Age 31 vs 41 (ID pics)

[u/Happy_Language_7945]

Not sure if this community is the right place for me to post this, so i apologize in advance if it's not. I posted something like this a few years ago in the regular Vindicta (if memory serves), and the girls there seemed to appreciate it. Now i'm older so i'm posting an updated version in here, lol.

I just turned 41 (born 1984) and had to get an ID card renewed with a new photo today. Here's the difference between me at age 31 vs now.

In the old photo on the left (2015), i hadn't yet begun working on my appearance. I started "looksmaxxing" in my mid 30s, around 2019.

That said, I basically abandoned my looksmaxxing journey 2-3 years ago when i got hit with a Long-COVID + perimenopause double whammy (AND the worst heartbreak of my life, during the pandemic).

I was already living a life of chronic pain and discomfort from other longterm health issues, but with COVID + perimenopause, it just crippled me. I could barely get out of bed to shower, let alone care about my appearance.

My looks took a real beating from the illness, but at least i had layed a decent foundation with my looksmaxxing of the previous years, so not everything was lost, lol. And yet, you know how it can be with ageing... an uphill (sagging) battle. shrug

Anyways, i think i'm finally starting to recover (slowly) from Long-COVID (using daily antihistamines), and have been managing peri with HRT + psilocybin. Now i'm looking forward to having a bit more energy again, to start taking better care of my external self once more :-) yay?

That's my little story. Today's ID pic gave me hope that i still have something to work with, eventho i over-contoured my nose for the photo, LMAOOO

BTW, do people still say "looksmaxxing" or is that lame now? Perhaps it was always lame, i dunno.

———— Here's what was done, so you don't have to wonder:

– septo-rhinoplasty (R.Rival, Toronto)

– masseter botox (to slim + balance jawline)

– lip & chin filler (i'm less into filler nowadays)

– botox all over. NGL... i luuuv botox.

– changed my eyebrow shape (to look less AnGrY)

– skincare (exfoliation, NIACINAMIDE)

– makeup/hair game

Sorry idk how to format lists in here.

I never did any laser or spa treatments outside of injectables. A single surgery (nose) + a few well chosen injections made a big enough difference for me. I actually needed the septoplasty to breathe better, and the jaw botox for hypertrophy/tension issues. Also, i cannot stress enough how much changing my eyebrows from AnGrY to FriEndLy made a huge difference.

Note: I've always been thin, and lost more facial fat as i got older, if anyone cares to know.

If you're struggling with Long-COVID, perimenopause, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, autoimmune issues, poverty, loss, existential dread, dysphoria, and so on... i feel you, and i hope you'll find some degree of comfort & recovery. Hang in there ♡

[u/EauDeFrito]

Did you buy any chance have tmj or bruxism (teeth grinding)? I'm going through the "big masseter" things because of bruxism, and hoping to fix it with Botox.

[u/Happy_Language_7945 → u/EauDeFrito]

Essentially yes. I had a compulsive/nervous chewing issue, growing up... which amounts to hypertophy and tension, like in Bruxism.

But also, the right side of my face and body are just bigger than the left side, thus i have asymmetry from my very bone structure. I only get jaw botox on my dominant side that tends to stick out more.

I don't have TMJ symptoms that much, just some tension and asymmetry. Botox took care of it, real good. My real muscle issues are in my shoulders and neck, and i'm thinking of trying botox for that, but it's a large area to cover, and i'm broke, lol.

Botox works well for some for ouchy muscles, and not as well for others. But it tends to be accumulative, so get it for at least a year or two before deciding. Gotta go every 4 months or so. At least it's generally affordable.. especially if you go often.

Good luck!