How You Can Maintain A Youthful Appearance In Spite Of Your Age

As people age, and especially women, the signs of aging often appear.

These can be as small and simple as crows’ feet, or as unsightly as cellulite on the thighs.  Women who have borne children tend to show more signs of aging than those who have not, but foregoing having children is not a guarantee of any sort.  Since most women do have children at some point in their lives, there are certain aging processes that may appear worse in them.

For example, the blue lines of varicose veins.   These blue lines with blue lumps on them are often a sign that a woman who has had children is now aging.  The appearance of varicose veins certainly worsens with age, and are often made worse by pregnancy.  However, some people who have jobs where there is a lot of stationary standing and little movement will suffer from this condition as well, even if they have never had children.  Unfortunately, varicose veins are a reality for many, and there are very few real solutions for them because of the inherent risks that they carry.

For example, vigorous massage of an area with varicose veins can actually be a life-threatening risk due to the clots that are present in the walls of the veins that are exposed.  Gentle lymphatic massage and circulatory massage over the area are both helpful in moving the stagnant blood, and have  a much lower risk of dislodging a clot.  A professional massage therapist should be consulted in this area.  A May, 2001 issue of Massage Today magazine, “What About Varicose Veins?” addresses the issues of varicosity, as well as the fear that many therapists have about treating them.  However, gentle techniques have been found to be low risk and helpful.

Another example of a common aging sign that can often be corrected is cellulite.

While some women may opt to have liposuction or other types of plastic surgery, these are not without their own risks.  Massage Therapy, especially of a vigorous type, has been shown to provide temporary as well as long-term relief of the appearance of cellulite.  When received regularly, massage therapy can help to make the dense fibrous tissues underlying the skin less dense, and thus these tissues will then trap less fat cells between them.  Techniques such as myofascial release and rolfing can be especially helpful in this regard.  This can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Both cellulite and varicose veins are also highly benefited by movement.  So between regular sessions of massage therapy, women should take regular walks outdoors or on a treadmill, do vigorous and relaxing yoga (whether by watching a video, getting a book,  or attending a class), and take regular sessions of Pilates or aerobic exercise.