Do you look younger than your age?

 I have started forming a therory about this myself, because my nan who I now strongly suspect was autistic also looked younger than she was (even though she smoked too).
I think it has to do with the gene or set of genes that can cause the co-occuring condition of Ehlers-Danlos, because I am also slightly "double jointed" but not to the point of having Ehlers-Danlos proper, because I have
"

There are several types of EDS that may share some symptoms.

These include:

• an increased range of joint movement (joint hypermobility)
• stretchy skin
• fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily " https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/
  
  
  

but I don't suffer any of the negative effects listed below that part of the NHS article, only those 3 characteristics.
It's led me to believe I carry a gene or set of genes for the occurance of ehlers-danlos-syndrome but either they are not fully activated or only some of the contributing genes for it are active/ if present at all, in me because of my own gene regulation. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/geneonoff/

I think a lot of us autistic people are existing on a linear grade chart of things like Ehlers-Danlos where we are so minimally affected our doctors are just not diagnosing us with it.

In fact the NHS article even suggests this to be the case, you wouldn't get diagnosed unless you experience the really troublesome symptoms of it

""""""Getting medical advice

See a GP if you have several troublesome symptoms of EDS.

You do not usually need to worry if you only have a few symptoms and they're not causing any problems.

Joint hypermobility, for example, is relatively common, affecting around 1 in 30 people. It's unlikely to be caused by EDS if you do not have any other symptoms."""""

And this is relevant because it is also said that folk with Ehlers also look younger than they are, and it is something to do with the collagen in the skin.

 I have started forming a therory about this myself, because my nan who I now strongly suspect was autistic also looked younger than she was (even though she smoked too).
I think it has to do with the gene or set of genes that can cause the co-occuring condition of Ehlers-Danlos, because I am also slightly "double jointed" but not to the point of having Ehlers-Danlos proper, because I have
"

There are several types of EDS that may share some symptoms.

These include:

• an increased range of joint movement (joint hypermobility)
• stretchy skin
• fragile skin that breaks or bruises easily " https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/
  
  
  

but I don't suffer any of the negative effects listed below that part of the NHS article, only those 3 characteristics.
It's led me to believe I carry a gene or set of genes for the occurance of ehlers-danlos-syndrome but either they are not fully activated or only some of the contributing genes for it are active/ if present at all, in me because of my own gene regulation. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/geneonoff/

I think a lot of us autistic people are existing on a linear grade chart of things like Ehlers-Danlos where we are so minimally affected our doctors are just not diagnosing us with it.

In fact the NHS article even suggests this to be the case, you wouldn't get diagnosed unless you experience the really troublesome symptoms of it

""""""Getting medical advice

See a GP if you have several troublesome symptoms of EDS.

You do not usually need to worry if you only have a few symptoms and they're not causing any problems.

Joint hypermobility, for example, is relatively common, affecting around 1 in 30 people. It's unlikely to be caused by EDS if you do not have any other symptoms."""""

And this is relevant because it is also said that folk with Ehlers also look younger than they are, and it is something to do with the collagen in the skin.