In short, scientists at King’s College London studied the length of white blood cell telomeres (the nucleotide 'caps' that protect chromosomes) of 1,205 female twins, a quarter of whom had acne. Among the findings: Longer telomeres were linked to slower deterioration of white blood cells, and hence slower signs of aging — a common thread among the latter group.Translation: The blemish-prone individuals' skin aged slower than that of the acne-free participants. But do the benefits run deeper than skin? Could suffering from acne mean you could possibly have a longer lifespan? We tapped dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross to help us break it down: “There isn’t enough scientific evidence to truly determine if acne can lead to a longer lifespan. If a study came along that focused solely on the correlation between those two — not just in addition to its link to younger-looking skin — only then would I believe the theory.”But he also says there is validity to a portion of the study that’s been long supported by derms, and it’s the bit that acne sufferers can tend to look younger for longer . “They typically have more oil glands, which increases the thickness of skin,” Dr. Gross explains. “That leads to a firmer, more plump appearance, as well as fewer visible lines and wrinkles."As long-standing proponents of looking on the bright side, we’ll take whatever we can get. Here's to continued research on acne and it's impact.