Physical aging appearance
Has anyone had physical aging appearance on their face since their DX?
Can all this age us prematurely....stress, treatment, meds?
Any anti-aging remedies out there that can help?
Jan
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Jan .. I wish there was a "cure" for all the aging I've done in the past 3 /12 years!
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Jan - I sure have! And I guess when I start on AI's t will get worse. A friend on tamoxifen has aged quite a bit in the face, it is the loss of estrogen that causes us to dry up and wrinkle like prunes.
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and the stress doesn't help either!
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Positive. Before diagnostic, I was a 48-years old looking in my early 30's. Now I'm a 49 years old looking in my late 50's.
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Use good moisturizers, wear sunscreen (spray on tans when you need/want to be brown), have regular facials. Go in and get a professional 'makeover' to update your makeup, get a new haircut and color (once you have hair!), buy LOTS of new clothes, shoes, purses, do stuff you love, spend time with people you like, go places you want to go......be very good to yourself, you've earned it and it will make you feel and look younger!
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Has anyone had physical aging appearance on their face since their DX? Yes. Of course, I was dx'd 3 years ago, so I suppose I would have aged anyway...
Can all this age us prematurely....stress, treatment, meds? Yes, of course. Also, people who look "tired" often look older; and heaven knows I've been looking -- and feeling -- tired since Jan. 2008.
Any anti-aging remedies out there that can help? Wasn't that what Ponce de Leon was looking for, when he roamed around this part of the world 500 years ago? I don't think he found it. This Scientific American article suggests we should stop looking, too: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=no-truth-to-the-fountain-of-youth
There are, of course, things we can do to help ourselves feel younger (Re: ruthbru's list); and perhaps by feeling younger we will also look a bit younger. There's always hope...
otter
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Ruth: Loved your remedies...I will definitely try them.
OR I could as my PS to help
Great feedback. and now I know it's not just me!!!
Plus I'm sure the winter has not helped much....chilly here!!! Need that tan!!!
Jan
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Yes, I am with Day. Before I looked late 40's (am 58) and 8 months after look 65. Really sucks and am hoping the cruise I am doing this month will help with that. Plan a LOT of spa visits.
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I am 59 (58 when DX) and now I think I look about 65...UGH....
I'm jealous about your cruise...I cannot wait to see pics and hear about it. Me and DH are big cruisers....planning one for my 60th in November.
Jan
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You may want to try Silversea. So far I am impressed. It is all suite. I will give you the lowdown after I get back. The valet comes on the 12th to take the luggage. (No customs, YAY!!) 18 days!! The $500 shipboard credit is all mine for spa tx. Plus the rest that I will want to have.
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JanI think at some point we all felt the same way. After Chemo I felt and looked 100!! My skin was so dry is was terrible. I have such a regimine of lotions and potions that I didnt do everything during chemo cause I just didn't have it in me. I turned 44 in September but people always thought I was in my 30's. I use C E Feurlic Serum, followed by Z. Bigatti Restoration alpha hydroxy cream for the face FOLLOWED BY La Mer eye cream, chapstick for the lips then I am off to bed...its exhausting. After a couple weeks back on the regimine I feel so much better. Also...between me and you I was feeling a little wrinkle-ly around the eyes so today when I was at the PS getting the bandages of from my revision...I gave myself a little post cancer present
We'll see how I feel and look tomorrow!! LOL
Diane
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Hi Jan!
Saw this come up on the active threads list and had to Thank You for posting this! I thought maybe I was alone in thinking that I not only felt like I've aged a lot in the last year or so since my diagnosis and treatment BUT also LOOK like I have.
My family does an early Christmas get-together (now numbering close to 20 people) and every year we take a big family photo. My mom has all of the photos down through the years displayed in her hallway. We were looking back at the photos and last year's photo was the first one that I looked at and thought "Holy Crap do I look old" (I had finished my treatment in October last year). I'm still in my 40's and have days when I feel like I'm 80!
We won't even talk about this year's photo!
Don't know if it's the stress, treatment or lack of estrogen from Tamoxifen but, it's not good!
I look forward to any suggestions people may have!
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My PS is starting to look better every time I go there...maybe he has some answers
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Ruth is onto something. You can be sure I use all the "help" out there. Haven't gone the plastic surgery route though.
One thing I have learned is that it's harder to hide flaws with super-short hair. Can't wait for it to grow out and have a softer look.
I am an exercise fanatic, so I am out there getting fit and toned. Helps with energy and keeps my eyes sparkling. I have a healthy outdoor glow right now.
One thing really critical is a flattering color palate. So no wearing stuff that's just OK. Or make it work with a scarf.
Haircolor is my friend. Makes it shiny and gives it depth in addition to the obvious benefit.
And there are wonderful colors out there.....eyeshadows, lip color, waterproof eye liner. Get help.
That and moisturizers. The face, the body, wherever..... Mae West was onto something when she said she rubbed cream into her breasts for an hour a day. I don't do an hour, but I do use body cream now. Ever so wonderful.
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I'm glad I saw this thread, I thought it was just my imagination or depression or something, because I feel the same way - like I've aged 10 years. But I found some things.
I agree w/Claire that longer hair is more youthful (although some may disagree with me).
Cover your greys - greys may be elegant and all that, but they are not youthful.
Avoid makeup extremes - garrish lipcolor, weird mascara colors, glittery eye stuff.
Stay hydrated, work out, eat well.
I think when I eat badly, it really shows in my face.
I find tinted moisturizers are much more youthful than regular foundation.
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sleep, shop, laugh, then sleep some more:)
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I used a great moisturizer and "good" makeup which helped my dry skin until I realized it all his parabens in it which is more estrogen. Now using Bert's Bee's products and TARTE makeup which has none. It looks good and I look good:) Today, I remembered why I hated so much losing my hair, because I have great hair and it looks good. I look every bit of my almost 57 years, but I'm so glad to be alive, that really doesn't matter anymore.
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Thanks Claire,
I have an appointment set with my hairdresser for a cut maybe I'll see if she can work in a color as well. I have only a touch of gray and have never colored my hair but, I do think my color is a bit dull and could use some shine!
Also think my wardrobe could use a boost!! I do definitely have a lot of "Just OK" in my closet!
Ruthbru,
Thanks also for the tip to have a professional consult for make-up. I'm certain my skin has changed during treatment and what I was doing for make-up before really isn't cutting it now.
DiDel,
Thanks for posting your potion and lotion routine. I do know that is a large part of what I need to do. It is sooooo dry inside during the winter with the heat!
Anyone else have moisturizers that work for them?
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Parabens have estrogen??? Eek.....
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I've been using Oil Of Olay for years!!! It actually does work well and is not greasy.
It looks like we are all going to get our 'pretty' back by the time we're done here!!!
But you are all beautiful to me!!!!
Jan
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I ran out and got my hair dyed red after I looked in the mirror and saw my Aunt Violet looking back at me!!!!!
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Jan, Oil of Olay has tons of parabens in it. Check out your creams and cosmetics at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
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I also avoid products with parabens and other fillers (we are all fixated on paraben, but the truth is, many of the mainstream cosmetic ingredients are not time-tested for human safety).
I'm sure things will change on Tamox, my friend really aged on it. But chemo didn't age me, in fact, it really cleared my skin up. Now that I actually drink water, have cut back on sweets, and am trying desperately to work out and cut stress, I actually think I look better. But, I'm only a month into Tamox.
Fighting age is the proverbial finger in the dam. Unless you've got $30,000++ to visit my friend's top plastic surgeon, I just don't think there's a lotion or potion that helps.
I keep my regimen simple. I use the oil cleansing method with LUSH products, or simply sweet almond oil. I use castor oil for my hair, dry feet and skin, and at night in my dry face. It also supposedly stimulates hair growth in eyelashes and hair, but honestly, I'm not impressed with any of the herbal interventions for hair (having tried horsetail and rosemary oil PFC).
My number 1 beauty secret: don't shower so much. As soon as I stopped showering every day, my skin improved 10 fold.
Teeth are a biggie. People focus on wrinkles, but yellowed teeth do just as much to age an appearance. And I'll agree--I think short hair is much more becoming on many, but it doesn't leave much room to cover up the blems. Like most women my age (40), I'm starting to see some forehead creasing. And then there's the neck getting ready to go...
Clothing is also huge. Anyone could benefit from a friend who is willing to "go there" with you on what you should ditch in your wardrobe!
Edited to add: That cosmetics database is AMAZING. Turns out many of the LUSH products are problematic, and my Everon Weleda cream, which I thought was so innocuous, is actually a moderate risk.
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Another thing: if you are in any phase of active treatment check out the American Cancer Society's 'Look Good, Feel Better" program. It's several hours with specially trained beautican/make up people. They show you how to do scarves, wigs etc. (if you need that), give you wonderful makeup tips and demonstrations & you leave with several hundred dollars worth of high quality makeup absolutely FREE!
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I agree on the white teeth. Also, as mention the best thing you can do to keep wrinkles away is stay out of the sun and wear sun screen. Next would be keeping hydrated.
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Really we will all be so conscientious about our health and smart about how to present ourselves that we will end up looking WAY BETTER than ladies who haven't been through all this (that's my theory and I'm sticking to it). 0
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I saw an ad years ago that is burned into the very centre of my brain!
There is a grape and it says "with water". Beside it is a raisin and it says "without water". Can't be more blunt than that!
I don't use any secret stuff and usually just wash my fash with warm water and a terry cloth. I don't shower every day either (waste of water, too!) and get a TON of sleep.
I've been mistaken for mid 30's......I'm 52 now.
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I certainly feel like I look older, but I know I'm tired a lot, and that doesn't help. Days I'm not tired I don't feel like the age thing is such an issue.
I agree with Claire, being healthy, exercising, eating right, is the biggest boost we can give ourselves to feeling younger and better -- and when you feel that way, you project that as well.
Like others, I'm careful about what I put on my body, face, and hair as well as in it.
I was excited to attend the ACS's "Look Good, Feel Better" session offered here but was really surprised that almost all the cosmetics they were handing out contained parabens. WTH?? The women conducting the workshop knew nothing about ingredients and why that would be a concern so they obviously weren't well versed in cancer and concerns. ("Why would estrogen be a problem??" Half the women there groaned). I'm sure the packages vary from place to place but just be forewarned that you may get things with parabens. (I'm not convinced that there's enough evidence to show that parabens are harmful, but there isn't any to say they aren't, so I'm staying away from them for now). Read your labels!
Everyone likes my hair short but it's a pain in the you-know-where to care for and I'm tempted to grow it long again -- although that's a tedious process, too. And I've been tempted to color it, too but I go back and forth on that. It looks frosted right now, not a bad look, but some days all that gray makes me feel older!
And, let's face it, I am getting older, so that's bound to show up to some degree... I don't mind the look as much as the feeling of being older. So, I exercise!! I can definitely feel my mojo coming back!
Good tips, everyone. Thanks for this thread. I'm pondering the hair issue again... and know I'll be looking and feeling better every day!
(Pollyanna is alive and well) 0 -
I decided if I am doing everything else right (O.K. the eating is still not that great....), then I'm not worrying about parabens. I simply cannot worry about everything and enjoy life both.
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I agree Ruth, and I don't even do the other stuff. I did stop drinking completely, eat less red meat and no barbecues, but a bit of stuff on my skin can't make that much of a difference....can it?
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