Did People In the Past Age Faster & Why?

Question

This is a cliffhanger to a similar question I asked earlier on. When I looks on old pictures, I thinks people looked both different and older at that time. Nowadays a 15 years old looks their age, but some 15 years old in old photographs looks older than their age. My grandmother who's in her 80s looked 20 when she was 15. A 30 years old person could pass as 40.

Not only do I find people older looking, but I also have noticed some facial features from the past looks different than those ones nowadays. I've heard the human face hasn't changed in thousands of years evolutionary wise, but I still think some features are rarer nowadays. People on old photos tends to have bigger noses and ears for example.

Here's an example:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/5120?size=_original#caption

#History #PeopleInThePast #PhysicalAppearance #Evolution

Did People In the Past Age Faster & Why?

Wikipedia claims this guy looked like this when he was 33

Some people looks like this in their 20s nowadays

englisc · Accepted Answer

It could be a sign of domestication syndrome. This is something that happens to all domesticated animals, and most likely happens to humans too.

It's probably easier to spot in dogs than in humans. Domesticated dogs were bred from wolves. Those that were more suited as domestic pets were of course those that were more tame by nature. Tamer animals tend to have different features to wild animals. When it comes to domesticated dogs for example, they tend to have smaller teeth, smaller jaws, floppier ears, juvenile facial features.

Look at an adult chihuahuah skull and a baby wolf skull. They look almost exactly the same. The chihuahuah is an extreme example of the end result of domestication syndrome.

Domestication syndrome happens when animals live a domesticated lifestyle. When we're young and still developing we have certain genes that are either triggered or not triggered, depending on the way we live. When you live a very comfortable life in a domestic setting, those wild genes aren't triggers - therefore you become more domesticated.

So to put it simply - easy life = domestication syndrome = younger looking. Hard life = less domestication = age faster.

Levin · Accepted Answer

I was reading something about the traditional Chinese getting their first periods at an average age of 17, whereas in the US it's around the age of 11. The theory being that animal products are altering our hormone profile and making us age far quicker. A lot of people are aging very badly.

The guy (or girl?) in the picture hasn't aged because he hasn't seen a hard days work in his life. Society is extremely imbalanced towards valuing and rewarding an excess kind of cerebral snootiness. You can go through life having pretty much not lifted a finger.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

In the past, they probably did appear older than they were. Not only did they not know to use sunscreen regularly to protect their skin from prematurely aging from exposure to UV rays, but they used cosmetics that contained high levels of dangerous chemicals such as lead in makeup or mercury in their face creams, and they also did not have any Snapchat filters or the like that can appear to smooth and brighten their skin. Plus, nowadays almost everyone moisturizes and exfoliates their skin, many use products with retinol, wear face masks, get facials, etc. In the past, there were more pressing concerns like war, famine, and poverty to focus on.

In regards to physical appearances, it is hard to tell if those traits that you see have actually changed or if the larger genetic diversity that we have these days (hardly anyone marries their cousins anymore) has played a role in which genes are being expressed.

alice55 · Accepted Answer

I think they aged faster because of poor diet, hard work and sleep deprivation.
Too back then women used very dangerous skin care / make up who destroyed their skin.

For bigger nose and ear I think it's due to the fact women drank bear and others alcohol beverage when they were pregnant cause the water was too dangerous to drink (mostly because pollution, I know for sure they did it during the 19th). I've read that when pregnant women drink bear it can result in some deformation / not good proportion of the face in their child.

Anonymous · Answer

Never looked into that...
should be interesting...
but I also think maybe it was their style? Like some hair cuts and hair dos can make you look aged... and same goes for clothing..

But anyway I’m 33 and most people assume I’m 15 and 16... not even 19! That’s weird to me... everyone I see my age, look drastically OLDER.. so I don't know... if most people my age looked like me, I’d think what you’re saying is mostly true, but from what I see in real life, I don’t see many people like myself... so I don't know... but it would be interesting to find out if something is making some of us age slower... or something

lilaqua · Answer

Yeah I dunno. I remember seeing photos of my great great grandparents that were apparently taken in their late 50s-early 60s yet they look like they're almost 90. They had a really hard life, lots of physical labour, cold weather and very little food, so it makes a lot of sense.

InTimoreDei · Answer

This really depends on the person. My great-grandparents and grandparents looked really young for their age and they died quite old, surpassing many of their friends and family. A lot of people still die quite young despite our supposed "excellent health care" and still age fast.

Aynsof · Answer

Depends on how you define age
In the past for most people the life expectancy was much lower largely due to insufficient and unhealthy diets but also due to hard manual labour begun early in life and it shows
That aside it is possible that there has been some hormonal changes due to the change in lifestyle for people but I do not if it is actually so

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Back in times past people mature quickly and didn't call themselves a "boy" or "girl" at 21 years old.

When a person considers themselves grown and act mature their physical appearance changes and makes them look more serious and older.

You have people today that are 25 years old and act and have a mind like a 15 year old, thus, that creates a feeling of youth and keeps a person looking younger than what they actually are.

esotericstory · Answer

No its just people not maturing anymore.

xEmmorixX · Answer

They had to grow up fast. For some there was no childhood once they were around 6+ it's off to work. Make your parents proud. Help provide for the family.

Notabadguy · Answer

Yes they age quick because they did not have the cosmetics care we had today, basically I look young for my age since I follow a skincare routine and avoid anythig that harms my skin

-sunflowersss- · Answer

No my great great great great grandma was 95 and she looked 5.

Leviathan_Charmer · Answer

I don't know about aging, but I know they died faster. That's probably because of the less advanced medical stuff.

Kenni · Answer

Yes. You'd see young people of 17, looking like they're 25. Even saw a report on it.

Daniel3035 · Answer

No it’s just the way people grew their facial hair made them look older.  People used to live shorter back then and so aged quicker.

jakeofalltrades · Answer

one reason would be all the makeup and other skin treatments do these days. also I think the black and white adds a few years on the person

clampfan101 · Answer

One reason would be medical care being less advanced.

TsubasaCorrupted · Answer

I think it's because the world they lived in was much dirtier and unhealthy comparatively.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes thats why its the past if they aged slower they would live in the present (as in present tense, not like a gift)

Paris13 · Answer

No good Crème In Between. lolxxoo

boulshyte · Answer

diet &medicine

Did People In the Past Age Faster & Why?

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