20 v 45

Can you tell the difference between a 20 year old and a 45 year old? Sounds like an easy question, but other than wrinkles (that may even appear on a fresh faced youngster) and different clothing styles, can you really pinpoint exactly what the differences are?

If you're trying to beat the signs of aging and maintain that coveted youthfulness, you may want to focus on these 5 crucial points:

1. Slowing hair growth. Aging slows down hair growth because of the drop in hormone levels. While we may appreciate the resulting reduction of the amount of hair on our legs, it may not be such a good thing for the areas that we actually like it in: our eyelashes and eyebrows. Sparser hair growth in these areas is not as obvious as, let's say glabellar lines, but it does contribute to adding years to a person's appearance.

The solution?  Stop going crazy with the tweezers so you don't destroy the natural shape of your brows and get laser hair removal to first shape the eyebrows into something that truly compliments the rest of your face. Then use gloPrecision eye pencil & gloPrecision brow pencils to fill out out the brows. There isn't much you can do for eyelashes except to use some mascara along with a volume booster - that is until Allergan gets approval for their eyelash growth product.

2. New Facial Hair. While growth slows down in some areas, you'll begin to notice that other areas that you never had a problem with now become covered in hair. It's nice on men, but for women, a hairy chin or upper lip is definitely not something most of us find attractive. While levels of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are kept in check with high amounts of estrogen production in the younger years, they begin to increase as we age, when estrogen production slows. As a result, that soft and short facial hair, known as vellus, grows longer and thicker into hair known as "terminal".

The solution? You may want to try shaving and waxing, but laser hair removal is often considered you best bet since it is FDA-approved as a method of permanent hair reduction.

3. Loose skin on the face. A dead giveaway is the formation of jowls due to the weakening of muscles and skin elasticity on the face. These hanging chunks of skin hide the real bone structure of the jawline. Aging creates an irregular contour in the area that looks more "flabby" than swollen, as is the case with jowls formed from being overweight or existing water retention.

The cosmetic surgical solution? A facelift.

4. Droopy breasts. Probably the most detrimental to the female self image. After years of jumping around, pregnancy, weight fluctuations and badly fitted bras, the breasts succumb to gravity and begin to droop. Just like on the face, ligaments and skin elasticity weaken. The breasts no longer look forward or slightly upward; they look down and the upper portion flattens against the chest.

The cosmetic surgical solution?  No exercises, special foods, or creams will do. A breast lift is the only real and effective way to get a perkier set.

5. Thinning and wrinkling lips. Not even your lips are safe from aging. That cute little "cupid's bow" (the part of the top lip that forms the letter M) flattens out, both lips thin and the colour fades, making it almost indiscernable from the rest of your face. The once smooth surface becomes riddled with wrinkles, which is incredibly annoying if you're wearing lipstick because the colour bleeds. The loss of collagen is the main culprit.

The cosmetic surgical solution? Lip augmentation. A great way to plump up those lips, fill out the wrinkles and reclaim that sexy pout you once had.

6. Droopy/puffy eyelids and crow's feet. Checking out the mirrors of the soul is often the easiest way to figure out someone who's about to go over the hill. Look for sagging of the upper eyelids, puffiness in the lower eyelids, and those deep creases at the outer corners of the eyes we all know as crow's feet.

The cosmetic surgical solution? Injectables for crow's feet and eyelid surgery for droopy and puffy eyelids.