Why Does Gen Z Look So Old

Summary

The Infographics Show delves into the reasons Gen Z often looks older than their actual age. The video explores how makeup techniques, social media influences, and cosmetic procedures contribute to this perception. Despite being in their youthful prime, many Gen Zers opt for mature adult styling, including heavy makeup and Botox, to keep up with beauty standards shaped by influencers. This obsession with youth, ironically, makes them appear older. Stress, self-induced aging practices, and misinformation about skincare and tanning exacerbate the issue, causing them to seem older than millennials at the same age. The video concludes by posing a question about whether these practices truly age Gen Z or if it's just a byproduct of societal expectations.

Highlights

• Gen Z is known for their advanced makeup skills that often mimic celebrity styles, making them appear older. 🎨
• Botox and fillers used by Gen Z as preventive measures against aging might actually contribute to a more aged look. 💉
• The influence of social media creates pressure for Gen Z to maintain certain beauty standards, impacting their self-image. 📸
• Gen Z's love for tanning beds and vaping are shocking contributors to their aged appearance. 🌞
• High stress levels and anti-aging skincare regimens may ironically age Gen Z faster than any other generation. 📈

Key Takeaways

• Gen Z's advanced makeup skills and heavy styling make them look older than their years. 💄
• The rise of social media has led to increased pressure on Gen Z to adhere to unrealistic beauty standards. 📱
• Cosmetic procedures like Botox and fillers are becoming common among Gen Z, contributing to older appearances. 🧖‍♀️
• Stress and lifestyle choices, such as tanning and vaping, accelerate the perceived aging process in Gen Z. 🚬
• Despite their efforts to appear youthful, Gen Z's beauty routines and stress levels may be causing premature aging. 😬

Overview

In a surprising twist, Generation Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—often look older than they should. The Infographics Show investigates why this is the case, pointing to factors like makeup mastery and social media pressure. Gen Z, familiar with TikTok trends, embrace makeup routines that mimic those of celebrities, using techniques like contouring that older generations learned much later in life. 🖌️

Adding to this is the increasing use of Botox and other cosmetic procedures as preventive measures. Many in Gen Z seek to fend off aging before it even begins, with procedures becoming commonplace despite advice to the contrary. The push for a flawless appearance is powered by countless influencers on platforms such as Instagram, propagating an ideal that few can maintain without intervention. 👄

However, Gen Z's determination to look young may be fast-tracking them to an older appearance. Stress, widespread tanning bed usage, and the popularity of vaping are accelerating their aging process. While attempting to preserve youth, they might inadvertently be promoting an earlier onset of age-related changes, leading us to ask whether their choices really serve them well or simply add to the age-related pressure they feel. 🤔

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction: The Paradox of Gen Z Looking Older The chapter discusses the paradox of Generation Z individuals who appear to be older than their age. It starts with an anecdote about a coworker who plans a quiet evening with an early bedtime, which is unexpected given their youthful age. The narrator observes the coworker's skin under heavy makeup and presumes they've had cosmetic work done, guessing their age to be late 30s or early 40s. However, the coworker then reveals they are only turning 24, prompting the central question of why young individuals seem older than their actual age.
• 00:30 - 03:30: Exploring the Reasons Behind the Trend This chapter explores why Generation Z, people born between 1997 and 2012, often appear older than their actual age. Despite being in their youthful prime, individuals within this generation are noted to look older due to certain factors. One significant reason discussed is styling, implying that Gen Z's fashion and grooming choices can contribute to a perception of age beyond their years.
• 03:30 - 07:30: The Influence of Social Media on Perception The chapter explores the significant influence of social media, particularly platforms like TikTok, on the perceptions and behaviors of younger generations in regards to makeup and beauty standards. It illustrates how high schoolers are becoming skilled in complex makeup routines, such as contouring, which were relatively unknown to previous generations until they were adults. The chapter points out that while today's makeup trends aim for a "natural" look, the amount being applied suggests otherwise. Additionally, a study is mentioned that highlights how Gen Z has the highest engagement with these makeup trends.
• 07:30 - 12:00: Cosmetic Procedures and Their Impacts The chapter delves into the surprising trend of younger generations wearing more makeup than older ones, challenging traditional beauty norms that associate increased makeup use with aging. This shift is largely influenced by beauty and makeup influencers on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, who have popularized makeup application skills and trends among younger audiences.
• 12:00 - 16:30: Social Media Pressures and Aging Anxiety This chapter discusses the negative impact of social media on Gen Z's self-esteem, particularly in relation to aging anxiety. It highlights the surprising connection between social media use and perceptions of aging among Gen Z, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of this phenomenon. The demand for beauty products has significantly increased, with a 20% growth in 2023 compared to 2022. This increase is largely driven by Gen Z consumers, who are spending an average of $2,000 annually on these products, as reported by advertising company Nano and Statista.
• 16:30 - 21:30: Skincare Trends and Their Unintended Consequences The chapter discusses the paradoxical effects of certain beauty and skincare trends among young people, particularly Gen Z, and highlights the unintended consequences. It points out that although Gen Z tends to have less disposable income, they spend significantly on beauty products. An analysis is presented on how heavy makeup, often linked with older women, can actually accentuate signs of aging by settling into facial lines, especially when close up. Moreover, the chapter explores the perception that young individuals might appear older when wearing visible makeup due to cultural associations between makeup and adulthood. This is supported by a study referenced from the British Journal of Psychology, suggesting makeup's psychological impact on age perception.
• 21:30 - 26:30: Sun Exposure and Misinformation The chapter titled 'Sun Exposure and Misinformation' discusses the impact of makeup trends on different age groups, highlighting that while certain makeup techniques can make women in their 40s and 50s look younger, they have no effect on 30-year-olds and can make 20-year-olds look older. It underscores how many makeup techniques popular on platforms like TikTok are designed to look good on camera rather than in real life. The chapter also notes the influence of social media and the prevalence of 'on-camera lives,' where people tend to apply makeup intended for screen appearances more than for in-person interactions.
• 26:30 - 33:30: Vaping: A Modern Health Crisis The chapter discusses the adoption of advanced makeup techniques by Generation Z, which were originally designed for film and stage. Techniques such as contouring and 'baking' are used to achieve a flawless look on camera but can make individuals appear older in real life. Moreover, it addresses the growing trend of Gen Z undergoing cosmetic procedures at an early age, a trend observed by Dr. Sonia Khorana, a dermatologist and cosmetic doctor. This shift in makeup and cosmetic procedure trends is part of the broader conversation on how these practices contribute to aging Gen Z's appearance.
• 33:30 - 35:30: Conclusion: Are Gen Z's Practices Aging Them? The chapter discusses the growing trend of Botox usage among young people, particularly focusing on teenagers and those in their 20s. It highlights the prevalence of Botox procedures in England, where in 2020, 41,000 such procedures were done on teenagers. In response, the British government prohibited Botox for those under 18. Meanwhile, in the United States, Botox injections among people in their 20s surged by 28% from 2010 to 2020, driven by the global marketing of 'preventative' Botox, targeting young individuals without wrinkles.

Why Does Gen Z Look So Old Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 You casually ask your new coworker  about their Friday night plans,   expecting something exciting. Instead,  they mention an early night- crocheting,   a little Netflix, and bedtime before nine.  Wait… they’re already in their ‘early bedtime’   era? You look closely at their face, You take  a closer look at their face, surprised- ok,   their skin is layered under heavy foundation and  it isn’t looking its best. And they’ve definitely   had some work done. Late 30s? Maybe early 40s? Then they mention their upcoming birthday…   they’re turning 24 next month. How is that possible?! Why do
• 00:30 - 01:00 they look…and act…so much older? Today on the  Infographics Show, we’re going to investigate the   question media outlets and older generations have  been asking for years…why does Gen Z look so old?!  Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z should still  be in their youthful prime. With most of them   between 13 and 28 years old, you’d expect  them to look fresh-faced and youthful. But   as many people- both online and in real life-  have noticed, that’s… not exactly the case.  One reason Gen Z might appear older comes  down to styling—they actually know what
• 01:00 - 01:30 they’re doing. Scroll through TikTok, and you’ll  find high schoolers expertly executing hour-long   makeup routines- complete with contouring,  layers of foundation, and concealer tricks   that would make a celebrity makeup artist proud.  Most millennials and Gen X didn’t even know what   contouring was until they were full-grown adults-  contouring only gained popularity in the 2010s,   when the last millennials were in college. Now, a lot of the makeup Gen Z wears is meant   to look “natural” - though you’d never know  it from watching Euphoria. But that doesn’t   change the fact that it’s being piled on.  One study showed that Gen Z has the highest
• 01:30 - 02:00 percentage of regular makeup wearers than any  generation - 36% compared to 34% of millennials.  It might seem like a small difference, but  traditionally, makeup use increases with   age. Women wear more to cover up fine lines,  texture, and other so-called ‘imperfections’.   Yet, ironically, it’s younger people  who are wearing the most makeup today.  A lot of the increase in makeup application  knowledge, and makeup use itself, has to do   with the explosion of beauty and makeup  influencers on TikTok and YouTube- two
• 02:00 - 02:30 platforms heavily used by Gen Z. Social media  hasn’t helped Gen Z’s self-esteem either,   leading to another surprising reason they’re  looking older- but more on that later. Regardless of the reasons why, the demand  for beauty products is skyrocketing over   time. Online advertising company Nano found  that beauty product demand grew 20% in the   first part of 2023 compared to the same  period in 2022. And a lot of that money   is coming from Gen Z. According to Statista,  the average Gen Z’er spends $2,000 per year
• 02:30 - 03:00 on beauty products. Considering how broke  Gen Z tends to be, that’s quite the amount. Generally, contoured makeup and foundation is not  only associated with older women, but accentuates   even the smallest signs of aging. Foundation and  other skin-covering makeup settle into facial   lines, emphasizing them when viewed close up. On top of that, just wearing visible makeup can   make young people seem older- not because of the  makeup itself, but because we associate it with   adulthood. A study in the British Journal  of Psychology found that while makeup made
• 03:00 - 03:30 women in their 40s and 50s look younger to  observers, it had no effect on 30-year-olds-   and actually made 20-year-olds look older. Not to mention, many of the makeup techniques   trending on TikTok are designed for the camera-  not real life. If you’ve ever swung by a film set,   you know that what looks flawless on screen can  look… well, a little over-the-top in person. However, with the explosion of social  media, selfies, and more “on-camera lives”,   people are doing their makeup more for the  screen rather than in-person interactions.
• 03:30 - 04:00 So Gen Z is adopting makeup techniques originally  designed for film and stage like contouring and   “baking” -a heavy layer of setting powder to  lock everything in. The end result is makeup   looks flawless on camera but way more noticeable  in real life, making them appear even older. But there are more invasive cosmetic procedures  aging Gen Z up as well. Dr. Sonia Khorana,   a dermatology expert and cosmetic doctor,  says that Gen Z is more likely to undergo   cosmetic procedures at an earlier age than any  other generation before them. Dr. Khorana works
• 04:00 - 04:30 in England, where 41,000 Botox-style  procedures were performed on teenagers   in 2020. Eventually the British government  banned the use of Botox on anyone under 18. It’s not just a British thing;   the American Society of Plastic Surgeons  says that Botox injections increased 28%   among people in their 20s between 2010 and  2020. That’s partly because doctors around   the world are marketing “preventative” Botox to  young people who don’t even have wrinkles yet.
• 04:30 - 05:00 It’s worth noting though that the evidence  on that ranges from shaky to non-existent. According to The Washington Post, there  haven’t been any high-quality clinical   trials to determine whether preventative Botox  actually works long-term. It’s still a relatively   new trend- especially among people who are  young enough to still be dealing with acne. They state that, “anecdotal evidence from  dermatologists and plastic surgeons indicates   that Botox does delay the onset of wrinkles”.  But they also point out that dermatologists and
• 05:00 - 05:30 plastic surgeons who are selling Botox treatments  to patients may not be the most reliable sources. When cosmetic interventions become obvious,  they make people look older partly because of,   once again, social norms. No one expects a woman  in her early 20s to have had extensive cosmetic   procedures. That's exactly what happened when  Kylie Jenner stepped out at Paris Fashion Week in   2024. Observers- some casually, others a bit more  cruelly- remarked that she looked closer to her   40s than her actual age of 27. Jenner has opened  up about getting lip fillers since she was 15,
• 05:30 - 06:00 in addition to Botox, dermal fillers,  and other plastic surgery interventions. Dr. Khorana explains that Gen Z’s lifestyle  choices can make them appear older than their   actual age. And as you’ll soon see, some of  these habits- some you’d never expect- are   actually speeding up the aging process  and we’ll get to those factors soon.  In an interview with Vogue, dermatologists  revealed that preventative Botox doesn’t just   influence social perceptions- it can actually  make people look older. Manhattan dermatologist
• 06:00 - 06:30 Patricia Wexler explains, “If you do too much  Botox on your forehead for many, many years,   the muscles will get weaker and flatter.” This doesn’t just make the skin look thin,   flat, and less vibrant- it can also cause new  wrinkles to form in surrounding areas where   they normally wouldn’t. Most young people  get preventative Botox in their forehead,   but their face still wants to make expressions.  Since the forehead muscles can’t move as much,   other muscles- like those around the nose-  start compensating, leading to wrinkles in
• 06:30 - 07:00 places they were never meant to be. That creates wrinkles that normally   wouldn’t form until later in life - or at all -  giving their face a prematurely aged appearance. While Botox is supposed to be spaced out  by at least a few months, some people   ignore that guideline- often with the help  of shady doctors. This speeds up both the   skin weakening Botox causes, as well as  the wrinkles in the rest of their face. But why is Gen Z so obsessed  with stopping aging- to the   point where they’re actually making  themselves look older in the process?!
• 07:00 - 07:30 Well, this brings us to another interesting  point about Gen Z aging badly. Are they   freaking out because they’re aging badly? Or  are they freaking out because they’re aging? As opposed to other generations, Gen Z grew up  with social media being a central part of their   lives since before they hit puberty. Excessive  use of social media led to a lot of Gen Z’ers   comparing themselves to photoshopped and filtered  photos of not only others- but themselves as well.  Experts have long warned about the “filter  effect” and its impact on Gen Z’s self-esteem.   But that’s only part of the story. Add to that  Hollywood’s obsession with injectables, fillers,
• 07:30 - 08:00 and cosmetic procedures. The result is an army  of eternally youthful, nearly identical faces   that flood TikTok and Instagram, shaping  what “beauty” is supposed to look like.  Skincare company Curology conducted  a study of 2,000 US teenagers between   the ages of 14 and 22. They found that  72% of teenagers feel pressure to look   “perfect” because of social  media’s beauty standards. Furthermore, 25% of Gen Z say they’re  actually uncomfortable sharing their
• 08:00 - 08:30 face on social media without filters or  makeup as a result. In fact a full 37% of   teenagers would prefer to “walk around  with a facial filter on” in real life. Not only are people on social media  comparing themselves to others, but   they’re also comparing their faces with younger  versions of themselves. Never before have so many   people had immediate access to dozens or hundreds  of chronologically sorted photos of their face. Scroll down your TikTok and Instagram feed  over just a few years, and you can see a
• 08:30 - 09:00 difference in your face over time. For  some people, that’s upsetting. After all,   for most of human history, we weren’t meant  to regularly see ourselves at all. Plus,   comparing your reflection to a ten-year-old oil  painting in the Victorian era isn’t exactly the   same as spending four hours a day on Zoom and  TikTok, noticing your newly forming crow’s feet. So it’s very probable that due to these  distorted perceptions and standards,   Gen Z is just freaking out over normal signs  of aging, rather than truly aging badly.   Psychology professor Renee Engeln, the director  of Body and Media Lab at Northwestern University,
• 09:00 - 09:30 says “there is a sense in which young  people have forgotten what faces look like.” Research agrees with her,   as 60% of 18-24 year olds say they feel  pressured to change their appearance. The problem is, when young people turn  to cosmetic procedures to achieve an   unrealistic look- or to appear even younger-  they often get the opposite effect. Just like   with Botox. Aesthetician Dr. Ahmed  El Muntasar says “dermal fillers are   brilliant for adding volume to the face. But  too much filler can have the opposite effect,
• 09:30 - 10:00 making you look older due to the  shadows it can create on the face.” Trying to contour the face  with fillers instead of makeup,   can age otherwise young women. After  a backlash to excessive filler use,   many celebrities who dissolved them - including  Blac Chyna and Ariana Grande. They subsequently   received widespread praise for how much  better- and younger- they looked without them. Not to mention, the facial structure of women  is still changing up until their mid-20s,   as a lot of them haven’t lost the “baby fat”  covering their cheekbones. So staging cosmetic
• 10:00 - 10:30 interventions when your underlying facial  structure isn’t even fully visible yet can   create more problems. Fillers are likely to look  odd or migrate after the face finishes undergoing   its normal young adulthood changes. Belkin has this to say about filler:   it is “a great tool, but it has to be used well,  and it has to be used smartly. When it migrates,   it does create that exhausted look,  which can make you look older.”  Gen Z’s obsession with youth also leads to  something called “perception drift”. Basically,
• 10:30 - 11:00 when someone gets a little Botox here, or a  little filler there, they can start to freak out   about other imperfections in their face. This can  lead to more and more procedures, until they look   closer to a Real Housewife than the office intern. Sari Botton, the editor of Oldster   Magazine - which, unsurprisingly, focuses on aging  - thinks Gen Z’s freak outs about getting older   might have to do with psychological expectations  as well. Members of Gen Z created a whole   identity around youth, especially online, as  many new generations tend to do - but social
• 11:00 - 11:30 media amplified it. Trends on TikTok involved  a lot of Gen Z and Millennial comparisons, with   Gen Z presenting their trends as new and exciting  while Millennial trends were “old” and done for.  But now, Gen Alpha is here to overthrow them - Gen  Z won’t be the young generation the world markets   to for much longer. They’ll soon be the ones who  don’t get the new trends, or be thought of as   “cringe”. As Botton says, “I think it’s probably  the old quarter-life crisis, and the realization   that they’re going to have to make some big adult  choices that they’re going to have to live with.”
• 11:30 - 12:00 So Gen Z’s anxieties about adulthood are  manifesting in feeling like they’re looking too   old. But according to at least one 26-year-old  whose video about the topic went viral,   all those anxieties are also making them old. Jordan Howlett says he’s constantly mistaken   for being in his 40s- even though  he’s only 26. In a viral TikTok,   he shared why he thinks this is happening:  anxiety and stress are prematurely aging his   entire generation. That’s right, one of the most  serious things making Gen Z look old is stress.
• 12:00 - 12:30 “Gen Z is so worried about turning 30,  that time when you’re supposed to have   everything put together”, Howlett says. “We  live in a time nowadays where Millennials   look way younger for their age while  Gen Z looks way older for their age.”  One poll by the American Psychological Association  found that 91% of 3,400 Gen Z adults surveyed in   2018 admitted they experienced some kind of  physical or emotional stress. Gen Z is also   the most stressed demographic in the workplace. A  survey conducted by Cigna 360, found that out of
• 12:30 - 13:00 12,000 workers, a whopping 98% reported burnout. And stress can have a very real, physical effect   on aging, as it affects cortisol, inflammation,  hormonal levels, and skin mast cells.  Cortisol slows down collagen production, making  skin lose its elasticity. Inflammation helps   create free radicals that damage cells by causing  even more inflammation. And skin mast cells,   which play a huge role in supporting  the immune system, are badly damaged
• 13:00 - 13:30 by stress. This leads to conditions like  acne, psoriasis, and eczema, to name a few.  So what’s the answer? For a lot of Gen Z,   the solution is simple: skincare! Preventative  skincare, from as young as possible, all the time!  Actually… it turns out, that’s probably aging  them too. Gen Z really can’t catch a break.  Last time you logged onto TikTok and saw a  14-year-old describing their anti-wrinkle routine,   you may have already felt that there was something  wrong with that picture. And it turns out,
• 13:30 - 14:00 it was a lot more than you think. Gen Z has been aggressively marketed   to by skincare brands and influencers  since they got their first hormones. But   instead of the treatments that were usually  marketed to teenagers - acne treatments,   for example - they’re now getting wrinkle  treatments and anti-aging routines pushed on them.  And we mean pushed. Bubble Skincare, which sells  products like eye-brightening cream, has over   2,000 13 and 14 year old youth ambassadors. It’s  common to see influencers in their sophomore year   of high school showing multi-step morning and  nighttime skincare routines on social media. But
• 14:00 - 14:30 not only is all this skincare mostly unnecessary  at such a young age…it can actually be damaging.  Retinol, a common ingredient in many anti-aging  treatments, isn’t recommended for young skin   because it causes dryness. While it’s great for  rejuvenating collagen production in older people,   young people don’t need that rejuvenation.  Their bodies are pretty great at producing   collagen on their own. So instead, they  end up with dry-looking, dehydrated skin
• 14:30 - 15:00 that ages them. The ingredient also damages  the skin barrier over time, and that can help   cause conditions like dermatitis. Chemical exfoliants have similar   effects. As Dr. Khorana says, “there’s peer  pressure to try the products influencers   are promoting on social media, but these  often aren’t suitable for those under 30.”  So what skincare does Gen Z need? According to  most dermatologists, probably nothing more than   a good SPF, cleanser, and moisturizer. But that  won’t stop skincare companies from convincing Gen
• 15:00 - 15:30 Z they need their treatments to avoid looking old,  and Gen Z from buying it all up. Research showed   that Gen Z spends more on beauty and skincare than  any other demographic, even though they need it   the least. Unfortunately, even though Gen Z seems  to focus on their facial skincare routine, they   seem to care less about the rest of their body. A study carried out by Melanoma Focus found that   43% of Gen Z admitted to using sunbeds - one  of the worst things you can do for your skin.   Not only does it drastically increase the risk  of skin cancer, but it also speeds up premature
• 15:30 - 16:00 aging, leaving skin looking older, faster. As Seattle-based dermatologist Dr. Heather   Rogers says of Gen Z, “they’re not taking  care of their skin, despite having a 15-step   skin-care regimen”. Tanning bed use steeply  declined in the 2010s - by almost 30% - after   science showed that sunbeds were even worse  for skin than tanning in the actual sun.  So why is the anti-wrinkle-obsessed generation  tanning their skin into a leathery hide? Well,   it’s because they don’t seem to be  aware how bad it is. And disinformation
• 16:00 - 16:30 coming through influencers on social  media has played a big part in that.  The backlash against tanning was huge among  millennials - if you saw orange-tinted   MySpace profile pictures circa 2004, you’d  understand why. But Gen Z has swung back   in the opposite direction. Many now believe  the concerns over tanning beds are overhyped.  The American Academy of Dermatology conducted a  survey in 2022 that showed Gen Z knew less about   UV safety than older generations. In fact,  one-third of Gen Z respondents scored a D or
• 16:30 - 17:00 lower on their knowledge of sun protection.  Even those who know the risks don’t seem to   care much. It highlights a bigger issue- Gen  Z’s perpetually online culture may have made   them more focused on controlling how they look on  social media than on their actual health. A full   28% of Gen Z respondents said that getting a tan  was more important than not getting skin cancer.  We assume that the people who actually got  skin cancer would disagree with that statement.  Unfortunately, skin cancer still  follows the rules of science rather
• 17:00 - 17:30 than the advice of TikTok influencers. One  doctor says at this point in his practice,   he’s removing skin cancer from someone under 40  almost every week. Surgical oncologist Dr. Rajesh   Nair says “we’re seeing an increasing number of  young and middle aged adults with not only skin   cancers, but advanced stage skin cancers.” Other dermatologists agree that influencers   sharing flat out false information about UV rays  and tanning salons don’t help the situation.   Dr. Jacqueline Watchmaker, who works at US  Dermatology Partners, says “I definitely have seen
• 17:30 - 18:00 some 20-year-olds who come in not only tan, but  red-brown - they’re so tan, I call it mahogany.”  When your tan matches your grandma’s dining  room table, perhaps it's time to stop.  Celebrities with huge social media followings-  like Kristin Cavallari- have posted videos   claiming they don’t wear sunscreen because it’s  not “natural.” Some even insist that sunscreen,   not UV rays, is the real cause of skin cancer.  Dermatologists strongly disagree. There is
• 18:00 - 18:30 literally no evidence to support this claim, and  every peer-reviewed study says the exact opposite.  But a lot more Gen Zers get their  health guidance from TikTok,   so what doctors say doesn’t really matter.  According to the Orlando Health Cancer Institute,   1 in 7 adults in the U.S. under 35 think daily  sunscreen use is worse than direct sun exposure.  Unfortunately, UV rays are not the only carcinogen  making Gen Z look like they’re on their second   mortgage - a sad irony as, in this economy,  they’re probably not even gonna get a first
• 18:30 - 19:00 one. And young people seem really misinformed  about this next cancer-causing habit as well,   perhaps explaining why it might be the  worst cause of prematuring aging yet…  Vaping. Anti-smoking campaigns have been so   successful that the percentage of American adults  who smoke dropped from 42.6% in 1965 to just 11.6%   in 2022- a 73% decrease, according to the American  Lung Association. But as smoking declined, so   did tobacco company profits. And as they watched  their revenue shrink- alongside a suspicious rise
• 19:00 - 19:30 in healthy lungs- they came up with a new plan…  they invested in and promoted vaping instead.  Big Tobacco didn’t disappear- it just rebranded.  British American Tobacco, the company behind Vuse,   remains a major player in the e-cigarette market.  Meanwhile, Altria- the owner of Philip Morris and   maker of Marlboro- once held a 35% stake  in Juul before shifting its focus to NJOY,   another vaping company. Altria’s new slogan is  “moving beyond smoking”... They just conveniently
• 19:30 - 20:00 left out that it’s toward vaping instead. And Gen Z has latched onto these campaigns.   One University College London study  showed that between 2016 and 2023,   the percent of 18-to-24-year-olds in England that  inhaled nicotine products rose from 28% to 35%.   E-cigarettes that were initially intended  as a way to wean former smokers off nicotine   are now being picked up by people who never  had a cigarette smoking habit to begin with.
• 20:00 - 20:30 The marketing of flavored vapes has made them  wildly popular with a group that was never   supposed to buy nicotine in the first place -  children. And worst of all, flavored e- cigarettes   have an even “safer” reputation than  regular ones. A survey found that 27% of   Gen Z believes flavored vapes are less harmful  to their health than standard e-cigarettes.  Meanwhile, the reality is concerning- 17% of  parents with kids aged 9 to 17 reported that their   child had tried e-cigarettes, and 7% said their  child uses them regularly. And that’s just the
• 20:30 - 21:00 parents who know their children are vaping. Take a  minute to think about how much your parents don’t   know about your teenagers years, and then realize  how many more teenagers are actually vaping.  Smoking is one of the leading causes of rapid  aging. And vaping isn’t any better when it comes   to creating those fine lines and wrinkles, and  generally making the skin duller and less elastic.  So those are just a few of the  reasons why, on some college campuses,   it’s getting harder to tell the students  from the professors. From over-the-top
• 21:00 - 21:30 beauty routines to skyrocketing stress levels,  tanning beds, and preventative Botox gone wrong,   Gen Z’s approach to self-care might  actually be aging them faster.  But what do you think? Are these factors really  making Gen Z look older, or is it all just social   media exaggeration? Let us know in the comments! In the meantime, check out Every Generation   Explained in 10 minutes, or  click on this one instead!