If you think you will wear the same shoe size for life, we have a surprise for you. As you age, your feet may increase slightly. And this is not the only body part that changes in size.
It may seem that upon reaching the age of 20–25, a person stops growing, except perhaps in width. However, there are body parts that become larger with age, and it’s not just about the waist. Conversely, certain body parts shrink.
What Becomes Larger
Feet
Studies have shown that in people over 40, the length of the foot increases by 3–4 mm every decade. There are several explanations for this.
Firstly, connective tendons and ligaments lose their elasticity, causing them to hold the bones of the foot together less effectively. As a result, the feet begin to slightly "spread" outward under the weight of the body.
Secondly, foot size is affected by hallux valgus deformity. This condition of the big toe joint can increase foot length by 8 mm and width by 4 mm.
Thirdly, swelling, which becomes more pronounced with age due to venous issues, is also to blame.
Nose
One thing we definitely don’t want to increase is the nose. However, with age, the soft elastic tissue that makes up the nose loses its firmness, causing it to droop. In 2002, a study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics measured the noses of 500 people aged up to 97 years. Observations showed that on average, the length of our nose increases by 5 mm between middle and old age. Moreover, this effect is more pronounced in men.
Additionally, as we age, our faces become thinner, and the fat layer diminishes, making the nose appear more "prominent."
Teeth
No, the erupted molars will not grow any larger. However, if in youth the length of the front teeth averages 10–12 mm, in old age it can reach 15–17 mm. What’s the secret?
The fact is that the gums thin and begin to recede, a condition known as gum recession. As a result, the teeth become increasingly exposed, even revealing the root of the tooth.
Eyebrows
Nature is certainly quite the joker. With age, hair growth on the head slows down by a third, but hair on the eyebrows, in the ears, and nostrils becomes longer and can reach 2–3 cm.
Here, female sex hormones are primarily to blame, as their levels decrease in both women and men. Against this backdrop, male hormones come into play, stimulating hair follicles in areas we don’t need.
Moreover, the cells that manage the hair growth cycle work less effectively with age, causing hair follicles in these areas not to receive the signal to stop growing.
Breasts
This is not the kind of growth we would want, of course. Unfortunately, breasts grow exclusively downward. Cooper's ligaments — the connective tissue that holds women's assets in place — reach only 2–3 cm during puberty, but with age, due to gravity, they stretch by 11 cm.
Earlobes
Earlobes lack a cartilaginous base or muscular framework. They are merely skin and fatty connective tissue, which loses elasticity and stretches significantly with age. Scientists have calculated that between the ages of 20 and 60, the length of the earlobe increases by 30–35%.
But it’s not just gravity at fault; our habits play a role too. Experts advise against wearing heavy earrings and not sleeping with earrings on: when we sleep, even tiny studs create pressure on the earlobe, thinning it out.
What Becomes Shorter
Spine
From ages 30 to 70, men can shrink by 2.5 cm, while women can decrease by 5 cm. Studies show that height begins to decline after 35. Although, of course, the changes are initially minor and hardly noticeable.
"Our intervertebral discs degenerate, lose water, and elderly people do indeed become shorter over the years," explains neurosurgeon Svetozar Pesnya-Prasolov.
The reason is that the intervertebral discs, which act as shock absorbers for the spine, lose fluid and flatten. Osteopath and physiotherapist Tim Allardyce adds, "As we age, the discs dehydrate and lose height."
"There are 23 discs in the spine, and if each loses 1 mm in height, that can total about 2 cm," Tim Allardyce tells the Express publication.
Penis
Men are unlikely to admit this, but you can’t go against physiology. Due to vascular issues, the penis fills with blood less effectively over the years, resulting in a decrease in size.
In one study involving more than 1,500 men, researchers found that on average, over 10 years, the length of the penis decreases by 0.12 cm, and when erect, by 0.7 cm each year. And of course, the main male asset is often hidden under a beer belly, which tends to grow over the years.
Nails
Nails grow fastest in teenagers, but from the age of 20, the growth rate gradually decreases. As a result, nails grow about three times slower with age than in youth. The reason is insufficient blood supply to the fingertips. Additionally, mineral deficiencies and hormonal imbalances can also slow nail growth.
