Aging very fast

[SureFootedWhispher]

I have always looked about 10 years younger than my age but all of a sudden at 36 something happened.

My forehead is very lined, crinkley and dry looking and looks older than 36.

My hair now plaits into a plait the thickness of barely two fingers. And it's apperance and texture has changed.

My hands look very dry and old.

What can I do? It's like i've aged years within 6 months.

I have been feeling this way a bit about myself recently at age 35. I think you do age quicker after 35. Between age 20 and 35 you can look similar age. But between 35 and 50 a lot og aging happens.
I have been considering nyslef what to do. I read cutting out sugar helps. I have been trying to cut out alcohol but not very successfully.

Accelerated aging happened to me too at 36. I'm now 38 and it's my neck that's gone. Ah well, growing old is better than the alternative.

Nutrition aside, I find a really good serum and Retin A works wonders.

My favourite is Lancôme advanced Genifique which makes my skin look great. The Retin A is 0.025% and I buy it from eBay.

Be warned though, it takes about 3 months for your skin to get used to it. I purged and went flaky at first but now it's great. I have crap skin too, I used Benzoyl Peroxide for years but the Retin A keeps it clear.

I am noticing sagging in my neck too. Loosing the jawline i had before. I think these things must become more noticeable as you resch 40. Its not much fun.

My diet is fairly good and I no longer drink lots (I did though), but I do drink a lot of caffiene.

Is retional a good? Any recommendations? What about crap thin hair?

If this happens to me I'll go for Botox. That's the only thing that will significantly help lines that are already noticeable.

Do you have regular facials? That's very important I think. Things like microdermabrasion will help or face peels. No one cream will make any difference without the above.

I have a Bravuia night cream with acid in it. It was great to begin with but so much now.

I don't have facials. I didn't think theydid anything, plus I don't live near a city or spar that would offer good ones. Just little salons.

They definitely do - microdermabrasions and peels do. I've been having them since I was 25. I'm a therapist myself. You need to get dead skin cells off so that your skin looks brighter.

You don't need a spa. I go to a small, independent salon.

Just a thought - have you been to the GP and checked this is not a thyroid problem.

Have your parents aged well? If so then this could be a medical problem.

I'd advocate loads of veg and fruit, minimal sugar and processed food and loads of water as general anti-aging routine. Also, though I'm sure there are better ones these days with less additives, I think Imedeen makes a difference (expensive though!)

I look better again (at 40), but not sure why. Sleeping later in the morning has definitely helped, but I'm not doing anything else skin-wise.

I second retin a, I swear by it every night. I'm 39 and have been told I look 30. I also get regular microdermabasion and chemical peels every 6 months. Hair wise though-no idea, sorry

Which retin a cream? how do I find a good microdermabasion person?

Had loads of blood tests recently and all fine. My mum looks great, my dad very old.

But are there any long term effects of uding retin a?

Where do you get your retin A cream from please?

I second MeganChips. Serums and Retin A all the way.

And the below. WARNING: Only read on if you have cash to spare.

• Look at the upper-end of the beauty gadgets. Some of them actually work.

• Regular state-of-the-art facials that are pretty pricey (three figures per visit). Not spa facials, but medical facials that really mean business. I get this no matter where I am in the world… I have a little black book of fabulous little helpers here and on the other side of the pond.

• See a dermatologist. My friends in the U.S. (and other European countries) all have one. In the UK, most people only go when necessary - and on the NHS.

In my experience: money = huge difference. You really get what you pay for in the aging stakes. No wonder so many A-listers look age-less. Even my husband agrees… which is important, considering how much this beauty routine all costs.

I also try to avoid GRAINS (easier said than done… today, I had biscuits! ). But it should be Paleo diet all the way.

Sometimes if your local college runs beauty therapy courses and they have a working salon, the students will do microdermabrasion treatments at a much better price than you would get in a salon. Other than that clinics like. Transform offer it as a treatment.

I do agree with SnowBells. Look at Nicole Kidman. Her face is like that, probably because she's had lots of chemical peels.

SnowBells, how do I find a good medical facial? I looked but don't know which ones are good.

OP, google 'Transform' - they are a clinic which offers a range of different treatments. That would be a good starting point. Then you could see if anywhere local to you does the same thing. You could also go for a consultation and see what they actually recommend and then take it from there.

I don't think Nicole Kidman looks great, she looks like she had lots of work done, face practically frozen in botox.

I didn't say my opinion on how she looks one way or the other. Whether people look good when they've obviously had invasive treatments is a matter of opinion. But her skin looks very pale like that because of chemical peels IMO.

Everyone in the public eye has Botox at least, and quite a lot of other stuff as well. I have friends who regularly have Botox and I would too when I get to the point where I feel I need it.