When talking about how to improve longevity, we often think of well-known healthy habits like staying physically active, eating a balanced diet that includes lots of whole foods, and managing stress levels.

And while those behaviors are, indeed, the cornerstones of a long, healthy life, there are other less-obvious habits that can make a significant difference, too. We asked longevity experts for their recommendations beyond the standard ones that immediately come to mind.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that increasing longevity isn’t just about adding years to our lives. It’s about improving the quality of those extra years. That’s where the conversation about lifespan vs. health span comes in.

Lifespan refers to the total duration of one’s life from birth to death, while health span refers to the “period of life spent in good functional health,” Dr. Douglas Vaughan, director of the Potocsnak Longevity Institute at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, told HuffPost.

“It reflects quality of life and physiological integrity — not just survival,” he added.

Advancing age is a top risk factor for developing health conditions such as certain cancers, heart disease and dementia. Increasing your lifespan isn’t as meaningful if you’re not able to enjoy those additional years due to debilitating physical or mental health challenges

“Simply extending lifespan would likely also increase the burden of disease, resulting in a larger portion of one’s lifespan being affected by poor health,” said Sebastian Brandhorst, research associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. “Instead, researchers aim to develop strategies to increase health span, by definition delaying the onset of disease and increasing the quality of life well into the older age.”

Health span is sometimes defined as years spent “free from chronic disease” — a definition that Erin Martinez, a Kansas State University associate professor who specializes in healthy aging and adult development, takes issue with.

“I have a chronic disease and always will, yet I consider myself healthy and thriving. Health span isn’t about achieving some disease-free ideal; it’s about your definition of good health and vitality,” she explained.

Instead, we should think of health span as existing on a spectrum, “not a pass/fail grade,” said Martinez.

“Getting sick doesn’t mean your health span is over or that you’ve failed. Your definition of ‘good health’ simply evolves. The cliché is true: It’s not about the years in your life, but the life in your years,” she added.

Below, learn more about the seven healthy habits our longevity experts swear by:

One of the strongest predictors of a long and fulfilling life is having a sense of purpose — “a clear ‘why’ for your days,” said Martinez.

“The Japanese call this ikigai, or ‘reason for being,’” she added. “Purpose does not have to be grand or world-changing; it can be found in small, meaningful pursuits like tending a garden, caring for a pet, nurturing relationships, or contributing to your community.”

“When you have something that makes you feel needed and gives your life direction, you are more likely to care for your health, stay socially connected and maintain emotional resilience,” Martinez continued.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal study that’s now been going on for 87 years and counting, found the strongest predictor of a long, happy and healthy life is the quality of our relationships.

In other words, leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t just an individual journey. The people you surround yourself with affect everything from your dietary choices to your mental health to your mortality, Brandhorst said.

“For example, female Okinawans, representing some of the world’s highest proportions of women who live to age 100 and above, traditionally form social support groups in childhood and stay together throughout their lives,” he said.

In fact, our social connections are “as protective as any [pharmaceutical] drug,” Vaughan explained.

“Social integration and meaningful relationships lower inflammation, blunt stress-hormone responses, and reduce all-cause mortality as powerfully as quitting smoking,” he said. “People with close friends or community ties are consistently healthier, happier, and live longer independent of income, diet or exercise.”

Having strong social connections is predictive of longevity and other positive health outcomes. And research has found that maintaining intergenerational relationships, in particular, “offers powerful benefits for long-term health and well-being,” Martinez said.

“Whether you are mentoring younger people, learning from older adults or simply engaging with neighbors of all ages, these interactions keep your mind sharp, your perspective broad and your sense of belonging strong,” she said.

Intergenerational relationships can improve physical and cognitive health, reduce social isolation and improve life satisfaction, according to research on the topic.

“In short, meaningful connections, especially across age groups, are one of the most valuable investments you can make in your longevity,” Martinez said.

In some ways, this recommendation is so simple, it’s easy to overlook it: “The surest way to extend life is not to shorten it,” Vaughan said.

That means generally avoiding unsafe behaviors over a lifetime — things like smoking, consuming alcohol, using drugs or driving distractedly.

These habits may “sound unremarkable, but low-risk behavior is the single largest contributor to exceptional longevity in long-term cohort studies,” Vaughan said.

Donating your time, skills and energy isn’t just good for your community, it’s good for your longevity too, Martinez said.

“Volunteering creates social bonds, encourages physical activity and fosters a sense of purpose that directly counters loneliness and depression,” she pointed out. “Studies consistently find that people who volunteer tend to live longer and report higher levels of happiness and fulfillment at every age.”

The key is to find a way to engage with your community that feels meaningful to you so volunteering doesn’t become just another obligation on your calendar. Martinez suggests reflecting on your personal interests and values and then seeking opportunities that are in alignment.

“If you are passionate about food security, volunteer at a local food pantry or help with a Kitchen Restore project,” Martinez suggested. “If you love working with youth, consider 4-H, the Boys & Girls Club, or after-school programs. If you enjoy hands-on work, try Habitat for Humanity or mentoring students in trade or design programs.”

Remember: “When your service aligns with your passions and expertise, everyone benefits,” she added.

When it comes to longevity, what you eat has a significant impact. Ideally, that’s lots of whole foods including vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes and whole grains, while minimizing consumption of ultra-processed foods. But some research indicates there may be long-term health benefits to when we eat, too.

One such example is time-restricted eating, a type of intermittent fasting in which you limit nutrient intake to a set number of hours per day (usually about eight to 10 hours).

“For example: first meal — defined as caloric intake, so coffee with cream and sugar definitely counts — of the day at 8 a.m. and the last caloric intake at 6 p.m,” Brandhorst said. “This simple eating pattern aligns digestive function with other systemic signaling, such as sleep, which provides health benefits, such as weight loss, improved heart health and the regulation of blood sugar levels.”

That being said, this type of eating pattern may not be advisable (or sustainable) for everyone. Those who are under the age of 18, pregnant or nursing, or have a history of eating disorders should avoid it. Always consult with your doctor before implementing these practices — especially if you have a chronic health condition or take medication.

For adults, getting seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night is associated with a host of positive health benefits in the short term like better mood and improved focus and problem-solving abilities. But logging enough hours on a consistent schedule — that means going to bed and waking up around the same time each day, even on weekends — can have positive effects on your well-being in the longer term, too.

“Sleep is the body’s nightly repair program. Consistent sleep timing and quality restore metabolic balance, preserve vascular function and stabilize immune signaling,” Vaughan said.

“Chronically short or erratic sleep accelerates biological aging markers such as epigenetic drift and insulin resistance, while steady circadian rhythm is linked to healthier lifespan trajectories,” he added.

In addition to keeping your sleep and wake times consistent, getting sunlight within a couple of hours of waking up, limiting light exposure at night and avoiding exercising or eating too close to bedtime can also help maintain circadian alignment.

Despite being a lifelong skin care obsessive, I am notorious for indulging in facial products while utterly neglecting the rest of my body. But given that the skin on our entire bodies is also aging, being exposed to the elements and working hard to protect us, it deserves a bit of care as well. And while active skin care ingredients may be more commonly used in facial products, there are a fair amount of body products that also incorporate skin-loiving ingredients to help with all kinds of issues.

Hand cream, in particular, is a great way to dabble in skin care-forward body care. And given that few things give away our age quite like our hands, it’s not a bad idea to invest in products that are made to help keep our hands looking and feeling soft, supple and youthful. Harnessing the power of ingredients like retinol and applying it to other parts of the body just might be the secret weapon we’ve all been looking for.

In previous reporting, Dr. Y. Claire Chang, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology, explained that retinol creams can “help increase epidermal thickening, promote collagen synthesis and decrease collagen breakdown in photo-aged skin.” By adding retinol to a hand cream (which is typically thicker than body moisturizers, due to having a higher oil content), you can enjoy the same benefits as you would with a face cream like the ability to possibly help prevent and soften wrinkles, smooth uneven texture and improve the overall complexion of your paws.

Below, we’ve curated a list of highly-rated, reviewer beloved hand creams with retinol. They’re available at a varying range of price points from retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom, Sephora, Target and more. It’s an easy way to add some extra oomph to your everyday hand cream and enjoy the added benefits with minimal effort.

The internet is rife with one-off challenges that are said to mean big things about your health, whether it’s a blanket statement that “all women should be able to do 11 push-ups” or a challenge known as the “old man test” that claims to measure whether your body is “old.”

The latest trend is a recent social media challenge that has people measuring their biological age based on their ability to jump off the ground.

The challenge looks like this: You start by kneeling on the ground and then use your strength to jump from a kneeling position to your feet.

Even Derek Jeter got in on the challenge (and the former New York Yankees star completed it successfully, of course). On social media, videos of this fitness challenge are generally accompanied by text that reads “they say if you can jump from your knees to your feet your biological age is 30.”

But experts told HuffPost this isn’t actually a measure of biological age.

“If you go to the true definition of biological age, that’s going to be more dependent on things like genetics, DNA, your biological markers [and] what makes up your cells and your body,” said Dr. Larry Balle, a sports medicine physician at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Lifestyle choices also play a role in biological age, he added, including smoking, food choices and exercise habits. For example, if you don’t exercise, it can increase your biological age, but if you are a dedicated gym-goer, it could decrease that age.

There are also things beyond your control that impact biological age such as diseases and comorbidities, Balle said.

But one thing that won’t actually tell you much about your biological age?

“This viral jump test is not a valid measure of an individual’s fitness nor biological age,” said Ben Yamuder, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Balle added that this challenge doesn’t necessarily fit in with any markers of biological age. Here’s what to know:

James McMillian, the president of Tone House, a strength and conditioning gym in New York, agreed that this challenge isn’t a measure of biological age. Instead, it’s a peek into your fitness capability.

“The jump test is more of a cool look at your coordination, balance, mobility and explosive strength, all qualities that can decline with age, but are also heavily influenced by training history, body composition and injury status,” McMillian said.

Balle noted: “I think what it does show is you have to have a significant amount of flexibility for one to be able to be put in that position, and then core and hip strength.”

It may be easier for a teenager or 20-something to complete this challenge, even if they’re not conditioned, Balle said. But McMillian noted that someone in their 40s, 50s or 60s who regularly trains could “easily outperform an untrained 25-year-old.”

Izzi Lynn, an instructor at Barry’s in New York City, said if someone can do this kneeling challenge, ”I can safely assume you have a high level of fitness and body control.”

However, that doesn’t mean that all in-shape people will be able to do this. “It’s totally possible you’re strong and fit and are unable to do it, too,” Lynn added. So don’t feel bad if you work out regularly but can’t jump from your knees to your feet.

While you certainly can try this challenge, it may not be a good idea for everyone.

“I would also not recommend anyone attempt this jump if they have not participated in intense and consistent resistance training for several years,” said Yamuder.

Balle stressed that people often end up with injuries when they try out these social media fitness tests.

There are other, safer fitness challenges you can try out instead. Running a mile in 12 to 15 minutes is a good measure of health, as is working toward doing functional movements such as pull-ups, push-ups or air squats.

“That’s some simple movement compared to a more compound, riskier movement in that kneeled position to a squat,” Balle noted.

Things like balance tests, grip strength, resting heart rate and recovery metrics like heart rate variability also offer a more useful peek into health, McMillian said.

“These show cardiovascular capacity, muscular endurance and nervous system efficiency — things that collectively tell you more about how your body is aging,” McMillian added.

When asked if everyone should be able to do this, McMillian said no. “The ability to do it depends on hip mobility, ankle stiffness, coordination and lower body power,” he added.

“People with knee, hip or back injuries, or those who haven’t trained in plyometrics, shouldn’t expect to land it,” McMillian said.

For someone who lacks coordination, this movement is going to be challenging, and even dangerous, Lynn added and “may not actually reflect your level of physical fitness.”

“This test is hard and I would not use it to define someone being fit. That said, it’s a great party trick to whip out,” Lynn noted.

Instead of focusing on one-off fitness tests, experts say you should take a more holistic look at your health and fitness.

“It’s healthy to approach any fad like this test with a bit of skepticism,” said Lynn. “For the average person, a good measure of general fitness is eating a well-balanced diet full of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol and tobacco use, and getting movement in daily.”

“I’m much more concerned with my clients moving hourly than being able to go from kneeling to standing in one jump,” Lynn noted.

“What matters more is whether your body can move efficiently and pain free, not whether you can mimic a social media challenge,” McMillian said.

If you’re looking to bolster your cognitive abilities and keep your mind sharp throughout your lifetime, you may want to pick up a musical instrument. A recent study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that playing is good for your brain health as you age.

Researchers examined 1,107 people in the U.K. over the age of 40 with an average age of 67.82. Participants self-reported their musical experience via a questionnaire and took part in a cognitive assessment, which tested their working memory and executive function. Researchers then studied how four aspects of musicality — listening to music, playing an instrument, singing and self-reported ability — impacted cognitive behavior and compared that to people who did not have a musical background.

“This large-scale, longitudinal study supports previous research indicating that musical training supports cognitive health by improving memory and lowering risk for age-related cognitive decline,” Dr. Gary Small, a memory, brain and aging expert at Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey, told HuffPost via email. Small is not affiliated with the study.

It’s worth noting that 83% of participants were women, so it’s not totally indicative of the general population. Another caveat is that some data was self-reported, said Dr. Arman Fesharaki-Zadeh, a behavioral neurologist and neuropsychiatrist at Yale Medicine in Connecticut, who is not affiliated with the study. Self-reporting leaves room for error; people may misremember their musical background or misunderstand a question.

Playing music largely involves your executive function, so it’s natural for folks with a musical background to see an improvement in the brain, said Dr. Golnaz Yadollahikhales, a neurologist at Cedars-Sinai in California, who is not affiliated with the study.

Your executive function refers to your “ability to multitask and organize oneself, and being able to sequence and prioritize,” Fesharaki-Zadeh explained. Additionally, playing music keeps you cognitively active, meaning it challenges your brain.

“Being cognitively active throughout one’s life can have a protective role” in brain health, Fesharaki-Zadeh continued. This is known as your cognitive reservoir (or cognitive reserve) and activities like playing music can build this up.

Yadollahikhales noted that she’s seen the study’s findings in her day-to-day work, too. People with a good cognitive reserve perform well even when their brain imaging has signs of atrophy. Brain atrophy is linked to issues like dementia and aphasia, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“The patients of mine who were musicians or who were still playing music at the time of diagnosis would show better cognitive function than what was expected to be seen based on their structural imaging findings,” Yadollahikhales said.

You may want to consider dabbling in music. The research and the experts who spoke to HuffPost were all pretty clear that playing musical instruments and singing can be beneficial for your long-term cognition.

If you’re ready to start some lessons and are open to the process, consider trying specific instruments. The study found that playing keyboard-based instruments, like the piano or organ, had the biggest benefit on memory and executive function, study author Anne Corbett told Newsweek, followed by brass and woodwind instruments.

The social aspect of music may be beneficial for your brain, too. Corbett also told Newsweek that the singers in the study had better complex task completion as they aged. But the study noted that the benefits that come with singing may also have to do with the social connections that are formed when singing with a choir or in a group setting.

“Music doesn’t usually happen in isolation,” Fesharaki-Zadeh said. Think about it: Music is often played in a group, practiced with a teacher or performed for other people. That social interaction is one of those protective factors for brain health, he added.

Bottom line: You’re never too old to start learning and challenging your brain.

“Overall, it is recommended that people start building their cognitive reserve early in life,” Yadollahikhales said. “This can be achieved by playing music and games such as puzzles, reading books and being physically active … also, as mentioned in this study as well, higher education can affect cognitive reserve positively.”

Even if it’s been years or even decades since you’ve challenged your brain to something new, hope is not lost. “We’re never too old to learn, I think that’s a known concept,” Fesharaki-Zadeh said. Benefits can be seen whether you’re 65 or 18.

Neurogenesis, the forming of new connections and new cells in the brain, is often not as robust for someone in their mid-70s when compared to someone, say, learning at a new job in their mid-20s. But by learning music (or by learning anything new) you activate this process again, Fesharaki-Zadeh added.

“So, let’s say somebody doesn’t have dementia [and] they’re wondering what are the ways that they can protect their brains against dementia — music could be potentially a viable strategy because it does incorporate a lot of the other factors such as learning, emotional well-being, social connections ― and they’re all great for the brain,” Fesharaki-Zadeh said.

It’s important to keep in mind that while you can control certain risk factors, you can’t control your genetics.

“Although this study demonstrates that musicality provides a significant cognitive benefit, other non-genetic … and genetic risk factors contribute to the risk of cognitive decline,” Small said. “So, even highly successful people with healthy lifestyles will develop dementia if they have a strong genetic predisposition.”

But, as Yadollahikhales mentioned above, if you build your cognitive reserve throughout your life, you’ll be better off if you do develop cognitive impairment or dementia. Studies “have shown that being cognitively, socially and physically active after the development of cognitive impairment and dementia can slow down the progression of the disease,” Yadollahikhales said.

So go ahead and pick up that guitar ― or whatever instrument makes you happy.

There’s no denying it: We live in a youth-obsessed society, largely because of our collective fear of aging. But what if, somehow, we could see getting older as a blessing instead of a curse? After all, as the wise philosopher Pitbull once said, “Every day above ground is a great day.”

While we can’t control everything about how we advance towards and eventually experience our golden years, there are several scientifically proven steps we can take to improve our chances of staying as healthy and happy as possible as we age.

That’s why we — Raj Punjabi and Noah Michelson, the co-hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast — recently chatted with Dr. Parul Goyal, a geriatric medicine specialist at Vanderbilt Health, to learn as many secrets as we can about thriving past the age of 65.

Goyal told us that regardless of how old you we are right now, there are ways to adjust your diet, level and quality of physical activity and even your sex life that will help you set yourself up for success later down the road. She also revealed an unexpected approach to aging that can act as a fountain of youth — and it’s absolutely free.

“Research has indicated that individuals that have a positive mindset tend to experience improved cognitive function, better physical health, and enhanced emotional resilience,” Goyal told us. In other words: Optimism is the key to aging like Paul Rudd.

She pointed to a study that came out in 2019 from Rockefeller University, which talked about how optimism was associated with exceptional longevity in two different cohorts. And another study that came out of France found positive perceptions of aging were key predictors in a person’s quality of life, she said.

So how can we supercharge our optimism?

“Keep a gratitude journal to use at night, practice positive affirmations, practice meditation, and spend time with positive thinkers,” Goyal said. “Because you are who you spend your time with.”

We also discussed other ways to take care of yourself (and your loved ones) to guarantee aging is more pleasurable than stressful, including tips for keeping your brain sharp and why some kinds of naps are better than others.

After you’ve had a listen to the full episode above or wherever you get your podcasts, subscribe to “Am I Doing It Wrong?” so you don’t miss a single episode, including our investigations of the ins and outs of tipping, how to score the best deals on airline tickets, how to apologize or vanquish your credit card debt, how to find love online or overcome anxiety, tips for online shopping, taking care of your teeth and pooping like a pro, the shocking truth about doing your laundry, secrets to booking and staying in a hotel, how to deal with an angry person, and more.

Need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.

One time, when I was getting Botox from a new provider, the injector smiled as she stuck the needle into my forehead.

“I can tell you’re good about using sunscreen,” she said. “The needle is going in smooth as butter.”

She was right. I diligently apply SPF 30 or higher every day. And the insight made me wonder what else a cosmetic injector or aesthetic nurse could assess just by looking at or touching a patient’s face.

We interviewed three cosmetic injectors who revealed what they could tell about a person’s skin care and lifestyle habits from a single visit.

Skin and health experts agree that protecting your skin from the sun with SPF on a regular basis is vital for maintaining healthy skin and decreasing your risk of skin cancer — and if you’re not keeping up with your sun protection, a cosmetic nurse can tell.

“Patients that are using sunscreen and retinoid diligently typically have very clear skin,” said Ginille Brown, a registered aesthetic nurse and the founder of Ginille Beauty Aesthetics in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, if a patient has “copious amounts of fine lines, [it] usually means they do not use a retinol or sunscreen,” added Denisse M. Serrano, an aesthetic physician’s assistant with SkinSpirit in Park Ridge, New Jersey.

If a patient’s skin has a “leathery” look to it, that could be a sign that they’ve made a habit of using UV tanning beds or tobacco, noted Serrano.

If you’re slacking on your skin care practices or if your skin care routine isn’t well-suited for your skin’s particular needs, there are signs a cosmetic nurse can spot.

A patient with “very dry, flaky skin” may not “adequately moisturize and hydrate their skin,” said Marina Sominsky, a registered nurse and owner of Capital Aesthetics in Ottawa, Ontario. “Additionally, someone with dehydrated skin may be moisturizing, just with a product that does not have the right ingredients.”

“If someone is peeling a lot on their face, looks inflamed, or has redness, they may be using too many active or harsh ingredients, which is drying them out,” Brown added.

However, it’s important to note that these signs are clues and not definitive answers. “Skin appearance is also genetic,” Sominsky said, adding that “it is hard to say if a person’s skin condition is directly related to their skin care practices” or if it’s a result of their genetic predispositions.

Looking at a patient’s skin can give a cosmetic injector a good idea of how old that patient is. “Usually in the late 20s and early 30s, people start seeing early signs of aging, where fat pads on the face start separating and sinking,” Brown said. “Quite often, people start noticing a line from their under-eyes that extends through their cheeks, smile lines or nasal labial folds.”

And if a patient’s age doesn’t match the visible aging signs on their face, it may be an indicator of lifestyle habits, including exercise and cosmetic treatments.

“If a patient looks a lot older than their age, they may have had recent significant weight loss or a very active lifestyle. When we lose weight, we also lose fat in our face. A fuller face typically shows signs of youth,” Brown said. “Usually, if a person 30-plus years old has no etched forehead lines and their forehead looks relatively smooth when they are talking and animating, that is a good sign that they’ve had Botox injected.”

Though Botox and fillers can get a bad rep for making it look like a person has had “work done,” well-placed Botox and fillers by a skilled, licensed professional can actually be quite tough to spot with the untrained eye. A cosmetic nurse, however, knows exactly what to look for.

“A person who has little expressive facial movement in the forehead and around the eyes when talking may be suggestive that they have had Botox treatment to combat fine lines,” Sominsky said, adding that “this is not necessarily a bad thing and is usually undetectable to the untrained eye if the treatment is well done.”

She also noted that because neither of these treatments is permanent, “if a patient had the treatment many years ago, it would be much more difficult to detect at first glance.”

Bad Botox or bad fillers, on the other hand, stand out like a sore thumb. “With filler specifically, someone’s face may look ‘blown up’ while the rest of their body is more thin,” Serrano said. “Someone who is using filler may have overfilled lips or under-eye troughs, both of which are things I see daily.”

“If just the cheeks and lips are more youthful than the lower face, that discrepancy can be a sign that someone has done injectables on just a certain part of the face,” Brown added. “It’s for this reason that I tell patients to consider their entire face when getting cosmetic treatments. If we just spot treat areas, things can look ‘done’ or a little off.”

Even if fillers can’t be seen, they can be felt in the form of nodules or lumps under the surface of the skin. “Sometimes, patients have filler in their face that was done several years prior. I am not always able to see that, but if I touch certain areas of the face, sometimes I can feel it,” Brown said.

“Filled lips are easier to spot [than other injectables], as it is common for the cupid’s bow to flatten out when the upper lip is filled,” Sominsky said. “Additionally, the lips will appear closer to the same size when, naturally, our bottom lip is more prominent.”

Brown even said she’s often able to guess the specific brand of lip filler a person has been injected with based on the texture and hydration of their lips. (She declined to provide further details as to which brands coincide with which visible features.)

Even if a cosmetic nurse can’t see well-placed lip filler with the naked eye, they can typically detect its presence through touch. “When done properly, [lip filler] may not be visibly detected, but I may be able to feel it with my fingers,” Serrano noted.

Along with feeling a patient’s skin for signs of lifestyle habits, cosmetic nurses say that the ease with which a needle enters a person’s skin is another giveaway.

“I can also tell if someone has acne scarring if I am having trouble introducing the needle,” Serrano said. “If you don’t have scarring on your face, that means your skin is supple, hydrated and healthy.”

“If there is difficulty putting the needle in a patient’s skin, it may be due to scar tissue or previous filler in an area,” Brown added.

If you’re interested in diminishing the look of wrinkles, acne scars, sun spots or other skin features that develop with age, you may be considering expensive skin care products or treatments. But before you shell out hundreds or even thousands of dollars on cosmetic procedures, it’s important to understand which ones can actually make a corrective impact and which ones can’t.

Certain common beauty treatments, including the use of Botox and topical SPF products, may be most effective when used preventively, before the skin changes. Meanwhile, other remedies, like fillers and chemical peels, are quite effective at reversing the appearance of aging in a corrective manner. To help you better understand the best treatment for your particular skin concern, we consulted five dermatologists and plastic surgeons for their expert advice.

Most beauty treatments fall into one of two categories — preventive or corrective — and many can be used for both.

“Preventative treatments improve and strengthen the skin to keep the aging process at bay, while corrective treatments reverse aging or damage to the skin,” said Dr. Stacey Tull, a surgeon and cosmetic dermatology specialist in Missouri who is the owner and founder of St. Charles County Dermatologic Surgery.

If your skin is in good health, it’s imperative to use preventive skin care treatments to help keep it that way. Preventive treatments “can actually help maintain our skin’s health and delay the onset signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles,” explained Dr. Kimberly Lee, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Beverly Hills, California.

Meanwhile, “corrective treatments ameliorate brown spots, wrinkles, scars, acne scars [and] broken blood vessels,” added Dr. Anna Guanche, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Beverly Hills and Calabasas, California.

Above all else, the skin experts we consulted were insistent that the most effective and essential preventive beauty treatment is the use of an SPF product.

“The best prevention, skin care-wise, is consistent use of SPF 30 or higher,” Guanche said. Beyond helping to prevent harmful skin cancer, daily use of an SPF product can also have impactful cosmetic benefits. Guanche said that “UV [ultraviolet] exposure is the main cause of photoaging,” which results in visible effects on the skin such as wrinkles, loss of skin tone, uneven skin texture, and pigmentation changes such as age spots.

“If you [don’t use] sunscreen regularly, all of the other skin care products [you use] will not make up for the damage that happens over the years,” added Dr. Linda Lee, a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in Boston.