Face aged really quick over the last year. What is this?

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Hi, I was always quite lucky with my appearance and never felt like I have to worry about aging. Genes, I guess? however, over the last year I noticed that I really started to look like an old woman. I'm 50.. so not that young - but also, not that massively old. So why I suddenly look like this?... My face looks heavy, eyes look small, face looks big. All droopy, lined, jowly. WHF is this..? Any shared experience would be welcome.

I don't need HRT having sailed through menopause.

Seems a little drastic to flood your entire system with hormones just to have a better face. But I am toying with a face lift, so others will see that as a little extreme as well.

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea comes to mind.

@2024horizons , did I understand this correctly: taking the progesterone only pill (mini pill) depletes existing levels of oestrogen in the body. Is this true?
I've been taking the mini pill for a long time, with the odd break to 're-set' my body (no idea where that comes from but apparently it is useful to take a break from any kind of pill, my GP never heard of such a thing but I carry on regardless).
Although I'm not yet faced with pre menopausal stages or the menopause itself, I am very much aware that my looks may simply drop off a cliff really quickly in the future. I am and have always been vain. So looks are very important to me, I'd like to keep what I have for as long as I can.

But I am now concerned about this oestrogen reduction whilst taking the mini pill. I haven't noticed any difference between taking it regularly and having breaks from it.

Too late now, but I read an article in the Sunday Times Style section around the time the pandemic started - maybe someone can find it, I wasn't able to find it online and, annoyingly, threw away the paper at the time.
This is more for our daughters or younger readers.
I'll explain it the best I can but terminology will be completely incorrect here because I can't remember all the details. All I know is that I was over 30 when I read it, was sorry I couldn't try it myself, then forgot about it. It was all rather scientific and exciting and I can imagine it would make an interesting 21st birthday present for a daughter (pay for the procedure and she can choose to go through with it or not).

There is a procedure whereby they harvest particular cells or something else (?) through a procedure. I think from the womb. I may well be incorrect here but it was some sort or extraction process. It wasn't from blood that much I understood. It can only be done before the age of 30 if I remember correctly, because otherwise the harvested material is not good, it is too old. So to do with hormones and fertility levels and biological age. Whatever it is collected, it is then stored. At a later age, this material is multiplied and used for some sort of treatment to 're-new' the skin, maintaining a younger appearance using a woman's own younger 'material'. I didn't understand how, perhaps injections?

My personal view is that ageing is largely genetic. Sure you can vastly accelerate by sun damage or high alcohol consumption or smoking.

But for those of us who don’t do those things, we still age at vastly different rates from mid 40s onwards. I really notice it now. Apparently that AI which is used for age verification is far less reliable at working out the age of people from mid age on as we do age so differently. I can well believe it. I am bad at working out my peers ages and regularly guess ten years out.

@againstthestorm if genetics are the determining factor, then looking at how our mothers age is probably a good indicator of how we are likely to look at that age.

I can see from the way I am aging (mid-50s) that my face will probably end up the same way. It is not pretty.

I hope it's genetics. My mum has aged really well, with zero fillers, Botox or anything other than Ponds'. I think I have more stress in my life, though.

The main health benefits of HRT are much more important than just skin. Plenty of trustworthy info and solid research statistics available online but chiefly,it’s hugely worth it for the protective cardiac,bone and brain health benefits alone.

Oh yes definitely genes play a huge part. My dad was really wrinkly but he smoked, drank and never wore sunscreen-and both my parents were not well off and had poor childhoods which also makes a difference.

I menopaused in my early 30s (long medical story), but as I was under consultant care, started HRT within weeks. I looked great (eg got Think 25 ID checked at 40) until I hit 41, then family crisis came one after another and my face suddenly started wrinkling like mad.

Turns out I'm hyposensitive to Botox and my history suggests I'd be allergic to fillers so I guess I'm stuck like this now. I don't eat a ton of sugar or upfs, have never smoked, barely drink booze, hydrate properly, eat lots of protein, healthy weight, SPF devotee, silk pillowcases and I've been using retinol (but now too sensitive) and vit c so I can't think of anything I'm missing?

Yes totally agree.
Im in my 60’s and I find I look the same for 5/6/7 years then suddenly age in the space of three months. If you start looking you notice it with other people too.
Sorry op it’s a bit of a shock isn’t it.

I’m the same, always had good skin, but ‘overnight’ I’ve aged. Looking at photos from 2-3 years ago, the difference is astounding.
I never thought I’d be the person who was bothered by this kind of thing, but I am.
I use No 7 stuff on my face, it has helped a little. I know I don’t drink enough water though.

I’m trying to grow old (dis)gracefully, but admit to having looked up various Botox and similar type things that are available

Me too. Definitely ageing. I don’t want to go down Botox and fillers route and am happily with 11s but the jowly look makes me look like a bulldog!

I’ll be looking into some sort of face lift maybe.

Right now I’ve pared my routine right back, face wash, face cream and spf plus vit c serum and retinol some nights.

Sure - HRT is not for everyone (I can’t take it as have had breast cancer). I think the effect on skin more a nice side effect? Rather than the only reason to take HRT. But I digress.

Yes they have added up to quite a lot of £. Nothing too painful fortunately- the only one that was was the laser. And recovery was a few days with a slightly swollen face then a bit of peeling. Sofwave I had numbing cream. No downtime though which was a bonus.

I never really noticed any difference from ageing TBH as I was so fat no wrinkles could appear!!LOL
Now Ive lost weight though and def have 'ozempic face' vibes (but without the ozempic!). Its esp bad on my neck where I have alot of loose skin, but its worth it and Id rather have the extra wrinkles then the extra fat!

Just hoping I age like my mother...she hit 50 and then seemed to stopped ageing! (unlike my father who looks like a raisin!!LOL).

Ooh yes that is also a positive. I did read once you have been through the menopause you stop ageing (so quickly).

My Mum also has barely aged in 15 - 20 years and now looks young for her age at 72. Whereas (and she said this herself) she felt she aged dramatically in her 40s. Though she went through early menopause and was a smoker (gave up at about 40).

So I think that might be a glimmer of hope!

I've had a hard and stressful couple
Of years and it's suddenly showing on my face and I'm only mid forties.

I've gained 2 stone which really hasn't helped.

I've got creases jowls and the worst hooded eyes and I look bloated in the face it's shocking every time I look in the bloody mirror

I bought a micro needle roller yesterday. I’ve used it once and I’m hoping it does something. I also bought marine collagen and a led mask. Problem is I’d there is any improvement I won’t know which is making a difference..

More than 7 hours sleep a night helps. Definitely noticed a difference.

I think weight loss helps with ageing.. I'm 47 and was feeling my face looked old due to being 14 stone but due to gastric flu last weekend I've lost 6lbs very quickly (obviously not to be recommended) and my face shape is looking better already!
I just need to get back into a good skin care regime.. I've been not bothering with a night time routine and it shows.
I may be peri, I'm on the progesterone only mini pill constantly & not getting any meno symptoms so I'm unsure.

I'm tempted to start HRT when I get back from my trip to Ibiza in July. just in case I am peri. My dr would be ok with that.
I already use Vagifem which is topical oestrogen for down below, definitely recommend it.

I don't want to look any older (although I know ageing is a privilege etc) as I'm single and the two men I like are a bit younger.
So I won't lie, my looks are important to me.

Im not able to afford Botox etc but take collagen, wear spf50, get teeth whitening, have hugely cut down on carbs & sugar, don't drink or smoke. I get highlights & get my brows done.

As startling and unwelcome as it maybe- this is normal. You are 50 and starting to show your age. If it makes you feel better I am 50 and in the same boat! I think sometimes we get bombarded with false images of what we think a middle aged woman should look like. The reality is that unless you are extremely lucky genes wise you either have to spend a lot of time and money on surgery and tweaks. Even then ageing inevitably carries on and you will have to keep tweaking and messing about until before you know it you look like Madonna and are several 100 thousand pounds down. I don’t like my ageing face either , I just do what I can to stay healthy and take care of myself. I dress well and stay out of the sun and hope I look a ‘good’ fifty. No use fooling myself nothing I do is going to make me look 30 again!