Effects of aging

[noeleena]

Hi,

Im 65 looked after myself keep fit on the building sites for 46 odd years, rode over 300 miles a week did not over eat,
my weight has been give or take 5 lbs ether side of 11 stone = 154 lb for over 40 years, summer / winter, & is the same now,

my genes have worked well for me my body shape is similer to a woman, my skin is olive so dont need or use makeup,

i knew to look after myself because of what would take place later in life,well 19 years ago it has,

in the main iv enjoyed my life, apart from a few things, so to look after your self can benifit ones body when you know your a female, & later in age, im not a beauty contestant not even a good looking woman i have other things that makes up for who i am, so i cant complain & nore will i,

...noeleena...

[Vickie_CDTV]

As I transitioned from my mid 20s to about 30 folks around me told me my face "hardened" structurally (even though I had far less facial hair and beard shadow by then) and my voice got harsher. So, I understand what you are talking about. You probably won't become too masculinized from here forward, but if you are worried and you have folks who you have been around dressed for many years you can ask them.

As for passability, I don't believe there is any set age; I have met 21 year olds who were dealt a rough genetic hand and cannot pass, and elderly folks who pass wonderfully. Remember, passability and how close one is to the societal ideal of female beauty are not the same thing. As you transition into middle age you may not look like a "hot young thing" but you can be passable, or at least as passable as possible, regardless. Don't be too hard on yourself, short of HRT, there is only so much most of us can do with what we are handed, age will eventually affect us all (and getting old beats the alternative, as my mature ex-girlfriend often reminded me.) Even though I am 36 and a fat "walking death bomb", and I don't pass perfectly by any means, people tell me I look nice and create a pleasant female image I get by "ok" in public.

[denese013]

The biggest effect of aging to me was when the iron in my blood turned into lead in my ass.

[Celeste]

Hi May,It is like most have said here,it's all in that dreadful sun exposure. I've made changes like not going to the beach a lot,wearing a brimmed hat and sun glasses with max UV protection that wrap around the sides(crows feet).The sun will definitely accelerate the wrinkles! I've found the best affordable SPF protection to be Neutrogena age shield face sunblock,it has 70 SPF and is real thick so you have to work it into your face and neck somewhat.

Other than that,you can find a good moisturizing lotion to apply on the rest of your body after showering when your skin is still lightly wet. Cetaphil fragrance free non comedogenic moisterizing lotion works best for me,it doesn't smell like a perfume bomb,is also affordable and effective.So about $10.00 each on these 2 products will save bunches of time on other worthless or overpriced ones.

[Cheryl T]

[QUOTE=May(be);3037720]I (think) I can do a decent job passing most of the time,
but I'm getting into my upper 20's and prolonged exposure to testosterone will warp my body into an increasingly masculine shape.

If you're in your late 20's you're already warped by T. That began at puberty and you're well past that stage, what's done is done. The only thing left is going bald if that's in your genes.

Here's a quick question- what physically changes the most as we age that makes it more difficult to pass convincingly?

You will see the greatest change if you tend to over eat and get a "beer belly". After that you will see your skin lose it's elasticity, age spots develop and you will see those crow's feet around your eyes and the "chicken neck" begin to appear. Hiding those hands and disguising your age will become your challenge.

Follow-up question- how much time do i have before my "biological clock" makes it impossible to maintain a convincing illusion?

When you turn to dust honey, when you turn to dust. I'm 63 and feel I look good for my age and I have no intention of stopping now. Thank god for good makeup and a good wig.

Then again, maybe these are naive questions or insulting to the older crowd. If so, sorry! I just haven't been there yet.

No insult taken. You aren't there yet....but you will be....it's inevitable. Just enjoy the ride.

[Leslie Langford]

May(be), I've posted this once before in another, similar thread, but I think it bears repeating here again:


"I'm one of the older CDers here (64 years young ), and the way I see it, most of us really have only two good shots in our lives at passing relatively effortlessly as females:

1) When we are in our late teens or early 20's, our faces are still smooth and wrinkle-free, our beards haven't fully matured yet, and most of us haven't packed on the extra pounds often referred to as the insidious "middle-aged spread".

2) The second time is in our 50's and 60's, when our beards are greying and easier to cover up, and our GG counterparts have begun to undergo menopause and are starting to show more masculine attributes as their bodies adjust to those hormonal changes. These include more peach fuzz on their faces and hair on their upper lips, putting on weight (and often losing their formerly well-defined waists in the process), deepening voices, and their feet getting larger.

At the risk of attracting the ire of some of the GG's who post here, I have to say that it appears that this is often accompanied by a sense of resignation, whereby they just "go with the flow" and no longer bother trying to make themselves look attractive or sexy. This includes generally wearing their hair shorter and in an often mannish style as well as dressing in baggy, nondescript styles including the infamous "granny" panties, "mom" jeans, shapeless tops and jogging pants, flip-flops, and generally "sensible" shoes. In other words, the very antithesis of the way we crossdressers like to dress - and rail against - wishing that they would still prefer to dress like that as well.

All of this makes "passing" and/or blending in relatively easy in our age bracket, because even if we are not picture perfect in our presentation, the bar is not set that high anyways. Not to be unkind, but how passable are/were Julia Child, Janet Reno, Susan Boyle, Margaret Thatcher, and Golda Meir?

That said, even if we older CDer's missed the boat the first time around, we now have a second chance to make up for lost time. In my case, I am taking full advantage of all the opportunities now before me and have been out in public en femme more times (and far more successfully) over the last 3 years than I ever imagined possible - and what a wonderful ride it has been! Like so many others here who have also finally screwed up their courage and taken the plunge, the rewards have been incalculable.

If anything, the world is a far more accepting and open-minded place than it was in our youth, which makes crossdressing in public and being treated just like any other woman far more pleasurable than it might have been back in our youth anyway. It may have been a long wait, but it was definitely worth it, looking back.

It is often said that youth is wasted on the young, and what we older crossdressers have going for us is both the ability to blend in easily with the women in our age bracket, as well as the life experiences that have given us our self-assurance as well as our sense of style. And truth be known - rather than being an object of derision as we typically fear, more often than not we up the ante for our fellow GG's.

That's certainly the impression I've gotten, based on the number of compliments that I've received from GG's on my wardrobe choices, accessories, and of course - shoes!"

[linda allen]

I thinkt much of the difficulty (us) older crossdressers have is not so much trying to "pass", but in trying to pass as a much younger female. Six inch heels, short miniskirts, etc. For example, I bought a long dark brown wig when I really should have bought a short grey one.

You'll have much better results trying to pass as a woman your actual age. That may mean more practical shoes, shorter hair, and longer skirts or dresses. And more subdued makeup.

[ChelseaErtel]

The first thing that I noticed as I got older, I thought I was losing my hair. But soon I realized I was mistaken. My hair was not falling out, it was just growing down rather than up, and coming out of my ears and nose.

Same tragedy here. I tell my wife and kids that I have the same amount of hair I did when I was 20, it's just relocated. But it's relocated everywhere except where I want it. I am doomed to wigs for the rest of my life. So sad but they have some excellent wigs now that you can shower with.

[May(be)]

Thanks, everyone! I feel better about the future now. Funny thing is, before I started cross dressing semi-amateurishly I could not wait to get old and gray and grow a really big nasty beard. I was planning to wash my face with brine to give me that grizzled old sea fisherman look.

oh, how things change.

[Claire Cook]

I'll wave my little flag in support of using sunscreens too. As a local dermatologist says in his radio ad, "You only have one skin". We're concerned here about the aging effects of sun exposure on our lovely faces, but there is a real worry -- skin cancer. I spent too many years getting sunburnt (and not using sunscreen when on boats in tropical climes) and paid the price -- lots of precancers and basal cell carcinomas (see my post "Not a pretty sight"). That glorious tan just ain't worth it.

So use the stuff -- and my female physician is after me to always use moisturizer.

[sometimes_miss]

Depends on the person, we all age at different rates. I didn't hit puberty until I was 17, so for me, everything was a bit delayed. However; if you work at all, your hands will probably give you away; men simply don't take care of our skin. You will start to develop a 'brow bar', a slight protuberance on the forehead above the nose. Of course, hair will sprout up pretty much everywhere but on the top of your head, as you will usually get the typical receding forehead, as well as the bald patch at the top as time goes on. If being slim helps you pass, eventually that same trait will reveal muscles instead of the smooth shape of a female torso and limbs. And of course, your adam's apple will become more prominent as you age as well, if not already. I too could pass when I was in my mid teens; sadly, no longer. so go and enjoy passing while it lasts.

[NicoleScott]

I'll never forgive Sir Isaac Newton for inventing gravity. Or was that Al Gore?

[Kaz]

Gravity is what what gravity takes... everything heads south in the end... Of course Dracula cracked that by hanging upside down overnight... or rather day....

By birth your genes are set... by 20 your outlook is pretty fixed - you can tame it all through hormones though and then surgery...

Welcome to the community!

[Claire Cook]

Gravity is what what gravity takes... everything heads south in the end... Of course Dracula cracked that by hanging upside down overnight... or rather day....
Welcome to the community!

Maybe we have one advantage over most GG's -- our forms don't sag with age? (Unless we use them too much??) Well, there IS one gravity thing we face ... one of my GG friends once told me that one of mine had slipped down ...

"But square cut or pear shape these rocks don't lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl's best friend"

[docrobbysherry]

Then, u can blend in with the older ladies quite easily!

DON"T be like me at age 60+! I've stupidly kept a slim figure. Which keeps me constantly striving to look young and hot! It's getting to be TOO MUCH WORK at my age!

I think it would be much easier to just give up on body maintenance, thro on a loose granny dress, and pass anywhere because no one looks at u twice!

[Michelle (Oz)]

I (think) I'm getting into my upper 20's and prolonged exposure to testosterone will warp my body into an increasingly masculine shape.

In my 60s now so I guess my body is done warping and the camera doesn't lie about height, shoulders etc.

Here's the compensating thing though ... I am less concerned about what people think so passing, while an aim, is increasingly less important.

Leslie - Did enjoy your post @32. The thing is though, my dressing age hasn't caught up to my biological age and I never want it to. Makeup does help us look younger.

[linda allen]

Maybe we have one advantage over most GG's -- our forms don't sag with age?

But that is a problem. Boobs that look like they belong on a 20 year old girl look out of place on a 60 year old "granny".

If I could find some "granny boobs", I would buy them.

[Sarah Doepner]

May,
Those are good questions that I wish I'd have asked years and years ago. Then if I'd gotten any response, I wish I'd have followed the best of the advice. What I offer here can be picked through and taken with a grain of salt.
You are probably going to live a lot longer than you thought so take care of yourself. Enjoy the sun but protect your skin and moisturize. Exercise needs to be a habit, not something you feel obligated to do, but something that's part of your life just like eating and sleeping. Streatch well and often, the suggestion of yoga is probably a good one. Eat balanced, stand on one foot. Enjoy life, it's not a test and there won't be a quiz at the end. And none of this is just for someone who want's a life that's good for crossdressing, but it's for anyone. The crossdressing stuff would be use good makeup and get trained in how to use it to your advantage. Have a professional manicure and pedicure so you know how to take care of your nails. Consider how baddly you ever want to grow a mustache or beard in the future. If you don't want them, start putting money away to get the facial hair removed permanently. Invest in good quality forms and hair. Find a support group so you don't have to be totally in the closet with no one to talk to. Wear shoes that fit well, regardless of if they are heels or not, you deserve to be able to walk in comfort and not regret fashion choices because they hurt.

[Angela Campbell]

But that is a problem. Boobs that look like they belong on a 20 year old girl look out of place on a 60 year old "granny".

If I could find some "granny boobs", I would buy them.

Just wear your bra at the waist!

[Barbara Dugan]

I used to get a little worry and angst about getting old, I am 43 now and will be 44 next March...but the older you get you Testosterone level naturally decreases and that sometimes is a good thing

[Leslie Langford]

But that is a problem. Boobs that look like they belong on a 20 year old girl look out of place on a 60 year old "granny".

If I could find some "granny boobs", I would buy them.

One word Linda: "birdseed". Or maybe dried rice...

Point is - you could make your own boobs from any suitable material and in any shape you want to simulate the desired look, including "granny boobs". The weight would actually be pretty close to that of a natural breast of the same size. Just make sure you pack the birdseed or rice tightly enough so that it doesn't rattle around loosely inside the fake boob. That would be disconcerting to anyone within earshot....

[shayleetv]

You know age just hasn't been a factor ever in my life. My mom was always concerned about aging, my father cursed the anniversary of his birth because it reminded him of his mortality and my sister stopped having birthdays when she reached 40. And as for me each day became a celebration of maturity. Wisdom and how to apply it only comes from experience and experience only comes from age. Yes the body changes but that happens to everyone. Even GG's fear age because we don't value the beauty that there is in aging. Just look at the number of anchor women over the age of 40. But if you need to be sexy 20 year old all your life the only way to achieve that is to freeze dry yourself at that age otherwise embrace the age you are. I guarantee you will have more fun doing that than trying in vain to stop the clock.

[Nathalie Antoinette]

At 58, I'm really just beginning to learn about, and experiment with, crossdressing. So, I'm starting with a body that has long been been affected by testosterone and the affects of aging. But, I will work with what I have and enjoy the journey, wherever it leads. If I were young, beautiful, and passable, I might also be concerned about seeing all of that slip away. I suppose unless you're willing to go down the road of hormone therapy and other procedures, it will be difficult to stop the natural progression of your genetics.

[Barbara Ella]

I started at age 66, so the ravages of testosterone have taken their toll. Fortunately, this means that I don't expect to see too much change over the next few years so I will not have anything to get down about as I can be me and remain me.

Barbara

[Julie Gaum]

For the most part very good advice. Age is not a barrier to looking as feminine or more so for reasons mentioned. Weight can be a problem
if you stop exercising. Doesn't have to be 4 miles or one mile if you just work on loosing a few hundred calories daily and eat more fish --- but all that has already been mentioned. Do want to address Karren who is worried about toxins for a new study just came out that covers some we know about already and some I didn't: Harmful toxins in new or just cleaned carpets, many toothpastes (yep), drycleaned clothes, oven cleaner, stain-proofed fabrics and on and on. So Karren stop worrying for worry causes all sorts of physical and mental maladies --- will cause more harm than those enviromental toxens all around us.Smiles use less wrinkles than frowning so be happy!
Julie