Baby faced

Francesco10

Basically I'm 22 now and look like I'm 16 and I encounter all the patronising kid stuff every day. I know most people don't mean any harm and it's a genuine mistake but for anyone who suffers from this they will be able to tell you how badly it gets at your self esteem?

Anyone else here who has the same problem?

MicraBoy

And when you are 32 and look 26 you'll be loving it. Swings and roundabouts my friend, swings and roundabouts.

MagicSean

I'm 26 and my girlfriend is too. However when I introduced her to my mother she thought she was 16. That was embarrassing. She likes looking so young though.

You will appreciate it when you are older.

orchidsrpretty

Hi OP I have the same problem as you. I am 26 and can easily pass for a 13-14 year old. I am 5"2 so that also doesn't help. The only thing that gets to me is some clothes that other people my age would wear would just a little strange on me(like I'm dressing up in my mums clothes:p)
But over time I have come to not care anymore. I mean really there is nothing you can do about it, if you are a girl you can always use the "cute" look to your advantage!
Just think would you rather look young than people mistaking you for 30+?

mood

I'm 30 and look about 25. I don't mind at all except for the fact that the only guys who show interest in my are 25 year olds and I would like to meet someone my own age!

Maybe you could change you hair/clothes to look more mature.

tfak85

hi OP i know how you feel, i'm 25 and people think i'm about 18 all the time, doesn't help that i'm in first year of college and some of the tutors in the hospital i have my placement in talk to me like i'm straight out of school, i don't appreciate it and try and make my age clear to them but hey, it won't be so bad when you're older! my boyfriend is 27 and could pass for about 19, we get ID'd everywhere!!!
we're getting married next year and i have no idea what sort of wedding dress i'll be wearing, i'm gonna look like someone in fancy dress!!

John Mason

i am 35 but look 25 - its brilliant.

my boy is 5 years younger then me and everyone thinks he looks way older then me - w00t

seriously, enjoy it

Francesco10

I know people say it will pass and it will be great when you're older but right now it's really tough. I find it hard to meet girls, girls generally go with older guys especially round my age, so it doesn't help when I look alot younger than I am. I generally lack confidence in situations its required - job interviews, etc because I think people dont take me seriously. The humiliation you get when you're out with a group of friends and you're the only one asked for ID in front of everyone and then the further humiliation when they don't believe you.

As people say it will pass and that, well these are meant to be the best years of your life and I feel like I'm missing out on them due it. Sadly there's nothing I can do

mood

For some reason I thought you were female!

Maybe joining a gym and built up some muscle might help give you a more manly body/built. Have you tried not shaving every day? A little stubble might help things.

Francesco10

mood wrote: »

For some reason I thought you were female!

Maybe joining a gym and built up some muscle might help give you a more manly body/built. Have you tried not shaving every day? A little stubble might help things.

Both no goes really. I'm basically a really skinny build, I've been going to gym regularly for the last few years and while I'm definitely alot stronger/fitter it doesn't really show on me.

As for stubble I can't grow a full beard. I can grow a bit on my chin, moustache and sideburns but thats it. I actually can't even grow sideburns because its too light.

mood

Have you asked advice from instructors in the gym? If you don't find them good go to a different gym. Have you changed you diet? To build muscle maybe this might be required. You could ask in the Fitness forum.

Francesco10

mood wrote: »

Have you asked advice from instructors in the gym? If you don't find them good go to a different gym. Have you changed you diet? To build muscle maybe this might be required. You could ask in the Fitness forum.

It' just hard for me to put on muscle I'm scrawny so even if you it's not that noticeable, I know plenty of people the same in that regard, they just don't happen to look like kids though.

mood

Francesco10 wrote: »

It' just hard for me to put on muscle I'm scrawny so even if you it's not that noticeable, I know plenty of people the same in that regard, they just don't happen to look like kids though.

I have a brother who was in the same boat as you body wise and he really built up muscle and totally changed his body. I also know other guys who did the same so it is possible. Maybe your workout/weight program is very basic and need reviewing. I would also suggest seeing a nutritionist/dietitian for diet advice.

Abi

Francesco10 wrote: »

I know people say it will pass and it will be great when you're older but right now it's really tough.

I know its irritating to hear, because you are stuck with this problem now, but it is true. I'd follow the advice on how to dress a little older if possible, but nothing too extreme.

I find it hard to meet girls, girls generally go with older guys especially round my age, so it doesn't help when I look alot younger than I am.

Maybe generally, but not all. I've gone out with a mixture of younger and older, and when I say older it wasn't much more than a year or so over my own age.

I generally lack confidence in situations its required - job interviews, etc because I think people dont take me seriously. The humiliation you get when you're out with a group of friends and you're the only one asked for ID in front of everyone and then the further humiliation when they don't believe you.

Make a joke of it with them, if any of your mates give you a side dig about it tell them they look 10 years older

As people say it will pass and that, well these are meant to be the best years of your life and I feel like I'm missing out on them due it. Sadly there's nothing I can do

You need to accept what you look like now, and learn to deal with any little side digs, requests for I.D. etc. And as for interviews and meeting girls.. you have to stop approaching these situations thinking that you can't do this. Use your personality and your smarts, your work experience, or your girl experience. Keep in good eye contact in either of these situations a smile a little, it shows confidence and that your are serious in either level here.

You're the one putting up mental block here, we all get little knock backs and side-digs from time to time.. but we all have to learn to deal with our own

LenaClaire

I know how you feel. When I was in my early 20's I would get stopped by police thinking I was ditching school. I had people thinking I was someone's kid doing an internship in my first 2 jobs. I even had a bouncer try to take my id when I was 24 because he thought it was a fake.

Even now I am 32 and I have had people ask if I was the new intern when I was coming to their office from corporate to do new training for them. It is frustrating but I have found that dressing a little older and just rolling with the "wow, you look like a kid" jokes make people take me a little more seriously.

It is a pain in the rear and I know that this is the last thing you want to hear but the only thing that will really solve this is time. As some of the other posters have mentioned you might want to talk to your doctor about a diet to help you build some bulk. One of my friends is very tall and thin and his doctor put him on a healty diet to add muscle and it worked pretty well.