Quiz: Get Smart About Aging Skin and Wrinkles

Botox -- along with the similar Dysport and Xeomin -- usually takes one to three days to start working. The effects usually peak in one to four weeks, and then gradually wear off after three to four months. Treatments should be spaced out by at least three months.

Long-term sun exposure and damage from the sun's ultraviolet light leads to photoaging, which causes most wrinkles and undesirable skin changes.

Of course, staying out of the sun and wearing UV-protective clothing are the best ways to prevent wrinkles, but not many of us will really do that. So, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen (offering UVA and UVB protection with an SPF of 30 or higher) every day is the most effective realistic way -- to protect skin and look younger.

Dermatologists recommend using moisturizer to plump up fine lines and make your complexion look younger. A good moisturizer can protect your skin from drying out, which leads to wrinkles. Many products that promise wrinkle reduction in 24 to 48 hours contain moisturizer as a top ingredient.

Smiling -- along with squinting, frowning, and other repetitive facial expressions -- makes fine lines and wrinkles more prominent over time because skin loses elasticity as we age. And those facial exercises some of us do to try to improve muscle tone? They actually have the opposite effect.

Products with retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids, and azelaic acid have been shown to treat signs of aging and make skin look younger. Retinoic acid, which is derived from vitamin A, can partially reverse photoaging changes. Azelaic acid and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are natural-based acids that can be used to exfoliate and lighten discolorations.

Be careful not to dismiss skin changes as harmless age spots. What you may believe is an age spot could turn out to be melanoma (or another type of skin cancer). So it's important to see a dermatologist for anything noticeably new and different with your skin.

It's no secret that smoking can age you. One study showed the appearance of facial wrinkles under a microscope in smokers as young as 20. Odds are high that long-term smokers will develop deeply wrinkled, leathery skin. But smokers who quit the habit show less facial wrinkling and improved skin tone when they stop, so that's another reason to stub out the cigarettes.

Women get more wrinkles and deeper lines around the lips (called perioral wrinkles) than their male counterparts, according to researchers in the Netherlands. Men have more sweat glands and better circulation around the mouth, which may explain why they are less prone to these wrinkles.

Facial rejuvenation procedures are the most common in plastic surgeons' offices -- with Botox/Dysport topping the charts. Also popular are dermal fillers, soft-tissue injections to soften facial wrinkles, and microdermabrasion, which uses tiny crystals to remove skin and smooth out fine lines.

In a 2010 survey, 17% of women said that they would get a facelift if they weren't concerned about cost. One-third of Baby Boomers would pick facelifts. Tummy tucks, liposuction, and breast lifts were the top three most popular choices for cosmetic treatments.

Laser skin resurfacing that uses non-ablative, or non-wounding, lasers doesn't require much downtime for healing because it leaves the outer layers of the skin intact. Ablative laser skin resurfacing -- along with dermabrasion and chemical peels -- requires a longer healing time, usually five to 10 days, and makeup application is allowed after seven to 14 days.

Juvederm and Restylane are FDA-approved soft-tissue fillers used to correct wrinkles in problem areas. Botox softens wrinkles by blocking signals from nerves to muscles, keeping the muscle from contracting.

Researchers have found that dressing in red can make women look more attractive, especially to potential mates. So if you're worried that webcams are unflattering, don't rush to schedule a facelift. Just brighten up your wardrobe with some red. And remember, beauty is just skin deep.