What are the signs of aging?

[nala]

What I mean is, what do you personally look for in terms of physical appearance to determine that a person looks a certain age? And by a certain age, I mean past one person’s prime? I get that it depends on your own age, perspective, etc. that’s why I’m curious to see how you determine this trait in strangers.

 

[Phoenix]

Not sure what you're asking, @nala. lol

If I think I understand correctly, I will attempt to answer. The answer, however, depends very much on many factors, ie. genetics, race, their diet, their fitness regime, whether they smoke, drink, take drugs, whether they lead a stressful life etc.

At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I look at least 10-15 yrs younger than I am. Genetics play a part, but I also take care of my health, ie. I (no longer) drink, have never smoked, never taken drugs, exercise regularly and eat a very healthy (but not bland) diet. I also take good care of my skin and hair and I drink water like a thirsty camel etc..

My siblings, IMO, look their age, bc they don't take as good care of themselves - some have fared better than others. We have poor genetics in my family, health-wise, generally speaking.

Signs of aging are: wrinkly and/ or sagging skin, esp the chin and the jaw lines, "laughter" lines, ie crow feet, a wrinkly forehead, deeper nasolabial lines (am doing something about this though my lines are not bad), grey and thinning hair, a saggy butt, saggy ...ahem...boobs, "muffin top" etc etc...there are so many signs of aging. Less obvious is the reduced or lack of energy level.

 

[Dancing Fire]

At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I look at least 10-15 yrs younger than I am.

At least!..

 

[Phoenix]

At least!..

Yes, it's true. I am not lying.

Some ppl think I'm in my late 20's . Most think 30's, early to late.

 

[nala]

Not sure what you're asking, @nala. lol

If I think I understand correctly, I will attempt to answer. The answer, however, depends very much on many factors, ie. genetics, race, their diet, their fitness regime, whether they smoke, drink, take drugs, whether they lead a stressful life etc.

At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I look at least 10-15 yrs younger than I am. Genetics play a part, but I also take care of my health, ie. I (no longer) drink, have never smoked, never taken drugs, exercise regularly and eat a very healthy (but not bland) diet. I also take good care of my skin and hair and I drink water like a thirsty camel etc..

My siblings, IMO, look their age, bc they don't take as good care of themselves - some have fared better than others. We have poor genetics in my family, health-wise, generally speaking.

Signs of aging are: wrinkly and/ or sagging skin, esp the chin and the jaw lines, "laughter" lines, ie crow feet, a wrinkly forehead, deeper nasolabial lines (am doing something about this though my lines are not bad), grey and thinning hair, a saggy butt, saggy ...ahem...boobs, "muffin top" etc etc...there are so many signs of aging. Less obvious is the reduced or lack of energy level.

That’s what I meant. How each person here determines “old” lol. I’m curious bc I know what affects my perspective and it is very biased. My hubby and I never agree on how old a person looks. So I’d like to hear from people what they focus on. After my weight loss, I keep getting carded more often And I’m 44! But even when I was heavier, I occasionally got carded. So idk that weight is the determining factor.

 

[Jambalaya]

For me, a fed-up attitude, moaning, or just being generally negative and unsmiling is very ageing indeed. Children and young people laugh and bubble much more and complain less. The stereotype of the grumpy old man/woman is there for a reason.

When people don't stand up straight but curl their shoulders, that looks ageing.

Obviously deep wrinkles and pallor from smoking are very ageing, too.

People who are close minded and dismissive seem VERY old. i.e. someone being very dismissive of, say, therapy.

A big smile will take 20 years off you.

And I'm sorry, I know going natural is all the thing now, backlashing against the tyranny of beauty, and I get it, but for pure aesthetics I find gray or white hair exceedingly ageing. It puts 20 years on people, easily, and also makes them look worn out. And men who have gray beards look 20 years older.

Knobbly wrinkly toes. Lack of muscle tone.

Oh - and a biggie - bad posture is very ageing. If you stand properly - drawn up, stomach pulled in, shoulders back, down, and in line with your ears, and relax into it, but always keep your back straight. Takes years and pounds off you.

My desert island go-tos for looking younger are: excellent posture and a big smile.

Oh - and massive foreheads plastered with hair clinging limply to the sides, parted in the middle, like witches' hair.

Firstly, most people have a forehead you could fry an egg on and should be wearing some wispy or side-swept bangs. They highlight your eyes, and to show off your forehead it needs to be REALLY proportional to the rest of your face like Kate Moss. Kate Middleton has a good one, too, but her sister's is longer and she has the whole glaring-forehead look going on. Not good. Christina Ricci is an excellent example of Panhead. So again, very ageing.

 

[monarch64]

Lol
Check out the throat and hands. Definite giveaways.

 

[Phoenix]

Lol
Check out the throat and hands. Definite giveaways.

This is so true. But again, it also depends on genetics and how much people look after their hands, ie. whether they moisturise a lot and whether the hands are exposed to a lot of sun, as those can make a huge difference.

 

[monarch64]

I slather my hands with thick lotion allllll the time. Feet as well. And whenever I moisturize I make sure to hit my neck tenfold. I think these are areas many people neglect, and later on maybe their faces are amazing but their other nearby parts look like the cabana done missed ‘em.

 

[Phoenix]

That’s what I meant. How each person here determines “old” lol. I’m curious bc I know what affects my perspective and it is very biased. My hubby and I never agree on how old a person looks. So I’d like to hear from people what they focus on. After my weight loss, I keep getting carded more often And I’m 44! But even when I was heavier, I occasionally got carded. So idk that weight is the determining factor.

Kudos to you, @nala!

Yes, definitely. I see this all the time, both IRL as well as online. I'm a fitness freak, so this is something that I see often. People who have lost weight, built up muscles etc, look way younger than their former self. But factored into this also is the healthy diet & the exercise that slimmer, fitter people have / engage in: Better nutrition and regular exercise improve skin texture and hair texture & volume, thus making them more healthy and younger-looking.

Once caveat though: people who lose an excessive amount of weight/ have very low body fat, especially if they are older (like myself, hehe), have to be super careful. Often, in this case, it's a trade-off between a super athletic body and a gaunt face with sunken cheeks.

 

[kenny]

I just cut 'em in half and count the age rings.

 

[Sparkles88]

Age spots and hyper pigmentation. Unfortunately even though I’m vigilant with the sunscreen, the brown spots keep appearing. I’ve noticed that when I’ve travelled back to Hong Kong, the ladies tend not too have these issues. The sun and UV rays are so much stronger here in Oz.
I’ve invested in my skin care, look after myself and live healthily but I find the hyper pigmentation aging despite not having any grey hairs or wrinkles as such.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Lol
Check out the throat and hands. Definite giveaways.

+1 to this! Hard to disguise the effects of smoking and sun exposure and joint swelling/shape change!

 

[CJ2008]

A lot of the things that are ageing have already been said...

I love that Jambalaya included attitudes, because those we can control 100%, unlike our physical appearance.

I also want to remind us that many of these "signs" can happen at any age - e.g., not everyone has good muscle tone, even when young, etc.

But some things that I find ageing:

-dry, thin, brittle hair
-certain fashions/ways of dressing (-capris, especially when paired with the open button down shirts, -all white sneakers, especially bulky ones, -certain types of necklaces)
-crepey skin
-"veiny" anything (eg., loss of fat in the hands so that the veins become really prominent), bluish/reddish veins especially on the feet
-excessive plastic surgery on the face

 

[missy]

I don't notice these things on others...wrinkles or necks or saggy skin. What I do notice? Similar to what others have already mentioned (Jambalaya and CJ) is a cheerful warm genuine smile and pleasant disposition. And a great sense of humor despite the hardships one has to deal with...to me that makes a beautiful person who is young at heart. The ability to adapt and change to one's circumstances and maintain one's sense of humor and kindness to others. And that is what makes me feel young. Being able to see the humorous side of life and laughing despite the heartaches one goes through. As my dad is fond of saying no one gets out of this life alive so just live, love and laugh and enjoy and make the most of it. No one gets out unscathed and while you cannot control many events that happen you sure can control how you view these events and how it affects you moving forward.

Oh and I do notice plastic surgery (thanks CJ) and to me it is generally most unattractive when done with those fake lips and pulled faces and just artificial appearance. *That* I do notice. But of course it is a personal decision and I don't judge. But I do notice and yes I prefer aging gracefully and (sorry Jambalaya) I see nothing but beauty in natural gray/white hair and sure maybe it makes the appearance older but it doesn't take away from the beauty of that person IMO. Perhaps it adds to it since that woman is confident and strong enough to buck convention and do what she wants to do.

In fact true beauty isn't in looking young/youthful but in who you are inside...that is to me what true beauty is and no amount of genetics and lotions and/or changing one's appearance with surgery/diet/exercise/hair color etc can change the true beauty of the person. To me youth does not equal beauty but love light and kindness and generosity of spirit is what equals true beauty. IMO.

(I do agree with Monnie just talking superficial appearance that is ... that necks and hands tend to show true age faster than the face and will add one more thing...teeth can show the age as well. But a caveat to this is overly white teeth. That looks unpleasant and fake to me. When the teeth are artificially white.)

 

[monarch64]

What, Mithy? You don’t like mah teefs?

 

[missy]

Uh oh I think that dog belongs in the dogs gone bad thread or rather the dentists gone bad thread cause that is one bad dental job

But Nooo I love your teeth dahlink...the better to EAT you with...bwahahaha

 

[partgypsy]

The last 10 years I regularly get carded when I buy wine/beer at the grocery store, with freakouts from the cashier when they see my id/age, apologizing, asking me what I eat, what I do etc (lot's of carding in my late 40's). When I was 35 I went out to eat at a restaurant with my husband, and they refused to serve me a beer because they thought I was an undergraduate (I hadn't brought my wallet). We gave them a piece of our mind and left.
Hasn't happened in the past 6 months though so time is FINALLY catching up with me! I feel like I HAVE aged in the past year and a half, because I am walking much less (now have a car and do a lot of commuting for the kids) and too much sweets, glasses of wine in the evening, not enough time for exercise.
Where I see signs of aging in myself: wrinkles on my neck I didn't used to have, my jawline is no longer straight, and more wrinkles around my eyes and forehead. I have also gained a little weight around the middle. Determined to whip back into shape.

 

[chrono]

I don't think about someone's age when I meet them. I focus more on outward behaviour.

 

[t-c]

My friends and I had a discussion about this and we decided that the most aging thing a person can do is to try too hard to look young or “recapture their youth”. You may think you’re well preserved, but young people can tell. I know, because I remember being a twenty-something way back when and side-eyeing the few “old” people in clubs. I don’t know what it is, but there is a difference between a dewy young person and a plumped moisturized old person (in person. I just read about Meitu in The New Yorker).

Just try to look to look your best, work with what you got, and don’t worry about looking younger. It is what it is.

P.s. I like being old. I don’t even mind looking old (although I’m sure my attitude will change when I’m on the job market again).

 

[missy]

My friends and I had a discussion about this and we decided that the most aging thing a person can do is to try too hard to look young or “recapture their youth”. You may think you’re well preserved, but young people can tell. I know, because I remember being a twenty-something way back when and side-eyeing the few “old” people in clubs. I don’t know what it is, but there is a difference between a dewy young person and a plumped moisturized old person (in person. I just read about Meitu in The New Yorker).

Just try to look to look your best, work with what you got, and don’t worry about looking younger. It is what it is.

P.s. I like being old. I don’t even mind looking old (although I’m sure my attitude will change when I’m on the job market again).

Yes I agree. I enjoy being my age. We are at a stage where we can just accept ourselves and be content (if we will allow ourselves to be and get out of our own way if you kwim). I wouldn't want to turn the clock back 25 years. Happy right where I am knowing what I know and having a sense of well being and contentment. Despite the external factors which are out of our control.

 

[lyra]

I may look 5 years younger than my age because I stay out of the sun completely. I've noticed that since I just let my hair go grey (for me it looks blonde though), people have a better idea of how old I am. Plus my health isn't always great, so on those days, bleh, whatever. I don't try to look younger. I'm more comfortable with less pressure on me.

 

[CJ2008]

My friends and I had a discussion about this and we decided that the most aging thing a person can do is to try too hard to look young or “recapture their youth”. You may think you’re well preserved, but young people can tell. I know, because I remember being a twenty-something way back when and side-eyeing the few “old” people in clubs. I don’t know what it is, but there is a difference between a dewy young person and a plumped moisturized old person (in person. I just read about Meitu in The New Yorker).

Just try to look to look your best, work with what you got, and don’t worry about looking younger. It is what it is.

P.s. I like being old. I don’t even mind looking old (although I’m sure my attitude will change when I’m on the job market again).

So so true.

Trying to look younger is ageing.

One way I see this sometimes in older women who still wear blinged out jeans, or overly sexy clothes. Some do it out of confidence (and can carry it, even if it's not my style), some out of desperation.

But in either case, they're not fooling anyone.

And actually, now that I think about it, I see some men do it too. Wearing Affliction style shirts, or certain types of sneakers or short styles that are "younger." Same with men - some do it out of confidence, some out of desperation. But here again, they're not fooling anyone.

 

[partgypsy]

I like how Cindy Crawford dresses. Things like white shirts and nice jeans. They are kind of ageless, and flattering whether you are 20 or 50. I think she is aging very gracefully.

 

[CJ2008]

I like how Cindy Crawford dresses. Things like white shirts and nice jeans. They are kind of ageless, and flattering whether you are 20 or 50. I think she is aging very gracefully.

You're right. When I think about her, I do think she is ageing gracefully. She had very little done so she still looks natural, and totally agree, jeans and white shirts always look nice and classic and stylish.

 

[monarch64]

I regularly deal with college students. I swear at least once a day one asks me if I’m in grad school or what year I am. LOL it’s hilarious when I tell them I graduated college in 2000! But remember when you were 19/20/21 and had NO frame of reference for what an “old” person looked like? Like, people were either your age, or your parents’ age, or your grandparents. I mean I remember thinking 25 was SO OLD when I was 21! Hahaha! My point is that I never let myself feel flattered, because they’re kids and they don’t know any better. Nice adults will fake like they think I’m 5 years younger...I’m not buying it.

 

[LadyMCh]

Skin is probably one of the first things I notice. I often see subcutaneous fat loss in older people; it makes your skin look and feel thin. You know how you see skinny old women with paper thin skin? Like that. On the other end of the spectrum, women who are not really old but wear a lot of makeup or who have had a lot of plastic surgery or peels on their faces look old to me...like you're trying to wear a mask. Sometimes, having a lot of work done on your face, whether you're a man or woman, makes a person look a bit like a melted candle. I literally have a friend in her late 20s who is so aging-phobic that she looks like this. Unfortunately, it tends to have the reverse result, meaning she looks more like a middle-aged Real Housewives cast member other than the younger-than-me 20-something she is. Rough and dull skin from not moisturizing or leathery skin from using tanning beds or not wearing sun protection, etc.

Frown lines or lines around the mouth from smoking. I actually don't really have a negative association with crow's feet. Attitude has been mentioned on here as an aging factor and, to me, crow's feet are frequently associated with people who laugh and smile a lot.

I second the comments on dressing like someone well under your age. I think there's a happy medium between doing this plus messing with your face too much and, conversely, just looking like you gave up on life because you feel like you're "past your prime" or whatever.

My mom has a friend who is around 60yo (not old, but almost 2x my age), and I think she is absolutely strikingly beautiful. She has pixie cut grey/white hair, milk and honey skin that always looks bright and moisturized, is trim (I know she exercises b/c she and my mom go to the same gym, and she cycles.), dresses in well-fitting classic clothing (think Calvin Klein- clean lines, neutrals, the occasional pop of color), and is always laughing/smiling (with the aforementioned wrinkles that can result from that). She's just a regular person, but in my mind, she's a great example of what it means to age gracefully.

 

[partgypsy]

I still remember one time this undergraduate guy kissing up to me because he wanted a better grade in a class I was the RA for, like he was some Don Juan. I was 8, 10 years? older than him. Sorry dude, just because I'm not laughing in your face doesn't mean I'm not laughing on the inside.

 

[kenny]

These are aging signs.

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

With people I often look at skin. I am prone to fine lines and wrinkles and I do my best to keep them at bay, regular chemical peels, high quality moisturizers, avoiding the sun, drinking a lot of water, etc. I'm 32 so I'm pretty sure within a few years Botox will be added to the mix.