Getting old isn’t easy. It can be tough to come to terms with the fact that the body that took you through your 20’s may be starting to show signs of aging. When you find yourself in your 30s, you’re sooner or later going to be faced with the realization that, no matter how you’ve taken care of yourself, you are now in the middle of the precipice of change—and it isn’t always for the better.
Between your new hairline and excessively tired-looking eyes, early signs of aging and stray gray hairs, this age is when a whole host of new grooming issues begin to rear their unpleasant heads. Which is exactly where we come in, with a full head-to-toe rundown of all the things that might go wrong when it comes to grooming in your 30s, plus instruction on how to fix them and prevent further destruction. Because there’s a difference between accepting a decline and working with it.
Hair: Unless you’re extremely blessed, you’re likely to see some pattern of two different occurrences happen to the strands atop your head in the next few years: thinning and greying. The first, which affects more than two-thirds of men, can be due to any number of inner causes. Including, most notably, male pattern hair loss, a genetic condition related to a buildup of the testosterone byproduct DHT, which cause hair to thin. And the last? That’s purely due to the pigment cells in your hair follicles stopping to manufacture melanin as you age.
There’s essentially nothing, aside from interfering procedures and hormone therapy, that will reverse what’s happening to your hair. Sure, you can try dyeing it, or getting plugs, but wouldn’t it be simpler to adjust to what you’ve got? That’s not to say, however, that you shouldn’t make the most of it.
Face: Your face goes through a lot on a daily basis. And when you were younger, it could handle all of that, due to this fairy-tale protein called collagen, which gives skin its elasticity and power. Once you pass 30, collagen levels often start to drop. This leads to things like fine lines and wrinkles, especially in areas where the skin is solvent such as around the eyes. Ever wonder why you look more worn-down these days after a long night out? Collagen, or a lack thereof, is the offender. So, here’s what you need to do: stock up on collagen-boosting, anti-age moisturizer and eye cream, and use them both every day to keep you skin renewed and youthful for longer.
Ears and Nose: In an ideal world, your hair on your head would stay within a set of socially conventional limits, keeping itself for places like your scalp, chin and cheeks. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the world you live in and the older you get, the more likely that you’re going to start seeing abundant fur pop out from places you never would have anticipated—most stunningly, the until now-neglected pits of your nose and ears. Similarly, it’s the time to invest in a solid set of tools to whack your way through the weeds. Our suggestion: an electric trimmer. With different head attachments, it’ll also cover a heap of other priming needs on top of maintaining your nose-bush. Such as your eyebrows, which, by the way, are about to come in fuller than ever.
Hands: Remember what we said earlier about collagen dwindling in your 30s? Well, you’ll start to notice the skin on your hands yielding to the effects of those decreased levels right about now too. So, before destruction becomes everlasting, it’s important that you do everything in your power to help your hands remain in tip top shape, including nourishing them every day with a hydrating hand cream.
Aside from skin, though, there’s another part of your hands that merits a touch of extra attentiveness: your nails. Sure, they may not seem like a great deal, but any harm caused now could last the rest of your life, since as you age your body gets worse at recouping. Thus, from here on out, you should be keeping your nails as fresh and well-trimmed as possible either on your own with a manicure set.
Back: Comparable to what you’re dealing with in your ears and nose, there’s a high chance that you’re going to have a flock of drifting follicles take up home across your back in the years to come—if they haven’t already. Good news is, this one’s an easy solution; all you need to do is book an appointment at a waxer. It might be painful, but you’re a big strong man, and you can handle it.
Feet: Essentially, take all we said about your hands, apply it to your feet and you should have no problem sporting sandals if you dare. You could also consider going to a salon and getting a pedicure with your spouse. You’d be surprised at how many men actually go to get their nails clipped and callouses removed. They make your experience super manly too, so don’t worry about feeling out of place.
