When people think about ageing they often think about wrinkles and stiff joints but here are some more surprising symptoms of getting older and some suggestions on how you can combat them.
Drooping earlobes and eyes
A combination of sun exposure and loss of collagen over time can cause the skin to lose its elasticity, this is what causes wrinkles, but it can also lead to drooping earlobes and heavy eyelids. This can be treated with hyaluronic acid fillers but as far as cosmetic changes, this is probably one you can deal with as you get older – unless your drooping eyelids is starting to affect your vision!
A dry mouth
Not a direct result of ageing but rather a common symptom of a lot of medications for age related conditions such as blood pressure meds, sleep apnea is also more common in older individuals and the appliance used to treat it can cause a dry mouth. Chronic dry mouth contributes to the development of cavities as saliva helps neutralise acids from foods. Sip water frequently, rinse your mouth out with a baking soda and water solution four times a day to help replace your lost saliva and brush your teeth with prescription strength fluoride toothpaste. Chewing gum helps to generate more saliva, but make sure it is sugar free!
Shrinking
A lot of people dismiss this as a myth, but you do in fact shrink as you get older. You cannot reverse the normal process of shrinking but work on your posture and core strength to reduce the chance of hunching.
Hair loss on your legs
Your hair does not just thin out on your head, the hair growth on your legs may also diminish over time. Whilst this is not much of a concern in itself, one of the causes of this is poor circulation and lack of blood flow – this can lead to blocked arteries and thus heart attacks. Have your doctor check your circulation, especially if you start to get leg cramps more often.
Sore Feet
After spending your entire life walking around on your feet they will eventually start to hurt. Plantar fasciitis is an age-related condition that causes pains on the bottom of the foot near the heel in the mornings and after exercise or physical activity. Stretch regularly and see a doctor if you suspect plantar fasciitis.
Spotted hands.
Liver spots actually have nothing to do with your liver. They are a sign of sun exposure and can develop over time regardless of how much time you spend in the sun. Using high factor sunscreen and staying in the shade will not just reduce the appearance of wrinkles, it can also lessen the intensity of liver spots as you get older.
Disappearing Eyebrows
Yes, you will also start to lose hair from your eyebrows. Try to reduce how much your pluck your eyebrows as hair that is pulled out at the follicle repeatedly might not grow back and you could see your eyebrows growing sparser and sparser.