5 Ways to Take Years Off Your Body (Really!)

Better Homes and Gardens

It's not just laugh lines and crow's-feet that give away your age. From thinning hair to veiny legs, your body speaks the truth. But there are some smart ways to turn back the clock without spending a fortune. Really.


By Hallie Levine Sklar


Age Betrayer #1: Sun-Damaged Skin

Remember those cute freckles you got as a kid? Well, we've got some not-so-cute news: They were your earliest sign of sun damage. Once you hit your 30s or 40s, the evidence of years of UV exposure emerges in the form of broken blood vessels around your nose and on your cheeks, wrinkles around your eyes and lips, and brown spots. Precancerous lesions may also appear, especially as you move into your 40s.


Stay-Young Solutions

Easy on the wallet

  • Wearing sunscreen every day all year round won't erase your wrinkles and age spots but it will prevent further damage -- and it may even reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. "Sun exposure decreases immune response in the skin, and this can allow precancerous cells to proliferate," explains Rachel Herschenfeld, MD, a dermatologist at Dermatology Partners, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Any drugstore brand that contains both UVA and UVB blockers will do the trick. Our favorites: La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen ($28) and Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 30 for Face ($10).

  • Products containing glycolic or alpha hydroxy acid appear to stimulate the formation of new collagen, which is damaged by sun exposure. Try Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cleanser ($8) or Avon Anew Rejuvenate Glycolic Overnight Face ($30).


Not too spendy

  • Prescription retinoids such as Retin-A and Renova amp up collagen production and speed cell turnover, reversing signs of photo aging (they cost up to $150). You can also try an OTC retinol cream like L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Complete SPF 30 Day Lotion ($17).


Serious splurges

  • Superficial glycolic or fruit acid chemical peels will improve skin tone, texture, and pigment and give your face a fresher look, says Ira Davis, MD, a dermatologic surgeon in Hartsdale and Staten Island, New York. The cost is about $200 and most women require two to three treatments. Midlevel peels, which penetrate to the mid-dermis, will do all that plus smooth lines. These peels cost about $500 and usually require only one treatment.

  • Laser or light therapy is generally the most effective way to reverse sun damage. Broken blood vessels are treatable with the KTP, YAG, and pulsed-dye lasers. It'll run you $400 to $500 per treatment; most people need one to three sessions. Many docs use Intense Pulsed Light treatments to reduce pigmentation that results from sun damage. It costs about $300 to $500 a treatment and you'll require one to four sessions. The Fraxel laser, which can reduce fine lines and diminish discoloration, goes deeper and stimulates collagen production. The cost? From $800 to $1,500 per treatment. Count on two to five sessions.


Try these 3 steps to heavenly skin.



Age Betrayer #2: Thinning Hair

About 30 to 40 percent of women will experience this beauty bummer during their lifetime, says Robert M. Bernstein, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Columbia University. It's usually genetic and can start as early as the late teens. Pregnancy is also a culprit: When estrogen levels drop postpartum, many women experience shedding, and the regrowth may be thinner. Declining estrogen levels can play a role during perimenopause in the 30s and 40s as well, making the hair finer. Be sure to see your doctor before you try the treatments below, since thinning hair can also be a symptom of thyroid disorders, anemia, and other medical problems.


Stay-Young Solutions

Easy on the wallet

  • Hair-loss concealers such as Toppik contain tiny keratin protein microfibers that coat your hair shaft and add color to your scalp, temporarily camouflaging thin spots, says Amy McMichael, MD, professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The product washes out, so you generally use it daily or between shampoos. Cost? About $21 for a month's supply.


Not too spendy

  • Minoxidil -- you know it as Rogaine -- is thought to prolong hair's growth phase cycle. It's available over the counter in a 2 percent concentration for women and a 5 percent concentration for men. Ask your dermatologist if she'd recommend the more effective 5 percent version, suggests Dr. McMichael. (You should know that it's more likely to cause scalp irritation and the development of unwanted facial hair.) You'll shell out about $30 for a one-month supply of 2 percent concentration.

  • High levels of testosterone have been linked to hair loss. The blood pressure drug Aldactone lowers your body's testosterone levels, explains Dr. McMichael. It can raise potassium levels and increase liver enzymes, however, so you need to be monitored by a doctor while you're on it. Cost? About $30 per month, usually covered by insurance.


Serious splurges

  • Some hair clinics use laser therapy to thicken slim strands, but it can cost $2,500 or more. First try the HairMax LaserComb, an at-home version that costs about $500. Buy it at dermatologists' offices and hair clinics.

  • Most women shed hair evenly across their scalp, but if you have a receding hairline and thinning around the crown, you may be a candidate for a hair transplant, says Dr. Bernstein. Cost? From $5,000 to $15,000.


Feeling lost regarding your locks? Hair Helpers to the rescue!



Age Betrayer #3: Sagging Breasts

As women enter their 40s, hormonal changes result in less breast tissue and more fat, which may lead to sagging, says Laurie Casas, MD, associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago. And if you've breastfed more than one child or you've gained or lost a lot of weight at some point, the chance of saggy boobs could increase.

Stay-Young Solutions

Easy on the wallet

  • Good posture. As you age, your back muscles weaken and you may slouch, which makes breasts look droopy, says certified personal trainer Shirley Archer, author of Busting Out. The fix? Strengthening the muscles along your upper back, which will improve your posture and give breasts a perkier appearance.

Try our Tone Your Trouble Spots workout.


Not too spendy

  • Fake a lifted look by wearing the right bra. Most women choose the wrong size, so it's important to get measured at a department or lingerie store and buy bras that support your shape. Also, delay sagging by investing in several good exercise bras: Wearing one when you break a sweat reduces bounce by up to 73 percent, according to a study done at the University of Portsmouth, in England. A sports bra with separate cups gives the most support, says Archer.


Serious splurge

  • If you're looking for a longer-lasting pick-me-up, consider a breast lift. A plastic surgeon will raise and reshape your breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue. The procedure usually involves general anesthesia and about a six-week recovery period (though you should be able to return to work two to four days postsurgery). Cost? Anywhere from $2,500 to $6,500.

10 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer Today


Age Betrayer #4: Your Hands

Sun exposure takes its toll not just on your face. Those brown spots that show up on your hands are pigmentation changes due to UV damage. Another age-related issue is loss of volume, says Mary P. Lupo, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University. Skin all over the body gets thinner as you age, but since the skin on your hands is so thin to begin with, changes there are more noticeable.

Stay-Young Solutions

Not too spendy

  • The prescription cream Tri-Luma contains the bleaching agent hydroquinone, retinols, and a mild steroid to help lighten brown spots and rev up collagen production. But because steroids can thin skin over time, it's best to use Tri-Luma for about six months and then switch to a steroid-free OTC treatment, such as DDF Fade Gel 4, says Dr. Lupo. Cost? From $120 to $150 for Tri-Luma, $56 for DDF.


Serious splurges

  • Q-switched laser therapy zaps brown spots, often in just one five-minute appointment, says David J. Goldberg, MD, director of the Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of New York/New Jersey. It costs about $500.

  • Injectable fillers such as Radiesse and Sculptra plump up skin by encouraging collagen to grow around the injection site. But they're not cheap. You'll pay anywhere from $750 to $1,000 or more per session, and most women need two to three treatments. Results last a year or longer.

  • Fraxel laser treatments can slough off dark spots as well as thicken collagen to improve your skin's texture. Cost? Around $500; most women need three to five treatments.

Try our secrets to Pretty hands and feet.


Age Betrayer #5: Bulging Leg Veins

Often you can blame lumpy, rope-like varicose veins on genetics, says Tri Nguyen, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. But aging -- and the weight gain and muscle weakness that can accompany it -- plays a role as well. As you get heavier, the increased pressure on your legs stresses the valves that help keep blood flowing toward your heart. The result? Blood pools in your veins and enlarges them. Smaller spider veins are often a by-product of varicose veins but they can also show up on their own.

Stay-Young Solutions

Easy on the wallet

  • Getting regular exercise -- both cardio and strength training -- will help you shed extra pounds, boost circulation, and ease the pressure on your veins, says Dr. Nguyen. Those sweat sessions won't eliminate the veins you have, but they can slow down the development of new ones.


Not too spendy

  • Compression stockings can help reduce swelling by preventing blood from pooling in your veins. Again, they won't reverse the lumpy veins that are already visible, but they will keep them from getting worse, says Dr. Nguyen. They cost $50 to $125, depending on the strength (you can get them from your dermatologist). For the best results, wear the stockings as often as possible.


Serious splurges

  • To make spider veins vanish, consider a procedure called sclerotherapy. Your dermatologist will inject the veins with a chemical solution to close them up; the veins are then absorbed by your body over time. Cost? $275 to $375 per session. (Most women need several sessions.) Ask your doctor about Asclera, a new drug approved by the FDA in March, which causes fewer temporary brown discolorations and open sores near the injection site.

  • If you're looking for a long-term fix for varicose veins, talk to your doctor about endovenous ablation. He'll insert a thin catheter into the vein and use a laser or radio frequency waves to heat and seal it; over time the vein disappears. The treatment can run up to $3,000, but the good news is that most of the tab may be covered by insurance.

Get rid of unsightly veins: Vanishing Act.


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