_ForceD_

This doesn’t really have anything to do with cycling, but I wonder if it has this occurred to anyone else? I’m 62 years old. When I was young — even as late as my early 50s — I would frequently see older guys…friends, acquaintances, and even strangers…who had mysterious wounds, lacerations, abrasions, and scars in various stages of healing on their forearms, and lower legs. And I’d wonder “What the heck is going on with all those scars?” It almost looked as if they didn’t know, care, nor even tried to treat them. I’d say to myself “I’m not going to let that happen to me when I get to that age.” Yet here I am. Sixty-two and frequently looking down at my forearms and lower legs with similar scars. Of course I can explain them, and I do at least try to treat them. War wounds from various yard work/pruning projects, mechanical endeavors, athletic accidents, etc. Why is it that this happens to old guys? Now I’m looking back at younger guys and don’t see it. What gives?

Dan

Steve B.

It’s simply decades accumulation of wounds. I cut myself all the time, I’m clumsy and just attract sharp objects. I joke that my bald head is a magnet for steel and concrete. As well, I worked in a business (technical theater) with a lot of hands on manual labor with objects and in conditions that were just dangerous at times, thus accumulated wounds and injuries. My thumbs can’t grasp, my ankles are shot and cause balance issues, my shoulders have had 2 surgeries to date.

Thus I have scars.

curbtender

Skin thins out with age and with recommended medicines you compound that. I have a neighbor who you can always tell that he's got a project going by the new bandages he is wearing.

10 Wheels

16 MPH Head Crash.
Had Brain Bleed. Surgery to Stop The Bleed

downtube42

Well I can't see for crap, can't hear so well, balance is sketchy, but I still do things.

canklecat

I had a bunch of injuries when I was younger but hardly any noticeable scars. I've usually healed without scars.

But with age my skin is literally thinner, bruises more easily, and scars more easily. My most visible scar is still barely visible, but it's there -- a thin vertical white slash about 1/2" long in my neck, from thyroid surgery a few years ago. It's more visible in summer because it doesn't tan so it appears lighter.

If not for a full body bone scan by the VA a few years ago, anyone who didn't know me wouldn't guess I'd had any injuries. But bone scans revealed fractures I wasn't even aware of, especially the ribs. Lots of injuries to the ribs and sternum from boxing and crashes from bicycle and motorcycle crashes, and other cracked bones I thought were just bruises or soft tissue injuries. Six cracked vertebrae in my spine, with a cervical vertebrae broken into two or three pieces, chronic arthritis pain from the cervical vertebrae. Busted up right shoulder from being hit by a car a few years ago, with the distinctive hump in the AC joint most folks get from similar injuries. But nary a scar to show as externally visible evidence.

indyfabz

Now imagine being on blood thinners since you were 25. years old.

_ForceD_

Oh damn. Yeah…I did have to take them briefly after one of my surgeries. Hip replacement I think. Every little scratch bled profusely.

Dan

pdlamb

For one thing all the young'uns are covered in tattoos. (A few of which, I'll admit, look good.)

Wonder how they'll manage all the surgeries we fifty plus'ers like to compare when the anesthesiologist goes looking for one good vein for an IV that's not covered in tats?

jon c. 

I've always got some cut healing on my arms these days. Can't do any sort of physical labor without managing to get a little bloody. But the real annoyance of aging is my hands are now always bruised. All I have to do is brush my hand against something and a bruise appears.

indyfabz

It's more the time it takes to heal and the resulting scaring it can cause, at least with me. I have a small abrasion on my knee from when I passed out and nearly died back at the end of December. It's still not completely gone. And I still have a red, lateral mark from the removal of my feeding tube at the end of March.

_ForceD_

Glad you’re still with us in spite of any scars.

Dan

Inusuit

At 79, I have a few. None bicycle related. Six inch scar on my left calf. A horse stepped on me after he bucked me off in a wreck. On the other leg, parallel scars where the same horse shied me into a barbed wire fence.

curbtender

I had someone who was offended by my Orwell quote and had to tell them it was a personal reflection. A couple of accidents, a collision with a guy playing football that ended with his front teeth stuck in my eyebrow and a bout with bells palsy. At least the palsy reduced some wrinkles that are inherent to us old guys, lol. We earned it, right?

GhostRider62

I feel like it is easier to bang me up and less easy to heal.

A kid slashed me in a hockey game last Sunday and the lumpy bruise or hematoma never would have happened when I was young, for a couple reasons.

My elbow looks like hell from two surgeries and one bloody trip into the desert during 24H race in Borrego Springs. Definately old guy elbow.

Bald Paul

Too many to list. Some from surgeries, some from my own stupidity, some work related, and some due to being hit by a car while riding a few years ago.
Remember the line from Shane Falco in "The Replacements"? - "Chicks dig scars."