How do you get over ageing?

[Frappuccino2020]

I turned 24 this year. I know I’m still young but the difference between my face now and at 23/pre-COVID is shocking. I have been incredibly stressed, my cheeks have shrunk and my previously heart shaped face looks flat now My tear troughs/nasolabial folds are more pronounced. My hair started to fall out due to stress lol 🤦🏼‍♀️

Can’t help but feel a bit shit and awful. How do I get out of this funk and get over it??

I would suggest that at your age, please avoid fillers. I know women who have been getting them for years and looking after their skin and their health (not smoking and avoiding the sun) at very reputable, medical places (not high street) and their skin looks weird now they are in their early 50’s. It’s taught and weirdly lumpy. You can always tell. It seems almost scarred underneath the surface. Maybe safe that for later. I agree about getting on top of physical and mental health and see what else follows.

I am twice your age OP. Stop caring so much.

Gosh there are some arseholes on this board.

OP didn't post in chat and AIBU, she purposefully posted on S&B for S&B advice.

OP, maybe make a concerted effort to do the basics. Drink more water, take a really good vitamin + minerals. Start a brand new skincare routine. Take more vigorous walks. Look at your diet.

At 24, these things are fixable. I'm 47 and fine new lines and wrinkles on a monthly basis!

Agree with a PP, you're run down, not showing ageing.

Not sure why people are being so rude. This year, thanks to video calls i have stared at my own face for sometimes 5 hours a day, it’s very hard not to see you flaws, whatever age you are!
I’d suggest there are ways to improve your skin but they can be hard to achieve if you are still feeling very stressed. Hopefully the stresses in your life will reduce.
Exercise, eating healthily, drinking lots of water and avoiding too much caffeine or alcohol. Alcohol can make me look tough v quickly - a couple of heavy nights plays havoc with my skin. Trying to get out for fresh air can help?
And then the use of some hyalaronic acid and facial massage would be good.

Sounds like you're run down and it's affecting the way you look, start eating well, drink water not alcohol and get some more sleep. I found sleep is the main contributor to looking better.

I'm knocking on to 50 and found that from 49s to 50 made the bigger difference to how I look, so you've got a way to go yet op

We've all had a shit year but what you've described is not normal ageing. The hair loss would concern me the most. As other posters have said, look after yourself as well as you can in the meantime (diet, exercise etc etc) and then, once your GP is running a normal service, I would get yourself checked out. The good news is that your skin is probably still elastic enough to bounce back.

OP ignore nasty people.

Yes you worded your title badly, I’m sure you know that, but don’t take the nasty comments from middle age women to heart.

You’ve come on MUMSNET, as a 24YO, to get advice on ageing?

Seriously?

Haven’t you got some place better to hang out?

If you’re genuinely on here, asking for advice on feeling better about yourself as a 24 YO, I actually don’t know where to begin, for you.

Oh, ffs... leave her alone! Everyone’s entitled to ask questions....

Although I do, you can’t really spend your life thinking how old you look because it only goes one way and you will never appreciate your current age.

Entirely agree with PP who say 1) ignore the venom of some of the posters - and btw, you are entirely entitled to come onto mumsnet no matter what your age or even (god forbid!) if you have no children 2) it sounds more like stress and being run down than ageing per se.

Everyone is finding this stressful, you are not alone OP. For me, I find: a daily walk, a daily bath, regular piano practice, daily perfume make me feel (and look. And sleep!) better.

There are loads of face massages/anti age/draining on you tube that are good.
Make a difference from first massage.

I looked at your pic and your skin looks so dewy and juicy.
I could bite you

I think if you get into the massage now your face will fare better later.
Better circulation and tone.

Aside from the other advice, here’s mine. More of a this is what I’d do if I could go back in time.

Use an SPF everyday on your face, neck and décolletage. Most skin ageing is caused by sun damage and I don’t mean baking for 2 weeks in Magaluf. Just everyday exposure here in the UK.

Don’t go rubbing at your eyes. The skin here is thinner. Be really gentle when applying makeup and removing it.

Get yourself a silk pillowcase and use it the whole time. Silk creates less friction than cotton and your face and hair will thank you.

Do things with your life which are meaningful and which benefit others, so your face is the least important thing of value. Reflect on which roles models you want to have of older women whose experience brought strength, wisdom and authority. Remember ageing is the price you pay for not dying. I'm in my late 40s, menopausal, and jowls have set in. I don't like it (and Zoom meetings force you to look at it too often). But am channelling General Organa...

I'm the first to get impatient at a 44 year-old posting something like this but at 24, those symptoms are not normal. If this were say, my niece then I would be concerned.

Hopefully it's mostly stress and will ease as life gets back to something approaching normal, but I would check there are no underlying health issues.

As a mum in my late 30s, I can definitely testify that sleep deprivation and stress are the enemy here, not your age! Try some yoga and meditation to help manage stress, exercise - even just a brisk walk in the open air, lots of water, cutting down on caffeine, smoking or alcohol, lots of fresh fruit and veg along with good proteins, some good sleep (if possible) will work wonders.

It's just a temporary bump, worrying or feeling upset about how you're looking will only add to your stress.

You may think you do not look good now, but in 10 years you will look back at yourself in photos and realise you actually looked great and did not see it yourself then.

Do all you can to ease the stress in your life; relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, mindfulness, gratefulness, whatever works for you. At 24, your skin has enough elasticity, and time, to bounce back. If you don't already, start wearing sunscreen every day. Take notice of your skin, how it reacts to the products you're using, and adjust accordingly. I also would say try to incorporate a light facial oil into your routine.

I try to view it like this: I'm 50. Yes, I will have lines, sagging etc but with care, my skin looks pretty good for 50. I take notice of what has good results. Nothing will get rid of the age signs, but they can be softened and look less obvious when my skin is otherwise bright and clear.

Are you serious ! you were born 24 years ago, and you are worrying about ageing.

If you are seeking skin care solutions I'm afraid I'm not able to help.

But if you're thinking more about your attitude and state of mind I try to remind myself of the cancer diagnosis I had in early adulthood, and my two school friends who died far too young. I try to tell myself they'd have loved to get old.

I won't pretend I don't struggle with this myself (and I'm a lot older than you) but I sometimes say to my reflection, 'you look better today than you will ever look from now on' and remember that in. a few years time I will look back at pictures of myself at this age and think I looked pretty good!

At 67 you can start worrying (and believe me it then becomes preferable to the alternative!)

Gosh you are young!!!! You are in your prime. I’m 45 and care far less but have aged pretty well as I hardly drink and never smoke

But to be honest, I’m glad to be still alive and worrying about aging. It’s a privilege denied to many!!