(Aging Untold) — Bodies change as we age, and body-image concerns can persist. The “Aging Untold” experts suggest ways to embrace these changes and feel confident at any age.

One is to view aging as a “superpower,” according to aging expert Amy O’Rourke.

And gerontologist Sondra “Sam” Cradduck views the “battle scars” gained on the journey of aging as signs of a life well-lived that should be embraced.

“You’ve got to be happy with who you are and I think that’s where we fail so much is we’re always trying to paint things and make things look better so other people see what we want them to see,” she said.

“Fountain of youth” vs. function

Body-image issues can continue as we age because some people are looking for the “fountain of youth,” according to board-certified physician Dr. Rhea Rogers.

Research shows that older women share some of the same dissatisfaction with their appearance as younger women, but that displeasure can soften with age as attention shifts toward how the body functions, according to the Canadian Journal on Aging.

“You have some people who are looking at function and they’re embracing function and they’re saying, hey, body image is going to be the same, but I’m enjoying my body where it is right now and I’m acknowledging that and I’m going to focus on my strength, my balance and some things like that,” Rogers said.

As we age, the body adapts.

“The body is trying to adapt and use resources on the organs that are the most important, like your brain, your heart and your lungs, and so now your tissues and your skin and your hair, they’re the least priority although some people make that more priority,” Rogers said.

“Classic cars of society”

In addition to biology, society is also a factor in body image.

There’s a mindset that youth equals worth and an antiaging movement, Cradduck said, noting that billions of dollars are spent to keep people from doing what they are naturally doing — aging.

“I’ve always said our aged community are the classic cars of society, and you can see classic cars that are pristine and they look like they’ve been garage-kept, and you’re like, why didn’t you use it?” Cradduck said.

A little road rash and some dings are signs that someone enjoyed the car and that’s how she feels about aging too.

“If we age perfectly, what life did we really live?” Cradduck said. “I think they’re the battle scars of a life well-lived and we need to embrace it and not be so worried about what we look like.”

Pushing back and sharing life lessons

Beyond accepting physical changes, aging brings another benefit: the confidence to share hard-won wisdom.

“I like blowing young people out of the water. They start talking about these wackadoodle ideas about what they think, what they’re going to do, and then you just throw a zinger out there of your experience and you watch them stop and listen,” O’Rourke said. “That’s what I’m after because I’ve lived through some tough stuff and it’s made me stronger.”

O’Rourke encourages people to talk about their experiences, including when they feel irrelevant and invisible.

“I’ve had that experience but then I open my mouth,” she said.

There is also an opportunity to take initiative and show the people coming up behind you how aging can be done well.

“People say, oh interview older people and get their experiences and I’m going to say to the older person, open up your mouth and share your experience. Don’t wait to be asked,” she said.

“Not going to go away quietly”

As Baby Boomers and Gen X age more vocally and visibly, they might reshape how society views and values aging itself, according to aging well coach Katherine Ambrose.

“I think that’s going to be a change that we just naturally see with Boomers, younger Boomers and Gen X, like, ‘I’m not going to go away quietly, I want to give my wisdom, I want to participate, I want to engage and be involved,’ and so younger people might have a little harder time dismissing people,” Ambrose said.

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