The Cruel But Inevitable Body Changes That Come With Aging

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in unusual places—under my kneecaps, out of my ears and nose. Yikes. My eyebrows began to sprout like weeds. My back became hairy. Hair was everywhere—except on my scalp. And it wasn’t only hair. Nasty spider veins popped up on my legs. And small circles of white skin made an entrance on my normally tanned arms.I have never considered myself to be a vain person. But for the love of not Pete but hirsutism, I no longer enjoy looking in the mirror. Yet, back to the question, “Is being bald beautiful”? Technology came to the rescue. I recently had my wife snap a photo of me. (I know I could have done a “selfie,” but I wanted her advice and participation in the project.) Then, I downloaded an app appropriately named “Bald Head.”I will let you be the judge, but it doesn’t look so bad.ACTUAL:<figure id="7b85"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*w16CekiWGU8Iwj1BTw0D0A.jpeg"><figcaption>The author’s wife took this photograph.</figcaption></figure>AI ENHANCED IMAGE:<figure id="1fed"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*32X_txckp-9j5-3ZrmNUAA.png"><figcaption>Courtesy of<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/baldbooth/id397336795"> “bald head” app</a></figcaption></figure>Hmm. Then, I began to wonder about shaving. How often would I have to do this? And would it be better with an electric or straight razor? Would there be razor burn or shudder— cuts?I know women go through this self-doubt, too. I only have to glance at all the beauty products my wife has acc

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umulated to remind me of our hopeless attempts to turn back the clock. I don’t want to look forty again, but I’m not ready for this. I foolishly thought I had Father Time beat. But alas, no. When did I become “old”?Acceptance of aging has its double standard in our culture. For men, we say they look “distinguished” as they age. But if it is a woman, they look “old.” And why do we call facial wrinkles “character lines” in men but “crow’s feet” in women?These changes rarely happen all at once. But like the story and metaphor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog#:~:text=The%20boiling%20frog%20is%20an,will%20be%20cooked%20to%20death.">frog in the pot of boiling water</a>, they often go unnoticed. Then, one day, we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “When did I get so old?” Our minds have a great capacity for denial. We think we are younger and thinner than we are unless we have low self-esteem, and then the opposite is true.Being on a cruise recently reminded me that I was not alone. Many men looked older and more out of shape than me. And a few looked better. In the end, however, I am happy that I am still alive after 75 years on this planet and in relatively good health. Everything else is gravy.I <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y7bjoqkd">am</a> a retired MD passionate about culture, health, medicine, sports, and food.Get an email whenever I publish by clicking this link:https://davidmokotoff.medium.com/subscribeI will never spam you or give out your address.</article></body>

Looking in the mirror, there are some days I don’t recognize myself

My hair is disappearing at an accelerated rate. Soon, I will be accepting baldness or a comb-over. Neither one is appealing. I have learned to accept my spider veins and belly, but my head hair? No. This can’t be me.

I now notice men with bald skulls and a semi-circle rim of hair underneath. I don’t want to look like that guy. I don’t care about my hair color. I am not a “Just for Men” customer. The hair quantity worries me, and it is in decline, at least on top of my dome.

The first thing I noticed ten years ago was “man boobs.” Ugh. Then, I started to grow hair in unusual places—under my kneecaps, out of my ears and nose. Yikes. My eyebrows began to sprout like weeds. My back became hairy. Hair was everywhere—except on my scalp. And it wasn’t only hair. Nasty spider veins popped up on my legs. And small circles of white skin made an entrance on my normally tanned arms.

I have never considered myself to be a vain person. But for the love of not Pete but hirsutism, I no longer enjoy looking in the mirror. Yet, back to the question, “Is being bald beautiful”? Technology came to the rescue. I recently had my wife snap a photo of me. (I know I could have done a “selfie,” but I wanted her advice and participation in the project.) Then, I downloaded an app appropriately named “Bald Head.”

I will let you be the judge, but it doesn’t look so bad.

ACTUAL:

The author’s wife took this photograph.

AI ENHANCED IMAGE:

Hmm. Then, I began to wonder about shaving. How often would I have to do this? And would it be better with an electric or straight razor? Would there be razor burn or shudder— cuts?

I know women go through this self-doubt, too. I only have to glance at all the beauty products my wife has accumulated to remind me of our hopeless attempts to turn back the clock. I don’t want to look forty again, but I’m not ready for this. I foolishly thought I had Father Time beat. But alas, no. When did I become “old”?

Acceptance of aging has its double standard in our culture. For men, we say they look “distinguished” as they age. But if it is a woman, they look “old.” And why do we call facial wrinkles “character lines” in men but “crow’s feet” in women?

These changes rarely happen all at once. But like the story and metaphor of the frog in the pot of boiling water, they often go unnoticed. Then, one day, we look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “When did I get so old?” Our minds have a great capacity for denial. We think we are younger and thinner than we are unless we have low self-esteem, and then the opposite is true.

Being on a cruise recently reminded me that I was not alone. Many men looked older and more out of shape than me. And a few looked better. In the end, however, I am happy that I am still alive after 75 years on this planet and in relatively good health. Everything else is gravy.

I am a retired MD passionate about culture, health, medicine, sports, and food.

Get an email whenever I publish by clicking this link:https://davidmokotoff.medium.com/subscribe

I will never spam you or give out your address.