How to Know Whether You’re Aging Well or Not

Sometimes we just can’t help but take a close look in the mirror and see all the signs of aging. What we often fail to realize is that aging isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some of us are even lucky enough to age well. But what does “aging well” look like? Here are a few ways to find out whether or not you are aging well.

What Does It Mean to Age Well?

In our opinion, aging well means maintaining a healthy system while maturing. Many factors can contribute to aging well, like exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, getting enough rest, and minimizing your stress levels.

Let’s be honest, many of these goals can be hard to achieve, but if you are able to maintain them, your body, specifically your skin, will show tell-tale signs of your success. In other words, your body will tell you if you’re maturing healthily.

Signs That You’re Aging Well

1. You Have Fewer Wrinkles

One of the most apparent signs that you are aging well is having fewer wrinkles. We automatically equate wrinkles to old age, and for good reason. As we age, we naturally lose elastin and collagen, substances that give our skin its bounce and youthful look. Pair that with the years we spent in the sun and hot showers drying our skin, and wrinkles are almost impossible to avoid. But for some of us who just happen to be lucky or take the necessary precautions, age well can avoid a face full of wrinkles.

2. You Heal From Acne Quickly

We typically think of acne as a problem faced only by teens, but adults suffer from acne just as teens. Yet, the older you get, the harder it is to heal from breakouts. If you end up with acne and find yourself healing from it with little to no scarring, congratulations! You’re aging well!

3. You Have Minimal Hair Loss

Everyone knows that when it comes to aging, hair loss comes with the territory. But what if we told you that’s not the case? The natural process of aging isn’t what makes you lose your hair. While there are a number of other factors that contribute to hair loss including heredity, stress, improper hair care, and disease, age causes hair growth to slow down. However, if you are aging well, you may not experience a rapid slow down of hair growth and are therefore unlikely to experience hair thinning or hair loss.

4. You Don’t Have Sunspots

Sunspots is another tell-tale sign of old age. Created by the harmful UV rays of the sun, sunspots are brown spots that appear typically on the face, hands, arms, and neck. Though sunspots can appear at a very young age (think sun damage freckles), over time, continuous unprotected sun exposure will undoubtedly lead to more and more seemingly permanent sunspots. If you are aging well, however, you have little to no sunspots and generally healthier and even-toned skin.

5. Your Skin Stays Hydrated

Remember how we talked about the loss of collagen and elastin as we age? Well, the same can be said for hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance responsible for the hydration and moisturization of our eyes, joints, and skin. As we age, this substance breaks down, leaving our joints sore and our skin and eyes dry. If you aren’t battling the war on dryness, then odds are you are aging well.

If you’re not one of the lucky few who ages well, no need to panic. A visit to your dermatologist can be what you need to turn back the hands of time. If you’re in Cincinnati, Ohio, our experts at The Dermatology Group can offer advice, resources, and treatment options. Give us a call today!