Why are Gen Z ageing so differently to millennials? Experts reveal pressure to use ‘wrong’ skincare too young, vaping and getting Botox in their early 20s mean younger generation look older than those in their 30s
Gen Z are ageing much faster than millennials due to vaping and tweakments
They’ve been repeatedly berated by Boomers and Gen Z, but one surprising win for millennials is their youthful appearance.
As the eldest members of Generation Y approach their mid-40s, many people have been left baffled at how the group is ageing much more slowly than generations before – and after – them.
Healthier diets, better knowledge of skincare and improvement in make-up means those born between 1980 and 1997 appear more youthful than older generations did at the same age.
But surprisingly, the trend hasn’t continued to Generation Z, (those born 1998 – 2012) who are ageing differently to those above them.
While millennials learned how to use good skincare techniques in their late teens and 20s, Gen Z may have been overexposed to the techniques and started using products incorrectly, causing them to age prematurely, a number of experts have revealed to FEMAIL.
Aesthetics experts have explained that using the love of vaping, exposure to blue light and getting tweakments too young are also a reason celebrities and influencers in their late teens and early twenties look decades older than those in the past.
‘Overuse or unnecessary application of filler and toxins at a young age may affect the natural facial development, causing younger patients to look older than they are,’ celebrity cosmetics doctor Dr Rasha Rakhshani-Moghadam told FEMAIL.
‘Millennials generally have a heightened awareness of skincare and diet, compared to previous generations, often incorporating a more holistic approach to well-being. This shift involves a greater emphasis on preventive skincare practices and a focus on balanced diets.’
The phenomenon has been noted by writers and many social media users, with TikTok often debating ‘why millennials look younger than Gen Z’.
‘Why don’t millennials age,’ has more than 20 million views on TikTok. Quora and Reddit is filled with conspiracies about why millennials looks so young.
Hundreds of people have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to pose the question.
Some have joked it’s because ‘millennials have depression so go outside less’ meaning their skin isn’t exposed to the sun, while others have said growing up around social media and camera phones means millennials are more image conscious than generations before, keeping them more youthful.
Gen Z’s ageing could in part be due to higher nicotine consumption in their teens and early 20s.
