Do you look younger than your actual age

It's nice most of the time, whilst also enjoying being hidden in plain sight, like when my son would play in a youth team and most of the other parents are easily 10-15 years younger and they never heard of Tiswas, and the oldest parent [because his youngest son was an accident after bringing up three much older siblings], says, as a matter of his authority, like we should all look up to him: "I'm an old man now!" not realising o'course that he's only a year older then me. Silly man; and his eyebrows shoot up and his chin disappears when I call him out on it. And he looks at me as if could give a toss about being the dominant one, as if I've stepped on his willy or something. 

All hierarchies are BS, as you know, especially ones based on other layers of BS...

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I'm 29, and some people think I'm at least 34. Mind you, the beard and long hair don't help. But I don't mind it, even when I was 18 without long hair and a beard, People used to think I was a lot older than I was.

So no, I don't look younger than I do lol. 

I look years older but being a recovering alcoholic and spending a year and a half on the streets before going to a homeless shelter for 5 and a half years didn't help

I say I've never asked directly, but I've occasionally thrown out the odd self-deprecating suffix ('I know, I've had a tough paper round', that sort of thing)  when I've been asked my age as a neutral question for forms etc. Not sure why, maybe an 'self-attack is the best form of defence' rationale?  When there's only a nodded agreement or 'I'm acknowledging your joke' smile I suppose I've tended to file that response under 'they agree that I look old/aged', which may have been a little unfair on them just cos they didn't go 'Nooooo! You don't look a day over such-and-such!' Serves me right lol. Not that I massively care really (I'm sure I'm approaching the grave at the same velocity regardless), but it's always nicer for some reason when someone occasionally says the 'you look younger' thing. 

Lol, nicely put Desmond. :-)

It seems to vary wildly depending on the observer. As a bloke classic with male pattern baldness, I've had some people automatically advance me to 15+ years past my actual age with no irony whatsoever, just a straight 'You'd be about ...  right?' I think that might have happened mostly with neurotypical people who equate baldness with great age as a kind of mental shorthand. 

But I've had (admittedly rarer) instances of people telling me exactly the opposite - that I could pass for 15 years younger. I'm in my late 40s, so about mid-thirties I suppose. 

In both scenarios, it's not that I've asked them... life just occasionally throws up these volunteered statements. 

It seems there is no fixed truth! Age is in the eye of the beholder... and to some degree in the inner spirit. 

I'm 37 and people call me "young lady" and think that I'm 25. I have this from my mom. My sister also looks young. When I was 30, I still had to use my ID to buy cigarettes if my mom asked me to buy for her. I used to smoke, but broke up.

I’m 25 and I’m already using anti ageing creams and cleansers haha! 

Yes, I think so. 

Some comments received over the years may suggest so too.

Maybe a beneficial side effect of an Autistic tendancy to deploying micro-expressions (rather than more overt "big emotions" writ large across the face at regular intervals)?.

I'm going to be 42 next month, and I still get people telling me I don't look that old. Or that they are surprised that I'm old enough to have 3 children, 2 of which are already young teenagers.

I've never really been bothered by the comments, but I have found them odd, wondering why they think that and I don't seem to look like everyone else - another reason to feel like a bit of an outsider. I've always been a small person, I think I'm just about average height for a male, but I'm very slender with small shoe size, so I generally have always just looked small. Maybe that's the perception people have of me and why they assume I look younger than I am.

Have you got joint hypermobility?

Look into hsd or heds.

I have it and it effects the collagen in your skin makes you look very young, plus I think people think there is a high probability that autism and hsd/heds is linked.

Aww! It’s nice to have them compliment you though haha! At least you got the cigarettes though! I couldn’t get in the pub but it was ok! 

I had the same problem when I was younger. At the age of 24 I went to buy some cigarettes for my partner. At that time you had to be 16 to purchase them, not 18 like now, and no ID was requested - it was up to the store staff to guess if you looked old enough. The conversation went like this:

Store employee: Are you 16, love?

Me: No, I'm 24

Store employee (laughing) : Oh sorry love, you don't look your age!

Thankfully she did let me purchase the cigarettes.

Here is an article I found about youthful looking autistic people:

https://neurolaunch.com/autistic-people-look-younger/

I’m 25 and though I think I look my age, others think I’m still in my teens. When I went to a pub in London one time I asked what time would I be allowed in the pub till and he said I could stay until 9pm and I said I’m an adult he said wow you don’t look that old and that’s not a bad thing! We had a good laugh about it. My advice is look after yourself and your skin and try and avoid Botox and fillers or whatever they’re called. 

I've often been told I don't look my age, people being shcoked when I say how old I am. But I always thought it was because of me not having children so they assuem I am younger. 

I think autistic people appear younger than they are, not always in visiual appearance but in mannerisms and emotional maturity. I despite being 53, I could be found chasing leaves blowing in the wind and laughing - I'm not sure that isn't considered immature behaviour, lol. 

I've always looked younger than I am although I think at the age I am now it is a little less obvious than it used to be because I at least look old enough to be an adult now. My mum also looks young for her age and I suspect she's also on the spectrum. This may just be genetics for our family though I guess rather than related to autism. Interesting question though.

Yes, I often get told that I look younger than my age.

Also, I have a South East Asian origin which has probably contributed to it.

I think that the way that we age is based on lifestyle and genetics.

Yes, sometimes I've had comments from people where they say I'm still a baby (despite being 26) and it comes off as patronising. Same applies to extended family - on my dad's side as I am the youngest out of my cousins it means I don't know much.

In school, I was often mistaken for being older than I was, including being forced to pay adult fees on bus journeys.

As an adult though, I have been told repeatedly since my 30s that I can't possibly be that old.

Question is, are people just being kind? Even if true, is this an autistic thing or just some people do look younger that their years and of course some of those will be autistic?

Interesting topic, but not a high priority