Anyone find their looks/health had a dramatic cliff drop at 40?

[pastabest]

A few weeks ago I was 39, but could pass for 28 on a good day, 35 on a bad day. People frequently expressed surprise when I told them my actual age.

I expected this to continue for a few more years and a gradual ageing process to occur, but pretty much in the weeks since I've turned 40 wrinkles have appeared from nowhere, my grey sprinkles are now proper grey roots and things ache. My eyesight has gone a bit funny and my hearing has become... problematic and when I'm staring back and myself on Microsoft teams I suddenly look drawn and lined.

I've had my 40 NHS health check and in theory I'm in tip top condition for my age, but I've visually aged about 10 years in less than 2 months.

Is this a thing!?

Ive read that collagen powder doesn’t do anything but everyone here seems to swear by it!

Sorry should have added. Made it to about 45 pretty well intact. Then its all gone to the dogs. It felt like it happened overnight.

About age 41 I noticed more wrinkles and looks going down hill!

I'm not sure how I came to be reading your post, totally unrelated to search, but I did and apparently here I am responding.
So firstly, I'm hoping that you've been reassured by others and are feeling less down on being in your fabulous forties...

I really don't want to sound dismissive of your feelings, trust me your not alone but the main thing to focus on are the results from your NHS 40 health screen, which say your fit and well.

Grey hair, stretch marks, wrinkles, weight changes may have crept up quicker than expected or hoped for but it is what it is,.

At 42 my husband was given 8 weeks to live.....In my pictures and memories he'll forever look young and handsome, I know for a fact that he'd prefer to have been here growing old disgracefully ❤️

I’ve done lots of reading of academic studies and basically, lots are pointless. There’s something around the size of the particles that’s important.

I put mine in coffee or squash and can’t taste it at all.

@Ihavenoclu I use Ancient & Brave Wild Collagen. Not the cheapest but definitely works. I put it in my morning coffee and can’t taste it.

I got invited to mine a few months ago, about 4.5 years after my 40th

Which ones aren’t pointless?

I feel like this. But the change came over a couple of years (age 43-45) during which I had cancer and got thrown into menopause. It still felt sudden and I do struggle with it because it feels like such a dramatic change - when choosing skincare I always used to think well I don't have wrinkles, I don't need eye cream, I can't see my pores etc. Now all of a sudden I feel like I have every 'skincare concern' you could list. Not to mention joint pain, grey hair, poor eyesight etc etc. it's a really difficult adjustment.

I did try collagen about a year ago and it really did work - within about a week I could definitely see a difference in my skin, hair & nails. But, it gave me terrible digestive issues so I had to stop that. I'd say drinking water, eating healthily and exercising are the only things that genuinely do work and don't come with any unpleasant side effects.

For me it was closer to late 40s. I'd say between 48 and early 50s, I aged about 10 years almost overnight. I'm 56 now and I wouldn't be surprised if people thought I was 60+! In general I feel ok about it. But I do worry about bumping into people I last saw a few years ago and potentially seeing their shock! I think that would sting a little. But I guess I don't care enough to do anything about it! It would take a lot of expense and effort to maybe shave a couple of years off and I would rather focus on other things.

I can’t remember the figures now, only that ancient and brave meets the standard

Yep, it wasn't exactly at 40 but it was around 41 and very quickly. The start of peri for me.

I hit peri early at 38 due to a chronic illness and my face dropped through the floor in a couple of months. Still in shock I think

This was the same for me. At 40 I looked about 30. Then very dramatically aged at 45 and now I'd say I look my age (early 50s).

I hate it. Just started on collagen and despite my cynicism it has made a big difference to my skin in just a week. I already do weights and lost a lot of weight (though that has made my face worse ) and am size 8-10. I think I will look into vit C and retinol now. And botox...

When people say collagen, what for hey actually mean? Are they pills that you take?

It does nothing but make expensive wee!

It can’t work that quickly The Vit c and retinol can

Eggs and bone broth are just as effective and a lot cheaper

Yeah I am wondering if collagen companies have Mumsnet accounts 😂 sounds too good to be true

My suspicion is a hormone drop, even if you feel good in every other way, if you're suddenly noticing that your skin and your hair are looking a lot older. Of course there could be some kind of nutrient deficiency or something else going on, probably not a terrible idea to get blood test to double check, but yeah, I'm kind of feeling the same way as you although a decade older, to me it feels like the last four to six months I've aged 8 to 10 years. I feel fine, but I feel that I look older. Of course, I have an awful lot of bad shit going on in my life right now that's tremendously stressful so, I'm sure that's not helping at all.
I'm sure that you are beautiful!

Nope. I did look tired some days, but that's because after several years of celibacy I was having the most amazing sex ever at 40. 😎

You have full bloods done as part of your 40 health check if you have one. My bloods are all great. I'm just ageing and I also suspect a hormone drop.

I made to 50 looking a fair bit younger than I was, now its flipping around. I look like my mother and DGM when she was around. I've never been particularly bothered about my looks, never worn makeup etc but by God if I knew how to do it without looking ridiculous I might start!

I'm 32 but I agree I feel like aging (or the appearance of suddenly aging) can happen suddenly and for me at least has been tied to stressful periods.

Sometimes though I think it's a case of identifying something that has either changed, or where your current lifestyle doesn't cut the mustard.

Example, I was really struggling a few months ago my skin was suddenly very sallow looking. I wasn't that surprised as id been through a lot of stress in one aspect of my life, but I started using a skincare ingredient that had previously not been well suited to my skin, and it has made such a difference!

I also don't think it can be emphasised how much difference simple hydration can make to fine lines and a general lacklustre appearance. You don't have to spend loads, the product that got rid of my sallow appearance is a £3 neutrogena scrub with salicylic acid, and I've started using an Inkey list serum for hydration that has made a huge difference!

I think this thread was started by Big Collagen 😆