To request no more photos are taken of me?

Please don't.
Those that love you love photos of you.
My step mum felt just like you, she died last year and I barely have any photos of her from the last 20yrs and only have 1 of us together that was taken 30yrs ago and it made her death so much harder for me.

Sending hugs x

My godmother always said that the best looking people take the worst photos 🤣.

Seriously though I feel your pain, I was always told that I looked younger than my age. Over the past couple of (very stressful) years I've really aged and I feel depressed about it. I know that looks are not important but it still stings. I have pulled myself out of it (mostly) by concentrating on my more positive qualities.

If you don't want people uploading your photos on FB you can set up verification of photos with your image so they can't upload them without your permission. Can't remember the term but I think it's under the security settings.

I agree, if your face is drooping a visit to the GP is needed.

First things first.
I would go to your GP and check out the mild droop to your face. Just to make sure there is no neurology going on. Sometimes there can be tiny almost imperceptible strokes going on. It may well not be that but since you're aware of the change in your face you should exclude it.
The only thing I have read that might impact your appearance is sleep levels and maybe stress levels/ water intake. We are conditioned to believe that we can sustain doing more more more by society. But we cannot without paying the price. My suggestion would be to break the cycle. Don't drive yourself into the ground and prioritise sleep.
Read this book: Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker. It will revolutionise your attitude to sleep. It will also change your appearance.

Whilst we can't change our given anatomy we can help ourselves by being well hydrated and ensuring enough sleep is taken. Now, as for face book photos, real friends will want to help with that. Let's just hope they listen to you. Blur your face at least. Otherwise just offer to take the photo rather than be in it? Remember that face book is a fashionable convention that many are drawn to and slightly addicted to. It's designed that way. Nothing wrong with moving away from it entirely if that's what you want. I have and I live my life without it. I realise how much ive been missing. I don't need the approval of Facebook in order to be, I don't need the myth of it in my life. It's an illusion.Same for everyone.

Now as for the botox I'd say don't. Use the money for something more personally enjoyable. We all age. Everybody who uses botox looks like they do. Its not an improved look, slighltly swollen surgicalized faces everywhere. It's not a good look. We're meant to age, but again society has conditioned us (particularly women) to believe that we are not valued unless we're on the slippery slope of multiple interventions. It's that fact that's wrong not you.

Build in two other things instead. 1. A daily walk to boost you're circulation of at least 15 mins to half an hour. If you can do it at dawn it's a magical experience. Do it at night there are a whole other set of other benefits, foxes, owls and hedge hogs. To hear and to see. I'm not saying wander round in the dark alone, I meet a friend after tea walk and chat for half an hour then go home, draws a refreshing line under the day and the boost to circulation/digestion is great. Many cultures do this routinely.
2.Add in cycling or swimming, just quietly do them and experience the benefit. I don't mean marathons either. Just a half hour swim/cycle to begin with, twice a week.
So we've very added in two things.

Moderate/eliminate two others, smoking and alcohol. If you don't smoke that's fab. If you do cut it out entirely, there's loads of help out there to do it. The effect on your circulation is quite literally horrifying and entirely responsible for premature ageing. The other is alcohol and or recreational drug use. Sugar ingestion of a high level is not helpful to our mood either. Alchol is full of sugar and very dehydrating to your skin.

The final thing to use as your mantra is "I release my self from the drudgery of trying to labour under the unreasonable expectations of others. (SOCIETY, MAGAZINES, THE MEDIA, ADVERTISING) I am a worthwhile and lovable person in my own right exactly the way I am, I AM REAL".

I'm sorry that you feel bad about all of this. I'm confident you will feel better in time. Give yourself the time to work with you. There are some exciting developments ahead. The most life changing will be working on sleep. I wish you the very best with all of this. Have a great day.

I hate photos of me too, but I’ve learnt to appreciate the bigger picture (no pun intended). Sadly my best friend passed away suddenly and all her friends and children have to remember her is memories because she refused photos. Her children just wanted to see her face but they can’t. I’ve learnt from that and now I look at the picture, the snapshot of a moment in time and not the double chin or the weird smile or my grey hair. Because one day those photos will be all that’s left and my kids will want to see all my imperfections.

Because people like/love you and want memories of you? Nobody cares about how you look. That's why I take pics anyway and I don't post if people feel strongly. I'm sure you look fine in reality. 🌺

OP I sympathise hugely! I am 60 but had DCs late in life - early 40s. I think I was always reasonably slim and not bad looking until then - but everything went downhill fast! I don't know if it was the early menopause, the giving up work to have children, actually having DCs, or just entering middle age, but I certainly had a swift and unreversible change from OK to saggy and wrinkly.....

I hate how I look now - and my DCs can't recognise me from older photos! But I just have to accept that I haven't aged well, and get on with life. Would I like to be more attractive - yes! Does it actually affect my life - no. DH laughs that our eyesight gets worse as we age so we still find our partners attractive - he may have a point.......😂

As PPs have said - in ten years time you'll think you look great now. Take lots of photos, embrace life and ignore the pics you're less keen on.

I’m not at all photogenic and disliked having my photo taken.

However I had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with a professional photographer and make up artist. The results were amazing. It’s a great confidence booster. Also made me realise that with the right make up, lighting and camera work anyone can look good.

I was always happy with photos when I was younger now think ugh! Doesn't bother me though, I'm just one of many in a group usually and assume it's a scroll past and not zooming in! X

I’m a size 16 so am fat then!

My external drive has over 5000 photos and I'm not in one of them!

I have two long standing friends, who are both lovely people but are really ugly, which is rare, just as being really beautiful is. When we used to see each other frequently, I was completely unaware of this because people are so different when they are animated. I only noticed it when we started meeting online, with lots of photos. They are still lovely people.
This is where a good photographer is worth their money - somehow they can bring out the loveliness, and make the ugliness into just 'an interesting character'.

But you look the same in real life no? You might as well ask people to stop looking at you if you do this!

I too look awful in photographs, so I sympathise. If you look on YouTube you can find videos on how to stand or sit in photos so that you give your best side and/or look slimmer. That might help.

I hate getting my photos took. I look horrible. My nanna was the same and once she passed we all had very few photos of her. I wished I got some of her and myself and children, and i'm gutted as now it's too late. This is why I never refuse to go in someone's photos. I don't want my children to feel the regret I do.

Do you drive a lot, or spend time sitting at a desk beside a window? That might account for the difference in the sides of your face.

This 👆 It’s very obvious that the problem isn’t how you look, but how you view yourself 💐

I always said I'd defy even David Bailey to take a decent photo of me, I'm happy with what I see in the mirror, but I have now decided I just won't look at any photos of me because they are so unflattering, maybe this is the answer for you ? 🥰

Tretinoin is good for mild wrinkles and creppiness. If things are worse on one side more than the other it could be because you sleep on that side more than the other. I had to buy a special side/face-sleeping pillow because one side of my face was taking longer and longer to iron out after waking up 😬

I also hate how I look in photos and am torn between wanting a visual reminder that I just, y'know, existed, and not wanting a visual reminder how disgusting I look.

If one side of your face has dropped noticeably, you should definitely see your GP. Genetically, you’re following your mum if she doesn’t photograph well. You need to think about techniques to photograph better, maybe experiment with a kind friend? Do you think you might have body dysmorphia?

Ultimately what you really have to remember is, you can be fat, thin, ugly or beautiful but it won't be those things you are judged upon as a person after the first 3 minutes.

Everyone looks and takes in for the first 3 minutes your appearance but for the rest of the interaction you will be judged on your personality and for those that know you and are looking at you on Facebook or instagram - they will be your friend for who you are not those first 3 minutes

my main goal is to be there for my children too .
After that it’s each to their own. Shouldn’t we all do what makes us happy.
Most go through periods of feeling rubbish about themselves .
OP can change things if it’s for herself and to make herself feel better.

Personally I hate pics too and I censor which ones have to be kept or deleted and in certain cases I refuse that’s my right .

@mrlistersgelfbride the answer is YES you can say NO

Good for you. I do not want my photograph being taken. And once i have said "no" and people start that wheedling thing? I will ruin your photo.