No wrinkles at 42?

[thetartantart]

I'm 42 and have what I think are quite a normal amount of lines and ageing for my age. Lines around eyes, eyes getting a bit baggy and saggy, some lining around mouth area and a crease between my brows. My skin texture is still nice except on my forehead. My hands are also wrinkley.

A friend of mine is also 42, no wrinkles at all. Her undereye area is better than mine was at 26. Her skin is thick, firm smooth and plump. Honestly she looks to be in her mid 20s. I've asked her about her skincare and she says she has used prescription retin a for 20 years now, sunscreen everyday most if her life also vitamin C serums for 17 years, even diying her own before you could easily buy them. She also has never smoked, sun bathed or drank alcohol.

Shes not had anything "done" and I'm very familiar with fillers and botox myself and they don't give you a result like that.

So my question is this, if I start following her regimen now whole we're all on lockdown and I can hide my flakey skin etc then emerge looking 28 in 3 months time or would I have to have started 20 years ago to have the results she has?

Barking - no 42 year old on here has said that they have no wrinkles!

It's probably just lucky genes rather than product use.

Another one who thinks it's genetic. My mum was wrinkle free (resting face) into her 70s although she had the sagging and loss of definition, the wrinkles came after weight loss due to illness. She is still only about 50% grey haired too, whereas my Dad was white before middle age. My mum hates the sun, never smoked, teetotaller which have probably played a part in it, certainly not skin care as she's always washed her face with soap (doesn't wear make up ever) and slaps on Olay or whatever cream I've passed on that I haven't got on with. She'd say it's the saggy-ness that's ageing more than wrinkles as there's very little you can do about it.

I completely agree that the “melted welly cheeks” (thanks for that @Barkingfuckingdogs🤣) and the general downward drag is what ages us.

I’m pushing 50, fairly unlined in terms of actual wrinkles, apart from the annoying line between my eyebrows that I’ve had since I was about 20 (from squinting against light due to migraines, I’m convinced). I mean I don’t get mistaken for my daughter’s sister or asked for id to buy wine 🙄 but I’ve worn facial sunblock for a long time and used retinol as an acne treatment for years before it became an anti-aging thing. I haven’t got any of the other lines people talk about getting botoxed or filled; marionettes? smokers? 11s? naso-whatsits? are all a foreign language to me 🤣. However, there’s no escaping the fact I look my age. The last few years there’s just been a general sort of “look” and when I inadvertently catch sight of myself in the mirror I’m always slightly taken aback, like “who the hell is that older person and where did I go?”

Yup I'm 63, not that many wrinkles, apart from two frown lines that I've had since I was 19. (I wouldn't wear my specs). I still look my age or, maybe In sympathetic lighting, late 50s, because first my face filled out, then it sagged and now it's kind of starting to lose definition - think erosion.

If you're trying to avoid ageing (a waste of precious time in my opinion but anyway) then wrinkles are the wrong thing to focus on.

Your friend sounds very ahead of her time, I’m 42 and started sunblock at 22. No wrinkles at all.

Does she have any other ideas?

@Fluffycloudland77 I think she was really, I think what other posters don’t realise is that using sunscreen and retin a also help prevent sagging! I expect she will age and look older than 20s in the future but that she’ll always look a lot, possibly decades younger than her real age and who wouldn’t prefer that, I know I would!

I think I put most of her secrets in the OP, she is vegetarian and her diet is very good loads of vegetables daily, no booze ever. She also is pretty moderate about exercise and doesn’t do marathon running or that sort of thing. Her nature is very zen and calm which also might help. I admittedly have a stressful job (normally) which doesn’t help and my cortisol levels are often high!

Genes are important no doubt she has dark hair, eyes and is pale but sort of olive skin which I think is an advantage. I also think that she is lucky in that she has great genes and then did all the preventative stuff anyway so now has bumper results! I think a lot of people with the good genes just take it for granted and are paying for it by the time they get to 40.

I do think products are helpful even if it’s genes that are key so I’m going to start my new regimen as soon as my products arrive!

I've heard it's nigh on impossible to get prescription retinol. Surely GP's won't prescribe retinol for reasons of anti ageing?

Want2beme cosmetic doctors will. You have to pay thought. Look for a doctor led facial place.

AsPP have said, visible aging is not just wrinkles. It is a combination of wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, sagging, lack of luminosity, general change in facial balance (where the weight is - it drops). Focusing on one issue rarely brings about results people are happy with. If it is important to you, then you need to address each issue - Vit C and Retinol for pigmentation and fine lines. Retinol also increases collgen so helps with firmness slightly. No dramatic weight gain or loss. COntrary to what people seem to think, being overweight does not make one look younger. It makes one look fatter, and matronly. You lose your neck and jaw definition. Plumping out wrinkles does not make you look younger of you lose your jawline and look like a pudding. Drastic, sudden weightloss does not help either. Slow steady weight loss (if necessary) and maintaining a healthy weight. Eat lots of good quality foods that contain a range of different vits&mins. LOTS of good fats - olive oil, salmon, avocado, nuts. Sunblock daily - twice a day if possible. More on holiday. Limit alcohol and/or hydrate more if you are drinking alcohol. Good quality sleep.

Ultimately it is mostly genetics whether you will sag (fuller face) or go gaunt (thinner face) but looking after yourself WILL make a huge difference. Twin studies show this as does this woman..

www.cbsnews.com/news/trucker-accumulates-skin-damage-on-left-side-of-his-face-after-28-years-on-the-road/

I haven’t got any of the other lines people talk about getting botoxed or filled; marionettes? smokers? 11s? naso-whatsits? are all a foreign language to me

Picture one - Nasolabial and marionette lines are labelled and 11s would be the frown lines.

Picture two (left side of this image) - Smokers lines are the ones around the mouth area (especially the vertical ones above the top lip).

@Want2beme she gets it from her go Im sure, have you asked?

I'm 45 very soon and I have no real wrinkles. I have taken care of my skin since I was a teen!

Aren't some wrinkles not related to ageing though? A lot of teenagers have forehead wrinkles when they frown/raise their eyebrows.

When I smile I have the normal creases and smile lines of a 50 year old but in repose I have zero creases or smile lines yet. Unsmiling I still look thirty ish so it's all a bit weird. But I have never sunbathed my face and have always looked after my skin since I was 13.

@thisenglishlife all theyve done in that before and after photo is turn the contrast first up and then down. Try it yourself. Its an old marketing trick.

Ageing is largely down to genetics and lifestyle. RetinA has very little effect unless you do it for decades, religiously and even then its minimal.

I got way past 50 without much ageing, never had any beauty regime. I think it’s just genetics.

I too think it's genetics. I'm 48, no wrinkles yet!
I have very good bone structure, high cheekbones etc My dh is convinced this is why?
I think it's more to do with being half Spanish, I have slightly oily skin which I think makes a difference too.

Barkingfuckingdogs same here. Bam at 47 its just starting to hit me now.

I don't have wrinkles though, but my face is dropping. I used to look like I had high cheekbones, turns out I just had hamster chops, and when i lost weight my face started travelling south. Although when I went to see someone about having fillers the cosmetic surgeon person kept poking at my jaw saying "wow you have a great jaw" err....no it can't be, or at least it soon won't be. I haven't had fillers yet, I am thinking about doing a Trinny. I want to make my face fat.

People in their 30s saying 'I don't have wrinkles'. Who the hell has wrinkles in their 30s? hmm

I have one on my forehead. I'm 32.

I agree it can just happen suddenly.

I looked 30 at 40.

At 43 I’d say I look my age. Only a few wrinkles, but my face and jawline have started to sag and my skin has lost that plumpness of youth.

I bet if you drink 2-3 litres of water a day, use sunscreen and retinol, eat lots of fresh fruit and veg you might have a slight improvement and keep what you have for longer.

As for your friend - while I agree prevention is better than a cure you don’t really want to get to 80 with a smooth face and disabled due to osteoarthritis because you have stayed away from sunlight. This happens to a lot of Indian / South Korean sun avoiders.

I am always astounded how many people on this site think they have "no wrinkles" and look 10 + years younger than they are. While I have met many people who look great for their age, pretty much 99.9% of people look their age or certainly within a few years
Youth is just impossible to replicate, or at the v least v v rare. You may have no lines (ala Nicole Kidman) but she still looks every day of her 50 + years

I too think it's genetics. I'm 48, no wrinkles yet!
I have very good bone structure, high cheekbones etc My dh is convinced this is why?

It’s more to do with how fat sits under your skin and how much collagen you have. Darker skinned people do have more of all of it which is why many look really young despite being out in the sun all day. Also black, South Asian, and East Asian people tend to develop pigmentation issues rather than wrinkles with age. I am pushing 40 don’t really have wrinkles but do have shadows and freckles I shouldn’t. Retinol and sunscreen manages them to an extent.

I never had any wrinkles at 42, nor 52. Even now at 70 I only have superficial lines if you look closely.

Sometimes how you feel can make your skin look aged, too much work, not enough sleep etc ( I can remember looking like that at various times when I was young). Take this opportunity to pamper yourself a bit, you may emerge at the end of corona virus a transformed woman! However you probably don't look nearly as bad as you think.

PS - Also looking young for your age has a lot to do with the vitality in your face, your smile, your personality.