Why do people look older in old photos?

Have you ever looked at old photos of your parents and realized that they look older than you do now, even though they are your current age? Or while going through the past yearbooks at your school, have you noticed that former students in the same class appear in the photos as if they were much older than you; that famous artists and world leaders look older in their old photos than they do now? Have you ever wondered why actors in old black and white movies actually act at a young age, but when you watch them, they look as if they are much older? Is it all a coincidence or could there be other reasons why people look older in old photographs?

The fact that the facilities we have now were not so widely available in the past, the health sector and modern medicine were not as advanced as they are now, the lack of skin care that supports a youthful appearance, permed hair, dark make-up fashion, padded jackets, etc. Many reasons may have caused people to look older in photographs at that time, despite their young age.

Today, it is possible to access many health services quickly. Health centers, hospitals, beauty centers, pharmacies, SPA centers, psychological support institutions... The opportunities we can access for both physical and mental well-being are much more than in the past. When our parents were young, how many times do you think they had a massage or used collagen supplements? Probably never... Because such things were not common, maybe even non-existent.

Today, many of us know the importance of health much better, especially after the pandemic, and we use supplements and focus on holistic healing. Moreover, when we get sick, we can undergo a detailed screening and recover our health with various medications. If we consider that in the past, wellness centers or full-fledged hospitals were replaced by fracture and dislocation clinics or homemade cures were used, it is possible to say that people were not as healthy as they are today.

Of course, it is true that we benefit from the healing from nature today; we make many homemade care masks, herbal teas and many similar things, but since what is good for what and how it should be used was not as well known as it is today, in other words, modern medicine was not so developed, it was insufficient to support holistic health. So this may also be reflected in the photographs.

On the other hand, it is well known how important teeth are for a beautiful smile and a perfect photo frame. However, considering that in the past, dental care products and services were not as widespread as they are today, we can say that the bitter smiles in old photographs prevent a youthful appearance.

If you have witnessed your parents' slightly reproachful statements such as "When I was your age, we had 2 children!", you actually have some ideas about the lifestyle in the past. The fact that people used to get married at a younger age and have children at an earlier age brought with it many responsibilities and difficulties, so the tiredness in the eyes may have overshadowed the youth. It is also possible to say that the fact that the female body undergoes many changes, especially after childbirth, made our mothers look older in photographs when they were our age.

Although vintage clothing is shaping today's fashion, those padded jackets, wool sweaters and plaid skirts definitely have an air of nostalgia. It's obvious that everyone looks very stylish in the old photos, but the way they dressed at the time may have made them look a little older... Also, we shouldn't forget those bouffant hairstyles and the perm fashion. Most of us probably have a permed photo of our mom or a portrait of our dad with long hair. Fluffy, sprayed lush hair definitely adds a bit of maturity. Don't you agree?

Today, the importance of sunscreen creams is one of the topics that are always talked about in skin care. Sunscreens, which should be used not only in summer but also in all seasons, are now among the habits that many people have adopted. Sunscreens, which protect the skin from the damaging effects of the sun as well as reducing the effects of aging and the risk of wrinkles and blemishes, were not so popular and easily accessible in the past. Also, the use of skin care products was not very common. Serums, creams or exfoliating cleansers were not used as much as they are today. For this reason, people's skin was more neglected than today. Therefore, a bright, well-groomed, young skin appearance was not possible.