Can You Prevent Your Skin From Ageing?

Question: Elaine, do you dread ageing and worry about it? Are you feeling unhappy about any creases or lines you might see on your face? Can we stop our skin from ageing? I am constantly worrying about my skin changing, but don’t want to be paranoid out it. How can I accept it?

I always feel sad when I hear someone make fearful statements like “I’m on the wrong side of 50”, because, if they really were on the wrong side of 50, they would be rather dead! Social expectations around perfection cause many people to fret about getting older, especially women who worry about changing skin that looks unattractive to them. But can we actually do anything about it?

Not at all, no matter how much Botox is used as a stop gap measure!

There isn’t an alternative to ageing. Let me repeat that again: There is NO life alternative to the ageing process, which is inevitable. The best way to age is to CELEBRATE each new birthday, the privilege of life, and wear it with pride. It is not a right to be alive, with so many people not making it beyond their first birthday. According to UNICEF, 6,400 newborns die every single day, that’s 267 every hour! So, it’s a gift to age. People who are miserable about their age, and spend time worrying about aspects of it, tend to look gloomy and older, too. They send their body an unhappy signal and the body responds to match it.

I am very proud of my age as an older woman, because age is just a marker to where we are in our lives. Age does not define us, so why should I be ashamed of mine? If I am not proud to enjoy my age, I am really admitting that I am not proud of me either. It suggests low self-esteem and low confidence, instead of gratitude for actually reaching this stage.

Well, before I respond to the question, here is an amazing little nugget for you.

You might think that the older we get is the more we fear ageing and death. But that is not so. According to a lifestyle survey a couple years ago, the age group that feared ageing the most were the 24 year olds! Imagine that! They have all their life ahead of them, but spend it worrying about getting older and dying!

I find that unbelievable. It shows how much the actual thought, and the process of ageing, with its possible effects on their skin, cause anxiety for many people. We often wish we could stay the same forever. But that is not possible because ageing comes with the finite territory. However, there are simple ways we can deal with it and still enjoy the process.

Seven Ways To Slow Ageing Skin

I would like to add that women, in particular, fear ageing skin the most, perhaps because they are constantly under the scrutiny of others, and their desire for perfection, especially men, many of whom couldn’t care less about how they look. Even Nora Ephron, the accomplished American author, when she was alive, wrote a book when she was 65, entitled I Feel Bad About My Neck, where she voiced the negatives of getting older. I found that so tragic, that a woman with so much to be grateful for in life, so much success and good health, felt so badly about herself, that she used her influence and platform to encourage others to feel badly about themselves, too. Well, I love my neck and every part of me, yet I am far from perfect!

But back to the question: Currently no one can prevent their skin from ageing. The only thing we can do is to slow down its rate of advancement by doing a few effective things. I should know, because they have certainly worked for me! Everyone who meets me marvel at the difference between my age and how I look! Wrinkles are unknown to my face, or anywhere else. Great genes help too, which seem to be a hallmark of me and my sisters, but our own routine and daily actions can do a lot to slow the process.

There are seven main things that have helped me, and I will share them here with you, in case they are of value to your situation:

First, are your THOUGHTS: What kind of thoughts do you have? Fearful ones about ageing, where you just dread the process and fret about it every day? Or nice thoughts of enjoying your life, no matter what age you are?Fretful thoughts are the surest and quickest way to age you! When you have anxieties about something that is inevitable, you simply hasten its action, because all you have to offer your body to help the process is negativity, and that does absolutely nothing for you.

Anxiety doesn’t build anything, or make anything better. It simply destroys what you have already, and also what you could have. So keeping your whole body looking good starts with your thoughts. POSITIVE, joyful, grateful thoughts help your body to feel alive, vibrant, and youthful. You have to age, otherwise you’ll be very dead. No choice about that. You might as well accept it and make the most of it. You can’t change ageing, so be in control and work with it to get the best for yourself.

Next action is to drink plenty of water, 6–8 glasses per day! It keeps the skin supple and elastic, and is very healthy for the rest of the bodily functions. Water ensures that there is no added sugar to increase your weight.

Third, use a daily exfoliating face wash. It removes the dead cells that tend to stay on the skin and give it a rough feel. Or you can exfoliate a couple times per week, if you prefer. Also use a loofah or a mesh body puff to gently scrub your skin when you shower to remove the dead cells from your body, too.

Fourth, always use a moisturiser afterwards. The best one for me is a small dab of olive oil rather than all the fancy moisturisers we are encouraged to buy. It seems to be amazing in keeping the skin healthy and flexible. But some people might think it is too oily for their skin. Use one you prefer that penetrates deeply; one that you think is right for YOUR skin.

Next action, always remove any makeup with a cleanser before going to bed so that it is not left overnight to settle on your face. Makeup that stays overnight tends to block the pores and even cause blackheads, which is rather unhealthy for your skin. Also avoid smoking. Nothing ages the skin worse than smoking, not to mention what it does to your lungs!

Showing Inner Warmth

Next, is to SMILE a lot. You would be most surprised to see how the combination of a smile, and positive thoughts, keep your skin, and yourself, looking amazing. Smiles show your inner warmth and give your body positive messages to work better for your health.

Finally, the most important one. EXERCISE. It does not matter what you do, whether going to a gym, or just regular activity, exercise that body. It’s health, and the look of your skin, depends on it. Do something that you can routinely follow without too much effort, like brisk walking daily, running up and down your stairs, or on the spot, squatting a few times regularly and stretching as much as you can. That should keep your skin and body supple and in shape. Whatever you do, it’s consistency and intensity that counts, not sporadic action that does little for you.

We cannot change how we age because ageing and death are two certainties in life. We might as well get used to our age and enjoy it as much as possible. The best attitude is to show gratitude to be alive, and go for it. It will make you feel better, look better and appreciate your existence much more.

Personally, I am very happy at this time in my life because there is nothing I cannot do now than I used to do at 30! I might do some things a bit slower, but I am no less competent in doing what is necessary. For example, I have worn glasses from when I was 15 years old, and am still wearing them now. With my formidable knowledge and genuine happiness, despite my diabetes, I have no wish to be younger. I am enjoying life too much.

By the way, being in a great relationship also helps, because there is nothing better than closeness with someone you love to be with, who hugs you lots, and who brings out your laughter and feeling of contentment through their love and appreciation of you. It’s rather magical.

My main message to you is that we age according to our thoughts and attitude to ageing. Fearful, anxious thoughts give a negative attitude, and an unattractive skin and body. So it’s up to you how you wish to age: whether with acceptance and confidence, or with futile resistance and angst.

The choice is yours, so do choose wisely.