The Age of Anti-Aging

It used to be the case that wrinkles were a sign of wisdom,
and laugh lines a symbol that a woman had lived her life
joyfully and enviably. Nowadays, however, women are
eternally searching for ways to get rid of those life
lines, erasing all visible clues of their true age. With
manufacturers mass-producing creams, lotions, dyes and
pills to combat our aging skin, hair, and bodies, the stress
is falling more than ever on how we look on the outside.
Unfortunately, those days when what was inside really
mattered seem to be behind us.

Several decades ago, a grandmother was someone with silver
hair and bifocal glasses, a loving relative who looked her
age and made us feel more comfortable because of it. Today,
however, grandmothers may run around in spandex and midriff-
baring tops, sporting dyed blonde hair and contact lenses
instead of the glasses we remember. Grandma goes to the gym
instead of into the kitchen to bake cookies. Yes, things
have changed, theres no doubt about. Even our dear
grandmothers have succumbed to the pressure to look as young
as humanly possible.

That pressure is evident in every drugstore and department
store in the form of pills, lotions, herbal remedies and
other natural treatments. The market is chock-full of anti-
aging substances promising us the miraculous fountain of
youth. Even if we are skeptical, we try them anyway, hoping
against hope-and, in the process, fattening the wallets of
the manufacturers. If you open any magazine you will see
young faces held up as paragons of beauty. Turn on the TV
and the shows are all aimed at the younger generations.
American society is youth-obsessed, so no wonder there is
such a flood of anti-aging potions.

But creams, pills and even surgery are only the tip of the
iceberg. Today, there are hundreds of organizations and
medical and scientific associations devoted to the unending
quest for our lost youth. There is actually an international
body that puts all of its efforts and energy into the study
and practice of regenerative medicine. Even for the most
youth-obsessed among us, that level of scientific
commitment may be a little hard to believe.

Scientific breakthroughs in anti-aging may be imminent.
One recent study showed that an anti-seizure drug meant
for humans had the effect of drastically slowing down
the aging process in worms. The implications for humans,
of course, are being explored. Envision a world in which
we all looked half as old as we really were

Perhaps that scenario is attractive in some ways, but
what about the fact that well no longer have grandmothers
who look like grandmothers, or even mothers who look like
mothers? What is so wrong with aging gracefully, and
naturally? If society continues with its youth obsession,
our childrens children may never know the joy of Grandmas
homemade chocolate chip cookies. Instead, Grandma will pass
them a Power Bar before heading off for a day at the spa.

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Article By: aditya garg

Listed In: Aging