Our skin goes through many changes as we age. As the years go by, you may have noticed that your skin appears more sunken in places where it was previously plump or even sagging and crepiness where it hasn’t existed before.

So, what can be done to make your skin look fuller? We tapped several skin experts to dive into what causes loss of volume in your skin and both at-home and in-office approaches to bring plumpness back to your face.

What causes loss of volume in your face?

Aging can show up on our faces in multiple ways, according to Ava Shamban, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist located in California. “I often describe facial aging in three general categories: saggers, wrinklers, and sinkers,” she says. “Saggers experience more skin laxity and tissue descent; wrinklers develop fine lines and creasing from changes in skin quality; and sinkers lose the underlying volume and structural support that create youthful facial contours. Most people experience a combination of all three.”

Volume loss specifically can be the result of changes that affect skin, fat, muscle, and even bone, Dr. Shamban adds. “As we age, we naturally produce less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, which affects the skin’s firmness, elasticity, and ability to retain moisture,” she says. She also explains that the facial fat in the midface and cheeks, which is what gives us a youthful appearance, can also shift, shrink, and redistribute over time. “Additionally, we lose bone structure, which changes the structural support beneath the soft tissues,” she notes.

How can you make your skin look plumper?

In order to preserve your skin and leave it looking plump and full, skin experts say that your daily habits, topical treatments, and in-office treatments can all play a part:

✔️ Make sure to hydrate: Improving your hydration is “one of the easiest ways to make skin look instantly plumper and fuller,” says Dendy Engelman, M.D., FACMS, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist at Shafer Clinic. “When the skin is properly hydrated, fine lines become less noticeable, texture looks smoother, and the complexion appears more supple and youthful.”

✔️ Use topicals with hydrating ingredients: Beyond your water intake, Dr. Engelman suggests incorporating skincare with “ingredients like hyaluronic acid and beta-glucan, which help attract and retain moisture” into your routine. Her personal preference is the IUNIK Beta-Glucan Barrier Milky Toner Essence.

Celebrity esthetician Candice Miele agrees, noting that “a great moisturizer with ceramides and humectants also does a wonderful job of plumping up the skin.” She’s also a fan of hydrating products like PCA Skin’s Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum and PCA Skin’s ExLinea Pro Peptide Serum to help temporarily fill in fine lines.

✔️ Try in-office treatments: For longer-lasting results, there are multiple in-office treatments that can help plump the skin. “Rather than continually adding volume with fillers, I prefer treatments that encourage the skin’s own natural rejuvenation processes,” says Christie Kidd, PA-C, a certified physician assistant at Perfect Skin. “I’m also a huge believer in energy-based treatments.” She suggests options like radiofrequency microneedling, IPL treatments, and platelet-rich plasma, or PRP.

“I love both injecting PRP into the skin and combining it with microneedling,” Kidd says. “PRP is derived from a small sample of your own blood, which is processed to concentrate the platelets. These platelets release growth factors involved in tissue repair and cellular signaling. When PRP is introduced into the skin through injections or microneedling, these growth factors may help support collagen production, tissue remodeling, and improvements in skin texture and elasticity.”

While these in-office treatments have benefits, Kidd says that your at-home skincare shouldn’t go neglected. “Professional treatments can help stimulate rejuvenation, but what you do for your skin every single day is equally important,” she says. “Keeping the skin barrier healthy, supporting regular cellular turnover, and maintaining proper hydration are essential for skin that looks smooth, supple, and radiant.”

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

GH Staff Writer Cameron Jenkins has a wealth of experience covering beauty and skincare. For this story she interviewed skincare experts to gain insight on the best ways to improve skin plumpness.