What Kind Of Control Do You Actually Have Over Aging?

Posted on February 15, 2009
Filed Under Aging | Leave a Comment

A new study of identical twins shows that the things we do in life and environmental factors have an undeniable effect on how fast or slowly our faces age. Researchers recruited nearly 200 sets of identical twins who were visiting the annual twin festival in Twinsburg, Ohio.

Twin research is especially useful in the study of aging because twins are genetically coded’’ to grow old the identical way, said study author Dr. Bahman Guyuron, chairman of the department of plastic surgery at the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University. As a result, any perceived differences in appearance among twins can give clues as to what environmental and lifestyle factors can strongly influence aging, he said.

We needed to research the factors that may speed up growing old,’’ Dr. Guyuron said. What are the things we can control? By changing your lifestyle behaviors, can you control part of growing old that would otherwise be speeded up?’’

Using still photographs of each twin set, the researchers asked an independent panel to mark differences in each twin’s appearance and whether one twin looked older than the other. They found many factors influenced facial aging, including sun exposure and smoking. Based on the assessment, 10 years of smoking added about 2.5 extra years of aging to a twin’s face, compared to a twin who did not smoke. Sun exposure, particularly among those who spent more time outside playing golf or tennis, also increased the appearance of aging.

Stress also appeared to be a factor in looking older. Divorced twins appeared, on average, at least two years older than a twin who was married or widowed.

It also appeared as though antidepressant use was also associated with an older look. Researchers said it’s possible that depression itself increased facial aging, or it’s possible that use of antidepressant drugs relaxed facial muscles and increased the appearance of aging.

The researchers also found a shocking comparison between facial aging and body weight. A heavier body weight before the age of 40 was associated with an older look. But, in the women over 40, a heavier body mass index was associated with a more youthful look, compared to a thinner twin.

Excessive loss of weight can be detrimental to youthfulness and attractiveness,’’ Dr. Guyuron said. It’s a warning if you lose too much weight after the age of 40.’’

The discoveries were published online in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All of the twins researched were women. Dr. Guyuron said future research will study male twin sets to determine what factors influence a man’s facial aging.

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