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?

Centrally heated/air con offices! and a Woodburner at home that's never off
I've changed departments and my skin feels dried out permanently. Even my go-to heavy duty moisturiser isn't keeping up - I'm even drinking more water now to compensate and peeling for England!

'Lord above Expat, chill out.'

Lord above, toffee, stop spouting bollocks.

Why, yes, Cats, several people have said just that

No they haven't. They've said certain things help them and may help others. Not that they think they're superior

Obviously genetics has a lot to do with it but it's not smug to say smoking/drug abuse and sun exposure age you, there's a lot of evidence for that. In addition, I think some things people do can age them without them realising, e.g. dying your hair (drying it out), makeup and fake tan, bad clothing or hairstyle choices, being overweight. A good diet, regular exercise and enough sleep can help reduce the effects of aging but obviously life gets in the way and it isn't possible for all of us to live the perfect healthy lifestyle.

Having said all that unless all your workmates have seriously bad lifestyles I'd think they will generally just look the age they are with a few lucky or unlucky exceptions.

TheCatsMeow Thanks for that. Bit rude really. Do some research. Makeup, facecreams etc can be full of toxic chemicals that I choose to not put onto my skin or allow to sink into my body.

Always most of that is pseudoscience. They are not toxic chemicals. It's scare mongering and that's why I was dismissive

Yes, they have, Cats. In answer the question, several responses have been full of assumptions like:

'Too much MacDonalds!'
'I'ts probably all that unhealthy living OP,'

and someone saying exactly this:

'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)'

And the OP is not talking about makeup, face creams but, as Justmuddling points out:
'The OP is not commenting on heavy make up though.She is querying if a bad lifestyle is responsible for pretty deep lines, crows feet, visibly dry skin, bad posture and shape and generally not youthful physical appearance. She is pointing out perceived flaws in her workmates.'

It's incredibly smug, ignorant and erroneous to assume that a person's looking aged to you in one setting is directly the result of smoking, drinking, bad food, etc. There's no real way to know why unless you know the person quite well personally and again, it's a subjective thing, how old someone looks.

TheCatsMeow I disagree but we are all entitled to our opinions.

If everyone you know looks old for their age isn't it more likely that they actually just look the age they are, and that you look like that as well as much as you wish you didn't?

I'm betting they put in new lighting at the office. Harsh lighting can make a baby look old. Maybe the op should check her own face under office lights

I think that many young women have a slightly 'hard' ageless look due to heavy make-up, contouring, fake tan, straighteners etc. They could be 21 or 35.

I also believe that stress and grief can be very ageing. I gained a deep forehead line in the fortnight around one of my parents dying.

But more rest/sleep/slower pace seems to make a difference to me, I notice.

expat aren't they just saying bad lifestyle can be a cause? Not that it's the only one

I am surprised that some people seem to be taking personal offence at my OP.

Actually my intention was not at all to come across as harsh, judgemental or arrogant (if I did, I apologize: English is not my mothertongue so a bit of a language barrier could be the culprit).

Moreover, I did not mean to state that a bad lifestyle is without any doubt the only reason why some people look older than they are. In my OP I was in fact asking myself (and other mumsnetters) what other factors could possibly play a role in such a phenomenon.

I was really just trying to start an open (and chilled!!) discussion based on empirical evidence about the possible causes of premature aging.

Every opinion or observation is considered judgemental these days, OP. I'm considering biting off all the letters on my keyboard to ensure that I don't inadvertently offend someone.

Anyhoo, most of the young 'uns round here are disgustingly attractive, it's like the awkward stage has been bred out of them, be grateful that you're surrounded by mingers

Yy to grief ageing you. My gums all but died off virtually overnight when my dad died. expat I'm so sorry for your enormous loss. Puts wrinkles into perspective.