A bit off topic......sorta.

Hope you don’t mind a stage IIB answering here - but we have enough similarities that I wanted to answer. I had a hyst/oooh 9 years before diagnosis, when I was 45. I am almost 62 now. I have been on either Femara or Arimidex since mid-2011. Most people don’t guess my age - I think it is partly because I was also diagnosed with skin cancer, at 35, so I have minimized my sun exposure. I get regular hydrating facials with microdermabrasion, use a Vit C serum, and Argan oil based moisturizer. I just had my eyebrows micro-bladed, and the permanent makeup artist mentioned the benefit of doing some needling to stimulate collagen production - the before and afters showed improvement especially across the cheek and jawline where I am seeing some minor sagging and wrinkling.

Right there with you guys - especially the wrinkly mouth! I was curious if it's due to drinking bottled water all day long. And my neck is looking more like a chicken's every day - when I pull it tight I realize how smooth it used to be. I use Oil of Olay serum at night and their facial cleanser twice a day, but haven't been all that careful otherwise with skin products. When I was a kid, I'd get mightily offended if people guessed me to be younger than I was - but now I wonder what age 62 would look like if I still had my ovaries and hadn't been on Arimidex for 11+ years.

Will follow this thread with interest!

Julie

Lack of estrogen has an aging effect naturally.....so it is no surprise that anti-hormonal are aging us. We can't seem to get a break from the effects of cancer, can we! The tinted moisturizer by Nivea is really effective. I put a bit on my hand and some water and put it on and it makes a significant difference...plus it has some sun blocking in it. Doesn't sit in wrinkles like a lot of face makeups do.

I’m a stage 1A but had ooph and taking AI. I have found a few things that seem to help. Some are old school things I haven’t used in years, some are products I’ve just discovered in my quest, and others were by chance.

Aging of face: small amount of Noxzema lightly massaged over face, neck, and décolletage before bed (you shouldn’t be able to see it on your skin and don’t rinse). A very very small bit of Vaseline under eyes (amount the size of a pin head). Pur cosmetics green undereye treatment and Clinique Moisture Surge as a daily moisturizer in the morning.

Aging of hands and body: Cetaphil lotion + massage oil applied 1-2 times a day. So this started as just wanting some scent to the lotion but turns out it has helped with the aging look. The oil is just a lavender or Thai lemongrass scented massage oil from The Body Shop. I buy the Cetaphil in a pump bottle. Ratio of lotion to oil is 1 pump of Cetaphil to 1-2 drops of oil. 2 pumps covers 1 whole leg from hip to toes or tummy and both arms, and hands

Hope some of this helps!

The effects of the sun's rays on our skin is a big damaging and aging factor. Lack of estrogen accelerates it, of course, but protecting skin from the sun should be our first-line anti-wrinkle treatment.

Sunscreen moisturizer, with a high SPF, every day. I like EltaMD Skincare UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40. It's a tinted moisturizer and doesn't smell like coconuts or bananas. When I'm riding my bike, I wear strong sunscreen on my arms and hands too. Driving in the car, I wear gloves, long sleeves, and a scarf to cover my chest and neck. The sunshine will come right in those car windows and wreck our skin!

Check out Coolibar for their sun blocking clothing. I like their gloves, scarves, long-sleeve/high neck swim shirts, and cardigans.

When I remember "laying out" as a teenager, using baby oil to help with the frying process, and ending my summers with leathery, walnut-hued skin...well, I wish I could give my young, vain self a good talking-to!

There was a previous thread concerning hyaluronic acid and breast cancer - there are some possiblecontraindications. Here are some links:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02331212

https://www.yourhealthremedy.com/health-tips/hyaluronic-acid/

https://www.cancertreatmentsresearch.com/the-hyaluronic-acid-cage-to-open-or-not-to-open/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4791948/

http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/hyaluronicacid.html

Wish I could blame the thinning hair and crepey skin on anastrozole -- this is year 12 -- but when you START taking AI therapy at 62...

Just glad it's doing what it's intended to do. And looking old and frail gets me a seat on BART (sometimes)

Well, I thought my face looked like hell after my recurrence so after radiation gave me terrible capsular contracture, when I had my revision I had a chin lift. Best 7k I ever spent! Got rid of a lot of my jowels though I was only 45 at the time. I'm 46 now. If I make it til 50 I'm going to Italy, and 55...it's full on facelift for me. I worry about how the scars will look if and when I ever lose my hair again but...who cares!

KCMC, based on your recommendation, I bought a Clarisonic Mia during yesterday's Amazon Prime Day.

By this time next week I better look like a young, dewy-faced version of myself!

Well said, WC3.

Has anyone tried Korean skin care products? I've read they're the bomb. Costco has a full-size product sampler for $149 and I've read it's a smoking deal, but I can buy a lot of Neutrogena for $149.

OK, this thread is just fun.

sbelizabeth, I recently read an article (actually more like an ad) that touted Korean cosmetics. According to the ad, Korean products only use natural ingredients, no man-made chemicals, that are targeted for specific areas of your face. I don't know if that's true—I haven't tried them, but the article was written from the perspective of a caucasian woman who asked a Korean acquaintance what she used, as her friend looked decades younger than her actual age.

I do think a lot of it is genetics, but good skin care certainly doesn't hurt.

So, is Hyaluronic Acid safe to use or not? I'm still confused.

I use it topically as a serum on my face only and see it in loads of skin care products. I do not take it as a supplement or injection. It has helped to reduce dry skin and fine wrinkles dramatically in my case, but if it can cause a recurrence, then will discontinue use. Does anyone know the answer here? Would like to know both answers topical skin use and oral supplements. Thanks in advance. Scary stuff as I'm just reading this now and have slathered the stuff on for the past year and a half!

Egads007-Thank you. Your post sounds correct. I also questioned whether or not HA was an issue topically since it does not enter the bloodstream. I'll double check with my MO as well next time. Will also check out collagen now to add to my routine. Thank you again for your response!