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The August issue of Vogue has a disturbing article on how women are starting their anti-aging regimens younger and younger — long before they have any wrinkles or even the hint of any.
According to the article, women aged 19-34 account for 18% of of those getting non-surgical treatments (Botox, lasers, filler) in the U.S. These women are seeking “preventative” measures — dealing with wrinkles before they appear.
The irony of this is that these women actually often end up looking older, rather than younger. You’ve probably noticed this trend with Hollywood actresses: 20 year olds who look like they’re 35. Hello, Lindsay Lohan, I’m looking directly at you.
In general, however, more women are getting stuff done to their faces and the result is often not good — tight skin, puffy lips, cheeks that look like marshmallows. Honestly, these women look plastic; more like Barbie dolls than living breathing females. Madonna, now I’m looking at you.
I find this to be really sad. What kind of society do we live in when the natural processes of aging are fought tooth and nail? I understand that no one wants to look old, but can we not accept that we will age and that it’s just part of life? Can we not look at women of a certain age and admire them for their wisdom and character, accumulated over the decades? I look at my grandmother and think she looks younger than her 86 years. I look at my mother and know that she looks good for her [number redacted or else she'll kill me dead] years. I hope that one day my girls will look at me and tell me that I look good for my age.
I will admit that I am not wild about the lines on my forehead and under my eyes. And, as I lose weight, I am getting those lines from my nostrils down to my mouth, not to mention I now have some creases in my neck that weren’t there before when my skin was puffed out with fat. That said, I’m not going to dash off and get shit injected into my face. I am 43 years old and I used to weigh a lot more than I do now. This is just how I look. I accept this reality.
What do you think? Are Botox and the like no worse or better than, say, coloring your hair and wearing makeup? Or are they really are as bad as I think they are?
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I don’t color my hair nor do I wear make up. At my last high school reunion it was pointed out several times over that I looked years younger than anyone else in the room. So I think there is much to be said for aging naturally and gracefully.
I think it’s crazy that young ones are doing it. Lindsay Lohan was so fresh and beautiful when she was a redheaded kid with freckles. But for a woman of a certain age, well, if it makes her happy, why not. I would not mind smoothing out those lines on my forehead that get deeper and deeper every year.
OK, one thing I do want to say. When I lived in the way deep south of Mississippi I often would be caught staring at the timeless beauty of the women of color. Have you ever noticed what AMAZING skin tone, color, wrinkle-free African-American women have? It’s just me that stares with envy? Go look at Michelle Obama or her mother. They have less wrinkles than any woman of their ages should.
Now, what I’m about to tell you isn’t Michelle’s secret. Or, at least I can’t be sure of it.
But the women in the south told me that from a very young age their mom’s and grandmother’s told them to use, I shit you not, crisco or lard of some sort, on their faces. They heavy moisturizing routine was started at a very young age. All women are taught to moisturize starting in their upper teenage/dating years, but I believe that women of color are taught at a younger age.
So hydrate ladies, both internally with water and externally with moisturizer. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
Sing it, sister.
I don’t use lard or Crisco, but I do use olive oil: http://www.dhccare.com/DHC/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=1
My preference would be to live in a world where what a woman looks like is completely unimportant. One where enhancing our appearance was done only for ourselves, not because of outside pressures. It’s unfortunate that we don’t live in that world.
I color my hair, mostly because Emma’s friends thought I was her grandmother. Once she’s past the age where that might make her uncomfortable, I will stop. I actually think gray hair looks really good on a lot of women. I’m grateful I’m in a profession where I don’t feel pressure from the work culture to look young or dress a certain way.
And think there’s something very wrong with a culture that can make young, beautiful, people think that aging equals ugly.
For myself, I cannot imagine injecting poison into my body. And while I believe it is not healthy or good, I won’t tell another woman what she can or cannot do with her own body. (Exception: if you ask for an honest opinion, you will get it!)
I would never get botox or plastic surgery, unless my eyelids were so droopy I couldn’t see any longer. I don’t color my hair, but the gray hairs are making me a little anxious, so who knows what the future holds. But I do know for sure…nothing is more pathetic than the 50 year old woman still shopping in the juniors department, all bronzed and dyed and botoxed. **shudder**
In the words of the fabulous Vida Boheme: “Believe in yourself, and moisturize. I can not stress this enough.”
One wise thing I learnedly from 17 magazine many many years ago: you are never too young to moisturize after washing. And use sunscreen. There we go. All the skin care kids need.
What they ^^^ said.
For me: mousturize, sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. Age is what it is and I don’t plan to fight it. (oops better add wax/tweeze to that list…)
Those extreme measures are bad…for me. Anyone else…feel free. It’s America. I prefer a natural look. I do think routines that include moisturizing and exfoliating are fine at ‘most any age.
I wouldn’t say no to certain procedures, but I EARNED my smile and frown lines. Or at least, that’s how I like to think about it.
My mom and grandmother told me to drink lot’s of water to help my skin and I always had nice skin. I used expensive departmnt stor stuff from my 20′s until I found out the department store label also sold a drug store brand and I switched to the cheaper stuff in my 40′s. I think if it wern’t for the major sun damage I caused myself as kid and teen, that my skin would be much better.
That said. I would get one of those Lifestyle lifts if I had the money – my family tends to get jowels and droopy lids. I would not, however, getinjections that are expensive and last only months.
Skin care from an early age is important–I have preached and applied sunscreen since birth for my kids. I am 48 and think I look good for my age and right now, that’s good enough for me. I hope I don’t ever feel like I “need” something, but I have learned by this age to never say never. I’m not planning anything though and I agree that so many women are just looking hideously plastic.