Healthy Lifestyle Choices Help Avoid Plastic And Cosmetic Surgery

By Margarita Nahapetyan

Wrinkles of aging are not due to genetics only but also to stressful environmental factors, such as divorce, abnormal weight loss, use of antidepressants and personal lifestyle choices, such as smoking, sun exposure and eating, reports a new study.

Environmental factors and lifestyle choices more than genes can add years to a person's appearance, says a lead researcher of the study Bahaman Guyuron, MD, chairman of the department of plastic surgery at University Hospitals, Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Researchers studied the wrinkles of 186 pairs of identical twins because "they are genetically programmed to age exactly the same," explained Bahaman Guyuron. During the study all the twins were photographed and asked to fill comprehensive questionnaires. In addition, an independent panel reviewed all the images and recorded age differences between the siblings.

The study found that twins who went through divorce looked nearly two years older than their identical siblings who were married, single, or even widowed. Researchers found that anti-depressant drug use -- which contain muscle relaxants which may cause sagging - also led to an older appearance, while weight gain was another major factor in perceived age difference. In those sets of twins who were less than 40 years of age, the heavier twin was perceived as being older, while in those who were more than 40 years old, the heavier sibling appeared younger.

"The presence of stress could be one of the common denominators in those twins who appeared older," says Dr. Bahaman Guyuron. "If you introduce certain factors into your life, you will certainly age faster. Likewise, if you avoid those factors you can slow down the hands of time."

Dr. Guyuron says that according to their findings non-genetic factors may be major culprits for wrinkles, lines, and blotches. But anything that contributes to a person's life with stress, such as a bad job or too much debt, can also draw lines all over one's face later in life, he says.

"Identical twins, unless they behave exactly the same, will exhibit their different lifetime experiences on their faces," he says. "If the biological clock is designed to make you age in a certain way, you can alter that by eliminating some of the external factors that make you age faster."

Richard Winer, MD, an Atlanta psychiatrist, says that during his more than 20 years of practice, he has noticed that people who start using antidepressants right away tend to look much better and develop fewer lines as they age. "When people are depressed, there is a tendency not to take care of yourself, and maybe to smoke and drink more," he explained. "Generally speaking, when people are happier, they tend to look younger. Colleagues have noticed the same thing."

Also, aging reduces hormones, and "if they are replaced judicially under medical advice, that will delay aging," Dr.Guyuron says. "Estrogen has a significant effect on the elasticity of the skin." To look younger, people with extra weight should not try to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, he says.

"Some patients, particularly those who have eating disorders, feel they will look younger if they lose a lot of weight after 40," he says. "But actually that will make you look older." He does not recommend that people in bad marriages suffer and stay together, but faces of twins in the study suggested that those who had decided to divorce looked significantly older than their married twins.

And as it was mentioned before, the researchers started examining lifestyles of identical twins because they are genetically programmed to age in exactly the same way, but Dr.Guyuron says the study shows that one can prevent quick aging by making smart choices, such as not smoking and eating healthy diet.

"The research is important for two reasons," Guyuron concluded. "First, we have discovered a number of new factors that contribute to aging, and second, our findings put science behind the idea that volume replacement rejuvenates the face."

In other words, before trying some fancy expensive face creams or cosmetic or plastic surgeries to restore your young looks, take into consideration that the secret of youth and freshness might be as simple as in just maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The study is published online in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.