Growing old gracefully? ????⌛

coolraul07

The only age-related issue I have right now is that my gray hairs are SOOOO sporadic (e.g. 1 here, 1 there, 5 over here, a cluster of 12 there, 3 in one eyebrow, etc.) And they always stick STRAIGHT out, like cat whiskers. I don't have any patches or streaks yet (e.g. temples), but then again I'd probably complain if I did. Oh well, 2 tears in a bucket...

One thing I have noticed is a major shift in how women address their age. When I was a young'n, it was universally rude to ask a woman's age and women never told how old they were. I didn't even know my own Mom's age until I was a teenager and say some documents. I still only have it narrowed down to a 3 year range because of a screw-up with her birth certificate that required YEARS to address through the legal system.
In the past decade or so, I hear/see women whipping out their ages like badges of honor. On my last job, I knew the age of 90% of the women around me, not that I ever asked! They'd throw it out there like the Big Joker in a Spades tournament! Even on MFP, most women, and pretty much all in my FL have their ages listed. Now whether they're accurate ages is a whole 'nother matter!

svsl0928

I will be 53 this month. Age is just a number. Not trying to look younger just want do right as far a taking care of my health. :flowerforyou:

GiddyupTim

Well, you youthful responders, I am 60 and the primary thing many (most) people my age are concerned with is lifestyle. Looks (while still not UNimportant )are more does s/he look good for his/her age. What you see at 60 is that you have probably 20ish years left and you want to be able to enjoy those to the maximum and perhaps survive healthy enough to dance at your grandchildren's weddings (or Phd hooding or whatever it is they want to celebrate). One final thought, lots of plastic surgery does not make a person look younger - it makes them look old with plastic surgery -- think Joan Rivers. :laugh:

I am sorry kcg. I really must disagree with your opinion of plastic surgery. Plastic surgery that makes someone "look old with plastic surgery" is bad plastic surgery. Probably done by a bad plastic surgeon.
There is good plastic surgery. In fact, there is very good plastic surgery. The procedure that seems to improve appearance the most is a blepharoplasty -- removing the bags under the eyes. Surveys say that something like 90 percent of people who have a bleph are extremely satisfied with it and would recommend it to others. And, if you have ever seen a good one, it can take 5 years or more off of a person's appearance.
The other procedures that really produce a bang for the buck (keep in mind that many do little or nothing) is a CO2 laser peel or a chemical peel. Those procedures can take care of a lot of sun damage and minor wrinkles. Course, they are pricey, painful and require about a week (or more) of 'down time' for recovery.
Another poster also mentioned that she does the two things that credible dermatologists recommend for skin care, the concensus practices: She uses an exfoliant and sunscreen. To that I might add: use a skin-care product with a retinoid or with a beta-hydroxy acid.
Most anti-aging creams are bogus. But those two ingredients have been proven to improve your skin's appearance and remove tiny wrinkles when used over time.
I gotta agree with another poster too. That poster, annoyed that people who were too young were voicing somewhat unsympathetic opinions, said: Yeah, when I was in my 30s, I did not think I needed anything either.

anemoneprose

Well, you youthful responders, I am 60 and the primary thing many (most) people my age are concerned with is lifestyle. Looks (while still not UNimportant )are more does s/he look good for his/her age. What you see at 60 is that you have probably 20ish years left and you want to be able to enjoy those to the maximum and perhaps survive healthy enough to dance at your grandchildren's weddings (or Phd hooding or whatever it is they want to celebrate). One final thought, lots of plastic surgery does not make a person look younger - it makes them look old with plastic surgery -- think Joan Rivers. :laugh:

I am sorry kcg. I really must disagree with your opinion of plastic surgery. Plastic surgery that makes someone "look old with plastic surgery" is bad plastic surgery. Probably done by a bad plastic surgeon.
There is good plastic surgery. In fact, there is very good plastic surgery. The procedure that seems to improve appearance the most is a blepharoplasty -- removing the bags under the eyes. Surveys say that something like 90 percent of people who have a bleph are extremely satisfied with it and would recommend it to others. And, if you have ever seen a good one, it can take 5 years or more off of a person's appearance.
The other procedures that really produce a bang for the buck (keep in mind that many do little or nothing) is a CO2 laser peel or a chemical peel. Those procedures can take care of a lot of sun damage and minor wrinkles. Course, they are pricey, painful and require about a week (or more) of 'down time' for recovery.
Another poster also mentioned that she does the two things that credible dermatologists recommend for skin care, the concensus practices: She uses an exfoliant and sunscreen. To that I might add: use a skin-care product with a retinoid or with a beta-hydroxy acid.
Most anti-aging creams are bogus. But those two ingredients have been proven to improve your skin's appearance and remove tiny wrinkles when used over time.
I gotta agree with another poster too. That poster, annoyed that people who were too young were voicing somewhat unsympathetic opinions, said: Yeah, when I was in my 30s, I did not think I needed anything either.

There can be great plastic surgery, however.. yes, satisfaction with blephs is high immediately, but how many 5-15 year follow ups have been done? I ask because with the older technique that involves excising (vs repositioning) the fat, many have experienced a sunken look later on. I know there are fantastic ideas now about better ways to address the facial ecosystem (if you like) over time, but most potential consumers/patients are not equipped to ask the right questions to figure out who knows what.

Add to that variability in surgical skill, patient anatomy & recovery potential.. For a control freak of modest means, like me, there are just too many variables to take the risk. I have seen beautiful work, though, for sure!

& yup yup, I alternate a retinoid with a glycolic Peels, lasers, etc, would feel much easier about those...

00sarah

I live my life and enjoy it. The people in my family all look youthful, and live past the age of 100 (and even the people that abuse their bodies mostly with alcoholism). But, I'm still going to eat nutritiously, exercise, and wear hats and spf. Simple steps to prevent unnecessary early aging or health problems. The people in my family also have fair skin and have had skin cancer and lost their skin pigmentation from serious sunburns, but they still all look good (early detection and then they started wearing sunblock).

My great grandmother (my kids make her a great great grandmother) is 99, she still challenges men to arm wrestle, and she does high kicks (she was also a dancer). She still dresses fashionably and wears high heels.

Wow. She sounds like an amazing lady!

SierraZulu

I just turned 40 and just started to see some fine lines appearing here and there over the last year. Looking youthful seems to run in my family, as does decent skin, so I've never been too concerned over it.

I dye my hair, but that's more because it's fun to try different colours and haircuts. I have grown it out to its natural ashy blonde, with grey "streaks" yes, and that didn't bother me either. Then I got bored after a while and dyed it again. LOL

I wear make-up because it's fun to create different looks for different occasions, but for the most part, I stick to mascara and lipgloss for every day. Going out without make up doesn't bother me either. I have always worked in an image-conscious industry, though, so I do make the effort to look polished for work.

I do use a moisturizing cream with sunscreen, because I have horribly fair skin and burn like crazy in the sun, which hurts! And I do exfoliate. That's about it.

Down the line, would I consider more drastic measures? I don't know. I've thought about it and I don't really want to look younger...just put together and good for my age. I'm not going to be 20 again. And I don't want to be. Happy where I am. It doesn't mean I'll let myself go and if the sagging gets too bad, who knows what I'll do? Never say never. LOL But for now, sunscreen, moisturizing and exfoliating are good enough for me.

All that said, the working out, the water consumption, the eating healthier have made not only a positive impact on the way I feel, but also on the way I look. I love being able to do more in life and feel good every day and see the impact on my looks as a bonus.

Oishii

Once I've retired I will no longer risk bringing my profession into disrepute, so I'll be able to be as disgraceful as I like :laugh:

When I was teenager I bought eye cream. In my 20s I used moisturisers. Now, in my 30s, you're lucky if I remember SPF. For me, confidence in myself means a lack of interest in those things. I'm pretty sure whether or not I have wrinkles won't affect my ability to parent or teach well, so they aren't priorities. As an added bonus, my DH respects me for not wasting my money on lotions and potions, so overlooks all the other things I fritter my money away on :laugh:

So I won't be hiding my age, which some may find disgraceful, and I may even take more risks in future too.

Unknown

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dodihere

Believe me, when I want to work this I can. No need for creams, injections, etc. I am confident in the person who I am, I do best with what God gave me and I don't worry about the rest. Being young is a state of mind. God forbid I have injections and my face freezes up like Nicole Kidman or plump my lips and people say, ooooh look at her lips. It doesn't even remotely look natural. There is no need for me to want to stick out in a crowd because I don't have attention or self esteem issues.

anemoneprose

I live my life and enjoy it. The people in my family all look youthful, and live past the age of 100 (and even the people that abuse their bodies mostly with alcoholism). But, I'm still going to eat nutritiously, exercise, and wear hats and spf. Simple steps to prevent unnecessary early aging or health problems. The people in my family also have fair skin and have had skin cancer and lost their skin pigmentation from serious sunburns, but they still all look good (early detection and then they started wearing sunblock).

My great grandmother (my kids make her a great great grandmother) is 99, she still challenges men to arm wrestle, and she does high kicks (she was also a dancer). She still dresses fashionably and wears high heels.

Wow. She sounds like an amazing lady!

This reminded me...caring about yourself is important. Dressing nice and showing that you care about your appearance is one thing. But, where is the line between classy and not classy? Where is the line between caring too much about how you look? I find these questions interesting. I guess I mostly expect 99 year-olds to walk around in moo-moos or sweat pants. Lol. So, to see them dressing everyday and taking care of themselves and enjoying life is awesome.

Caring too much? Spending way too much time strategizing or thinking about appearance; not being able to enjoy life if you don't meet some predetermined standard. Idk. It took me a bit of time to figure out the skin care routine that works for me, now I apply it without a thought & it takes little time. Same for learning how to dress myself to my best advantage. Now I can look at a pair of pants on the rack and tell how it'll probably fit. I have no probs going out w/o makeup, but I like the feeling of being 'put together' & like seeing others who give a crap. It is pleasing to the eye. To some degree it shows respect for yourself & the public space you're in. (I am not saying that wearing makeup = self respect, but I feel a bit deflated when I go to a town where everyone wears sweatpants & runners & practical haircuts bc they're 'comfortable' or easy.)

Classy? That's a question of subjective taste I guess. I have no probs with 60 year old women who wear short skirts, I think they're sassy.

BrendaLee

I just turned 40, and I highly dislike it, especially since I'm just now losing the weight. I want my chance to be hot. Perhaps if I had lost the weight 20 years ago or never been overweight to begin with, I could grow old more gracefully.

Dreamsfly

I think age is in the mind so much more. You think old, you do old things. You think young, you do young things.
I'm 40, I don't look it because of my attitude. It's always been that way for me.

I do see some physical changes especially in my face, and I went to YouthfulGlow.org, picked up a facial toner EMS. I'll let you know how it works. I've seen some pretty amazing results from others. It's time. Take care of it before I look in the mirror when I'm 80 and not like my sagging face.

TheRoadDog

I'll be 60 next year. I've got no problem with getting old. Kind of like it actually.

I told my wife I would quit playing soccer when I turned 40. Then I told her I would quit when I turned 50. I finally admitted that I am not going to quit until my team tells me I'm not contributing.

I plan to play for a long time.

Vince_1964

I'll be 50 next year - doesn't bother me a bit. I exercise, generally eat right, try to dress nicely. I've had the grey hair since I was in my late 20s, so ... it jsut doesn't bother me

burlingtongrl

On my walk this morning, I saw an older woman that was so done, she was scary. I felt a little sorry for her; she doesn't want to get traded in for a younger model, but she went overboard.
As for me, I exercise and use a face cream here and there, but I can't say I would be above getting some injections in the future.

PriceK01

I'm 45, with more than my share of grey hair that I have no intention of ever coloring. I guess I have good skin, because I don't have wrinkles and have done nothing special to avoid it. I do wear moisturizer, but just plain old Oil of Olay (or even generic body lotion). Apparently I look younger, because people are always shocked when seeing my grown sons. My mother is 65 and just now starting to show some fine lines, so I'm not too concerned.