Dermatologist Louis Shih Tai-cho agrees that sun exposure is the No1 cause of skin ageing, and that most of the damage is done long before we enter our fourth decade. 'Ninety per cent of UV radiation is received before the age of 20, because we spend far more time outside as a kid. Once you start a job you naturally spend less time outside. This is why we advocate so much sun protection education and practice at an early age. If you compare the skin on your face and arms with the skin on the buttock area, there is a big difference - it's wrinkle and pigment free, and the texture is far better. Sun causes damage to the cells, and that's why it causes ageing'.

According to the experts, a lifetime of soaking up the rays is responsible for most of the telltale ageing nasties, including pigmentation, sunspots, freckles, forehead lines, crow's feet and solar keratosis.

So can anything be done to reverse the damage? There are literally thousands of skin products out there that promise to turn back the hands of time, ranging from the hideously expensive to the cheap and cheerful. But are they effective on older skin?

Sam Cooper believes so. 'I've been using Decleor oils and Creme de la Mer products on and off over the years,' says Cooper, a 56-year-old housewife. 'They are expensive, but I would say they have made a difference. I have also been using Boots No7 Protect and Perfect and I really love it. I feel it's helping to fade the brown spots on the side of my face. 'I've never seen a dermatologist and never had surgical intervention and I wouldn't. Getting older is a fact of life. Sometimes you feel sad, but if you only lived for your looks you'd be uber shallow, so you've just got to get on with it. Love your family and laugh as much as life will allow.'

Mimi Yeung Mei-wa, 45, agrees that it's all to do with mindset. 'I think with the right balance, anyone can be happy - you can age gracefully if you have the right lifestyle,' says Yeung, a school development officer. 'I use Clarins and SKII moisturisers on my face. I combine them with a weekly facial, eight hours of sleep each night and six to eight glasses of water daily. I'm also really careful with the sun. For example, I always carry an umbrella. I've thought about procedures like Botox, but I don't think I would do it.'

Yet according to the experts, if you are determined to truly remove those unsightly lines and blemishes, you will need to submit to invasive techniques. 'Forty-five years of age is a cut-off point,' says Hui.

Younger people can maintain their skin's beauty with topical skin-care products and help themselves with gentle chemical peels or laser resurfacing.

But as time goes by you need to add Botox or tissue fillers such as hyaluronic acid (Restylane or Perlane) for deep wrinkles, Hui says. Static wrinkles such as nasolabial or marionette lines (from the nose to the corners of the mouth) are best treated with injectable fillers. Forehead wrinkles and crow's feet can be addressed with Botox, as they are created by the muscles moving repeatedly. 'If we can reduce the power of the muscles, it reduces the wrinkle,' Hui says.

The next step from this is surgical procedures such as removing eye bags and droopy eyelids, and facelifts. 'Peer pressure, an affluent society and media, especially from the US, is driving people to look younger,' says Hui. Shih agrees, predicting that in 10 years' time people in their 60s won't even be considered seniors.

Marketing manager Gail Swann, 47, has had both Botox and Restylane, and plans to keep trying the latest treatments as they come out. 'I was thrilled with the results from Botox and Restylane. They took 10 years off my age. People kept telling me how well I looked - less tired, my face is fresher, and I am happier. Now I'm interested in trying the next generation of fillers. I've read about ArteFill, which can last up to a year. More invasive procedures? I'm not sure, but never say never.'

Today, for those who want it, there are myriad alternative surgical procedures available. Some of the newest on offer include Glabellar Frown Relaxation (GFX), which uses shock therapy on wrinkles. Like Botox, the muscles that cause frown lines are paralysed - a needle-thin probe is used to zap the nerves in the area using radio frequencies. The results last up to eight months.

Aluma is a new, vacuum tipped radio frequency machine which uses a vacuum to almost painlessly fold and suck the skin, leading to collagen contraction and regeneration. The newest version of the established method of radio frequency tightening sends heat waves deep into the dermis to trigger collagen growth, and has fewer side effects of pain and burns.

For the truly brave, there is Thread Lift, dubbed the lunchtime facelift. Tiny strings are inserted under the skin and attached to the facial tissue, acting a little like pulleys to stretch the skin. Each thread has a barb on the end which grabs and lifts the skin. Small incisions are made under local anaesthetic. The procedure takes around an hour and works best on sagging eyes and necks, and nasolabial folds.

If you have more time then there's always fat transfer. To fight the loss of fat in your face, fat is removed from the places you don't want it, and injected into specific areas of your face to emphasise bone structure and give back plumpness.

If you aren't keen on the surgical route, like Yeung and Cooper, you could give facial exercises a try. Experts claim you can firm up your facial muscles just like your body's, through regular exercise. There are 57 muscles in the face and neck, and the exercises apparently increase muscle fibres through muscle resistance training.

Facial exercises are most effective for bags under the eyes, lumpy noses, lines around the lips, sagging jowls and a double chin. Shih also suggests maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle: 'Continue to use sun protection, avoid smoking and too much alcohol. Eat healthy food, fresh vegetables, less meat and take more exercise. Importantly, what most people ignore is their state of mind. Think positive, be happy and avoid being in an anxious state.'

For 48-year-old secretary Susan Lin, ageing is just part of life's journey. 'I lead a healthy lifestyle. I eat right, I exercise, but when it comes to beauty I guess I'm guilty of sticking my head in the sand. I just ignore it most of the time. I don't look in the mirror quite as much as I used to, but I wouldn't do anything about my wrinkles and lines.

'I'd rather spend money on a worthwhile charity than on Botox. Too much emphasis is put on looking young. Everyone tries to emulate the Hollywood stars who spend hours every day trying to look younger, and then when they're photographed they're airbrushed too. Why would you spend thousands of dollars on a tub of face cream or a shot of Botox? I'd rather spend it on something worthwhile.'