Ladies' Room

The seven signs of your real age

Did you know that our skin starts to show the signs of ageing in our late 20s? Even more so for those who live an unhealthy lifestyle and are constantly exposed to the sun.

Wrinkles maybe a woman's worst fear when it comes to the tell-tale signs of how old you are.

But other body parts can give your age away too. Here's how to battle them:

1. Wrinkly knees

Baggy-looking knees occur because muscles slacken with age and sun damage. They can also crop up after radical weight loss.

Prevent it: Cycling - it keeps them in good shape inside and out without putting too much strain on them.

2. Bingo wings

As we get older the muscle tone in our arms becomes slacker, leading to saggy skin.

Prevent it: Swimming, skipping or even housework can do it help to tone your arms.

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As we age, gravity takes over and our buttocks begin to droop and change shape.

Prevent it: Swimming - especially breaststroke, it is ideal with the leg-kick targeting the glutes and forcing them to work hard.

4. Crepey chest

The skin on your neck and chest is particularly thin, making it less elastic and more susceptible to sun damage, stretching and creasing.

Prevent it: High factor sun cream - worn on your chest and your neck all year round

5. Witchy hands

The skin and fat on our hands becomes a lot thinner with age and sun damage, making veins much more prominent.

Prevent it: Soap-free hand cleanser - such as LeRemedi by Jessica HandCleanse (8.95 for 250ml) and follow with lots of hand cream containing sunscreen, such as No7 Time Resisting Hand Cream with SPF 15 (10.25, 75ml).

6. Jowls

The skin under the jaw is one of the first places to lose elasticity and give away ageing.

Prevent it: Don't smoke - it breaks down collagen round the mouth and jaw, encouraging wrinkles and drooping. Avoid jogging on hard surfaces as it makes muscles shear away from the skin and sag.

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Breasts are vulnerable to gravity because they contain no muscles to help keep them up.

Prevent it: Wear a supportive bra, especially if you're big-busted, and never exercise without a sports bra. Use a bust cream daily to keep skin supple, such as Clarins Bust Beauty Lotion (31, 50ml)