# Why do I look younger than I should?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 11, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001 "2002-12-11T14:30:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001/41 "2002-12-12T15:46:09Z")

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Looking younger than one´s age is mostly a problem when you are young trying to get into places or buy things that you are too young to legally buy/do.

As you get older you will want to look younger so be thankful that you have this advantage.

I am 29 now but I get carded when buying alcohol (for which the age limit is 20 in Sweden) quite often. I kind of like it when it happens.

**XJetgirlX** I don´t think you should complain at all. You look very nice now and as someone said earlier once you reach 30 you are going to be very glad if you look 10 years younger.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001/42 "2002-12-12T21:20:12Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Sigh … wait 'til you’re twenty-two and the substitute teacher mistakes you for one of the twelve-year-olds you volunteer with. Or you’re twenty-six and waiters still won’t believe you’re old enough to drink wine, but they’re perfectly willing to serve your brother, who is more than four years younger.

Yeah, but **Porpentine** , you **look** about 16!! I know better – I’ve known better for three years now, but every time I see you at a Dopefest, my first thought is, “Now, whose offspring is she?” 🙂

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**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001/43 "2002-12-13T00:33:56Z")

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I don’t know why people even bother thinking that they can guess others’ ages, there’s such a wide range. I am no longer surprised to see a 25-year old who most people think looks 14, it happens so often. Now, when someone asks me how old I think another person looks, I’ll say something like, “I don’t know, between 12 and 40?” I’m usually right. 😃

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**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-i-look-younger-than-i-should/142001/44 "2002-12-13T00:46:23Z")

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I consistently looked 2-5 years younger than I was for a while. That didn’t change until I was in the doctor’s office when I was 17 and was told I looked 23.

I have no idea how old I look now. I think my face looks fairly young, but I’ve got pain in it all the same, so I tend to look emotionally weathered at times.

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