Continuation of 10 Areas That Show Your Age-click here for the first half of the article:

This is the 2nd half of 10 areas that tell your age.  It was a rather long article so I decided to split it into two regular length articles.  

Area #6:  Ease up on the elbows.  Propping your weight on elbows can dry them out and make the skin look flaky and ashy.  With time, elasticity diminishes and the skin around the elbows droop as well.

Fix:  Exfoliate elbows to remove the dry, thickened skin and then moisturize to keep them smooth and fresh.  You can also use a product that contains ingredients which stimulate collagen production such as an alpha hydroxy acid or vitamin A.

Sheer or ¾ sleeves can also provide coverage for this area. 

Area #7:    Navel no-no’s.  Pregnancy, weight gain and loss, and age bring about a change in the belly button shape. 

Fix:  The easiest fix is to cover your belly button by making sure your tops are long enough.  If you don’t want to wear a one piece swimsuit you can wear a tankini.  There is also a procedure called umbilicoplasty which tightens the skin.   This will require anesthesia so it is considered a serious procedure.

Area #8:  Hands down.  As we age we lose fat in the backs of our hands (why can’t that be the behind?)  Muscle tissue diminishes and skin thins making the appearance of tendons, veins, and the joints more prominent.  Sun damage causes brown spots, and years of not using gloves while gardening or in harsh chemicals further damages the skin.

Fix:  Use sunscreen generously.  Also, apply moisturizer and anti-aging products just as you would to your neck and chest.  Choose jewelry and nail polishes that don’t attract excessive attention to your hands. 

Area #9:  Put your best foot forward.  As we age the fat pads in our feet diminish.  Add to that pointy high heels, hours in gym shoes, and miles of walking and you are left with feet that are bumpy, callused, dry, and cracked.

Fix:  Make sure your shoes fit well or calluses and bunions will get worse.  Your feet spread out as you age so shoes may not fit as well anymore. 

Exfoliate feet with a loofah, pumice stone, or scrub.  You can mix a scrub at home using course or kosher salt and olive oil.  After exfoliating, slather on the moisturizer.  You can even put on socks to make the moisture treatment more intense.

Area #10:  What you knee-d to know.  The same thing happens to your knees as your elbows.  Loss of elasticity causes wrinkles and sagging to appear around the knee joint area. 

Fix:  Leg exercises help tighten this area.  Sit in a chair and extend your right leg and rest the heel on the floor.  Flex your foot with the toes pointing toward the ceiling.  Tighten the muscles in your thigh while trying to move the knee cap upward.  Hold for one or two seconds.  Do a set of 15-20 reps per leg once a day.

Capri pants which cover the knee are a flattering alternative to shorts and provide coverage for the knee area.  Be sure to keep the knee moisturized well also.