Divorce Increases Aging

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The study involved twins that have identical genetic makeup and are meant to age together in a similar fashion. "A person's heritage may initially dictate how they age, but 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," said ASPS Member Surgeon and study author Bahaman Guyuron, MD, professor and chairman, department of plastic surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

"In this study, we looked at identical twins because they are genetically programmed to age exactly the same, and in doing so we essentially discovered that, when it comes to your face, it is possible to cheat your biological clock," the researcher added.

To conclude his study, Dr. Guyuron and his colleagues got questionnaires and digital images of 186 pairs of identical twins, an independent panel of judges viewed each of these images for perceived age difference between the siblings.

The results were an eye-opener. It showed that the twin that had divorced appeared 2 years older than the sibling who was married, single or widowed. The other major factors were antidepressants and weight. The twin couple who were less than 40 years of age, the heavier twin was thought to be older, the case reversed for the pairs that were over 40 years of age. According to Dr. Guyuron, "the presence of stress could be one of the common denominators in those twins who appeared older."

The antidepressants calm the facial muscles, causing them to sag after continual use. However, while gaining weight could not lead to a youthful appearance, but abnormal weight loss adds age to the appearance and health. AGENCIES