Without the volume to support it, skin can sag and fold, leading to facial folds, wrinkles, turkey neck, and jowls. The combination can make a big difference in your facial appearance, and for some people it can have a much more dramatic effect, making you look more than just four years older.
Having low body fat may look great on your body but it causes your face to look prematurely older. As we age and lose collagen, our skin doesn't retract as much as it used to. Unable to tighten back up, our skin is left loose causing deep wrinkles and in some cases even hanging skin.
The thinner your skin, the less elastic and supportive framework there is to support it. This skin type is particularly vulnerable to extrinsic ageing factors such as sun, pollution and wind. Thin skin breaks down collagen faster than thicker skin, losing its tone and thickness and resulting in lines and sagging.
Losing weight can help some people to have a younger appearance. As people age, they often gain weight. Extra weight can show your age, as it is a visible sign of your slowing metabolism. Counteract the aging effect of extra weight by losing extra weight slowly and exercising to tone your muscles.
The biggest changes typically occur when people are in their 40s and 50s, but they can begin as early as the mid-30s and continue into old age. Even when your muscles are in top working order, they contribute to facial aging with repetitive motions that etch lines in your skin.
Your 30s is when you start to see some early signs of aging, as well as the first effects of sun damage that most likely happened in your teenage years or in your 20s.
From a clinical perspective, an individual is considered “too skinny” if they are deemed underweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an individual is underweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is below 18.5 [1].
A thin face is the lead culprit because being slender causes a loss of volume in the face, Guyuron says. "This loss of volume creates jowls and makes wrinkles develop," he says. "The older we get, the more the face gets depleted. When you lose weight, this look is enhanced and aging is accelerated.
Loss of muscle tone and thinning skin gives the face a flabby or drooping appearance. In some people, sagging jowls may create the look of a double chin. Your skin also dries out and the underlying layer of fat shrinks so that your face no longer has a plump, smooth surface. To some extent, wrinkles cannot be avoided.
Your skin is another obvious indicator of your age. This doesn't just include wrinkles, but things like dry skin and tired eyes, which can both be avoided. Reddit user Redhaired103 posted in /r/AskWomen that dark circles, pale skin, puffy eyes, and heavy makeup can also make you look older.
After our 20's, we begin to lose fat in our faces. The fat cells shrink, or atrophy and the result is a more aged-looking face. Shadows under the eyes (nasojugal folds), creases next to the nose (nasolabial folds), and wrinkles at the corners of the mouth (marionette lines) all start to appear.
It is not possible to specifically target the face when gaining extra weight naturally. However, gaining weight overall can help people achieve a fuller facial appearance. Working out the facial muscles can make them stronger, which may make the face appear fuller.
But it is now thought to be down to the loss of fat - the scaffolding that holds the face up. Doctors found we can lose more than 18 per cent of the cushioning underpinning our face in middle-age.
A weight under 100–110 pounds (50kg)
You can check if you're underweight by using our BMI healthy weight calculator, which shows your body mass index (BMI). If your BMI is below 18.5, this suggests that your weight may be too low.
Women with a BMI of less than 18.5 are considered underweight. The average woman's height is 5 feet, 4 inches. If you weigh 107 pounds or less at this height, you are considered underweight with a BMI of 18.4. A healthy weight range for that woman would be 108 to 145 pounds.
What are the risks of being underweight? If you are underweight, you may be at greater risk of certain health conditions, including malnutrition, osteoporosis, decreased muscle strength, hypothermia and lowered immunity. You are more likely to die at a younger age.
These studies have found that a low waist to hip ratio (WHR) of approximately 0.7 [9] and a low Body Mass Index (BMI; weight scaled for height) of approximately 18–19 kg/m2 [10] are perceived as most attractive in female bodies, while a low waist to chest ratio (WCR) of approximately 0.7, and relatively high BMI ( ...
People who carry more weight tend to look a little younger. How much younger? Twin studies revealed that a person who has a BMI 4 points higher can look 2-4 years younger. The reason is that the face naturally loses fat as we get older.
Natural changes happen in the body as we age, such as skin damage from sun exposure, loss of muscle and physical strength, loss of some sight and hearing, as well as changes to our sleep patterns, energy levels and appetite.
“Retinol and alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) can rejuvenate the skin and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Patel says. “Hyaluronic acid helps your skin retain moisture, which gives it a smooth, glowing look.” Opt for serums and night creams with retinol and AHAs, and a daily face moisturizer with hyaluronic acid.