Ustacallmelola

I honestly have aged 10 years in the last 5. When I was about 41 ish, I had these young girls I had gotten to know shocked that I was 40. They thought early 30's. I was lucky genetically that way. Now I get the feeling that people think I am older than my husband when he is in fact older than me.

My eyes are saggy and puffy now where they did not used to be. I have that ruddish complexion that I cover with makeup. I am dehydrated so my overall skin look is not great. I hate the way I look now. It is depressing. Please tell me it gets better over time and my skin will repair itself. I do not expect 100% after the abuse I have put it through, but I would like some hope.

Doug39

I am 59 days sober and I look better already. I compare myself to pictures from the last few years.

My skin isn't all dried out and blotchy. I am not all bloated - but I did drop 25 pounds since I stopped the booze. But I feel better - I am not sore and achy every morning.

Berrybean

It def gets better. I think, as well, that when we're depressed and hopeless (like I certainly felt at the end of my drinking, and the beginning of my sobriety ) everything kind of sags. Our eyes are dull. We're not so attractive because we're kinda depressing to be around. Or maybe that was just me?!?!

Anyway. I reckon it was about 8 months into sobriety people at work started asking me about my skin. Why had it got glowed? (I shrugged and got a bit embarrassed, no one had ever complimented my skin before). Anyway. Over the last year or so I've got more used to compliments. A colleague stopped me in the corridor to say how beautiful I look nowadays earlier this week as well - an older lady who doesn't generally talk to me much. Very sweet of her. My sponsor and AA friends say I glow now as well. And my long-term partner of 25 years has even paid a few compliments. I'm not sure I always see what they see, but then I'm not looking so hard in the mirror nowadays. It doesn't seem so important now I feel good.

I have def watched people in AA who came in after me start to look better as they work through their recovery. I certainly can't think of anyone who looks worse than they did when they came in!

Midwest1981

I am almost 7 months sober and my skin is a lot better! I look like I am glowing.
Your skin will look tons better!! I don't drink soda either.

DesertDawg

Being a man, my experience is probably different from what yours will be: I lost a little weight, not a lot -- I chalk that up to just being more physically active, but I wasn't really overweight to begin with. The biggest difference was that after about a month, my face looked markedly thinner (read: not swollen and bloated) it wasn't "saggy" around my eyes, and my skin was not all red, blotchy and dry. When drinking I looked like a had a really bad, permanent case of rosacea.

Ustacallmelola

My face started breaking out a few weeks ago and I NEVER get zits. That horrified me.

Bananas44

I noticed a difference after a week and it still gets better. You will look and feel better, I promise.

Aellyce

I am in my early 40s, was 39 when I first got sober. Noticed differences even just a few days in. I was asked by my female students around 2 months of sobriety if I had any fancy cosmetic facial treatments, like Botox injections or other fillers? Never even considered any of those. Then perhaps I am using a new kind of makeup, or apply it differently? Nope. Just no drinking and getting much better rest. I also had the bloating thing that completely went away after a couple weeks.

I think that in addition to no booze, it's also that many of us consciously pay more attention to various elements of self care that we tended to neglect while drinking.

shortstop81

It's been about 6 weeks for me and there's a subtle difference in my facial appearance. My skin tone is healthier, it used to be a very pale, ashen colour. My face is slimmer, probably from less bloating and some weight loss. My complexion is great - never been clearer (used to have occasional breakouts). Also the dark circles under my eyes have improved greatly - I barely use concealer anymore because I don't need it as much.

I mean, I haven't gone from zero to a 10, but I a pretty solid 6 and climbing.

FarToGo

You can look forward to many improvements, I promise. Skin, eyes, hair, figure, fitness, sleep .... And the last two feed back into your appearance over and over. I'm 51 and in much better shape than I was 10 years ago.
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