Is it normal to look naturally older than your age?

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I am almost 26 years old and somebody told me that I could pass for being 30. When I was 13, my chiropractor told me that I could pass for being 16 or 17. It is really discouraging to hear people say that you look older than your age. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, I take multivitamins daily, I don't have wrinkles or grey hair, I'm clean shaven, I drink lots of water, I exercise, I'm at a normal weight, and I occasionally use anti-aging serums. My diet isn't the best, but I do feel like I take good care of myself. I do have a receding hairline and a big head, but I still have my hair. I don't have any habits that would speed up the aging process so why would I look older than my age? My whole life, I have always resented growing up and getting older. I always get offended if someone tells me that I could pass for being older than my age. I know that I can't control what age I am, but it would be nice to have a younger looking body or a body that looks my age. I've seen people in their 30s who look like look teenagers and people in their 40s who look like they are in their 20s. I'm worried that when I'm 50 I will look like I'm 70 or some old age. It's very frustrating because I don't have any bad habits that are making me look older. I'm healthy and I feel a lot younger than my age, so why don't I look it?

I don't know you well enough to tell you what may be aging you. But I do know that stress can accelerate aging. Also it can be normal to look older/younger than your age, it just depends on the extent. And everyone judges age differently. You may in fact, look your age.

I look 20 and am turning 33. I guess its different for each person.

I will admit that I do drink diet soda. I've been drinking it ever since I was 9. I have a friend who is 34 and drinks diet soda and he looks 10 years older. I don't know if diet soda is a factor or not. I know it is not good for you, but I don't think I can give it up. I do drink lots of water and have other healthy habits.

Cutting out drinks like that is probably good. Also some things that are healthy for one person-aren't for another. A dermatologist may be able to help you figure out what is aging you or a dietician.

until recently i consistently looked about a decade younger than my actual age.

I think it is the way my face is structured. I have a mature look to me. I have good skin so that is not the issue. My forehead is very wide and my hairline is receding. I don't think it is caused by lifestyle choices, I think it may just be bad luck or something. I plan to get a physical soon, and if the doctor tells me I am healthy, I'm going to ask him why my face looks older and if it is just how my face is structured.

I don't know if it's normal but I look older than my age. I hit puberty early, started losing my hair in my mid 20s, & started having some grey hair when I hit 30. I have very unhealthy eating habits thou they are better than they used to be & i was stressed out a lot till I moved in with my girlfriend at 30.

For an aspie no but honestly I can't tell the difference between 26 and 30. (13 and 16 is a different matter)

Most of us look younger.

I look about 15/16 and I'm 30. I consistently get treated like a child or a teenager. I'm not allowed to watch 18 movies at the cinema or drink in public.

I’m 22 and I could pass for 26. Up until a few months ago I looked younger than my age; I remember being 18 and people thought I was 15. College ages you lol.

Looking either significantly older or younger is often genetic.

Imo food is a reason why younger people are now looking older. Food has more growth hormones and other things in it than it used to. It's not as "pure" I guess? Not going on a rant or a conspiracy theory. But the area I live in there are a lot of 13 year olds that look like adults. It's weird to me, since they were 8 five years ago. :/

As a side note, I do look younger than my age. People usually think I'm 10+ years younger than I am. Other factors that determine this are genetics, weight, build and facial structure. It could be a combination of these for you, or something else entirely.

I believe it's a combination of genetics, environment(s), and the amount of other stressors. I'm 49, and as recently as yesterday I was complimented by someone who's known me for many years that I haven't seemed to have aged since my thirties. That said, I see my face every day and so notice every new wrinkle, every little blemish and all. I look 49 to myself, and I've known and still know people who have always looked like teenagers since 1989 and others who've always looked much older than they were. (For the latter group, that's not to say that they look wrinkly and decrepit at 50. They just look, as I say, a bit more weathered, and frequently while they may look older, they are quite handsome nonetheless.

It's probably genetics. I tend to look younger than my age (I'm 19, but my friend told me I look like I'm still in high-school). Maybe because I'm half-Asian? I think it just depends on the person.

I don't know about that. I'm about to turn 35 and one of my co-workers thought I was 22.

Generally, people think I'm younger than I look, and I don't do much to myself (never put on makeup, never dye my hair, things like that) to give people the impression that I look younger than I am.

I think when people guess ages they tend to factor in things in addition to looks. Us Aspies tend to be immature socially & in other ways when compared to our NT peers & those things might get factored in maybe on a subconscious level. I've read more than a few posts during my time on this forum about how us Aspies tend to get mistaken for being younger. Some think that us Aspies tend to age physically slower but I never read anything about physically aging slower or looking young for our ages being a diagnostic feature of autism or even that so-called autism experts & specialist consider it a sign/symptom of autism. Plus I read about studies that people on the autism spectrum tend to die a little younger than NTs. If us autistics were indeed aging physically slower than our NT peers, we would be living longer lives instead of shorter 1s. It makes more sense to me that when others are judging our ages things like our mannerisms, way we dress, & facial expressions are also getting factored in