Lifestyle 6 Strange Changes of Aging, Plus Action Steps 9/6/2023 | By Terri L. Jones You may have managed to stay relatively fit, youthful-looking, and cognitively sharp as you’ve gotten older. But as hard as you’ve tried to resist the signs of aging, you were probably still blindsided by other strange changes of aging that have dated you like the rings of a tree. Because no one warns you about this metamorphosis, we decided to delve into a few of these unusual manifestations, telling you both why they happen and what you may be able to do about them! Strange changes of aging and what you can do 1. Claws! Have your toenails become thick and increasingly difficult to cut? This change happens because the growth rate of the nail plate slows as you get older, causing nail cells to pile up and thicken. One woman referred to her tough, unclippable nails as “horns”! What to do: The best way to trim up your thickened toenails is to soak them in warm water first, dry your feet, and then use nail nippers to cut them, instead of clippers or scissors. With the nippers, make several small cuts straight across the nail (avoid rounding at the edges to prevent ingrown nails). 2. Snake skin When you reached middle age, you may have started to notice the appearance of roundish, scaly patches on your skin. These raised, typically black or tan growths, which have a “stuck on” appearance, are called seborrheic keratoses. Approximately 30 percent of 40-year-olds have at least one of them, and by age 70, the percentage of those affected jumps to 75 percent. What to do: Seborrheic keratoses are benign and require no treatment but can be removed using a variety of methods, including cryotherapy, shave excision and laser therapy. However, because they are similar in appearance to potentially precancerous growths called actinic keratoses, it’s important to have them checked by a physician. 3. Disappearing brows You may be sprouting those unruly gray hairs in your brows, giving them a sparser appearance. However, gray hairs aren’t the only culprit for your brows’ disappearing act. Age-related hormonal changes can cause your brow hair to become finer, hair growth to slow and some of the follicles to stop producing hair altogether. Of the strange changes of aging, this one results in thinning, patchy eyebrows! What to do: Makeup, such as eyebrow pencils and powders, is the easiest way to darken and fill in sparse brows, but you have to reapply it regularly. On the other hand, microblading, where the technician uses a needle to apply tiny, feather-like strokes of pigment to simulate real brow hairs, lasts eight to 30 months. You can also try nutritional supplements, essential oils and medications such as minoxidil (Rogaine) to try to stimulate hair growth. 4. Battered and bruised Suddenly, you have a big, ugly, reddish-purple bruise on your forearm, and you have no idea how you got it. Because your skin becomes more fragile as you age, this type of bruising, known as senile purpura or actinic purpura, can occur even after a minor trauma. Long-term exposure to the sun can also weaken the connective tissue that holds your blood vessels in place and red blood cells can leak into deeper layers of the skin. Drugs, including blood thinners, steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can make you more susceptible to these purplish bruises. What to do: There’s not a lot you can do to prevent these unsightly bruises, but wearing clothing and sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun is recommended. A study in 2011 also showed a 50 percent decrease in senile purpura using an oral citrus bioflavonoid supplement. Another option may be topical retinoids to thicken the skin and minimize the risk of purpura; however, retinoids also come with significant side effects. 5. Spare tire In their younger years, women typically carry excess weight in their hips, thighs and rear ends, but around menopause, that weight shifts to their belly. That’s because the precipitous drop in estrogen that comes with menopause causes you to lose muscle, especially in your abdominal area, and that lost muscle is replaced by fat. Similarly, a decline in testosterone in men results in increased body fat, especially around the mid-section. What to do: Losing belly fat as you age is no small feat, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in its Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that all older adults participate in 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity (for example, walking, running or cardio fitness classes) every week, plus strength training (for all the major muscle groups) twice a week. Dr. Pamela Peeke, author of Body for Life for Women, offers another option when it comes to older women shrinking their middles: high-intensity interval training (HIIT). “Basically that means that moderate levels of exercise are interspersed with high intensity intervals throughout the week,” she explains. What you eat, of course, is also important. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, try focusing on lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, fruit and as few refined carbs or added sugars as possible (no refined carbs, added sugars, or processed foods are preferred). Combating the strange changes of aging: How to spot ultra-processed foods 6. Fast talker Your friend introduced you to four of her friends at the party last night and today you can only remember one of their names. Is your memory declining? Maybe you didn’t hear the names in the first place. According to a study at Brandeis University, it may be neither your hearing nor your memory. This study found that most older adults have difficulty following conversations when the person is talking faster than normal rates of 140 to 180 words per minute. The study’s participants also had problems understanding speech in a noisy environment. What to do: When a family member or a doctor is telling you something that you need to remember and their words seem to be zooming by like a freight train, ask them to slow it down. And try to move the conversation to a quieter location if there’s distracting noise in the background. Bottom line, don’t beat yourself up when you miss a few things! And hey, it might even be time for hearing aids. Since they’re now available over the counter, treating your ears won’t cost you and arm and a leg. Related: Affordable hearing aids, finally! With old age comes so many changes, and all you can do is go with the flow. As they say, “It’s better than the alternative.” Read More Terri L. Jones Terri L. Jones has been writing educational and informative topics for the senior industry for over ten years, and is a frequent and longtime contributor to Seniors Guide.