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.

[SureFootedWhispher]

Lots of advise, thank you all. I have been using glycolic acid cream but only spf 20 in the day so will up that.

Had beeb to gp for other things and had the full works of blood tests. All fine but waiting on gastroentrologist rerral.

Did have two years of no sleep because DD 2.7 had sleep apnea.

Had BMI of 22 for years, even when pregnant I only put on 11 pounds so weight fine.

Diet good. Fish, chicken, nuts, pulses and lots of veg. Not bothered by cakes or biscuits or crisps. Don't really eat freezer food. Probably only 4 units of alcohol a week. Did have n addiction to redbull though, and just coming out the other end of that!

Ill start looking into exercise to get the blood pumping and some stronger sun screen. And I am a booking in for a facial and indian head massage.

[SureFootedWhispher]

15 pounds not 11!

[Lagoonablue]

I had my DCs late in life and they have aged me! I always looked young for my age. Not now. I think it catches up with you regardless though. Looking stylish with a nice haircut works wonders I think.

I am scared of Botox but would love it as my forehead has lines. Apart from that there is the sagging round the jowls that starts to happen. I am relatively wrinkle free apart from my forehead though and am slim so look ok in clothes. Caught sight of my naked 50 year old arse in H and M recently though. There is eff all I can do about that!

[Floisme]

I would think the two years of no sleep have a lot to do with it, op. I hope that will improve for you?

You're right to check there's no underlying health reason but age does creep up on you. I'm a couple of decades older than you are but I sometimes think I'm doing really well until I catch sight of myself at an unexpected angle or - even worse - in a photo! I've also found that ageing is a bit like a forest fire: even if you fix one symptom, it will only break out somewhere else. For example, I don't have many wrinkles but I hate the sagginess. I normally try and find a balance between looking the best I can and just accepting it. And yay to a good haircut!

[MrsFlorrick]

Yes to retin a cream. Does help.

Also micro needling. You can buy the needle roller and sterilising solution for less than £20 on amazon or pay a professional £400 a course. It really really works!

I was the same smooth line free and looking 21 until about 8 months after I turned 36 and then wham! I suddenly looked my age

And yes to who ever up thread said young people have NO idea what's coming. And yes to parading around in my bikini if I was young again

Oh and sleep helps if you can get any (a 5yo and 3yo here so not much).

[Eliza22]

Mrsflorrick, I agree. I feel sad when I see young girls (and boys) smoking and overdoing the sun. Sun-beds are still really popular too. Lord knows what they'll look like at 40+. Years ago, when I was a teen, we did a two week stint in the sun and the rest of the year, wore clothes that didn't seem to expose so much flesh to the elements! (I'm getting old)

[MillyCariad]

The chemicals in sunscreen that sink deep into the body are contentious in themselves as are the chemicals in makeup and lotions and potions bought in the cosmetic section and online. Both are said to be extremely aging and that womens faces today are aging quicker because of all the chemicals applied to the face/skin. Sunshine in reasonable quantities and times of day are not a problem and the sun is essential to health in regards to feeling good (not needing antidepressants) and preventing and combating many health issues including serious illnesses.

Also what you eat creates every new cell in your body, so basically food is medicine and you totally are what you eat.

[MillyCariad]

Those isolated yearly holidays abroad are also said to be not the best as you cover your body for most of the year and then go mad and overexpose for 2 weeks and burn to a crisp when the body has no tolerance.

[AlleyCat11]

I found the same at about 36. I lost my "freshness". Dry skin, slack skin. Old lady hands. No tolerance for the sun. Cellulite. Lank hair. Pot belly. It all seemed to happen overnight. I remember feeling young & lovely at 34. Slim figure, nice hair.
Luckily I've got a rosy colour in my cheeks, so I don't wear make-up. That helps a bit. I'm into natural / organic face oils etc... Liz Earle type of stuff. My décolletage is the latest area of aging I've noticed, so I'm lashing stuff on there. I'm starting to get serious about diet & exercise. My physical fitness declined quickly too. Sore knees & back are new to me, as are other health concerns. My teeth & gums are another thing...
I'm 38 now & my lifestyle isn't bad. But I think I'll have to make much bigger efforts if I want to keep natural decline under control. It's funny how aging hits you, just when you hit a level of maturity or self acceptance, that you maybe didn't have in your 20s. Maybe that's how it's designed...

[Pinkfrocks]

Milly Not all sunscreens contain chemicals. Clinique City Block is chemical free - it uses a barrier method of blocking the sun.

You can get enough sun on your body by exposing your arms for 10 mins a day when it's sunny and if you can't do that then taking a Vit D supplement daily gives you what you are missing.

I've used City Block for about 25 years, have no wrinkles in my late 50s and a Vit D test at the hospital ( for other reasons) showed perfectly normal levels.

[AlleyCat11]

Also, changing your wardrobe is necessary. I used to look great in mini skirts & tight jeans. Then I started hating everything pink & short that I owned. I started looking at younger women & feeling a bit mutton. Stopped going to Topshop. I now buy quality rather than quantity.

[lurkingaround]

Have just read this thread through.

I'm another telling you there is no magical solution. I imagine sleep will help. Hopefully you will get that soon. I had the same situation with severe sleep apnoea and children, but it went on for 4 years and it was horrendous. It is awful. But to give you hope, we are sorted, and sleep has returned and it is wonderful. My skin has improved no end.

Moisturise to keep you and your skin comfortable.
SPF at least 30, every day, summer and winter.
Don't smoke.
Eat well.
Limit sugar intake (including fruit).
Limit alcohol.
Retin A if you can tolerate it.
Glycolic/salicylic acid peels will refresh your skin and help new collagen production.

[lurkingaround]

P.S. There is no evidence re the chemicals and sunscreen thing mentioned above. For the moment the advice is to use SPF.

[Floisme]

Stop going into Top Shop?? She's only 36! Behave

[MillyCariad]

Pinfrocks Im not to impressed myself by the list of ingredients in City Block nor the nano particles which can cause free radicals.





Purified water
Octyldodecl neopetanoate
Titanium dioxide (Active ingredient)
Butylene glycol
Cyclomethicone
Steareth-2
Silica
Behenoxy Dimethicone
Zinc oxide
Aluminium laurate
Tricaprylin
Trifluor omethyl c1-4 alkl dimethicone
Tocopheryl acetate
Pantethine
Tricaprylyl citrate
Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate
Bisabolol
Lecithin
Xantham gum
Sodium stearate
Barium sulfate
Sorbitan tristearate
Ceteth-2
Peg-40 stearate
Dimethicone copolyol
Silver borosilicate
Steareth 20
Magnesium aluminium silicate
Citric acid
Aluminia
BHT
Disodium edta
Iron oxides

[MillyCariad]

Lurking depends upon whether you just accept the advice given by the powers that be and follow it blindly or do your own research outside the box. Sunscreens are definitely known to cause serious illness by their sinking into the body and creating havoc yet people freely slather their children in them every day believing that this protects their children rather than learn about the potential harm they can cause.

[lurkingaround]

Yes, but while it may cause free radicals you may be guaranteed the sun causes far more damage. All those ingredients are probably to a lesser or more degree in most of our cosmetics. They are well tried and tested and for mostly quite inert.

[maybemyrtle]

What lurking said. Just wanted to add that Retin A is strong stuff (prescription only for a reason imo) and yes you can buy it online but it's not like OTC products you can just slap on. I was never able to tolerate it (tried diff %s/formulas) and it completely messed up my skin for months afterwards. Peels though are great.

[DottiM]

All the chemicals and nano particles in sunscreen and sunblock can not be ignored. These things seep deep into our systems especially when in the sun. They may be tried and tested for the purposes of marketing but do a little digging and there is so much more that isn't revealed. Its a massive money making machine.

[lurkingaround]

True, you cannot ignore the free radical stuff BUT there is no evidence they cause any serious illness. Meanwhile, we definitely know the sun causes premature ageing and cancer. You make your own decisions with the current available information. That's all we can do and for now this is all we know.

[Floisme]

I agree with maybemyrtle about Retin A. Admittedly, I have sensitive skin so I have to be extra careful but I would be very wary about using anything on my face that you had to buy online.

I've also been thinking that when my generation (I'm 57) was young, we regarded your thirties as really being quite, well ... old! So, although we didn't welcome the fact that we were looking older, we were prepared for it. I think that nowadays women who are in their thirties have different expectations? You're certainly bombarded far more than we were by photo-shopped celebs so maybe it comes as more of a shock when ageing starts to bite? It's just a thought and I don't mean to sound unsympathetic.

[Eliza22]

Be careful what sunscreen you buy, too. Many of them have anti-inflammatory ingredients such as Aspirin. They therefore reduce the inflammatory response so, your skin doesn't respond when exposed to too much sun, by going red. However, the damage is STILL being done. Vichy and some organic ones do not contain anti-inflammatories.

[MrsKoala]

I think i may buy some Retin A. Is there any particular recommendations or places i should buy from?

[MrsKoala]

Also - sorry to hijack - but what do serums do and which one should i get?