Did you suffer from teenage acne? Congratulations! Science have now shown that acne prone skin ages more slowly [1]. Dermatologists have known for a long time that aging signs such as wrinkles and thinner skin arrive later in those that suffered from acne in their teens. The reason has long been believed to be increased fat production from the skin. Now a group of scientists from King’s College in London has managed to show a real connection between the senescence of the cells and acne prone skin. It is all about the length of the chromosomal telomeres. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences found at the ends of the chromosomes. Their job is to protect the chromosomes from damage and breakdown down during cell division. With time, the telomeres get worn and shortened, ultimately resulting in cell death as a natural part of aging. In other words, the longer the telomere, the more delayed the signs of aging. The scientists found that women that suffered from acne during their teenage years had significantly longer telomeres than women of the same age with normal skin, which is why their skin cells age more slowly.
