Do we look young for our age?

[Just Mandy]

Is it just me or as a group do we look young for our age?

I'm curious about this... becuase I'm always surprised here when I find out
someones real age. I've always been told that I look very young for my age no matter what
age I was. In my twenties I was always carded when buying alcohol. In my thirties and now forties
people guess me about ten years younger than I am.

And if you agree do you think it's becuase we have taken better
care of ourselves than the average male or is it some kind or weird TS marker?

Amanda

[NicholeW.]

A weird TS marker, no doubt!!

And the effects of estrogen after a few months of HRT enhances that weird marker.

[lisagurl]

I was always carded when buying alcohol.

I was carded into my forties.

[Just Mandy]

And the effects of estrogen after a few months of HRT enhances that weird marker.

Yes... HRT most certainly does...I look younger after just three months.

But just to be clear I am asking about pre-HRT... before the facial fat
changes from HRT. The woman that I've seen here pre-HRT look
very young for their age.

Amanda

[LynnER]

When I was younger, I looked like I was in my mid to late 30's <I did my best to appear that way>

Then when I gave up the fight... Suddenly <once again> I looked allot younger than my age...

Up until this last year people thought I was like 17 or 18... <almost 10 years younger than I am>  Now the average guess is about 5 years off... but last year was hard and it really shows on my face.

[gina]

So true...even before HRT I looked younger then my age. HRT enhanced that by another 10 years. I guess we as a group are lucky in some ways.

[Lori]

I've always looked very young for my age. I was carded all the way through my 30's. HRT sure doesn't make things better. It is the fountain of youth and I swear I look like I'm 19 some days and I just turned 40.

[Ms Jessica]

I'm 30 and I still get carded buying alcohol.  I usually respond with a comment like "Oh, bless you."
The doc I saw for a laser consult today was a little surprised at my age.  She thought I was still in my mid twenties. 

[Eva Marie]

The words I hear often are "baby face". I got that recently at a restaurant when we were chatting with some older people at the bar while waiting for a table and I was discussing something that happened long ago. The people didn't believe I was old enough to know about whatever it was we were discussing. I told them my age (about 44 at the time) and they said no way! and that I had a "baby face". Yep, heard that before.

Now that i've discovered more about myself (androgyne) maybe it IS a weird marker.... why not? i've got the female elbows and the equal length fingers 

[tinkerbell]

We certainly do!   The wonders of estrogen, I suppose!

tink

[RebeccaFog]

         People keep thinking I'm 10 or more years younger.  I don't know why, though.  I'm not kidding.  I've been having to explain to people that I'm not some kid.  I don't think I look young, but whatever.

         I've been wondering if it because we use our faces differently than the cisgendered males.  More eye movement or whatever it is that's considered female.  On us, it may just give the appearance of eternal youth.

         If this gets out, we'll be finding cisgendered people suddenly want to be like us.   

[discarded]

Definitely.

In my case I'm 27 and look about 17. I constantly get asked if I'm 18. It's REALLY annoying because I have a lot of schooling and experience, and to have that overlooked because I don't -look- my age (and rather, like some young punk kid who couldn't possibly have much experience/knowledge), and then not be taken seriously (or patronized) is just frustrating.

But yes, I've noticed we look much younger than our ages. It's both a good and bad thing.

At least when I'm 80 all the 60 year old honeys will be on my jock...

[RebeccaFog]

At least when I'm 80 all the 60 year old honeys will be on my jock...

We didn't need that visual.   

[Wendy C]

At least when I'm 80 all the 60 year old honeys will be on my jock...

We didn't need that visual.   

Im 60 and at the moment dont want to be on anyones jock.    But yes for some strange reason I could be persuaded that there is a valid corelation in younger looks. I was still being carded at 30 and have been told many times that I look younger than I am. Prior to starting HRT I wore a beard so I wouldnt have to shave and that actually added age to the looks. The HRT after 8 months seems to have enhanced the effect also.    I dont know, the idea sounds good though. Oh and and as an afterthought Im rethinking the jock proposition too. 

Hugs

Wendy

[Gracie Faise]

Peeps be thinkin I'm 16 all the time. But im 19 :"J

I get carded at the theater allll the time but I don't care. Looking young only helps with passing n _n;

[ConfusedMichelle]

Ya'll sure do.

I know I look 12

[Autumn]

Everyone still thinks I'm 18-19 at 22, but lord, I've seen myself age the last 8 months because I haven't given myself enough sleep. My whole life I've been sleep deprived and it's finally catching up with me, so I'm trying to fix it. It gives my coworkers frequent outs to excuse why they invite everybody else out to drink except for me 

[Nero]

A weird TS marker because I still get asked if I'm excited about high school graduation every year about this time. Guess I look like a teenager.

I think it's both the fact that once on HRT, the second puberty effect makes us look a lot younger somehow and even before HRT like in my case, we just look and seem so much younger than we are.
Part of it may be a physical manifestation of a psychological effect - until we've successfully transitioned we don't really grow up. I don't think one can really mature into an adult of the opposite gender. Like it or not, our gender is a big chunk of our core being and how the hell can a little girl ever grow to be a man or vice versa?

[MeghanAndrews]

I thank my skin and youthful appearance to:

1) Exfoliating twice a week with a good soft bristle brush and Lancome exfoliator since I was 16.

2) Using Pre-Moisturizer, Lancome, Primordial Cell Defense every morning after face scrub & dry face

3) Chanel Retexturizing Line Correcting Cream (since I was 29, used lighter moisturizer since I was 21), switching to Lancome this month (need to save $)

4) My most important, can't live without, MD Formulations "Illuminating Serum" with 10% glycolic acid. Put on at night. I love this stuff!

I'm sure HRT and lack of facial help post HRT, but I got comments that I looked mid 20's before HRT so I think it's mainly due to good skin care.

Also, not smoking, not drinking, drinking lots of water and not much junk food (ok, the OCCASIONAL bag of Sour Patch Kids!), and STAYING OUT OF THE SUN!!!!

[lacitychick21]

I can attest to Meghan's youthful appearance. Often I forget some six or seven decades separate our chronological age.   

That said, people often tell me I look 18 or 19! I had a waitress once sit and stare at my driver's license and start asking me questions like what street do I live on! Sheesh!