Why do people on the spectrum look young for their age?

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I can't commit to this generalisation, I am 26 and have been told I look like I am between 30-40. During one of my obsessions I looked in to and put in to practice a lot of strength training, fitness and nutritional plans that added to my already large 6'2 frame.

I don't care about fashion, I certainly don't understand the fascination with physical appearance being relevant to society in what I have read and heard. The lack of facial expressions wouldn't relate to a scientific explanation of why someone would appear younger. It is simply genetic theory and a way of life that would be relevant as the aforementioned theory would more likely cause a deterioration of a youthful appearance due to the lack of need for skin elasticity. This would cause by theory alone a lack of need for the renewal and repair of the known affects of old age (reduction is skins elasticity levels which cause wrinkles and drooping).

Any counter to this I would like to hear.

I look my age-ish. One thing I do to look older is keep facial hair, that and just the way I carry myself causes people to overestimate my age much of the time. I'm 20 (will be 21 in like a week) and people have over estimated my age at 30, and when I was 18-19 I was offered complimentary wine at a restaurant. That said, when I was in high school, when I had long hair, with long hair, I looked like a senior, but with short hair, someone was like "wow, you look like you're 12." So I don't really know... two extremes I guess.

I'm 36 and still get carded for tobacco (18) and alcohol (21). I look at other people my age and wonder why they look so old.

I'm 18 and look much younger, never connected this with AS before now.A while ago I was walking around campus and got shouted over by some teacher who thought I'd wandered away from a school tour group

I would of thought I'd look older, since I'm always so anxious and stressed constantly.

I hate looking young. I'm 22, but I look like a teenager, maybe about 16. But when I changed my hair last week, a lot of people said I look more my age, which is good. I mean, I hate looking too young because I then have to take ID with me whenever I go into pubs and order a drink, or when I want to see an 18-rated film at the cinema, or when I want to pay for an 18-rated film in a record shop, and I'm even reluctant to get my own lottery ticket because you got to be 16 or over to do that and I'm afraid I still might get asked for my ID.

Some people say it's nice to look young, but not when you're in your early 20s, because you get looked upon as a kid all the time. It's OK looking younger when you're in your 40s or something, but not when you're in your early 20s. I still don't feel independant yet. But I am getting my hair more cut and styled in a few weeks, so that I can look a bit better. People already say I look around my age just by having my hair partened to the side, so having it more shaped and styled might work even better.

I hate it when, say, a 48-year-old say they look 46. I mean, what's the differencer in 2 years? Besides, nobody looks EXACTLY their age, and lots of people do look young for their age, besides Aspies. I work with a girl who literally looks younger than me, but the other day she said she had a 14-year-old daughter, and she was her real daughter too. I was surprised - I thought they were two teenage sisters!

Because they don't give a %^&$ about anything.

Could it just be a matter of vanity & narcissism influencing our perceptions of ourselves? Not sure, just wondering.

I have long been told that I look younger than my years, but have always attributed it to the fact that I've managed to avoid putting on extra weight, never drank much & still have my hair. (Personally I don't find baldness unattractive.) Now I'm learning that this too may have something to do with my AS.

For my part, I always get carded when entering a bar or buying alcohol at a store. But where I live, one can get into ALOT of trouble by selling alcohol to someone under 21. Alcohol enforcement is quite aggressive - agents even hire teenagers & make them up to look much older just to do sting operations & arrest store cashiers & bartenders. If I were in one of these occupations, I would card EVERYONE just to be safe.

Because we're elves

Consider it a blessing people. Even people with quirks have amazing qualities.

I'm 28 and I got carded for buying a Batman DVD T_T

I do think that I look a lot younger than I really am, but then on the other hand, teenagers nowadays already look so old... the way they dress, the way they behave... all my roommates are at least 6 years younger than me, but some of them look a lot older. But they go out partying all night and never get enough sleep. I stay at home, don't drink, don't smoke, always get my 7 hours of sleep and I always wash off make up before I go to sleep. I think all that counts. And that we're Elves...

I didn't realise this was a common trait. People are genuinely shocked when I tell them my age.

I am 24. Most who guess my age put it at around 16-18.

Though dressing in jeans and t-shirts all the time may be a factor.