Age is not being kind… with pic! Botox needed, and what else??

[MamaDuckling]

I have always had a very “expressive” face but now it is really getting me down. I look battered, and significantly older than my friends (who are mostly older). For info, I’m not yet 40.

I’ve had Botox a couple of times and whilst I don’t love the frozen look, I think I need to keep it up as a preventative measure now??

I don’t smoke, don’t see much sun, don’t drink too much, why am I so wrinkled?! And what else will help? I could probably drink more water but that can’t be all I’m doing wrong!

Any advice much appreciated. Feeling a bit miserable.

I've just had Botox and I am really pleased with the result.

My eyebrows still move as I wanted some expression. It has also lifted the brows so my eyes are not as hooded.

Best £150 I have spent.

You have a lovely kind face op, it's expressive in the nicest possible way.

Agree - though I think she looks a good deal older than in her thirties. I’m always uncomfortable about these threads to be honest. How do we know this photo is that of the OP and not posted out of malice?

You look fine OP. People age at different rates. You may have some fine lines now but then not get anything more for 20 years +. You can’t really tell.

I don’t think the answer is to turn yourself into a frozen fish face, I find that much more off-putting than lines.

Fwiw - I find moisturising face masks, hot oil treatments and Shirodhara and Korean/Japanese facial massage really helpful. One of the reason skin creases is because your muscles freeze in tension state. Massage releases that tension an prevents the formation of lines in those areas.

@KiwiMum2023 i can assure you it’s me. Thought long and hard about the post, but I’ve had so much great advice on MN over the years that I thought it’d be a good place to start!

The combination of kind, helpful, realistic replies proves me right and I’m really grateful.

Looks great. are you trying to frown on the bottom two pics?

You look good. You just have an expressive face. I am a frowner (so get the 11s) some people lift their eyebrows (so get more horizontal lines). Botox is the best thing for them but you can train yourself to stop lifting the eyebrows so much. I find when I have Botox, because I can’t frown then I stop the habit so that when it wears off I still frown less and the wrinkles have reduced.

As others have mentioned tretinoin is great and you have to be militant with SPF, every day.

My appetite means I have no choice but to choose face 😂

Surely the top two photos though is just wrinkled because of the face your pulling?

The only things I would add to the excellent advice you have already received:

1. Dont use the tretinoin everyday when you receive it otherwise it will melt your face off. Start with every 3 days and after applying follow with niacinamide and a rich moisturiser to protect your skin barrier.
2. If you find you have clear skin but don’t have the glow, try adding Azelaic acid. It makes me so glowy I’m convinced my skin is a light source.
3. Wear SPF50 everyday including during winter. Absolutely no compromise on this one as you will wreck your skin by using tret and then failing to whack on the spf.

And I don’t know a single person with good skin AND good legs. The law is that you must choose.

Your face doesn't look at all saggy, so you're still looking youthful despite the lines. I would keep the crows feet, as they look cute and expressive and use botox on your forehead only.

your skin looks like it belongs to a runner: How long are you spending in daylight?

Eat more plant oils and definitely more oily fish.

Collagen supplements (don't need to be expensive ones)
Hyaluronic acid £6 the ordinary
Avacados, salmon, coconut milk
Face yoga

Thanks for the tips @Mumsanetta - Dermatica is currently reviewing my photos…! I’m definitely saggy around the jawline @CinnamonJellyBeans , but that’s another thread for another day!

@uggmum your Botox looks fab. I was pretty pleased with mine when I had it second time, but I was advised to have the crows feet done too as otherwise my eyelids could drop (as I had physically felt the first time I had Botox).

Morpheus 8 seems to get really good results for skin tightening. I also agree with the rest of the tretinoin, sunscreen, healthy fats etc.

It’s not a good photo but overall I think:

your hair is not youthful. The frizzy, greying hair around your hairline ages you. Most young people at least brush their hair back when tying it away from their face. It should be more slicked back.

your forehead lines are deep but Botox is a personal choice and you look fine as it is, but maybe try it and see how you feel?

I think your eyebrows are ageing you. They could do with some structure and shape. The eyebrow lamination trend is huge right now, so unstyled eyebrows look at bit meh in comparison. The colour of them makes them seem sparse - they might look thicker with a tint

finally your skin generally looks okay, but it seems a bit dull/dehydrated. Lots of water and glowy skincare really does make a difference

Do you have a photo without raising your eyebrows or pulling any expressions to see if they're static wrinkles or expression lines?

Vitamin C serum will help give a good glow.

You look like you have been walking or running in this photo? Your forehead is/will be very exposed - mine was and I ended up with sun spots on my forehead. Just a few milimetres across - but I think where I kept missing a tiny patch when I put the SPF on. Or I hadn't put any on as I was going for a quick run in the morning and it was the highest bit to catch the sun

I now religiously wear a buff over my forehead when running and a hat when walking. SPF50 at all times. Just to protect my sunspot/damage...and prevent it turning into something else - which the GP said may happen if I didn't protect it.

My forehead now seems less wrinkly (been doing it for c 5 years). Not got proof of that, but my previous ponderings about having a fringe to cover the wrinkles have now abated.

Worth a thought to invest in a few buffs for added protection when excercising outside?

Aw, don't get your crows' feet removed. They look cute and give character to your face.

I am guessing you are very slim. Which will serve you well as you go into peri-menopause. I have an outdoorsy friend who looks similar to you, of Scandinavian origin. She is considering Botox but honestly she looks great without: like a Viking woman or one of those kickass round-the-world sailors. I so much prefer that look to say, the women on the current season of The Apprentice, all laminated brows and shiny foreheads.

Sun-damaged skin can be improved, I did it.

I never used SPF in my life until I was about 50, and as an outdoorsy horsey dog-walking gardener noticed my décolleté (collarbones to top of boobs) was looking like a leather swatch. Not my face or neck, as I’ve always cleansed, toned and moisturised since I was in my teens, but they’d have no doubt looked as bad if I hadn’t taken care of them. And of course it’s one of the most exposed parts of your body, next to your face and hands.

Anyway, all I did was start including my décolletage in my usual skincare regime, cleanse, exfoliate, tone, serum/oil and moisturise, and within a year it looked as good as the skin on my face. And SPF, all year round.

It most likely just having a very expressive face! I don't have many wrinkles at 44 but most of the time my face is fairly expressionless tbh (obviously I laugh and stuff but otherwise I don't crease my face in concentration etc). I do also stay out of the sun.

As you say you are open to the idea of Botox so I would find a good Botox doctor who will ask you what you are not happy with and he/she will be able to suggest options. Lotions and potions can only do so much.

Thanks @smashin

I’m quite happy with my brows, they are dark and thick and I don’t really want to go down the microblading route there. Hair is bad in this pic, it’s blonde (not grey!) - I’d been running and it was probably rainy/windy… and yes I’m a runner!

How ironic.

A concerned post that is also the meanest post.

I also love this post. To each their own, but I like seeing a few wrinkles.