"(S)he doesn't age. (S)he youthens."
January 3, 2016 5:20 PM Subscribe
Is it possible for a person to de-age significantly without resorting to cosmetic surgery or expensive dermatological procedures?
Assuming a person of average means is willing to put in a significant amount of effort and a moderate amount of money, could they make a noticeable difference in how old they look and feel?
I'm thinking in terms of general health, physical signs of aging, and also superficial things that would affect how old you come across to others such as appearance, mannerisms, etc.
What sort of things would give the most bang for the buck? And how many years could a person potentially take off if they were to follow a dedicated health and anti-aging regimen?
Assuming a person of average means is willing to put in a significant amount of effort and a moderate amount of money, could they make a noticeable difference in how old they look and feel?
I'm thinking in terms of general health, physical signs of aging, and also superficial things that would affect how old you come across to others such as appearance, mannerisms, etc.
What sort of things would give the most bang for the buck? And how many years could a person potentially take off if they were to follow a dedicated health and anti-aging regimen?
Best answer: Hydration, and moisturizer and sunblock on your face, make a big difference if you're not already taking good care of your skin. It's never too late to start with daily sunblock, and it DOES make a difference within six months or so, even if you're older and your skin renews more slowly.
It's worthwhile to consult a makeup artist for an "everyday" look that's lightweight and up-to-date ... often women read a bit older because they're still wearing the makeup they liked 10 years ago and got in a groove with. (I always have good luck at Sephora when I suddenly have to wear makeup to an event, open my makeup box, and go, "Hmmmm, this was trendy in 2002 and ALSO ALL EXPIRED." They are pretty helpful with products and up-to-date colors and applications, although sometimes you do have to talk them into LIGHT.) Ditto hairstyle.
Exercises that provide some definition of your arm muscles help. There's not a lot you can do about batwings, but having some definition in the bicep and tricep looks younger. (Obviously GENERAL exercise is better but if you've gotta pick one thing, pick the arms.) Also strengthen your core so you can get up from chairs more easily, and without the middle-aged grunt.
Tooth whitening is probably the #1 "easy" way to look younger. Veneers even more so (and they're getting more common for people in their 50s), just because teeth get thinner and more translucent as you age, even if they're still pretty white. But whiter teeth look much younger. You can start with home treatments and always graduate to the dentist if you like.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:46 PM on January 3, 2016 [4 favorites]
It's worthwhile to consult a makeup artist for an "everyday" look that's lightweight and up-to-date ... often women read a bit older because they're still wearing the makeup they liked 10 years ago and got in a groove with. (I always have good luck at Sephora when I suddenly have to wear makeup to an event, open my makeup box, and go, "Hmmmm, this was trendy in 2002 and ALSO ALL EXPIRED." They are pretty helpful with products and up-to-date colors and applications, although sometimes you do have to talk them into LIGHT.) Ditto hairstyle.
Exercises that provide some definition of your arm muscles help. There's not a lot you can do about batwings, but having some definition in the bicep and tricep looks younger. (Obviously GENERAL exercise is better but if you've gotta pick one thing, pick the arms.) Also strengthen your core so you can get up from chairs more easily, and without the middle-aged grunt.
Tooth whitening is probably the #1 "easy" way to look younger. Veneers even more so (and they're getting more common for people in their 50s), just because teeth get thinner and more translucent as you age, even if they're still pretty white. But whiter teeth look much younger. You can start with home treatments and always graduate to the dentist if you like.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:46 PM on January 3, 2016 [4 favorites]
Best answer: There is no cream or serum on Earth that can truly un-age your skin. Sagging skin, fat deposits under the eyes (bags) and deep wrinkles are not really treatable with OTC products. However, depending on how you define "expensive", there are several non-surgical procedures that can significantly help. Botox, fraxel laser treatments, and microdermabrasion are all relatively inexpensive and can have dramatic results. A qualified cosmetic surgeon can go over what your best options are.
That said, Having a good skin care routine is essential for preventing, or at least slowing, fine lines, sun damage, and thinning skin. Promoting collagen production and keeping your skin exfoliated are good priorities. The best things I've found are Vitamin C Serum, a moisturizer with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and mild exfoliants like sugar scrubs. Your dermatologist can prescribe topical Retinol as well for problem areas. Stay really well hydrated, and take your vitamins. The important thing now is to take care of what you have.
Make sure your haircut/style isn't dated and flatters your face (bangs can take 10 years off your face, it's amazing). Same with clothing. Have confidence and keep trying new things - nothing ages you faster than getting into a rut!
posted by ananci at 5:50 PM on January 3, 2016 [5 favorites]
That said, Having a good skin care routine is essential for preventing, or at least slowing, fine lines, sun damage, and thinning skin. Promoting collagen production and keeping your skin exfoliated are good priorities. The best things I've found are Vitamin C Serum, a moisturizer with alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and mild exfoliants like sugar scrubs. Your dermatologist can prescribe topical Retinol as well for problem areas. Stay really well hydrated, and take your vitamins. The important thing now is to take care of what you have.
Make sure your haircut/style isn't dated and flatters your face (bangs can take 10 years off your face, it's amazing). Same with clothing. Have confidence and keep trying new things - nothing ages you faster than getting into a rut!
posted by ananci at 5:50 PM on January 3, 2016 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Drink water! Lots of water!
posted by quince at 6:08 PM on January 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by quince at 6:08 PM on January 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Not sure if this helps, but I personally know 2 men in their 50s who lost what looked like a decade each off their appearance within months of retiring from stressful work. It was astonishing to me in both cases and one of them is a heavy drinker & smoker. I thought he must have got off the grog and cigs when I saw him and enquired as to same. Uncomfortable silence ensued.
posted by mewsic at 6:10 PM on January 3, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by mewsic at 6:10 PM on January 3, 2016 [9 favorites]
Best answer: anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle. for instance, when i consume highly caffeinated things, i seem older (because my skin is less oxygenated as my blood circulation is less effective). the same thing happens when you're sleep deprived.
one paper says:
Inflammation as a function of age has been well characterized in numerous epidemiologic studies. Levels of inflammatory mediators typically increase with age even in the absence of acute infection or other physiologic stress (Singh and Newman, 2011). While levels are still in the sub-acute range, this chronic inflammation underlies many aging-related conditions (Chung et al., 2009).
also, posture. you can spot a younger person from a long way off.
posted by kinoeye at 6:35 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
one paper says:
Inflammation as a function of age has been well characterized in numerous epidemiologic studies. Levels of inflammatory mediators typically increase with age even in the absence of acute infection or other physiologic stress (Singh and Newman, 2011). While levels are still in the sub-acute range, this chronic inflammation underlies many aging-related conditions (Chung et al., 2009).
also, posture. you can spot a younger person from a long way off.
posted by kinoeye at 6:35 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: For the face and hands specifically, anything (cremes, washes, makeup) with retinols, glycolic, and lactic acids will help exfoliate and freshen the skin, as well as reduce fine lines. Reduce, not remove.
The above advice to use an SPF is excellent, and in this case mandatory if you use these, as all of the above necessitate the use of an SPF in the sun.
posted by oflinkey at 6:52 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
The above advice to use an SPF is excellent, and in this case mandatory if you use these, as all of the above necessitate the use of an SPF in the sun.
posted by oflinkey at 6:52 PM on January 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
Um, gain weight? My little sister "reads" as older than I do (I get carded when she doesn't, for example), and I'm pretty sure one of the main reasons is that she's at least thirty pounds lighter than I am.
On a similar theme, you could try putting all your stuff in a backpack, because backpacks are efficient.
posted by yarntheory at 6:56 PM on January 3, 2016
On a similar theme, you could try putting all your stuff in a backpack, because backpacks are efficient.
posted by yarntheory at 6:56 PM on January 3, 2016
Best answer: In terms of how old you feel, look up Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychologist who did some really neat, if not scientifically rigorous studies with seniors (called the "counterclockwise" studies).
Link
I think reducing stress is a huge thing that you can work on without it costing tons of money. If you can cultivate a more relaxed, positive posture in your face and body I'd say that would do most of the work of looking younger, cultivate gratitude and optimism, cheesy but I've noticed how some people's faces seem to harden into grimaces with time versus people who keep smiling.
For diet, low inflammation diet with lots of healthy fats, reduce caffeine and alcohol and up antioxidant foods. I've heard that being thinner as you age is aging and some actresses say you have to "choose your ass or your face".
posted by lafemma at 7:02 PM on January 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
Link
I think reducing stress is a huge thing that you can work on without it costing tons of money. If you can cultivate a more relaxed, positive posture in your face and body I'd say that would do most of the work of looking younger, cultivate gratitude and optimism, cheesy but I've noticed how some people's faces seem to harden into grimaces with time versus people who keep smiling.
For diet, low inflammation diet with lots of healthy fats, reduce caffeine and alcohol and up antioxidant foods. I've heard that being thinner as you age is aging and some actresses say you have to "choose your ass or your face".
posted by lafemma at 7:02 PM on January 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ha! I've been hanging around nutritional ketosis boards lately and one of the striking features about the pictures that people post is the loss of years, sometimes a decade or two, from their looks. I've been ketoing for just over a month and I look younger now than I did three years ago. It's the good fats, lots of water, and lack of corrosive sugars I think.
posted by Thella at 7:33 PM on January 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Thella at 7:33 PM on January 3, 2016 [3 favorites]
lafemma: " some actresses say you have to "choose your ass or your face"."
Après un certain âge une femme doit choisir soit le derrière soit le visage.
(Usually attributed to Catherine Deneuve, but sometimes Coco Chanel.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:39 PM on January 3, 2016 [5 favorites]
Après un certain âge une femme doit choisir soit le derrière soit le visage.
(Usually attributed to Catherine Deneuve, but sometimes Coco Chanel.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:39 PM on January 3, 2016 [5 favorites]
There's no such thing as "de-aging". People who have cosmetic procedures to look younger don't look young, they just look weird.
There's truth in diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes (wear sunscreen, get enough sleep, don't smoke...), but I'm pretty sure that with all of that stuff, once the damage is done it's fairly permanent. Unless you were living an especially unhealthy lifestyle and changed both drastically and permanently. Like kicking meth or something.
I'm also OK with the idea that drastic lifestyle changes like quitting a job you hate or going to therapy might metaphorically "take years off you" or make you seem like you have a younger outlook to others. Which is what I think people are talking about when they say that they ran into someone who retired from a stressful job and looked years younger; they don't literally look younger, they just are happier and we associate relaxed contentment with youth.
But, no, you can't achieve a goal of Looking Younger in any predictable or meaningful way.
posted by Sara C. at 12:01 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
There's truth in diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes (wear sunscreen, get enough sleep, don't smoke...), but I'm pretty sure that with all of that stuff, once the damage is done it's fairly permanent. Unless you were living an especially unhealthy lifestyle and changed both drastically and permanently. Like kicking meth or something.
I'm also OK with the idea that drastic lifestyle changes like quitting a job you hate or going to therapy might metaphorically "take years off you" or make you seem like you have a younger outlook to others. Which is what I think people are talking about when they say that they ran into someone who retired from a stressful job and looked years younger; they don't literally look younger, they just are happier and we associate relaxed contentment with youth.
But, no, you can't achieve a goal of Looking Younger in any predictable or meaningful way.
posted by Sara C. at 12:01 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I've seen chemical peels and teeth whitening take years off someone's face. Hair coloring can help. But yeah- you need sunscreen! Also, flattering clothes that cover signs of aging, like saggy knees... Shape wear. I plan on wearing those butt padded undies if my bottom goes flat. Ps- whatever you do with your face (sunscreen, creams) , do with your décolleté...
posted by flink at 1:30 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by flink at 1:30 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, watch the show 10 years younger. I think there are a couple versions and one is better than the other. There you will get a very good idea of what is possible!
posted by flink at 1:32 AM on January 4, 2016
posted by flink at 1:32 AM on January 4, 2016
Best answer: Oh yes, you can absolutely do this if you want to. It's easy.
If your haircut is over-long, dated or unkempt, that's the biggest bang for the buck. Go to somebody new, pay more than you want, and let them push you a little out of your comfort zone. Depending how old you are, that plus some product can instantly take off 5-20 years.
The results from skincare are slower, but just as good. Use a lot of sunscreen every day -- Asian sunscreens are lighter and more effective than North American/European ones. I like Sun Bears and Shiseido. Use a lactic acid peel once a month and Vitamin C serum every night. You will glow and look 10 years younger, for real. Yes to teeth cleaning and bleaching, too.
Those are the easy things that require no real effort or lifestyle changes. After that you're probably looking at stuff like diet and exercise. Seriously rethinking your wardrobe (at the silhouette level, not the individual item level) might help too, but that's a serious time/energy commitment, and you may not want to bother. Good luck!
posted by Susan PG at 2:12 AM on January 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
If your haircut is over-long, dated or unkempt, that's the biggest bang for the buck. Go to somebody new, pay more than you want, and let them push you a little out of your comfort zone. Depending how old you are, that plus some product can instantly take off 5-20 years.
The results from skincare are slower, but just as good. Use a lot of sunscreen every day -- Asian sunscreens are lighter and more effective than North American/European ones. I like Sun Bears and Shiseido. Use a lactic acid peel once a month and Vitamin C serum every night. You will glow and look 10 years younger, for real. Yes to teeth cleaning and bleaching, too.
Those are the easy things that require no real effort or lifestyle changes. After that you're probably looking at stuff like diet and exercise. Seriously rethinking your wardrobe (at the silhouette level, not the individual item level) might help too, but that's a serious time/energy commitment, and you may not want to bother. Good luck!
posted by Susan PG at 2:12 AM on January 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
Sleep, drink water, avoid coffee and alcohol, eating well and take vitamins. Dress makes a huge difference in your perceived age as well.
posted by deathpanels at 2:23 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by deathpanels at 2:23 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Facial exercises (there's free Jack Lalanne ones on YouTube), moisturizing (a good skincare reg), and sunscreen. I think Christine Brinkley just wrote a book about this (or gave a very long interview) but I could be wrong.
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 3:23 AM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 3:23 AM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
A good haircut, a prescription-grade retinoid (with a powerful sunscreen used every day), and clean living will do wonders.
posted by padraigin at 9:01 AM on January 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by padraigin at 9:01 AM on January 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: As someone 17 years older than her husband (who rudely insists on looking babyfaced & getting carded into his 30's) I took a vigorous interest in this very idea a few years back.
Many of the things I found that helped. Getting a good haircut, go to a saloon where all the hairdressers are young, but more importantly a professional color with highlights & low lights. I hit up all the skincare reddits & started following the main advice. Lots of sunblock, retinol products, AHA & BHAs & vitamin C serums. I used Paulas Choice products & don't regret a cent I spent with them, but there are others, but there are many options. There is only so much even presription stength products can do so I I also have really started to concentrate on makeup & fashion, apparently makeup like clothes styles changes over the years. Making sure to stay on trend with colors & styles there helped as did starting to change up my clothes the same way. While a good foundation doesn't reverse the signs of aging, it can sure hide a multitude of sins. Laser hair removal on my face as well as threading have helped as well, that fine granny peach fuzz can be surprisingly aging.
Lots of YouTube videos offer great advice for style changes. Play around & have fun with them, something as simple as the cut of a pair of jeans can change how old you are perceived.
I bought new more flattering & less aging glasses frames and this year is the year I get my teeth in order. Repairs to the wear & tear & professionally whitened.
Also as I moved to the US I tend to hang around his friends which has made me mentally feel younger and more up to date with what is going on.
posted by wwax at 10:58 AM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Many of the things I found that helped. Getting a good haircut, go to a saloon where all the hairdressers are young, but more importantly a professional color with highlights & low lights. I hit up all the skincare reddits & started following the main advice. Lots of sunblock, retinol products, AHA & BHAs & vitamin C serums. I used Paulas Choice products & don't regret a cent I spent with them, but there are others, but there are many options. There is only so much even presription stength products can do so I I also have really started to concentrate on makeup & fashion, apparently makeup like clothes styles changes over the years. Making sure to stay on trend with colors & styles there helped as did starting to change up my clothes the same way. While a good foundation doesn't reverse the signs of aging, it can sure hide a multitude of sins. Laser hair removal on my face as well as threading have helped as well, that fine granny peach fuzz can be surprisingly aging.
Lots of YouTube videos offer great advice for style changes. Play around & have fun with them, something as simple as the cut of a pair of jeans can change how old you are perceived.
I bought new more flattering & less aging glasses frames and this year is the year I get my teeth in order. Repairs to the wear & tear & professionally whitened.
Also as I moved to the US I tend to hang around his friends which has made me mentally feel younger and more up to date with what is going on.
posted by wwax at 10:58 AM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: While it's true that keeping up-to-date with makeup will help keep a person from looking dated, general wisdom in my (admittedly low-maintenance) neck of the woods is that the less makeup one wears, the younger one looks. Obviously, this is more startlingly true for folks who are taking excellent care of their skin and brows and hair, but I find it to be true to some extent across the board.
Anecdotally, as a woman in her mid-30s, a couple dabs of concealer and some mascara will get me carded far more often than a faceful of the most current makeup.
Nthing teeth; my teeth are awful (dull, crooked, oddly spaced) thanks to years of childhood/young adulthood poverty and neglect, and they absolutely age me. If I could afford braces I would get them in ten seconds flat; it would probably take a solid decade off my face.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 12:36 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Anecdotally, as a woman in her mid-30s, a couple dabs of concealer and some mascara will get me carded far more often than a faceful of the most current makeup.
Nthing teeth; my teeth are awful (dull, crooked, oddly spaced) thanks to years of childhood/young adulthood poverty and neglect, and they absolutely age me. If I could afford braces I would get them in ten seconds flat; it would probably take a solid decade off my face.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 12:36 PM on January 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I want to push back a little against the 'clean living' type comments because personally I think they can feel a little shaming and disempowering.
I'm routinely told I look 15 years younger than I actually am, and trust me, it has nothing to do with clean living. Butter and coffee and gin are my best friends. I don't work out. My body is not a temple. Etc.
IMO the key is taking care of your skin, especially with sunscreen. Everything else is details :)
posted by Susan PG at 12:58 PM on January 4, 2016 [7 favorites]
I'm routinely told I look 15 years younger than I actually am, and trust me, it has nothing to do with clean living. Butter and coffee and gin are my best friends. I don't work out. My body is not a temple. Etc.
IMO the key is taking care of your skin, especially with sunscreen. Everything else is details :)
posted by Susan PG at 12:58 PM on January 4, 2016 [7 favorites]
Best answer: Sunscreen on your hands too! No point in making sure your face is youthful if your hands betray you.
posted by teststrip at 1:59 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by teststrip at 1:59 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Great answers everyone, thanks!
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:11 PM on January 4, 2016
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 2:11 PM on January 4, 2016
Best answer: You already have great answers so not much to add, rather I'll amplify; I am regularly told that I look much younger than I am - to the extent that my old school put a very wrong birth-date on my exam papers when I asked for an extra set!
Part of it is good genes, my parents and grandparents were the same. But I look a lot younger than my younger siblings, too, to their constant irritation.
I've thought about it, and I think the main differences between me and siblings is
#1: that I have kept a rigorous skin care regime forever, because I had skin problems when I was younger. Probably the most important parts of this are avoiding sun and keeping clean
#2: that I have fanatically avoided all processed food since I was in my mid-twenties (mainly because of the above mentioned skin issues)
#3: that I have never smoked
(and maybe #4: I like spending time with young people)
At this point in time, I'm slightly overweight, and as mentioned above, that might help. But I looked younger when I was skinny, too. I enjoy all "real" foods, fat, carbo, protein etc. and I love a drink after work, and a party now and then. I do drink a lot of water.
Before 45, I didn't care much about make-up and hair, but now I am almost religious about going to the right stylist at the right intervals. I don't wear make-up on a daily basis, but when I do, I make sure it is super-light after great advice at the Bobbi Brown counter. So many of my friends and colleagues are walking about with blotchy make-up because they want to cover wrinkles. It doesn't work.
One of my friends went into re-hab and came out looking ten years younger. His skin and something about his eyes changed profoundly. So I am thinking improvement beyond the above can be found by quitting alcohol altogether.
posted by mumimor at 2:35 PM on January 4, 2016
Part of it is good genes, my parents and grandparents were the same. But I look a lot younger than my younger siblings, too, to their constant irritation.
I've thought about it, and I think the main differences between me and siblings is
#1: that I have kept a rigorous skin care regime forever, because I had skin problems when I was younger. Probably the most important parts of this are avoiding sun and keeping clean
#2: that I have fanatically avoided all processed food since I was in my mid-twenties (mainly because of the above mentioned skin issues)
#3: that I have never smoked
(and maybe #4: I like spending time with young people)
At this point in time, I'm slightly overweight, and as mentioned above, that might help. But I looked younger when I was skinny, too. I enjoy all "real" foods, fat, carbo, protein etc. and I love a drink after work, and a party now and then. I do drink a lot of water.
Before 45, I didn't care much about make-up and hair, but now I am almost religious about going to the right stylist at the right intervals. I don't wear make-up on a daily basis, but when I do, I make sure it is super-light after great advice at the Bobbi Brown counter. So many of my friends and colleagues are walking about with blotchy make-up because they want to cover wrinkles. It doesn't work.
One of my friends went into re-hab and came out looking ten years younger. His skin and something about his eyes changed profoundly. So I am thinking improvement beyond the above can be found by quitting alcohol altogether.
posted by mumimor at 2:35 PM on January 4, 2016
Attitude, energy, and the way you move are key. No amount of makeup will help if you don't smile and laugh. If you move gracefully and maintain as much flexibility as possible people will perceive you as younger. Don't dress too young for your age, but also don't revert to old people clothes, whatever that is.
posted by mareli at 3:52 PM on January 4, 2016
posted by mareli at 3:52 PM on January 4, 2016
I just want to clarify at no point did I say wear heavy make up I said wear up to date makeup.
posted by wwax at 4:09 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by wwax at 4:09 PM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
I thought this article was helpful in outlining what gives away a person's age. I remember a study that said that subjects' ages were most accurately guessed from images of their hands.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 8:33 PM on January 4, 2016
posted by gemutlichkeit at 8:33 PM on January 4, 2016
Late, but I didn't see this mentioned. I'm 50 and look younger than my years, but after decades of plucking and waxing, one thing that definitely makes me look more youthful is filling in my eyebrows (something 10-yo uni-brow me cannot believe.)
I will also vouch for Stri-Vectin neck cream being effective in removing dark neck rings, even used semi-regularly.
I strongly disagree about veneers. Yes, younger looking teeth look younger, but I think veneers just look like new teeth in an older head, especially since they already are usually better than natural anyway. I say this as someone with two front veneers who worries a little about everything else about me aging except my chompers. But whitening and subtle cosmetic work can be good things.
I'm routinely told I look 15 years younger than I actually am, and trust me, it has nothing to do with clean living. Butter and coffee and gin are my best friends. I don't work out. My body is not a temple. Etc.
Seconded. (From the neck up, anyway.)
posted by Room 641-A at 1:13 AM on January 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
I will also vouch for Stri-Vectin neck cream being effective in removing dark neck rings, even used semi-regularly.
I strongly disagree about veneers. Yes, younger looking teeth look younger, but I think veneers just look like new teeth in an older head, especially since they already are usually better than natural anyway. I say this as someone with two front veneers who worries a little about everything else about me aging except my chompers. But whitening and subtle cosmetic work can be good things.
I'm routinely told I look 15 years younger than I actually am, and trust me, it has nothing to do with clean living. Butter and coffee and gin are my best friends. I don't work out. My body is not a temple. Etc.
Seconded. (From the neck up, anyway.)
posted by Room 641-A at 1:13 AM on January 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Long and short of it is to get to the gym, or at least have some sort of vigorous exercise routine and do it six days a week. Also, the importance of understanding that we have to watch what we eat as we age, and how the metabolism slows down. Smoking apparently is a very aging activity and also clearly causes heart disease, so ... don't do it.
It's stuff my wife and I had already started doing, and it seems to be right. But it's pretty well described anecdotally then quantified by some medical studies in the book.
posted by hick57 at 5:30 PM on January 3, 2016 [8 favorites]