Why do we look younger?

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When I was 13 onward most people thought I was at least 5 years older than my age. Due to appearance (no wearing what was popular) and behavior. I was quiet and only spoke when I had something worth saying.

I'm now 26 and get carded for cigarettes (Well, my pack a month of cloves to be exact). Probably because I continue to wear odd clothing that may look like a younger style, and I'm obviously shy in public. Most people assume being shy in every day situations fades with age.

same story, at 15 I easily passed as 18 now at 29 i'm often taken for 22/24ish

I think it's partly the lack of facial expression - our faces become less lined. Also I have a "clueless" sort of look when I'm in public that makes me look like a lost child. People never believe I'm in year 12.

I am in my late forties. Last year, I was passed up for a seat on an executive committee, because the nominating and selection committee thought I was 'too young'. They did not ask for birthday information, and had they hung out with me for any length of time, they would have heard some of my 'war stories' from my military time. But I laughed my socks off when they told me they thought I was in my late twenties. Ageism in reverse! (I will probably get the seat this year. They've learned their lesson!)

People rarely guess my actual age- they tend to be a decade off, or more. They think my younger sister is older than me (she hates that!), and I got carded on my 40th birthday. While I've 'gracefully surrendered' the (sillier) things of youth (like riding roller coasters, sad to say- back and neck injury), I still dress like a younger person, preferring jeans and T-shirts to 'fogie-clothes' of my elders. You'll never catch me wearing a polyester twinset with pearls- I -hate- polyester with the fire of a thousand suns.

While it is nice to be young-looking, it does make my professional life difficult. My refusal (due to sensory issues) to wear certain kinds of 'corporate drag' has kept me out of certain jobs, and I have a difficult time getting men to listen to me- until I pull rank on them, or do one of my cyber-necromancy miracles. People don't believe me when I tell them that I was 'present at the beginning' of the Internet, when it was still Arpanet, and we had to go to the comm center to get email. Or that I used to be able to read ASCII code off paper tape. I have to constantly prove myself to newcomers, although my seniority in my present job, and my hard-won reputation as an excellent tech have made that battle go away. But every time we get a new crop of people in our organization, I have to go through it with the guys.

It's an odd place to be in- a young face in an ageing body with "Beginner's Mind". But that is the hand I've been dealt, and I am trying to deal with it with as much grace and aplomb as possible.

BRI_, I've heard this as well, as some people have often commented on the fact, that I tend to appear to be around the age of 19-20 range but, this is not accurate as, how many so-called 20yr olds tend to have gray hair and show signs of rapid age progression if this makes sense. Basically, I'm 34 soon to be 35yrs next month and over the past years my hair has radically changed to where now, I could almost pass for someone whom is 50 or such even if some people tend to think my emotional state reads 20yr old person.Honestly, I don't feel I'll ever figure that one out.Still, there has never been a case where someone had seen me as either acting or appearing any younger than 20 unless I'd go back to the timeline spent on Yahoo with certain parties of people whom, were less enlightened than the witch-hunters of 1692..

I can realistically say no more on this account for, I don't wish to make anyone made or be perceived as being what they call a troll..

Thanks,
ProfessorX

I've been told that when people talk to me, they can tell I'm older by the way I express myself. However, for the most part, people think I'm 15. They are all the time asking me what grade I'm in, when actually I'm in grad school. I'm 24.

I think that fact that I don't use alot of facial expressions, maybe I haven't wrinkled as much as others. Most people have no idea that I'm 40. I know that I don't act like more 40 year olds. I show excitement about silly things, and am curious about everything.

Who knows?

it may just be entirely coincidental and anecdotal, but i fit this category. it's actually quite fascinating to me. just yesterday i was waiting for my boyfriend to get out of class, so i decided to stop by a bar and have a few beers, o few smokes and read a newspaper. i was instantly carded, as i always expect to be. whenever this happens i always ask the person how old to them do i appear. the girl behind the counter said i looked maybe 22; as a matter of fact, 21-23 is the range i get as a response i'd say--96% of the time. at this point i find myself so tickled to inform them that i am less than one year from reaching thirty years. it's an ongoing source of amusement to me.

I also get asked for ID at places that serve alcohol and was asked for ID last time I purchased a tobacco product. One time at university a girl (who I think was early twenties or late teens) would not believe I was in my thirties until I showed her my ID.

A couple of months back, I went to a see a psychiatrist I had not met before. The psychiatrist commented that he could see I had come in with my mum and dad....he was referring to my spouse (a few years older than me), and my best friend, who, although in her thirties, is still a few months younger than I am.

Although I agree dress and demeanor might sometimes be a factor, I agree with posters who suggest the primary cause is probably lack of facial expression.

Maybe our faces look younger simply because they're so much less expressive.
If you have a very expressive face (permanent expression on - and readily expressive), it'll age faster than a face that's never used (ours).

An old G/F always used to call me "Expressionless <MemberSix>".
Never quite understood what she was on about.
At the time, I thought - well what's the point in pulling a face when you're not talking to anyone ?.
I think she may just have just meant that she couldn't read my mind by looking at my face.

I think too, that our (socially) submissive bearing tends to make us look younger.
Most NT's generally tend to look more p*ssed off than Aspoidals, which is something that increases with age.

I think we look younger because we're more naive/innocent.

I am 28 and here the drinking, driving, gambling age etc is 18 I still get asked for ID or told "I thought you were one of the school kids". When I told someone I just got my driver licence their responce was "you aren't 18" I said "yeah I am I am 28 I can show you my licence if you dont beleive me". I find it a bit annoying actually. Often people will ask for ID to proove I am over 18 to buy alcohol.

Hi there,

I think it is true, that autists look younger then they really are. It's somewhat subjective, of course, but I look a lot younger too. You know my age but I can pass on for, let's say, 24.

The skin under my eyes (I don't know how you call it) gives it away, thou. But hey, I was born with that.

Ok, bags under the eyes, you call it. Seems a bit harsh to call it that. Bags or lines; is that a common thing as well?

Best of luck to you all,
C.

P.s. Can't give you the answer to the Q dropped here, thou. It's a mystery to me.

People always give me 10 years younger (except if I have a beard, white hair).

I don't know why... less facial expression=less wrinkles?

I have always looked younger. When I was 25, I went for a swim and chatted with a 17 year old and when I told her how old I was, she was shocked and said "no way you look like you are my age". I was flattered And even now at 33, I have been told that I could pass for being a college aged kid (but is that really true? I already have some gray hair!)