Aging can be scary! Especially when you don’t know what to expect.
This holds true if you’re in your teenage years, or you’re heading into your 40s.
Our face and skin go through some significant changes in those early teenage years. You may remember it. And our bodies do it again as we approach 40.
When those pimples and growth spurts hit, all we had to do was wait—wait to grow into ourselves, wait for things to get better.
But the wait is over. And you don’t have to sit back and let your body change without doing something about it.
Some of the country’s top plastic surgeons are going to give some insight on what major changes to expect as your 40th birthday looms and what products work best to counteract the aging process.
Crow’s Feet
Expect more noticeable crow’s feet and furrows under and around your eyes. As our skin becomes duller from the lack of oil and hyaluronic acid, fine lines are that much easier to see.
New York plastic surgeon Dara Liotta, MD, recommends a retinol serums and creams.
Weaker Eyelashes
Your eyelashes can not only feel thinner but as aging goes hand and hand with shifts in hormones, there can also be more breakage.
Along with decades of mascara and lash curlers, that’s a lot of stress on such small hairs.
But Dr. Liotta explains that they can be strengthened with the right lash conditioner or growth product–like Latisse.
Less Collagen and Elastin
Our skin loses elasticity as we age. Collagen begins to produce at a much slower rate too.
Dr. Liotta says, “This phenomenon accounts for why more ‘mature’ skin takes longer to assume it’s original position when extended or pulled.”
Less Hyaluronic Acid
With menopause comes a drastic change in hormones and with that comes a drop in estrogen.
“Estrogen maintains skin moisture by increasing hyaluronic acid in the skin and possibly maintaining barrier function,” said Dr. Liotta.
So low estrogen means low hyaluronic acid, which means more worn facial features.