Are we really aging faster? Do Gen Z look older?

What’s been said recently is that younger generations – specifically Gen Z – look significantly older than their age.

Many are chalking this down to the increased difficulty of securing the simple things in life, like a family, a home and a steady income.

This could be one aspect, but we would say there are several factors to also consider. 

Access to knowledge and information

Generation Z are the first generation to have access to the internet from birth. This has given them a wealth of information including learning from others’ mistakes. 

Gen Z may never have entered their awkward teenage phase where they didn’t know how to dress their new bodies, or their experimentation with make-up without blow-by-blow online tutorials. For Millennials and generations prior, these are clear memories which also highlight our naivety and innocence. 

Fashion and trends don’t age well

With every generation, fashion trends solidify the era. These will never age well for the next generation and when they do circle back, they are significantly improved. 

Society is constantly changing yet improving on past fashion choices.

The health boom

One thing that has seen a large uprise lately is non-surgical procedures. As generations seek to improve on fashion, they’re also looking to improve on their looks too. Buccal fat removal (for sunken cheeks) has grown in popularity which will have a large effect on your assumed age.

Trends of muscle-building and ‘being your best self’ have also seen a huge spike in popularity. With this comes eating disorders, dysmorphia, even dehydration and other elements which can add to the aging effect.

What can be done about it?

The most important aspect amongst this is the mental and physical safety for yourself. Trends like these constantly change and adapt to society and they do always come with their risks and dangers.

If we go as far back as the corset trend which saw many women lose consciousness and even the “Nothing looks as good as skinny feels” trend of the 1990’s.

When is comes to health and discussion around where you fit in amongst a trend, so long as your safety is the first concern, then is it just another trend to pass by and be replaced with the next.