond?
Understanding how your skincare routine needs to evolve as you get older also matters: the products and frequencies that worked in your 20s may not be sufficient in your 40s. And building sun protection habits early reduces the degree of correction needed later, since much of what anti-aging products work to address is cumulative UV damage.
"I tell every single patient: wear your sunscreen every day," says Dr. Lee. "It is still the best anti-aging product out there, full stop." Daily SPF is the non-negotiable foundation of any well-aging routine.
How long do anti-aging ingredients take to work?
The pace of results varies considerably from ingredient to ingredient, because each one works through a different mechanism and at a different depth in the skin. Below, Dr. Lee maps out realistic timelines for six of her most trusted anti-aging ingredients, along with the primary concern each one addresses.
Salicylic acid
This beta hydroxy acid is one of Dr. Lee's go-to ingredients for aging skin because it targets one of the most underappreciated contributors to a dull, older-looking appearance: accumulated dead skin cells. As the renewal cycle slows, surface debris builds up faster than it sheds, leaving skin looking rough and pores appearing more visible due to reduced skin laxity.
Regular use of a salicylic acid cleanser keeps that buildup in check and helps minimize the appearance of pores over time. Most people notice a visible difference within two to four weeks, with continued improvement through six to eight weeks of consistent use.
Try: SLMD Salicylic Acid Cleanser
Glycolic acid
The smallest molecule among the alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic acid penetrates the outer epidermal layers more readily than other AHAs, making it highly effective for exfoliating dead skin cells and improving surface texture and tone. The dull, uneven appearance that develops with age is largely the result of slowed cell turnover, and glycolic acid directly accelerates that process.
Dr. Lee recommends starting with a lower concentration if you're new to chemical exfoliants, particularly if retinol is also part of your routine. Most people see smoother, brighter skin within two to three weeks, with more consistent results developing over four to eight weeks.
Try: SLMD AHA/BHA Swipes
Retinol
One of the most studied ingredients in dermatology, retinol is a vitamin A derivative that works by accelerating cell turnover and stimulating collagen production — two processes that slow substantially with age. It is the ingredient Dr. Lee most consistently recommends for fine lines, skin laxity, and uneven tone, and the science behind why dermatologists trust it is among the most robust in skincare.
Most people go through an adjustment period in the first four to six weeks. The following symptoms are common during this phase and temporary for most people:
- Mild redness or sensitivity
- Some flaking or peeling
- A temporary increase in breakouts as the skin purges
Dr. Lee recommends starting at two to three nights per week and building gradually from there. "The purging and flaking you might see early on means the retinol is working...your skin is turning over faster than it's used to," she says. "Start slow, be consistent, and give it a couple of months." Most patients see meaningful results at that mark, with continued improvement through six months of consistent use.
Try: SLMD Retinol Resurfacing Serum
Dr. Lee's Well-Aging Picks
Hyaluronic acid
Hyaluronic acid is the fastest-acting ingredient on this list and one of Dr. Lee's favorites for immediate visible improvement. This potent humectant holds many times its weight in water, drawing moisture into the skin and temporarily plumping fine lines caused by dehydration. Some people notice a visible difference within days of first use.
The longer-term benefit comes from sustained hydration over consistent use, keeping the skin barrier functioning well and reducing the appearance of surface-level lines over time. Dr. Lee recommends pairing hyaluronic acid with retinol as one of her go-to well-aging combinations.
Dr. Pimple Popper tip: "Apply your hyaluronic acid right after your retinol. It acts as a buffer against dryness and irritation during the adjustment phase, and the two ingredients are working on the same fine lines from completely different directions."
Try: SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer, SLMD Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Kojic acid
Kojic acid works by inhibiting tyrosinase, a key enzyme in melanin production, which makes it effective for fading the age spots and sunspots that accumulate on skin over time. It addresses hyperpigmentation at the source rather than masking discoloration at the surface.
Most people notice some brightening around the four-week mark, with more significant fading developing over two to three months. Results are most consistent when kojic acid is paired with daily sunscreen: UV exposure actively stimulates the melanin production that kojic acid is working to suppress, so the two work in direct tandem.
Try: SLMD AHA/BHA Swipes
Vitamin C
A well-studied antioxidant, vitamin C addresses visible aging through three complementary pathways:
- It neutralizes free radicals generated by UV exposure and environmental stress that accelerate collagen breakdown and contribute to fine lines and uneven tone
- It stimulates collagen synthesis, helping to support skin's structural firmness over time
- It brightens the skin and reduces the visibility of hyperpigmentation and age spots with consistent use
Initial improvements in brightness and surface tone typically appear within three to four weeks. More pronounced effects on fine lines and pigmentation develop over two to four months of consistent use. Vitamin C is most effective applied in the morning, where its antioxidant action works alongside SPF.
Try: SLMD Vitamin C Serum, SLMD Facial Moisturizer with Vitamin C
Anti-aging skincare FAQ
Q: Why is my retinol not working after a month?
A: Three months — not one — is Dr. Lee's benchmark for meaningful retinol results, so a month in is too early to draw conclusions. Redness and peeling in the first four to six weeks are signs the skin is adjusting and cell turnover is accelerating, not signs the product isn't working. If results aren't visible after three months of consistent use, it's worth reassessing application frequency and concentration.
Q: Can you use multiple anti-aging ingredients at the same time?
A: Retinol and hyaluronic acid are among Dr. Lee's most recommended combinations: hyaluronic acid offsets retinol's drying effects while both target fine lines through different mechanisms. Vitamin C pairs naturally with SPF, since its antioxidant action complements UV protection. The main consideration is introducing new actives one at a time so the skin can acclimate to each before adding the next.
Q: Does sunscreen really make a difference for anti-aging?
A: UV exposure is the leading driver of premature visible aging — it breaks down collagen and directly causes the fine lines, dark spots, and loss of firmness that anti-aging products work to correct. Daily sunscreen is not an add-on to a well-aging routine; it is the foundation that makes everything else more effective.
Q: What anti-aging ingredient works the fastest?
A: Hyaluronic acid produces visible results faster than any other ingredient on this list — its moisture-binding properties can visibly plump dehydration lines within days. That said, hyaluronic acid addresses surface dryness rather than structural aging, so retinol and vitamin C remain essential for concerns like fine lines and hyperpigmentation.
Dr. Lee's Last Word
When it comes to looking younger, no one wants to wait. But anti-aging skincare isn’t magic — it’s science. We have to allow our skin to adapt and adjust. Having patience and sticking to a consistent routine will certainly increase your chances of experiencing positive results from your products.
