Does caffeine affect aging of the skin?

I disagree. Coffee is a diuretic. People who rely on coffee instead of water for their main source of hydration are actually forcing the water out of their skin as well as neglecting to drink more water. You know how they used to say coffee isn't for you because it makes you pee like crazy as a kid? (My parents did, anyway.) Well, that is because it is a diuretic. Of course a lack of hydration on a chronic basis can lead to premature aging. So if you are drinking lots of coffee and not enough water then yes, you will see wrinkles sooner.

Contrary to popular belief, yeah, anything you ingest that ain't pure water DOES indeed contribute to your body's overall moisture levels. I was watching this UK show "Trust me I'm a doctor" (which is awesome by the way) where they actually mentioned this exact thing. You don't need to litres of water or whatever it is people say, 'cause you get most of that water from your food anyways. Yeah, and even from coffee. I drink loads of coffee. My skin looks alright. Overall just drinking when you're thirsty is fine, and well, I really do hope that caffeine doesn't really do bad stuff to the skin in the long term... Mind you, energy drinks also got caffeine and they're a different story. Too much sugar is bad, bad news for many people, so well, coffee is a better option, yeah, even if you put sugar in it 'cause it can never have as much sugar as energy drinks.

My mother is 69. She looks at least 10 years younger and perhaps even more. She doesn't exercise, she eats what she likes, and she doesn't really take care of her skin, doesn't use expensive products or anything. What she does do is drink coffee. All. Day. Long. I am not exaggerating here. Could this have something to do with her young looks? I think so. Baffles me, no idea what else it could be, especially given that she has a younger sister who looks older than her (sorry aunt). If nothing else, the coffee didn't hurt her.

Yes, coffee is a diuretic, and that is a very good point. It is not drinking coffee as such that will age your skin, but chronic dehydration will do exactly that for you, and studies prove this. It is the same for alcohol, and even junk food which contains nasty preservatives that can cause dehydration. The key, then, is to make sure you get enough water. Water is one of the key anti-age ingredients and the key to healthy skin in general. Not the only key, because you also need many other things including antioxidants, but if you are dehydrated, that is always going to give you bad skin.

Hahaha.... if it has, I haven't noticed. I'm in my fifties and a lifelong heavy coffee drinker. I also occasionally use energy drinks, but recently found out that they contain less caffeine compared to actual coffee, so I mostly stick to the coffee now. I have a grown son already and people who meet me for the first time are often surprised about this. If coffee has aged my skin prematurely, I am very curious what I would have looked like if I had not been such a heavy coffee drinker. I mean to say, people, that you do not need to worry about these things.