TikTok's 'Aged Filter' Is Dividing Users - Here's The Deal

The latest viral AI-driven filter on TikTok has millions getting a peek into the future, revealing a predictive glance at what their aged faces will look like. While some are dazzled by their wise appearance, reveling in the gift that growing old truly is, others have been less than thrilled by the wrinkles, fine lines, gray hair, sagging cheeks, and transformed image they see staring back at them through the app. The divide appears to be largely attributed to attitude, however there's no denying that the aged filter puts some users somewhere in their 40s while others are definitely propelled into their 70s — which, to be fair, doesn't exactly seem even-handed. 

Regardless, the filter is all in good fun and has sparked a healthy debate within the beauty community on the subject of growing older and wiser. And while we all know a filter can't totally predict the future, if you haven't jumped aboard the viral trend yet, doing so with a light heart and open mind is probably the way to go. 

While the aged filter might be highlighting users' biggest insecurities, many say they see a hopeful world beyond the wrinkles and lines and look forward to a life well lived. "I will always think growing old is a blessing even if wrinkles aren't my favourite," says TikTok user @thiskindalife, noting that the filter made her look like her late grandmother. Many seem to have a shared experience with the predictive filter, feeling a closeness with relatives. "I cried because I look like my mama. Couldn't be happier to know I'm gonna be like her one day if I'm blessed enough," TikTok user @regina..phelange commented on the video. 

Others have had a less than, well, sentimental experience with the face-altering filter. "Well yeah cuz you look great. I look 200. Literally," user @shortstories23 commented on the same clip. Others seem to relate, noting that the app didn't just gracefully evolve their faces; it propelled them straight to their 90s and they barely recognize themselves. "If I'm 90 then yes I believe it," user @pretty_csb commented on a video highlighting the filter uploaded by @lauren_umstattd_md.

While it's natural to write off the AI filter as a fun antic, plastic surgeons are actually backing the predictive filter's results — likely to the dismay of many. "This filter is fairly accurate," said user @lauren_umstattd_md in the video she uploaded, while examining the filter's effects. "I'm a facial plastic surgeon and I totally agree. One critique that I see is that my brows will probably actually be a little bit lower. You can see that overall my skin texture has lost some collagen. It has some sun spots, age spots. The skin of my upper lids in accentuated."

Ultimately, how you feel about your aging journey is up to you. Some are ready to embrace the gift of growing old naturally, while others are opting to age gracefully with the help of protective skincare practices, injectables, and plastic surgeries — combating the ways in which we age our skin. "Number one is skincare and sun avoidance. Collagen loss is the cause of all this and the sun damage that goes with it, the wrinkles, all of that," says aesthetic nurse injector and TikTok user @blume_injectors. "So wear SPF, wear hats, protect your skin at all costs and don't stop at the face; do your neck and chest."