AIBU to think that some people automatically age and look a good bit older when they hit 30

Why on earth do you thibk it is sad that a woman who is 30 or more (?) Doesn't look like a teen? It would be very odd if she did!
And 5 years at 25 is much more significant than 5 years later in life.
You are 20? Which makes you only 2/3 of her age. Of course she looks older.

I'm 39 and people still mistake me for being in my twenties. It's all to do with genes in my opinion. My grandparents to my parents all look a lot younger than their age.
That's not to say I don't see the changes in myself. I have the odd grey hair and am a lot heavier around the middle which is very depressing as I eat well and walk everywhere but this is what happens I guess.
Being late thirties has made me feel old for the first time and it is tough navigating the changes. Yes, the alternative is worse etc but I personally am finding it very tough.

Your still growing until your around 28 yrs, then you begin to degenerate, so yes that would make sense. I remember spotting the first line on my face at 28, my back went for the first time at 28, I had the first weird face hair appear at 28.

OP, your stance of looking at another person with this sort of lens is only showing the world your insecurities. It is painfully obvious - are you feeling ok? Maybe something you have grown up with (having to look or act a certain way can influence your thinking even if you think it doesn’t).

Varies a lot, my dc is 23 and can pass for under 16 her dsis is just 2 years later and always looked older, could get her hands on alcohol easily at 16 because she looked 25. Me, well no one believes me when I tell them my age, I look at least 10 years younger

Hmm I'd say about 32 I suddenly aged. Fine lines etc. At 35 I could maybe pass for 27. But certainly not for a teen like I used to.

I think it really depends on the individual 🤔

I remember being ID'd in a bar at 34 😊 So I guess I still looked young into my 30s!!

I'm late 40s now and definitely look my age or older, sadly!

My mum used to say, when the neck goes that's it! My necks gone (south) :( sadly!

I have photos of myself aged 27, newly married. I could pass for early 20s, I was slim, dressed well, cared about my skincare regime and makeup. Forward 3 years and I had 2 under 2, had piled on weight from back to back pregnancies and had a non existent skincare routine because when I finally got a minute I just wasn't motivated enough and dark circles from a lack of sleep. At 30 my white hairs erupted too and I've been dyeing my roots ever since. Fast forward 8 years and another baby later, I'm dropping the weight have a good skincare routine to help with my dry skin and am investing in myself again.

I'd be less judgemental if I were you. None of us can fight age, it catches up with us all at some point, taking the time to invest in self care can help but a person has to have the funds, time and motivation to do it.

Anyway the moral of the story is OP is a shallow naive wally and should watch The Substance.

I was always pretty ok with my appearance until about 37. I was never particularly vain or invested in physical looks.

But between 37-40 there's been enormous changes. I've had 3 big bereavements, a very unwell husband, become the carer for elders very unexpectedly. I do not look like the same person at 40 than at 37.

But I feel I've saved peoples lives, supported my family, pulled loved ones through crisis, and were still alive. There's been no time to give a fuck about looks. My eyebags have eyebags, but Im ok with that.

We're all going to be old and wrinkly in the end, we can't escape it. You have to just survive.

Funnily we watched The Substance a couple days ago and I was overjoyed by the message 😂

It isn't sad. Looking like a teenager (a child) isn't the flex you think it is. Being older is actually great, looking and being treated as someone with more to offer, experience and wisdom is a good thing. Don't live your life being afraid of aging, you might surprise yourself at how much joy you find in it.

There was a study about how at a certain age (44 and 60) you age rapidly. Sadly this is true for me. Got a hernia and glasses at 44 and skin got dryer, hair is falling. This would have bothered me immensely at 30 but I don't care that much at 44 except when my back is hurting...

Not 30, no. But 40 is the age at which a more apparent aging can start to happen. It's mainly caused by perimenopause, and life stresses at that age. By late 40s everyone is very obviously middle-aged looking unless you have amazing genes, a relatively stress free life with lots of time to devote to yourself, and a late perimenopause, I think.

Just what I was about to say.

Who cares? This thread reeks of insecurity and low self esteem.

There was an article in the Mail online over the weekend. People are divided into three types of face aging. Those that wrinkle, sinkers or saggers! I personally don’t have any wrinkles (mid 40s) but I still look my age as a ‘sagger’!

OP...
First why the hell do you care? Do you examine your and your friends' faces obsessively for signs of aging and compare them all the time? If so... why? Isn't that pointless and boring and playing into the hands of a misogynistic culture that wants us all to be insecure about ourselves?

And what's so special about looking young anyway? Sure, it is an advantage in terms of dating, although only really initially. After that first connection, other things start to count more (except for partners who are imcredibly shallow and who will end up ditching women longer-term anyway once some sort of age signs do appear).

Everyone ends up aging. There is nothing wrong or noteworthy about this. Also: there is no pattern involving suddenly ageing a lot around 30, I suspect. Individuals age at different rates at different times depending on genetics, hormones, life experiences etc.

Why is it sad?

getting older is a luxury that isn’t afforded to us all.

get some perspective.

Sad that a 30 yo no longer looks like a teen?

I too had this ‘it won’t happen to me mentality’ in my early 20s, almost judging ppl for showing natural signs of aging.

You’re in for a shock!!

I'm 33 and people regularly think I'm a teen/early 20s. I'm small tho, short and petite figure and no lines yet - so that's probably why.

I know people who look middle aged in their 20s so I don't think there's anything magically aging about hitting 30. All my friends in their 30s are in shape and look fairly young still

PS - edit to add that people sometimes ask me if I'm Chinese (I'm not, I'm British) because I have a face shape like that, so interesting to see other posters say the people they know who look really young are Chinese

Some people is doing some heavy lifting here. Some people (most I'd suggest) look no different. Why should 30 or any age be a magic cut off?

For me this definitely coincided with the arrival of DC1. However I also suddenly looked 10 years younger when I left an unhappy marriage - it can work both ways.

I’ve noticed friends ageing and then “recovering” for less dramatic reasons (minor health issues, family worries). People I know well enough to be sure they haven’t had any work done.

My Chinese friend is 50+ and like this
Flawless and not a line or wrinkle in sight. The woman looks fabulous 👌🏾.

It's not sad that a 32 year old doesn't look like a teen. It is in fact normal. Why is aging bad exactly? It will happen to you too op if you're lucky