Physical appearance

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I notice that many on the spectrum have a certain 'off' look about them. Their facial characteristics, body composition, etc. are shaped in a way that distinguishes them from a "normal person." I realize that every human is unique and looks different from the rest of the population but there is something about severely-moderately autistic people that makes them seem a tad odd...

And then I've noticed a surprising amount of mildly autistic people (particularly aspies) who are gorgeous... like noticeably so. And not in like a traditional standard cover model type of gorgeous; but beautiful in a way that you don't often see... like a surprising blend of both gender-specific facial characteristics that compliment each other in a really aesthetic way.

But then there are also HFA's and aspies who also look strange... and I seriously can't remember ever cognitively meeting someone on the spectrum who wasn't either really strange looking or really attractive.

I'm not trying to assert any of this as fact; I'm just sharing an observation I've made... Has anyone else noticed this?

I feel this sort of thing happens fairly often.

I'm pretty average-looking, though.

People often tell me I look handsome (especially now that I have successfully lost a lot of weight) but whenever I look at myself in a photo or in the mirror I notice my face doesn't look like that of all the NTs I know. I have kind of an odd stare in my eyes and my face has a very childish look to it.

I think a lot of people with autism have a very similar look in the face. Especially the eye stare thing.

Yea same; I've always looked exceptionally young for my age. And I've got really chiseled cheekbones and jawline since I lost weight too. I've got VERY large, feminine eyes though; with long dark eyelashes like a pretty princess

I think part of the reason may be that we tend to have different facial expressions, hold ourselves in awkward positions, & have off body language that all get subconsciously factored in when you notice those on the spectrum.

I'm talkin eye shape, facial and bone structure... things that are much more noticeable than one's posture and energy.

Like I'm a nervous wreck; yet people gawk at me like I've got glitter on my face. If my energy was that definitive, I think I would blend in better.

Women have often told me that they are jealous of my eyelashes because I have naturally dark and long eyelashes too.

If you want to see what Aspies and Autistic people actually look like, just go into the "picture" section of the "off-topic discussion" part of WrongPlanet.

You will find that they run the gamut.

I spent my entire education in schools for autistics, so I have been around dozens my whole life. They mostly looked like an ordinary mix to me appearance wise, the way you're talking about. Based on my own perspective.

Last edited by EzraS on 03 Oct 2018, 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I actually used to go to a specialized school for kids with autism and other disabilities like cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, and down syndrome. I've seen enough kids with autism just like me to know what they tend to look like.

Also I don't know about you guys but I also have a huge permanent callous on my finger from biting myself whenever I get too anxious or stressed out. I knew another boy with autism who had the same things on his hands. Do any of you guys have that too?

Special needs kids tend to look like special needs kids. But I think that's a neurological thing rather than a genetic thing. With the exception of DS. When it comes to aspies though I agree with kraftie.

There are many "special needs" kids who look "normal."

Just take a look at blogs for kids with severe autism. Many of them look absolutely "normal."

There are certain genetic disorders which feature distinctive "looks"--like Down Syndrome.

Well you can easily tell when somebody has cerebral palsy too you know

I think when it comes to autism it's the behavior that everyone really picks up on more than anything else but most people with autism that I know also tend to look much younger than they really are and they have a look in their eyes that seems different. I think it just might be because they do not read people the way neurotypicals do but I'm not a psychologist I'm just a guy with aspergers giving my own honest opinion about the subject. If I'm wrong then whatever.

I've had mangled cuticles for as far back as I can remember; from impulsively biting and chewing my nails and the skin adjacent to them. I dated someone who told me I do it when I'm stirred up and stressed out but I hadn't really noticed specifically when I do it until then..

I bite my nails, too.

I don't just bite my nails, I bite my actual finger itself. It helps to relieve stress when I am really stressed out but it has left a huge ugly callous on my finger after doing it for many years (and I still do it to this day unfortunately).