Who Ages Faster: Men or Women? Differences in Aging
Do men age faster than women?
GENDER AND AGING - PART 1.
Aging is an inevitable part of life. Many of us appreciate the wisdom and peace of mind that aging tends to bring to our lives, as well as a reduction in our tolerance for drama.
But few of us appreciate the deepening lines, facial wrinkles and "aged" appearance that we get when we look in the mirror or, worse, when we view our aging processes in photos taken under "bad" lighting.
Fortunately, there are many procedures that can lessen the impact of the passing years on your appearance.
From light-based skin therapies to facelift procedures and eyelid surgery, we can “visually” turn back the clock by a decade with innovative procedures, from fading sun spots to reducing spider veins and damaged capillaries.
However, to look younger, there is never just one solution.
To continue looking your best as you age, you need to combine the following elements:
- strong bones
- a good diet
- a healthy lifestyle (without abusing consumer habits)
- excellent skin care
- have pretty good genes
- maintain hormonal balance (it may be good to avoid Soy - do some research on its impact on hormones).
Your BMI will also tend to play a role, as will whether you've avoided the sun or worn very high-protection sunscreen.
And of course, if you are happy and satisfied with life, your appearance will improve, because you will be smiling and radiant.
Indeed, attitude matters in how you look as you age, and expression lines aside, you will look better and healthier if you laugh a lot and are content and happy.
But what about gender? Do men and women have different trajectories in terms of aging and appearance?
How Men and Women Age Differently
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHICH GENDER AGES FASTEST?
Lifestyle choices, especially sun exposure, impact how you look as you age. However, whether you “age well” or “age poorly” has some genetics to do with it.
There are also physiological characteristics related to your gender that will impact the aging process and how the passing years impact your appearance.
However, aging seems to affect the two sexes differently. Men and women seem to age slightly differently.
So how is the trajectory of aging influenced by your gender?
The answer is too complex for a short blog, but the short answer is that women and men have different anatomy and different hormone levels, which impact almost every type of physical function.
In other words, there are many differences to consider when determining which gender ages faster.
Hormones and aging
As we age, most of our tissues begin to deteriorate or atrophy, and the process of cell renewal slows down considerably.
Changes often occur in the distribution of body fat, in our hormones, in our thought processes, and of course, in our skin, connective tissues, and bones.
From slower skin cell turnover to drier skin and sore ligaments, signs of aging can also include a gradual decline in other bodily functions over time, including a noticeable loss of libido or a higher incidence of incontinence or stomach health issues (but with the latest medical or laser treatments, this doesn't have to be the case).
SKIN TEXTURE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
The thickness of your skin generally varies depending on whether you were born male or female.
From a structural perspective, when it comes to how gender influences the aging of your skin, you can consider issues such as relative skin thickness, hormone levels that affect skin moisture and lubrication levels, and factors such as the underlying bone structure of your face.
For example, how the skin covers your jawline, cheek area, eye sockets and brow bones.
Here are some of the aspects that can determine how aging affects men and women differently.
1. Longevity: the influence of gender
According to a study, and other research on global life expectancy, women have lived longer than men in different countries and at all times.
The current AVERAGE life expectancy for men worldwide is estimated to be around 69-70 years, while it is around 73-77.5 years for women (although it varies depending on where you live and the resources you have access to in terms of nutrition, lifestyle and healthcare).
The life expectancy gap between men and women does not mean that all men die younger than women; it is slightly adjusted because the early death rate tends to be lower among young women than among young men.
Partly related to cultural differences and partly related to differences in brains and thought processes, men, in general, appear to be more likely to be involved in fatal accidents at an earlier age.
Studies also show that men are more likely to suffer from life-threatening diseases than women today, and women are more likely to have regular health check-ups.
But as society evolves, with women leading more stressful lifestyles, consuming more substances than previous generations and juggling too many things at once, that difference could fade in the coming decades.
Whatever the reason, women continue to live longer than men today.
Hormonal changes
Both men and women experience hormonal changes, primarily hormone drops and changes in hormone balances, as they age.
For women, most reach menopause between the ages of 48 and 55. This is when their ovaries stop producing the hormone estrogen, although it can vary widely and occur much earlier or even further into their 60s for some women.
Due to the changes associated with menopause, women may experience mood changes, decreased interest in sexual intimacy, reduced sexual functioning or lack of vaginal lubrication, as well as other "signs of change" such as hot flashes, anxiety, depression or a general reduced sense of well-being.
Every person is different, of course, but these are not uncommon symptoms of aging.
Signs of aging may also appear to accelerate in a woman who undergoes surgical menopause with a hysterectomy or other procedure where the ovaries are removed.
Other signs of aging include reduced moisture or "natural oil" levels in the skin (reduced sebum), sagging of the skin, the appearance of expression lines and other skin imperfections such as age spots (sunspots) and vascularity.
Men age too – and “manopause” or “andropause” is a real thing.
But it appears that men may experience a more gradual decline in their hormones; for example, a more gradual decrease in testosterone levels (about 1% per year after age 30).
Low testosterone or hormonal imbalance can lead to decreased libido, noticeable changes in sleep patterns, mood swings, and signs of aging in the skin - especially on the face - and other areas where they have had excessive sun exposure over several decades.
Skin thickness varies between men and women (as well as individually)
Testosterone in men tends to cause skin to thicken by up to 25% compared to skin thickness in women.
Men may also have higher collagen density and skin hydration levels, as well as rougher skin texture than many women, making men's skin slightly less susceptible to signs of aging.
Additionally, women lose more of their naturally produced collagen when they enter menopause, leading to thinning of the skin and, apparently, a somewhat more rapid decline (or more noticeable change in skin appearance) once the processes of noticeable skin aging begin.
Hair loss
Both men and women lose some hair as they age. But there is a difference in hair loss between the sexes.
Men tend to lose more hair than women, sometimes all of it, by the age of 50.
Although it is quite rare, women can also lose a significant amount of hair and experience what is called "male pattern baldness", but in general, women experience thinning hair more than significant hair loss.
Birth control pills and some medications can also cause hair loss, although new hair loss treatments seem to be emerging frequently (including eyebrow or eyelash regrowth products or methods to restore lost hair in places where it was missed).
Women often live longer, but can also age slightly faster than many men – but this varies depending on lifestyle choices, environmental factors and genetics.
and of course, cosmetic procedures can turn back the clock and women can end up looking much younger than their male counterparts.
In conclusion, both sexes undergo significant hormonal changes as they age.
Women tend to live longer and are much less likely to suffer from premature baldness than men.
But women often seem to age a little faster than men, partly because their ovaries stop producing estrogen altogether once they reach menopause.
In men, hormonal decline can begin early in life, but it is usually slower.
This is why you may hear about differences in libido between men and women in their 50s (which can lead to sexual or relationship incompatibility). But everyone is different.
Some women experience early menopause and some men experience testosterone deficiency at a very early age.
Obesity may also be a contributing factor to hormonal changes and age-related health problems, as can substance use habits, environmental exposures, and genetic factors.
Additionally, women's skin may be more susceptible to early signs of aging because they have lower collagen density and skin hydration — and a smoother complexion that reveals more imperfections — compared to men.
Men's skin, which is often slightly thicker than women's, has a rougher texture and is therefore sometimes less likely to reveal early signs of aging and sun damage as quickly.
But if men have done nothing to protect their skin, they will look older faster because they will have to deal with a greater accumulation of damage.
But both men and women will age, if they live long enough, leaving their skin drier, more prone to revealing expression lines, eyelid swelling, sagging skin folds, deep wrinkles and structural weakness, and underlying bone atrophy that leaves their skin with noticeable ptosis (sagging).
BUT A NUMBER OF WOMEN TEND TO LOOK YOUNGER THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS IN THEIR 50S AND 60S – WHY IS THIS THE CASE?
The plastic surgery and beauty industry currently caters more to women than men.
This is partly due to cultural reasons and partly because women generally have more positive relationships with health professionals than men born in previous decades.
Studies suggest that men are less likely to have positive relationships with health professionals than women.
In fact, many men seem to have some resistance to consulting health professionals (which they describe as bravado, but which may actually be based on fear).
Women also often look younger than their male counterparts, which may be the case:
- More likely to wear high SPF sunscreen or mineral makeup
- More likely to consistently take care of their skin, whether through facials, medical-grade skin care products, masks or laser treatments.
- More willing to resort to surgery to look their best.
MEN ARE RAPIDLY catching up on beauty care, skin care, facial surgery and the desire to look younger.
This is partly due to ageism: they want to stay employed longer and are in competition with younger colleagues.
Men also seem tired of looking older than their partners, even if they are the same age.
They are beginning to realize that aesthetic treatments are just as suited to their skin and lifestyle - and just as effective at turning back the clock - as they are for women.
With greater social acceptance of cosmetic care and surgery for both men and women, many men are becoming early adopters of the latest tips and tricks for looking younger in our society.
ARE COSMETIC TREATMENTS THE SAME OR DIFFERENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN?
Some skin care and surgery treatments are quite similar for all genders, although there are exceptions.
Others are highly customized to address the unique bone structure, anatomical differences and skin thickness differences of men versus women.
For example, a rhinoplasty on a man with thicker skin may not have the same outcome options as a nose reshaping surgery performed on a female nose with thinner skin.
Another example is male breast reduction. Male breast surgery is becoming more common because many men have swollen chests after reaching a certain age, weight, or BMI, and they regret not having a flatter, more masculine-looking chest.)
Some plastic surgery procedures are also gender-specific (e.g., labiaplasty or scrotumplasty). Men and women are similar in that they are interested in exploring body contouring options through liposuction or tummy tuck surgery, as well as facelifts and other facial surgeries.
It's no surprise that men are becoming more proactive in managing their aging process and wanting to look young, fit and healthy.
Part of the reason men are increasingly seeking liposuction, plastic surgery, and skin care enhancements is that women are now more socially open to discussing their own surgical experiences, skin care products, and cosmetic procedures than they have been in the past decade.
As the procedures become more openly discussed and shared on a number of social media platforms, men are seeing the results and starting to say, "Hey, if it works for you, then I want that too."
AGE WELL - LIVE LONGER
If you want to age well and live longer, remember that it's the combination of what you do - and what you're born with - that matters most.
To learn more about how to lose weight, stay fit and stay healthy, get regular check-ups with your doctor, read our blogs and visit Le Box Du Fitness for information.
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