The Younger You Look, the Longer You’ll Live?

New research by Danish scientists suggests that chances are, the younger you look, the longer you’ll live. A team of researchers from the University of Southern Denmark studied photographs of 1,826 Danish twins and rated the perceived age by looking at pictures of the subjects’ faces. The researchers found that perceived age was significantly associated with survival and life span. The research was started in 2001 and completed last year. The findings are published in this month’s British Medical Journal (click here for the full manuscript). We know that factors like smoking and sun exposure have deleterious effects on the skin and contribute to the aging process. Therefore, skin care is very important to not only reverse the signs of aging but also prevent further damage to the skin (for our recommended skin care products, click here). Healthy living also contributes to a more youthful appearance; this includes consistent exercise and a well balanced diet. Finally, there are genetic factors too. Most notably, the length of the telomeres (pieces of DNA that indicate the cell’s ability to replicate) is believed to have a direct correlation to both physical health and appearance. Research has shown that shorter telomeres are linked to faster aging.