Top 12 Reasons Some People Look Older Than Their Actual Age

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It happens to everyone eventually. One day you look in the mirror and realize that you aren’t going to be 25 forever. You will suddenly see a wrinkle, an age spot, or some scaly, dry patches that were never there before. This is when most people decide that they must start taking care of their skin.

Unfortunately, most of the skin damage you see in your 40s and 50s actually happened when you were in your teens and 20s. You can’t stop time, but you can stop some of the bad habits that cause premature aging, so that when you are 60, you won’t look 75.

We’ve all seen people like this. Their faces are usually tanned, and very lined, hard-looking, like a dried-out piece of leather. They look like an old boot that no one has taken care of. In many ways, this is true. They did not take care of their skin or look after their diet, and now they are paying the price. You are certain they must be in their late 40s or early 50s, but when you ask them their age, they tell you they are 38.

What causes this premature aging of the skin, and what can you do about it? We have made a list of the 12 worst offenders that you should avoid. Only one of them is out of your control; the rest, however, are up to you.

1. Overexposure To The Sun

Exposure to the sun is one of the biggest factors causing premature aging of the skin. This is why you see cowboys or construction workers with major aging of the face. Sun exposure accounts for about 70 percent of the skin aging process. The radiation from the sun ruins the collagen fibers in our skin via oxidation. Once the elastic fibers of collagen become hard and brittle, their basic structure is destroyed in a process called solar elastosis, and the skin becomes hard-looking and dried out.

This accelerated oxidation process also damages the genetic material in the cells of our skin and causes an abnormal division of the cells. This means excessive sun exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer as well as leading to tough, hard, rough, wrinkled skin. Although we all need some sun exposure for vitamin D, you don’t need to exposure your delicate facial skin to the sun. Wear a hat and sunglasses while you get your early morning sunshine, and avoid sun exposure when radiation levels are at the highest — usually between 10 and 3 p.m.

2. Excessive Sugar Consumption

If you have a sweet tooth, you most likely will show the signs of aging more quickly than you would like. When your blood sugar levels spike, it starts a process called glycation. This process can cause permanent damage to the collage of the skin. Once collagen becomes damaged due to glycation, your skin begins to show this damage via fine lines and wrinkles. Skin begins to lose its natural elasticity and firmness and begins to sag. Limit your sugar consumption, and find other ways to sweeten your life, such as fresh fruit.

3. Smoking

There are two major reasons why smokers look older than their age. The first things to show are the fine lines where the skin is very thin, such as the corners of the eyes and above the upper lip. This is due to the constant use of the muscles to pull a drag off of a cigarette. When you constantly pucker your mouth, those lines begin to make a permanent crease, like folding a piece of paper over and over again. The second reason lies in the lower levels of vitamin C in smokers’ blood, which is more than 60 percent lower on average when compared to non-smokers. Vitamin C is vital for the production of collagen in the skin, which keeps the skin supple and smooth. Once collagen disappears or is damaged, the skin begins to sag. Quitting is hard, we know, and there are a million good reasons to do so. Here is one more. Find a way to quit. Today.

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