Have you found ageing hard?

[Grasshopper12]

I'm only 31 so probably going to get shot down by people older, but I've still had some changes.
The skin under my eyes has definitely thinned, so now I've got more obvious dark circles no matter how much sleep I have/water I drink. Someone even told me I looked tired the other day when I'd had a great night's sleep. :/
I'm contemplating tear trough filler as apparently it's the only thing that fills out the hollows.
Currently I haven't got any other signs, small crows feet around my eyes and slight under eye lines but nothing else, however it's the under eye hollows that bother me.
However this is just the start of it all I imagine. I wear SPF 50, use retinol, tretonin, vitamin C etc.
I'm not bothered about looking older in the future, it's not realistic to look 20 forever.
However I'm scared of looking haggard, washed out, sagging and so on.
Yes it is shallow to say but I like my looks, I do get validation from them which I know is sad.
I know it's better than the alternative, but this doesn't mean we aren't allowed to care about how we look.
Has anybody else found ageing hard physically? What was the hardest thing about it?

Couldn't give 2 shits about the looks part of aging. I'm 44 and have greying hair and can see the very beginnings of turkey neck but am very accepting of the next stage of my life. I do worry about the higher chances of ill health that come with aging and will do my best to stay fit and well as long as I can.

Yes to this 🙂

But whhhyyyy on the dry feet

I'm getting through a tube of foot cream a month suddenly, that didn't even happen when I jogged regularly.

Never bothered me, but then I've never cared about what I look like. This is not because I am drop dead gorgeous!

I'm 45 - after always looking a lot younger than I am, I'd say I am definitely starting to look 'middle aged' and that's OK. I don't know if it helps that I've been married for over 15 years, have kids, and was with DH since I was 25, so I never really worried about how attractive I'd be to anyone as I got older because I was where I wanted to be when it comes to blokes. I don't feel any need to be attractive to anyone else, though I suppose I can admit to feeling a little wistful I'm a bit too wobbly and wrinkly to catch anyone's eye. But then I seldom did when I was younger and it's never been important to me.

I think the thing to remember about fine lines etc is no one else is looking at your face that closely! If you look at yourself 2 inches from the mirror and see them, well, really, is anyone going to be literally in your face that much? Or paying tiny details such attention? Probably not.

I put on 30kg between the age of 35 and 40. My hair thinned badly on top, a combination of anaemia and perimenpause. I now look quite masculine, which really annoys me. I also find that stress now has quite a physical effect. Apart from that I've aged well 😂

The aspects of ageing I'd find really hard are to do with physical health. At 39 I've seen a lot of my peers and obviously older people really struggle with illness and injury. I've had bits of both but thankfully nothing serious, but I still remember my last ankle injury and how grateful I am that it was fixed.

If I have a few more lines on my face or tired-looking eyes, it simply won't affect my life at all in comparison. So who cares? I'm ageing well but most importantly I'm so much fitter and more confident than when I was 21. Really don't see the point of trying to hold back time. Think about something other than your face - there are so many other things.

Coconut oil and footie socks at night. Try it.

I'm 60 and couldn't care less about cosmetic ageing. I have always been full of energy but I was pretty fucked off when my knees stopped working and I can barely walk. I thought I'd have years left before I needed knee replacements. Now wondering how I'm going to get to retirement age of 67.
Looks are unimportant. Your physical health is essential as are your teeth.

Oh good grief. You are completely focusing on superficial looks. Develop some character and personality! I thought this post was going to be about the health challenges of getting older. That's when it really hits you. Enjoy being young. You are thinking about stuff that is ultimately so meaningless.

I'm not a fan of having to put on my 'readers' if I want to see my phone when I'm in a pub/club.
Also don't care for the way every minor symptom I Google says 'not usually serious... UNLESS YOU'RE OVER 50!!!'

I’m 38 it hasn’t really happened yet. I have a bit of Botox but even when it wears off I can’t see massive differences in my face tbh. The Botox just makes me look a bit more awake. I worry it’s going to happen all of a sudden and my face will cave in lol.

I don’t really mind so far (50) - I have very few wrinkles and haven’t had anything done as yet. I do highlight my hair but not much grey so far.

Of course I don’t get the general sexual attention I once did, but that gets replaced by having more of a voice and authority - I didn’t have that at 30. And I still obviously get attention from my partner.

I am sure ageing will speed up but apart from having more authority (which I appreciate not everyone has), I think most people feel happier in themselves in their 50s, which helps a lot. Plus you really start to appreciate your health. If I felt it would help, I’d have Botox and an eyelid lift in future. Bit dubious about filllers..

I’m 40 and am lucky as I do look young but my forehead definitely has more lines than it used to! I also have a horrible combination of skin that’s dry in lots of places while I get the most awful chin spots. They are in the hormonal zones so potentially peri menopausal. But even still I’m happy and wouldn’t dream of doing any work to my face. I hate the over smooth pillow faced look you can end up with.

In my 59s and love it

For your under eyes have a look into mesotherapy as it can be used there.
I'm 44 not had any Botox or fillers yet just mesotherapy all over my face, it's amazing!

Have a look at "Sniper Alley" in health terms. If you get through your 50s relatively unscathed it is a good omen for a long and reasonably healthy life after that.

Sad to say that many of my contemporaries/family members who got cancer, heart disease and other life limiting illnesses died in their fifties. Strange phenomenon maybe, but if you google it, it's out there!

It's distance for me...the bus number used to be very clear from far away. I know a couple of people who have their phone on a very big font.

thanks to pp for tip re coconut oil.

May I recommend a particular foot rasp via Amazon.
It looks like a cheese grater. It's the best fiver I ever spent.
I've suffered hard skin on my feet since forever and tried everything.
Then I found this, five minutes later with little effort I had a lovely pile of parmesan and a quick smooth over with the battery pedicure thingy made my feet like a newborns.

I am 78 with dodgy knees, asthma, some false teeth, a hearing aid and specs. I also hav a loving, though ill, 86 year old husband. We share 5 dc all happily married, 9 dgc who are growing into delightful adults a paid for house, decent pensions and wonderful memories.
I had breast cancer in 2005 and many women who were diagnosed with me have died in their 30s, 40s and 50s. I give thanks daily for the privilege of old age.

Not really. I actually wasn't that happy with my appearance as a teenager or young adult and think I looked much better and more confident in my 30s. I also loved being heavier post-pregnancy! I felt sexy!

I'm only averagely attractive though so never had great looks to lose. I do dye my hair.

i work with the extreme end of old age at 48 I’m a mere slip of a girl to them

Over the last year (55-56) I’ve stopped recognising myself in the mirror. I look completely different and I don’t know why. My skin is crepey too. I didn’t think ageing would bother me, but it does.

I’d never have ‘work’ done though- not even Botox. I’ve seen people with a lot of money look awful after being worked on, so there’d be little chance for me, on a budget.

Yeah I've really noticed in the past couple of years. I think not getting enough sleep is the biggest contributing factor as I don't drink or smoke, and I've always been very careful in the sun.
In terms of skincare, I've been using the "Base Skncare" routine for about a year now and haven't looked back. I do derma rolling as part of it and it really helps to plump up my face, and the eye complex has really helped puffiness and dark circles. I originally saw it on Gemma Atkinson's Instagram and was interested as it wasn't an ad, just a genuine recommendation from her, and I can really tell the difference since using it.

Always use factor 50 sun cream even in winter every time you are out, even if it’s cloudy. It protects your face.

I like my face as I have aged. I'm quite lucky in that the fat I have lost from my face due to age, has given way to a very angular look with strong cheek and jaw bones. I workout a lot so I'm very toned. I look much more sophisticated than I ever managed in my teens or 20s.
I'm almost 35. I certainly dont feel it. I'm very fit though so I think that helps. I spent the middle of my 20s looking a bit plump and plain, not great teeth, a bit overweight, tired looking. Ive since lost a lot if weight, fixed the teeth. As I've aged I've become more elegant. I now look great and I feel great too. I really do value being comfortable in my own skin. I'm far happier for it, in the every day, I feel excited to go out, buy clothes and try new things. I would say I'm treated much better by men and women alike, pretty privilege is real. Confidence probably helps too.