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Zits aren’t exactly cause to celebrate — the puss-filled mountains are an eyesore, hard to get rid of and can leave permanent craters if you’re not careful. But new research points to one potential upside: Scientists at King’s College London found that those with acne-prone skin may be better protected against aging.

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The authors of the study, published Wednesday in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, examined the white blood cells of over 1,205 British female twins, a quarter of whom had previously experienced acne. They found that those who had suffered from acne had white blood cell telomeres — which protect cells from breaking down as they replicate — that were “significantly” longer than the white blood cell telomeres of the zit-free cohort, meaning that the white blood cells of acne sufferers are better protected against deterioration.

The results back up what’s often trotted out as acne’s silver lining: Zit-prone skin appears to age more slowly than clear skin. Some dermatologists chalk it up to increased oil production — which keeps skin moisturized and wrinkle-free — but this research is the first to provide a scientific explanation.

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