I’m a plastic surgeon — this exercise will age you faster

A long-time plastic surgeon has a surprising warning about what exercise ages a person faster — running.

“Half my patients love me for it, and half my patients hate me for it,” Dr. Gerald Imber said laughingly in a TikTok clip.

Imber, who specializes in procedures for the face and body, noted that running a bit every day and a few miles every other day is fine, but anything more than that is too much.

“Have you ever seen a long-distance, long-time runner that didn’t have a gaunt, old face,” the 82-year-old asked in the viral video. “That’s what happens.”

According to the doctor, not only does running affect your facial features but also takes a disastrous toll on other parts of your body.

“Your knees go, your ankles go, [and] your back goes,” he said. “It’s kind of dumb.”

Despite all the negative effects that running can have on a body, the doctor admitted there are benefits to the exercise by reiterating his point that — like everything — it should be done in moderation.

“So if you want to run a little bit, terrific but no-impact or low-impact aerobics is really the way to get your exercise,” he explained.

The subject of “runner’s face” has long been argued among experts.

Triathlete Dr. Kiya Movassaghi said that the appearance is caused by having a lean body and constantly being exposed to the sun.

“Slim gardeners, skiers, construction workers, surfers, sailors, tennis players, cyclists, golfers — the list could go on — often have the same characteristics,” Dr. Movassaghi told Healthline. “People are simply confusing causation with correlation.”

“As we age, our skin produces less collagen and elastin, and exposure to UV rays speeds this process,” she added.

Not surprisingly, many TikTok users ran to comment on the video, which has racked up nearly 2 million views since it was posted last month.

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” joked one user.

“I do long distance sitting,” said another.

“I completely agree with you,” said one person who claimed to be a personal trainer.

“I only run if something’s coming. So if you see me running … you should run too,” a fourth person joked.