Instead of worrying about my real health problems, I usually get derailed worrying about weird, fake, paranoid health problems that have absolutely no bearing on anything important. It's a delightful vacation.
My teeth, for example. I worry a lot about my teeth. I'm sort of obsessive about flossing and brushing and using mouthwash. I worry that they'll just start falling out! I mean, it could happen, right? I bite into a nice, crunchy Greek salad one day and find out that the olives weren't properly pitted and crack! Out falls part of my tooth! I also worry about them being too sensitive, about gum recession, how white they are, how despite three years of braces and wearing a retainer at night for years they still aren't as straight as they should be ... but mostly that they'll just start falling out. Totally normal thing for a 26 year old to worry about, right? Needing dentures and fake teeth?
My other paranoid fear is my skin aging. I remember the days when I had a smooth, unlined forehead. Now my forehead is full of fine lines! I should have started using anti-aging products ten years ago! Why didn't I stock up while I was in France? Half of the space in every pharmacy there is devoted to anti-aging products! Now it's probably too late to reverse the damage and I'm going to end up with the skin of a 60 year old while I'm still in my 20s! I'm really good about my skin care - I wash my face every day no matter how late I get back from wherever, and I always wear at least SPF 30 sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays, every day, no matter what the weather.
So, I decided that there's no time like the present to try to prevent new lines from forming and try to minimize the appearance of the fine lines I already have. When I was at Target a couple days ago I bought Olay Total Effects Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser. It's too early to know if it's making a difference, obviously. But then, I did a personalized skin care quiz thing on the Olay website just now, and according to them I treat my skin like garbage! They said that in addition to everything I already do I should be using toner, two different face washes, moisturizing twice a day and using some special anti-aging eye cream to reduce puffiness and dark circles! I have to go back and buy more products! Obviously that's exactly what they want, for me to spend more money, and of course the products they recommend are a little more money than I feel like spending on skin care. Or is it? I mean, can you really put a price on clear, youthful looking skin?
In any case, I like trying out different face washes and moisturizers, so I can at least have a little fun with my bizarre skin aging paranoia. Anyone have any tips for helpful products or brands?
6 comments:
Well to lead off, here is the song "Paranoid":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DcWtkKeIY
Ok, on the rest the tides of time wash away us all dear! I wrote a while back on this:
"I just cannot get over the draw to fighting the tide, the rocks always lose, how do you think beaches are covered in sand?"
I thought that was pretty sharp!
I think of it not as aging but as getting battle scars, or reminders where we have been.
All you need is TONS of moisturizer and sun protection every time you go outside. All those others things are just so companies can make money off you. Look at the ingredients on cheaper store-brand moisturizers. They're the exact same thing as the expensive ones.
Washing your face too much can actually irritate it. You only need to use face wash if your face is actually dirty (like removing makeup, sweat.) Other times, just rinse it with water and apply moisturizer.
I had horrible acne in my teens/early 20s (even went on Accutane for 6 months), so I read a lot about keeping skin clean and healthy. As long as you keep up with the moisturizer, you'll be fine! :)
Part of my transplant follow-up care involves seeing a dermatologist familiar with BMT patients' special needs. Due to all of the chemo, most of us will have lifelong issues with dry skin. My doctor advised me to be diligent about moisturizing. She also recommended CeraVe cream for my body twice a day. As for the skin on my face, I use La Roche Posay toner and moisturizers. It's helped tremendously. I usually use cetaphil to cleanse with. You'll find the routine that works best for you, and you won't have to spend a fortune.
GYSC - I didn't get the song Paranoid, but I did get the trailer for The Neverending Story! I loved that when I was a kid! I remember the rocks into sand comment, and it is a sharp one (or rather a sandy one, har har har). I'm not totally serious about this of course, because obviously there's only so much one can do about the aging process, but I would like to seem youthful for a few more years!
Jennie - thanks for the tips! Your skin is so gorgeous now, you'd never know you ever had a problem. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
Ann - thanks for the product tips, I'll look into those. Of course with all the radiation I got before my first transplant, I really am going to look like something out of the crypt in a few years! GVHD skin crap doesn't help either! Appreciate the advice.
oops on the link! Copied the wrong thing, though TNES rocks too!
Paranoid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JoSIGGOGZQ
Friday night post up in a bit!
OMG, we are alike! I always worry about my teeth. And I hate going to the dentist - I still go though, because otherwise I worry too much about what could happen to my teeth (are you following me?!).
And it's not like my teeth are perfect. I have a few fillings and my teeth aren't that straight. Eh, what do you expect... I'm French!
I wasn't like that in France. I started being obsessed with my teeth in N. America. I felt super self-conscious compared to these "American smiles" I saw everywhere! N. Americans make it sound like you are going to Hell if you don't floss. French don't even know what floss is!
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