What do you wish you appreciated more in your younger-self body?

[SunshineChatter]

A bit of an odd one. I recently turned 48 and while I'm generally happy with the way I look (I enjoy dressing up, I wear heels most days, I have tons of make up which I like experimenting with, lots of costume jewellery I use daily, etc), over the past ten years or so I started to realise quite how many things in the past I never realised I should appreciate when it came to my body.

From being able to do a winged liner when your face is all smooth (which as your eyelids droop you can't), to hyperpigmentation (which I didn't have at 30 and wasn't even aware was a thing), to your body changing shape, I'm now wondering what's in store in the next ten years!

So I'd love to hear from older Mumsnetters about what they 'still' had in their late forties that they now miss. Just so I make sure I enjoy those things while I still have them! :-D

[nitgel]

waistline, no cellulite which i now have on my legs at 51 :(

[lindyloo57]

Lines on my chest, I wish I worn more spf, I do now. But is it too late. I will 60 next week.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Thread vein free thighs. I was warned not to cross my legs so much so it’s my fault.

I have senile angiomas on my trunk too, they piss me off no end 🤨

[PrincessHoneysuckle]

Perfect stomach.It was my favourite body part.

[Livedandlearned]

I didn't know that about thread veins!

[malificent7]

No c section shelf. Being able to eat tons and stay slim.

[GrumpyHoonMain]

My body is better now I think. I was morbidly obese, greasy skin, uncontrollable facial hair , saggy tummy, and had awful varicose veins when I was 20. I am far more toned now - face is going a bit jowly but I’m not averse to fixing it.

[Hardbackwriter]

Not having a constantly sore back!

[LynetteScavo]

Well I may not be as perky as I once was, but nothing hurts One day I might look back and say "Ohh I remember when I was in my forties and could do anything I wanted to physically. Why didn't I go skydiving and windsurfing then!"

I got loads of spider veins and a varicose vein (and developed hyperpigmentation) during the pregnancy which lasted about 10 years but has now gone when I had my 2nd DC at 30, despite being very slim so I don't think I've got much worse. I really wish I'd appreciated my legs when I was young.

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

My perfect ab/stomach area. DD ( a nearly 10 lb baby) separated my ab muscles and I’ve struggled to maintain a flat tum ever since.

It was just flat before, no questions asked.🤣

[FizzyPink]

I’m only late 20s but I so wish I’d truly appreciated being able to eat whatever I liked while remaining a size 6......those days are long gone now

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

Oh, and my nouns are looking less perky lately.

Wonder if it’s too late for one of the “Yummy Mummy” plastic surgery packages?! 🤣

[AmICrazyorWhat2]

*boobs, not nouns. What the heck is auto-correct doing?

[ittooshallpass]

Just generally being thin! It was so so easy back then!

That it didn't matter that I had whiter than white skin. I used to be so embarrassed about not being able to tan. I'm still not overly keen about showing my arms and legs (didn't wear short sleeves until I was well into my 20s) but at least they were thin and white then!

[Greek2me]

I had good knees and toned dancers legs. My feet were prettier and my face was so fresh even after a heavy boozing session and no sleep. I had enough hair for 3 heads. Long thick beautiful hair.
Bullying meant i had such low self esteem i never appreciated what i had

[Floisme]

My memory.

[LunaTheCat]

I could put a sac on and still look gorgeous in my 20s - now requires more effort! ( mid 50’s)

[crossstitchingnana]

I miss my body hair. I liked my hairy arms and pubic area. Now I am bald. No-one tells you this shit. I am 52 btw.

[Blondiney]

I miss my defined waist and high rounded arse. At 46 everything is starting to lose it's shape.

I miss being able to miss a few meals and drop half a stone.

I miss my little ski slope tits and regret stuffing silicone sacks into them.

[MellowBird85]

@SunshineChatter I’m 34 and I can’t do a perfect wing any more due to sagging of the eyelids so I feel your pain! I’ve already had lower blepharoplasty but sod it I’m having upper as well in next few years 😑

[OLGADEEPOLGA]

Wish I'd worn dresses more instead of thinking my legs were horrible. They were actually really good legs and now they've got ugly veins so hate them.

[SunshineChatter]

@MellowBird85 I had upper and lower at 35 (genetics - I was so fed up of people always asking whether I was tired. And of looking like I was!) and I'd have it done again but I can't be bothered to do all the research again. And I wouldn't necessarily go back to my surgeon (Harley street, surgeon to the stars in fact). But if someone told me 'Here. This is the number of the best surgeon in the country' I'd ring them today and make an appointment.

And may I recommend you use a high-factor SPF on your face every day? I didn't because I thought I'd be safe with my olive skin, and now I'm trying to back pedal like crazy with a million products by The Ordinary. And yet no difference....

[LionLily]

We found some photos the other day of our friendship group back in 1985 when we were 18/19.
I wonder why I always thought I was fat.
And I wish I'd used a better hairdressers instead of Mum's mate Elaine.
Why did I always dress in grey?
Whatever happened to that very expensive looking leather hunter jacket.
And a hundred other ponderables.

[MellowBird85]

@SunshineChatter did you notice a big difference with the uppers? I have just recently started using SPF50 on my face every day also! I’ve heard that Dermatica are a better product than The Ordinary (stronger stuff and it’s done via telephone consultation / online prescription) so think I’m going to try that. I had laser resurfacing last year also but I was a little disappointed and it felt like worst sunburn ever.

[SunshineChatter]

@MellowBird85 I was advised not to just do the bottom or the top would look worse. I can't honestly remember what the difference in the top lids was but the bottom was remarkable. I remember the first time after surgery I went into a lift and the overhead light didn't cast shadows under my eye bags!

I had an appointment with a skin specialist last week but it got cancelled because of Covid. Looking forward to reschedule ASAP.

I had laser on a few hyperpigmentation spots but I also found that disappointing.