Aging is a privilege that not everyone gets to experience. So if you live to be 90 years old, the wrinkles on your face should be worn proudly as a badge of honor and a sign that you've got plenty of stories to tell about your younger years. But while we don’t need to be scared of aging, it is a fact that some behaviors and experiences can make us look older faster than others.

Reddit users have recently been discussing things that can instantly age a person, so we’ve gathered some of their thoughts down below. Enjoy scrolling through, as you stay hydrated and remember to apply that handy dandy SPF, and keep reading to find a conversation with Catherine Summers of Not Dressed As Lamb!

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#1

Grief, nothing ages you like Grief

#2

Stress.

To learn more about some of the things that can instantly age a person, we reached out to Digital Content Creator and Blogger at Not Dressed As Lamb, Catherine Summers. "I think the number one thing that instantly ages a person is stress," she told Bored Panda. "Stress is what always accelerates aging in a person in my opinion (think of those pictures they show of American presidents before and after their term in office, the stress shows in their face)!"

"For me personally, it's been the biggest contributor to my 51-year-old body finally starting to feel like it really is 51, not 31 anymore," Catherine continued. "And with regards to the past few years, I don't think many people came out the other side of the pandemic without it having been challenging, tough or problematic for them. Sadly, for many people it was devastating. I was fortunate enough not to have experienced anything traumatic in my life but it was tough for various personal reasons. And for women especially, combine that stress with being perimenopausal/menopausal and it's very hard not to look or feel like you've aged."

#3

War. I went from 21 to 31 in 6 months.

#4

Lack of sleep

#5

Children

"Being fit and healthy is the absolute, most important thing you can do to avoid the feeling of getting old," Catherine added. "Aiming to feel fit and strong is the key and is something that I, at least, took for granted until my mid-forties."

But Catherine says that aging itself is not a problem for her. "It's the feeling good that I want to preserve," she explained. "But in practical terms, smoking, bad sleep habits, no exercise and a terrible diet are all major contributors to the aging process. When I get those things in check (though I've never smoked), I feel a thousand times better. Sounds corny I know, but visible ageing in terms of wrinkles or sagging jowls means nothing if a person is truly content and feels good inside. The happiness shows on their face and the 'aging' really doesn't matter."

#6

Back pain. You can't move like a young person if your back hurts.

#7

Stress. Grief. Trauma. Mental Illness. Losing a loved one way before their time at a young age (parent/sibling/close friend).

#8

Bad plastic surgery.

"Despite what I just said, it doesn't mean that I don't do anything to address the ageing process!" Catherine noted. "I do dislike the term 'anti-aging' where the beauty industry is concerned, as it suggests that it's a battle to keep aging at bay and something we need to fight all the time. We can't do anything to stop aging completely, but I believe that doing what you can to look the best you can, at whatever age you are, is key."

"For example, I stopped wearing black many years ago - bright colors are now my go-to," Catherine continued. "I do have a few black pieces in my wardrobe, but wearing black next to my face drains me and just makes me look unhappy and therefore I feel old. Brights are always a mood-booster: it's a lot harder to feel blue if you're wearing orange and pink!"

"I also gave up caring what others think about the way I dress long ago: with all the other stresses of life, worrying about others' opinions of you is not one to bother yourself with," the content creator added. "Do away with that worry and you'll feel ten times better about aging - not giving a [bleep!] about what others think of you is very liberating and I highly recommend it."

#9

Chronic pain

#10

Bad genes - like it or not. Some people smoke and drink their faces off and still look vibrant and healthy. Others eat well and exercise and look tired and lifeless

#11

Working with the general public. Bartender of 21 years and nothing has aged me more than all y’all idiots.

Catherine says she's also had a pretty strict skincare routine since she was a teenager, and she's never left makeup on at night. "But something I wish I did sooner was wear moisturiser with SPF all year round," she noted. "This would be my only answer to that 'What advice would you give your younger self?' question. Stop baking yourself in the sun, woman! Looking back on summer holiday photos, I can see how bad the pigmentation was in my face, so I did the worst thing you can do for your skin by sunbathing and not wearing SPF on a daily basis. The pigmentation is a lot better now, but I still have permanent damage in some places. I learned my lesson about the sun causing damage to your face the hard way."

"Other than that, I try to do the best for my skin (and my body) by drinking lots of water, keeping my skin moisturised (dry, dehydrated skin will age faster) and eating veggies," Catherine added. "It sounds boring, it sounds predictable and sounds like it's all been said before... But it's all true unfortunately. Boring but true!"

#12

Smoking

#13

Fking cancer. Have watched my brother in law age 30 years in a month.

#14

Making eye contact with their cursed portrait that has been aging in their stead for centuries.

We were also curious if Catherine believes most of us are too afraid of aging. "I don't know about most people, but for me personally, I'm in two minds about it," she shared. "In an ideal world, yes - I'd still have the face and body I had when I was 35 (or even 40). But that's not going to happen, aging is inevitable, and we should actually be thankful for aging as it means we're living longer (and who doesn't want that)."

"This 'fear' of aging is perpetuated by things like social media filters (they make me uneasy and I never use them), the beauty industry promoting products described as anti-ageing and celebrities erasing away any signs of ageing, and none of that sits right with me," she explained. "I read a statistic somewhere that suggested that about half of all women use a filter on social media, and whether that's to smooth away the signs of aging or perceived imperfections (or both), it's sad that we're not confident enough to show our true selves."

#15

I think something not talked about a lot is mindset. Like if someone views themselves as old and shouldn't do this or that, they're making aging faster for themselves. Affirmations can help.

#16

Hatred, harboring bad/sour feelings.

#17

Staying in a relationship or marriage you’re not happy in. It’s soul draining and the instant it’s over, there’s more relief than grieving for the end of it.

"However (and without wanting to contradict myself), I also believe that everyone should do what makes them happy," Catherine added. "But cosmetic procedures should be for the right reasons, not for someone else or to look younger because of a fear of aging or due to any kind of pressure from outside sources. Do something because you want to feel better within yourself, not due to a fear of anything."

#18

Too dark of a tan (fake or real).

#19

For people over 30, their hair style. I dont know why some people, especially women, develop a hair style and stick with it the rest of their lives.

#20

Being president. Look at Obama's hair in 2008 vs 2016!

Catherine also says she's positive about the future. "I think that things are changing - albeit slowly - in terms of attitudes towards getting older and aging," she told Bored Panda. "Brands are using older models more, advertising campaigns are using less airbrushing and showing real skin texture, and fewer people think that 40, 50 or 60 is 'old.'"

"I'd like to see the beauty industry to drop the term 'anti-aging' and use 'optimum ageing' or similar - to drop the negative connotations," Catherine added. "I'd like us to say 'older people' instead of 'old man' or 'old lady' - it just sounds a little more respectful, don't you think? There's a long way to go, though, before aging is no longer seen as something to fight, but instead, something to celebrate!"

If you'd like to hear more wise words from Catherine or get some great fashion, beauty, and body image advice from her, be sure to visit Not Dressed As Lamb or follow her on Instagram!

#21

Dehydration. Sun.

#22

Starving yourself to lose weight. I look so much older in photos from my 20s than I do now at 45.

#23

Having a spouse that contributes nothing to your relationship and allows your family to slip further and further into debt without caring that you're all only a couple of bills away from bankruptcy.

#24

Depression or general unhappiness in life

#25

Being homeless. It’ll make you mature right fast it will.

#26

Being the victim of a crime, and then having to spend the next two years of your life attending monthly hearings until a court date is decided. Watching the legal system not protect you when he violates restraining orders, gets a DUI and visibly deteriorates, coming to court dirtier and more unkempt each time. Losing friends because they like the offender better and just can't see...

#27

The way you dress

#28

The loss of a loved one.

#29

(Multiple) tooth loss

#30

CHILDREN. My [private parts] have aged 20 years.

#31

I just did 4 years in prison and that was f*****g stressful. I feel like I’ve aged a lot

#32

hair loss. Not me personally but I used to work with a guy who I swore was like 35, and he was 19. Poor kid.

#33

Stress, grief, childhood trauma. It can also ruin your life and life of the people around you.

#34

Weight loss sometimes adds way more wrinkles.

#35

For men, a moustache. If you look back at the 1980s, you have 25-30 year old men look like they're in their 40s, and the same is happening again, now. Women - too much makeup

#36

I have been through war and i also lost my sister to a car accident, fair to say im 39 but i look 60.

#37

Not choosing the cup of a carpenter

#38

Kids. Kids instantly age people. I have proof of it. I had kids before my twin sister did. I looked 10 years older than her. Then she had kids and we evened out. And yet the compelling narrative in the US is that SAHMs do nothing all day 🙄🙄🙄 yeah if that s**t ages you by 10 years, there’s definitely a lot of work and stress there.

#39

M**h and alcohol!

#40

Reminiscing about the show "Dinosaurs"

#41

Troubleshooting printer problems. I swear these devilish machines only exist to trigger me to smithereens.

#42

Putting two spaces after a period

#43

Finding out a band you listened to when they first came out is getting inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

#44

Platinum blonde hair. I swear it enhances every single line you have in your face even if you're younger.

#45

Buccal fat removal

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Aging Factors: 45 Subtle Things That Make People Look Older

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