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Looking a lot younger?

Yes me too! I'm 25 but people always think I'm 16/17. When I'm out with my 2 year old a lot of older people assume I'm her sister :p
 
Almost 37 and work at a college, but people frequently ask if I'm a high schooler visiting campus :)

I think various factors contribute to this. First, I dress in things that are comfortable and unorthodox; I never got a sense of how to dress like an adult. Nothing I wear is inappropriate, it's just less conformist than people expect of an adult. Second, I think my behavior makes me look young--I have a lot of energy some days and am always stopping to look at insects or plants or birds that interest me. Other days I am shy and reserved and sort of lurk in corners, which is also perceived as immature. My lack of reservation about speaking my mind is also something associated with younger individuals. It's true my facial features haven't aged much--at some point in the last few years, my younger sisters started looking older than me! But I think the main reason people assume I am half my age is due to my behaviors not aligning with their preconceptions about adults.
 
Interesting thread.
People keep telling me too that I look younger than my age. They used to tell me I have a baby face.
When I was in my early twenties they asked me which high school I'm in.
When I was around 30 they said I look like someone in his twenties.
Just a few years ago (I was like 36-37) the guy in the shop asked me to show my id card when I wanted to buy cigarettes. (you have to show your id if you're under 25)
For me the worst is when someone doesn't take me serious because I don't look my age. That's the biggest disadvantage for me.
 
Naturalist said:
Almost 37 and work at a college, but people frequently ask if I'm a high schooler visiting campus :)

I think various factors contribute to this. First, I dress in things that are comfortable and unorthodox; I never got a sense of how to dress like an adult. Nothing I wear is inappropriate, it's just less conformist than people expect of an adult. Second, I think my behavior makes me look young--I have a lot of energy some days and am always stopping to look at insects or plants or birds that interest me. Other days I am shy and reserved and sort of lurk in corners, which is also perceived as immature. My lack of reservation about speaking my mind is also something associated with younger individuals. It's true my facial features haven't aged much--at some point in the last few years, my younger sisters started looking older than me! But I think the main reason people assume I am half my age is due to my behaviors not aligning with their preconceptions about adults.
Click to expand...
Me too...:)
 
I agree with the Original poster but i have to say... I'm almost 30 and still get consistently carded and people usually express surprise that I've been a nurse for as long as I have. I also get, "you have a 10 year old daughter?! Wow you must have been 15 or 16 when you had her! That must have been hard," which is awkward and I never know how to respond. So... I guess maybe there's some truth to the theory that Asperger syndrome equates with a younger personality? Idk, but I've heard that I seem much younger than my age.
 
There may be something to this, but it is not yet firmly established or defined.

One theory with some backing in facial studies proposes that their are some features unusually common in Aspies that are suggestive of youth, as the features permanently retain childlike proportions. (ie. Large eyes, spaced wider apart, large head/forehead, large lips). They do not say these things occur in all aspies, but that some of these more commonly occur in Aspies then the general NT population.

I have also often read people mention the Aspie look, or stare. Again, not all are claimed to possess such but it may be that our expression is sometimes also similar to a youth/childs. I thought it might have to do with our continued need to evaluate a situation, even common ones which mimics in a way a childs inquisitiveness and searching.

I also wonder if there may be other factors. Could there be something in our mentality that works against lines or wrinkles forming. Why do those form in the first place? Is it purely physical or does one psychology have an affect. I have sometimes heard of lines on the face associated with persistant attitude or mental state, like 'worry lines' or persistant frowns, etc.

Just mostly spectulation here, but I do think there is something to it, from my own observation of the photo's many aspie's have shared here and elsewhere on aspie sites. I would also say that aspies are certainly not on average lower in looks then the general population. They may well be on the positive side of the curve actually. That doesn't mean all aspies have been favored with good looks. We are not that different from anyone else. There may be just a trend detectable.
 
19 still look like I'm 16. I remember walking back from work at night someone went "hey kid it's a school night why you out so late."
I'm like"I'm 19"
I stayed away from a lot of stuff like alcohol, alcoholism is encoded in my DNA, and harder drugs. I can still fit a small in some clothing brands
 
I'm 24 years old and a Mum of 2. Apparently I look 16! I've had no choice but to shell out for ID just to prove my age which is annoying, but sometimes it can be a blessing :)
 
I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome as well as (self & GP recognised) Asperger's. Looking much younger than one's age is an EDS symptom, as the defective collagen makes skin stretchier and less prone to wrinkles (unless you unfortunately have the Dermosparaxis EDS type which makes you look older.)
There is definitely a correlation between autism/Asperger's and EDS.
 
when I was a senior in high school, I was often confused for a freshman, despite being taller then a lot of other seniors... When i was 21 people presumed me to be around 17, and now at nearly 24 I don't know how old people presume me to be, but they are sometimes surprised when i state that I don't live with my parents, a friend at work insisted she was older then me at one point and when we compared ages she was nearly a year younger then myself.

I have tried growing out my facial hair, a beard actually ages me up, but I really don't like the feel of the hair when it gets to thick, and i eventually shave and look baby face again...

not as extreme as 10 years, but it does get on my nerves, if anything i want to look older...

and yeah i pretty much act like a teenager so theirs that too...
 
Dr. Smart said:
I have tried growing out my facial hair, a beard actually ages me up, but I really don't like the feel of the hair when it gets to thick, and i eventually shave and look baby face again...
Click to expand...

Would recommend you buy a beard trimmer £20-30 average. Can set the level and it'll leave your beard short and same length, it makes it look tidy too. I have used a beard trimmer for 4 years now, keeping a well groomed beard, hated Razer blades against my skin so no looking back.

Age, I'm 33 but most guess I'm about 25 and they usually say I look older with a beard.
 
What about those of us who can't grow beards for lack of Y chromosome?

(can I say that? I got in trouble for using vagina, never said no to chromosome so I'll use it)

How do I get to look older than 12?
 
i still have a baby face and spots (despite being 19) growing up i used to always appear a year or two younger than my actual age, recently my beard has pushed the age people see me up close to my actual age but if i shaved it and cut my hair im sure id appear around 16. hopefully i always appear youthful.
 
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