Why some young people look much older than they are?

[marghini]

This past week I suddenly started noticing that most of my coworkers and friends (both men and women) look much older than they really are.

While they are all in their late 20s/ early 30s, most of them have pretty deep lines, crows feet, visibly dry skin, bad posture and shape and generally not youthful physical appearance.

I wonder if this has anything to do with bad lifestyle (sun exposure, bad diet, alcohol, smoking) or if it is normal to show signs of aging as such a young age. Perhaps I look much older than I am too

Any thought?

LOL mumsnet is very hooked on how 'healthy living' means you will look fabulous and live forever. If you look old, it's because you drink, smoke, eat 'processed food'. If you are overweight, it's because you drink, smoke, eat 'processed food'. Can cancer? You know why! Got any disease? It's all your fault, you live an unhealthy lifestyle.

It's tedious, boring, smug bollocks.

JustMuddling makeup, face creams and topical nasties that we are told slow down the aging process can have the opposite affect.

Maybe they have more financial worries than you, OP. IYNWIM

Is it smug bollocks expat or is there some truth in the saying that you are what you eat. I most certainly believe that food we put in our bodies is either going to nourish it and keep it healthy or potentially cause problems. We have a choice don't we?

I wouldn't say having a hard life or having worries really ages you... Or it hasn't me, anyway. I'm 33 and one of the most anxious people I know. Have had my fair share of crap happen too, been to about 15 funerals and no weddings in my life!

I think genes matter. My mum has always looked young for her age and I do too. I often wish I didn't! It's not easy when you want to be taken seriously in a professional context or when arranging quotes for work in the house etc. when everyone thinks you're 23 rather than 33.

It's smug bollocks, Always. Some people have genetic makeups that predispose them to age faster than others.

'I most certainly believe that food we put in our bodies is either going to nourish it and keep it healthy or potentially cause problems.' Perhaps, to some extent, but it's no guarantee of much of anything.

I've been to more funerals than I can count, Gone. I'll tell you the one that aged me most: my 9-year-old daughter's.

Too much alcohol, too much sugar, too much coffee and too much shit grey food.

No exercise and no fresh air.

That's why they look older. Stress too.

And smoking.

Just avoid all this and you'll look younger (like me)

Ok we shall have to agree to differ expat.

Oh come on people, get real.

You are what you eat. Totally.

I know, I've tried eating rubbish and looked rubbish. Eat well and look good.

No brainer.

'I most certainly believe that food we put in our bodies is either going to nourish it and keep it healthy or potentially cause problems.'
See, to me this seems overly simplistic. I think it is more a complex interaction between genetics and quality of food that varies on an individual basis. For instance, I have read studies that suggest eating particularly healthy diets can reduce an individual's risk of various cancers such as breast cancer. Yet, as a BRCA2 gene cancer my risk is an 80% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, diet regardless.

Sun exposure? OP, I take it you're not in the UK?

Many of us look ten years younger when we leave the office.

Carrying extra weight, wearing thick makeup, both are very ageing.

I thought I had a party lifestyle in the eighties but my early twenties student kids are up practically all night when they go out on the town: while they were home over Christmas they often caught the seven o clock morning train home from nights out. They drink far more than I did and I suspect use substances I would have found quite scary.

'Oh come on people, get real.

You are what you eat. Totally.

I know, I've tried eating rubbish and looked rubbish. Eat well and look good.

No brainer.'

Total ignorance. Some people age differently from others. Some people have hormonal issues or medical conditions that affect their skin or body no matter what they eat.

Some people have genetic predispositions that mean diet has no impact on conditions that may arise in them and adversely affect their health/looks.

Toffee you should write a book on clean living......

I don't doubt there is in some cases substance to the unhealthy diet/partying etc thing. But some people just naturally look older,regardless of their lifestyle. Acting like looking older is always some sort of divine retribution for not living 'clean enough' is ridiculous.

Some people have hormonal issues or medical conditions that affect their skin or body no matter what they eat. Some people have genetic predispositions that mean diet has no impact on conditions that may arise in them and adversely affect their health/looks

Well, yes. This you cannot choose.

Eating junk you can choose. Or not.

Even if you do have hormonal issues or medical conditions I'm sure if you eat a good varied diet, you would look better than if you eat junk.

Can't think of many medical professionals who would dispute that.

My diet is horrendous (AN) I look 16/17 I'm 25.

and many people can help those hormonal and medical conditions by chosing to eat foods that will help and heal rather than inflame or make worse.

Genetics mixed with what you do.

I look about 16!

And the OP isn't being judgemental. Some people look old.

always makeup doesn't damage your skin that's a load of bull. You sound like one of those natural nuts.

And for many it makes no difference. Why judge? Or assume? There are all kinds of reasons why some might appear older than they are, even lighting can have an effect. It's simplistic and ignorant to assume automatically anything about a person's lifestyle, diet, habits.

It's similarly smug, simplistic and ignorant to assert, 'I look younger than I am' (a subjective conclusion) because my lifestyle is so much better than others. If it makes a person feel better, hey, fine, but it's a fallacy.

Has anyone said that expat?

'And for many it makes no difference.'

Yes, of course.

But not for those on a Style and Beauty thread, perhaps?

I couldn't really give a shit how most people look - I try and look my best, that's all.

Jeese.

Lord above Expat, chill out.