taking years off

[petral]

If someone wants to know something and another person refuses to give a hint (dialogue as follows):
- The supsense is TAKING YEARS OFF ME. See this hair? It's pure dye. I'm white as a goose underneath.

Does the person mean that the suspense is making her younger or older?
I don't understand which way it goes!
VERY grateful for help!

[SomeOne]

If someone wants to know something and another person refuses to give a hint (dialogue as follows):
- The supsense is TAKING YEARS OFF ME. See this hair? It's pure dye. I'm white as a goose underneath.

Does the person mean that the suspense is making her younger or older?
I don't understand which way it goes!
VERY grateful for help!

And what do you think it suppose to mean, when the persons are dyeing their hair, trying to hid from the rest that they're completely white by reason of the supsense?
I think that it's all about senescence..

Syntactically. How do you interpret the phrase: "Get your hands off me!" Does it sound like you want somebody to lay his hands upon you or vice versa you want him to get his hands away? ;)

[Rusty]

If someone wants to know something and another person refuses to give a hint (dialogue as follows):
- The supsense is TAKING YEARS OFF ME. See this hair? It's pure dye. I'm white as a goose underneath.

Does the person mean that the suspense is making her younger or older?
I don't understand which way it goes!
VERY grateful for help!
I can see your confusion. (1) "...take years off" often means to make one appear younger. Example: This new night cream is taking years off my face.
(2) In your sentence, the meaning is the opposite. It means that his life is being shortened by years. The key to understanding is "suspense," "I'm white... underneath." (1) is viewed as a good experience, i.e. makes one younger. (2) is viewed as a bad experience, i.e. takes years off a life.

[petral]

Thank you for your answer. Yes, I was confused because normally I have thought that "taking years off" means that one becomes younger ...