<p>I was never attractive anyway. Now I’m not expected to be. It’s kind of a relief.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That part’s nice, too.</p>
<p>However, I am dreading the point when my appearance causes me to cross the line between late-middle-aged and elderly. I like being treated with respect by store clerks, medical receptionists, etc. Middle-aged people get that respect. Younger and older ones don’t. I will be sorry when I lose it.</p>
<p>I think I look okay. Wouldn’t make anyone throw up, anyway. The things I HATE are:</p>
<ol>
<li>Spider veins</li>
<li>Pudge behind my elbows</li>
<li>Deep wrinkles where my neck meets my chest caused by sleeping with my arm up under my head for a a zillion years.</li>
<li>Cankles (but I’ve always had those).</li>
</ol>
<p>What is a cankle?</p>
<p>I have mostly been treated by respect by most folks throughout my life, as are my parents. My kids have had mixed results so far. I hope I will continue to be treated with respect as well and have tried to instill that in my kids so they always treat folks with respect–so far, so good. :)</p>
<p>So far, the body has held up pretty well, other than my lungs due to factors well beyond my understanding and control. If I could have perfectly functioning lungs, I would be happier, but otherwise am pretty satisfied with how well my body and looks have held up. Am OK with the reflection I see when I look into a mirror.</p>
<p>Thanks to my forward-thinking strategy of looking plump and matronly in my 20’s, people mostly tell me I haven’t changed a bit.</p>
<p>Seahorse rock, that’s very sweet.
My mom had a face lift when she was in her early 50’s, I haven’t had any work, but I wouldn’t pass up some under the chin tightening. ( if Susan Sarandon can admit to it,who am I to say no?)
When I was 22, I looked like I was 14, as opposed to my youngest who is gorgeous, but has the sort of ageless looks since she was about 16, that just put her someplace anywhere from 16-25.
My oldest is more like me- spunky 
When she was visiting her middle school awhile ago as an undergrad at Reed, someone told her to get to class!
She is 8 years older than her sister, but if someone doesn’t know them, they often assume that D2 is older. People are really swayed by height.</p>
<p>I’d also agree that many middle aged and older women, are beautiful. With age can come greater knowledge of yourself and acceptance of others that leads to for want of a better cliche " inner peace". Don’t discount improved taste in hair/clothing/make up either.
When I was in my 30s I was dowdier than heck!</p>
<p>I miss my waist.</p>
<p>I hate the things you took for granted – knees. Non-saggy knees. Eyes without falling corners. Buying clothes without thinking “Is this too young for me?” Haricuts that don’t look too boring, OR like you are trying too hard to not look boring. Things like that. I dislike the “good for her age” part. I dislike gravity in general 
but it can’t be helped, I guess. But as many have said, my “looks” were never above-average, so there was never much investment personally.</p>
<p>I’m too overworked, stressed and lazy to do anything about seeing if I can find my waist again, no matter how sad I am that at the age of 50 I look 4 months pregnant. And here I thought my kids got the “lazy bone” from their father. He is active. The only running around I do is to another gourmet grocery store. I miss my waist, but I love to eat.</p>
<p>And I can barely go three weeks before I need to color my hair. Expensive, time consuming and depressing.</p>
<p>And the neck! When I turned 50 my BFF since I was 7 who lives overseas sent me a necklace. I put it on and attempted to take a picture of myself wearing it with my cellphone to send her. That’s when I saw my grandma’s neck! Needless to say I didn’t send the photo. Just a note thanking her, and telling her a turtleneck sweater or scarf would have been a better gift as I have turned into my grandmother.</p>
<p>And jiggly arms! When did that happen?</p>
<p>So depressing. I need a brownie!!</p>
<p>I struggle to gain weight (I’m only a size 2) but when I do manage to put on a few pounds it really helps my face not look so haggard. Other than that my figure has hardly changed since I was a teen. </p>
<p>Right now I am having Sublative Rejuvenation done on my face. It’s a procedure which uses radio waves to stimulate collagen production. I’ve only had one treatment so far and it takes 3 (one every month for 3 months) then 3-6 months after for the collagen to rejuvenate. I have noticed that my skin is much smoother feeling and has a nice, pinkish hue. </p>
<p>Coloring my hair has also helped keep me looking less like an old lady.</p>
<p>Interestingly, my DH and I both think we look better in our 50s than we did in our 30s or 40s. We’ve somehow managed to keep the weight in check but otherwise no big youth treatments. I put virtually nothing on my skin. Just can’t stand the feel of any kind of lotion. I have some wrinkles but not too bad. I wear glasses which are a brilliant accessory, imo, for a woman with a little age. They disguise a lot of the stuff that happens around the eyes. I like having a little gray in my hair. It seems to improve the texture.</p>
<p>What bugs me are my legs. There are a lot of veins and I love to go barelegged in dresses in the summer. I just hate the idea of getting some sort of “treatment.” I also get sad sometimes when I look at my hands. The skin on my hands shows my age much more than my face.</p>
<p>But I never want to be like my mom who thinks that looking old is right up there with the greatest tragedies of all time. I just have to leave the room when she starts in on it. Who said age makes you wise?</p>
<p>Knees backs of hands neck and upper arms are giveaways for age…look at Demi moore and jane fond a…</p>
<p>My friend who plays soccer says we look like thirty somethings from behind, then they dudes see the face, not bad, but eh, not thortydomething</p>
<p>At the airport they carded everyone, even the 80year old with the walker at the bar. I asked the bartender why, and they said we just do, and we should be flattered…I said no not flattered, annoyed, do you really think I think I look 21!?</p>
<p>I had my varicose veins done sooo worth it, and I have laser for my roscea</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s when your calf goes directly into your foot. Where other, luckier women have ankles to provide a lovely tapered transition from their calf to their foot, my body decided to economize and skip that particular body part. </p>
<p>At 5’ 1" I could have used those extra inches, too.</p>
<p>Sew happy the treatment for the legs was well worth it I had awful veins and spider veins and hated my bare legs, now there are still some but I proudly wear no hose</p>
<p>The treatment was not bad, I did laser, insurance covered most, and I treated myself to the spider veins shots</p>
<p>To me taking care of legs and feet are essential</p>
<p>Oh, the hands!! They scare me. When did those huge blue veins show up?</p>
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</p>
<p>Hey, don’t knock the big blue veins-I absolutely love them!</p>
<p>Well, er, I start IVs all day in the pre-op area of my GI clinic. :o</p>
<p>Seahorserock, I’m hearing you on this. I am very ready to get something done. Interesting that your insurance covered some of your treatment. I looked at our insurance website and they appear to cover varicose vein treatment. </p>
<p>I actually am proud of the condition of my legs. Have kept fit all these years and so I’m thinking it’s not that vain to fix the veins. :)</p>
<p>I’m a strong believer of taking care of something that really, really bothers you. Especially on your face. If you can afford it and it will make you feel more confident, go for it.</p>
<p>My mom once said this to me, and I try to keep it in mind: </p>
<p>Appreciate exactly how you look and feel today, because ten years from now you’ll look at photos and think, “I looked GREAT ten years ago! Why didn’t I appreciate it then?”</p>
<p>I have so many friends who are limping through middle age in one way or another. I have no complaints.</p>
<p>(Well, I do wish I had kept wearing my retainers as an adult, and I do wish I had a chin. Photos of me from the side have never been flattering.)</p>
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</p>
<p>The best one.</p>