Forever young; are the infamous song lyrics correct? Do we really want to be forever young? For some people at least looking young forever might not be much of a choice. Rather, genetics seem to play a key role in keeping some people looking youthful longer. Honey NineMSN journalist Eliza Cracknell reported on the new study on the 10th of June, 2015 with the headline:
“Science uncovers the real reason some people look 25 forever.”
‘Science’ is a study which is a collaboration between Harvard, genetic company 23andMe and Olay. The research has identified genes which keep some people looking youthful beyond their years:
“A new study from Harvard University, DNA testing service 23andMe and Olay has identified a group of genes called Methuselah which can make people look up to 10 years younger than their true age.”
Ten years— so maybe not all celebrities are going under the knife or getting a little cosmetic help along the way. So it seems that the genetic lottery is all that some people need. The Methuselah genes are said to be responsible for skin repair and protection against environmental factors. There seems to be much more at work here than the researchers first thought:
“Many of us felt that people with darker skin aged better because of more pigment and better photo [sunlight] protection, said Alexa Kimball, professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and a member of one of the research teams.”
Don’t think you lucked out? The study found that only 20% of African American and 10% of Caucasian Americans possessed the genes. It is still important to remember that even though you might not have won the jackpot when it comes to forever young skin there are still lots of things you can do to protect it, such as a good skin health regime and sun protection.
