Apparently, Gen Z is ageing at a faster rate than previous generations. The evidence? People on social media have cherry-picked some photos of celebrities and decided that they look older than they should. With ironclad sources like this, it seems like the perfect job for some Daily Mail scaremongering about nicotine.
The “problem”
Each generation always thinks their experiences are unique. They’re not. You can disabuse yourself of this solipsism by reading books that were written long before you were born and learning just how universal the human experience really is.
Or, in the case of Gen Z ageing prematurely, they could ask their parents if all their friends aged at the same speed. Who didn’t have a friend who looked old enough to get served at the off-licence? As I said, our problems are universal.
There are lots of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that affect the rate of ageing. It’s not some new phenomenon, no matter how hungry for content/attention the permanently online become.
But that hasn’t stopped the Daily Mail from trying to get at the root of a problem that doesn’t actually exist. What’s more, it hasn’t discouraged them from finding a fall guy for this non-existent crime, either. Surprise, surprise, they’ve named their suspect and… it’s nicotine.
In a desperate bid to get their man, the Mail has called in the help of dermatologist Dr Bav Shergill. However, he seems to use smoking and vaping interchangeably, stating:
“If you get two people, twins for example, and you had one who is a smoker and likes a bit of sunshine, and you look at them at the age of 25 and you can see the difference between them. The ageing starts quite early with smoking and sun exposure.”
Now, we do know that excessive sun and smoking ages the skin. It’s fairly well established. But surely there is some study or evidence to support the remarkable claim that vaping is causing premature ageing among Gen Z. Well, no, that’s not how this works. You just make claims. Check out this one from Dr Shergill.
‘Yes, there are certain things in cigarette smoke that can damage your skin, but nicotine is a big problem, it is an addictive drug that does have adverse skin affects.'
For me, this is an absolutely remarkable statement. Just hand-waving away the harm of cigarettes to focus on nicotine is unforgivable and irresponsible.
One GP also quoted in the article, Dr Asiya Maula, claims the heat from vapes is a big issue for the skin. Indeed, the author makes a big song and dance about dehydration from vaping, which, to be fair, is something I have encountered. The solution I found to the problem was drinking readily available water. I guess I’m a real out-of-the-box thinker like that.
And look, if it’s the heat and dehydration that is the problem, then why not recommend nicotine pouches or gum for people who are concerned about ageing?
Curiosity-free zone
Outside of digging through people’s bins and voicemails, The Mail isn’t known for its curiosity. But there is an interesting question here that goes unasked: Why does Gen Z think they are ageing prematurely?
Could all those hours they spend on social media have distorted their idea of how people are meant to look? Do they think they look older because they think reality is people with four-figure skin regimes?
Instead, we get this article, which is effectively an advert for dermatologists who can solve your anxiety about ageing with expensive consultations and products.
