How Our Skin Ages Is Determined By Our Genes

If you think the secret to aging gracefully lies solely in creams and moisturizing concoctions, think again. TelegraphUK released a study done by Olay suggesting the secret to better aging lies in our genes, and the brand is working hard to unlock just was what those secrets are. These results shouldn't discourage you from taking good care of your skin though (duh wear sunscreen!), as environmental factors are obviously going to make a difference, too!

Olay teamed up with Harvard Medical School in 2012 to conduct the research, and just presented the findings at the 23rd World Congress of Dermatology. The study has plenty of details you can read about that will either depress or excite you based on your "skin fingerprint," but Dr. Rosemarie Osborne, Procter & Gamble beauty research fellow, is optimistic about what can be gained from the discoveries. She shares "what's exciting about these findings is that the genes that make up the unique skin fingerprint of 'exceptional skin agers' may hold the key to successful ageing. Decoding which pathways they affect, and understanding why they are acting differently in these women, 'nature or nurture' can enable Olay researchers to help more women achieve skin that looks like the exception, not the rule, at any stage of life."

The study adds that we all contain these "exceptional skin ager" genes that are affected by lifestyle choices and environmental factors, and Olay is working with genetics company 23andMe to get a better grasp on the link between genetics and aging so they can apply the knowledge toward products. The anti-aging technologies used in Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, including Niacinamide (vitamin B3), pal-KTTKS, Olivem and Lyslastine, are reported to shift the skin cell fingerprint of average skin (in vitro) to behave more like the skin of Exceptional Skin Agers, so women can likely look younger despite their real age.

That said, don't forget to take Gwyneth Paltrow's advice and embrace your wrinkles. Aging is gorgeous, too!

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