How you Look and Feel in your 40s

For many people, entering their 40s can be a time of transition. Physically, you might notice changes in your appearance. Or you could notice a decreased libido or energy levels. But whatever your 40s bring, knowing what changes to look for — and why they occur — is an important way to understand your body and age better.

How you look

Skin

In your 40s, your skin loses volume and elasticity, which can lead to visible changes in skin firmness. You might see new lines forming around your upper lip, which you can smooth out with treatments like Botox and Daxxify.

You can also give your skin’s texture and tone a refresh with microneedling, a procedure used to take advantage of the body’s natural healing response. During the process, your clinician uses thin, sterilized needles to prick the skin to encourage collagen production and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, reduce scarring and even skin tone.

Hair

As you age into your 40s, the diameter of your hair gradually starts to decrease, making it appear thinner or less full. You can promote hair growth and prevent hair loss through a few different avenues. First is through oral supplements and serums like Nutrafol or Spironolactone.  There are also treatments like plasma hair restoration that prevent hair loss and stimulate the hair follicles to grow thicker, stronger hair.

You can also explore treatments like HydraFacial Keravive, a non-invasive option that treats your scalp and hair follicles to improve scalp health, resulting in the appearance of healthier, fuller looking hair.

How you feel

Libido

By age 40, most women have half the testosterone that they did in their 20s, and estrogen levels begin to decline more rapidly. This might lead to a lower sex drive and physical effects like vaginal dryness.

Today, a range of sexual wellness treatments and products are available to address vaginal dryness and tissue health, low libido, and hormonal changes.

What you might not notice

Bones

Bone health is an often overlooked part of aging, but by the time you’re 40, peak bone mass has been reached. Throughout your life, your body is continually building new bones, removing the old and replacing it with new, fresh bone. As you get older, you begin to lose more bone density than your body can replace. 

As you probably already know, vitamin D plays a critical role in building and maintaining strong bones. But another option that flies under the radar is vitamin K, which pairs with magnesium to help keep calcium locked into your bones.

Cholesterol

Blood cholesterol levels are something to watch out for during perimenopause. Some women see an increase of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, nicknamed “bad cholesterol” and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as “good cholesterol.” These changes can increase your risk for heart disease.

To get a full view of your body and how it’s aging, start with an Aging Wellness Assessment at Modern Age, and support your cardiovascular health with essential minerals.