The fears of getting older won’t exist, if you choose the right way to live.
Being young is great. There is no denying it. The energy, the metabolism and the smooth skin are all things we would never want to give up. So many older women that I come across, have told me stories about their ‘glory days’. How soft their skin was, how small their waist used to be, how they never had to colour their hair. It made me realise that I am in the glory days. I am currently living them right now. I needed to start taking advantage of the fact that this is my time to prevent the worst. So I went to see a cosmetic dermatologist, because I was curious about my skin. I wanted to know if I was doing a good job at keeping it healthy. I proudly informed the doctor that I stopped wearing make up for the last three years, that I drink more than two litres of water a day and that I moisturise religiously day in and day out. So much work! I was wondering if it paid off.
He takes a closer look at my face and informs me that at 27, I should have probably started botox two years ago. “Not because you have wrinkles, but because botox prevents wrinkles.” I wasn’t too surprised when I heard that. I know that most of Dubai’s ‘It Girls’ start getting botox injections in their late 20s every four months to prevent wrinkles and dull skin. I brushed his comment off as a sales mechanism. ‘Of course he wants you to do botox.’ I told myself. These injections are about Dh1,000 apiece. The profits for him would be fruitful. I politely said my goodbyes and left.
Later that day, when I got home, I stood in my empty room and declared to myself that no one is going to inject muscle freezing, synthetic materials under my skin. I am young. I’m not even 30 for God’s sake! So I am definitely not ready for botox. At least not yet. Maybe one day I will need it. ‘Need’ ... what a funny word to use in this scenario. But yes. I’m in my 20s and I already have a ‘need’ to work on my face. I wonder when and why I started becoming so youth obsessed. To be very frank, I don’t mind getting older, I just mind looking older.
Youth sells
The media plays a big role in showing that there is a preference for younger people on the television screen. We are regularly being fed a steady and repetitive stream of images and messages that tell us to continuously strive for youth. Whenever we look at a screen, the models are young, their stomachs are flat and everything is stretchy with a dewy, healthy glow. And when they aren’t young, they look young. Media figures, who are more than 50 years old still have gorgeous skin, beautiful bodies and full hair. I mean just look at Elle MacPherson or Claudia Schiffer! They wear skinny jeans and cool sneakers. They look like they are in their 30s. That’s what I strive for. I don’t want to let my body call the shots, I want to be the one, who carefully delays looking my age for as long as I can. Because of my obsessive consumption of popular culture, I have already started my fight against time. Despite being self-righteous about invasive procedures against ageing, I still wanted to make sure that not a single wrinkle showed up on my face before I turn 40. I am going to fight the biological clock.
If I wanted to keep this face for as long as I can, I needed to start preventative measures as soon as possible. I decided that as a first step, I had to nourish my skin from the inside out. I started incorporating healthy food, full of good fats and greens into my diet. I also tried to decrease my sugar intake, which affects collagen elasticity in the skin. Moreover, I started a four-step skin routine in the morning and at night. Within just four weeks, my skin was clearer and smoother. Another thing I insisted on, was that I slept eight hours a night, every night. I also made sure I wore sunscreen whenever I stepped out of the house and that when I went to the beach that I had a large hat with me. I also never deliberately lied in the sun to tan. This was my own recipe to the concoction of my very own fountain of youth. Seems like a lot of work. But I am ready to work now, so I can reap the benefits later.
For now, I appreciate my face, my chin, my hair and my neck. I should be happy that one week of dieting makes a difference on the scale. Fast metabolisms are fun and I appreciate that they don’t last forever. I’m glad to see that I can get away with wearing funky clothes, and colourful make up. I know one day, it won’t be that easy.
I have done enough reading to know what’s coming up. I know skin loses elasticity, I know that hair becomes duller and greyer. Getting older, changes your youthful appearance and causes many women to work tirelessly to look young. I plan to be one of those women. I plan to protect myself for as long as I can.
