Black don’t crack. A phrase often used to explain the fact that many people of colour, often look much younger than they actually are. For a long time, people have wondered why celebrities like Halle Berry and Stacey Dash, have failed to age in the last twenty years. Until recently people assumed that it was the sun-protecting melanin in the skin of those with darker complexions, that keeps those with darker skin tones looking fresh well into mid-life, however a recent study has revealed that, in fact, more complex genetics are at play.
Scientist at Harvard have discovered that, as is often the case with this sort of thing, genetics play a key role in youthful looks.
The study, which analysed the genes of nearly a million individuals, found that a fifth of black people carry the ‘younger gene’. Meanwhile the research also found that one in 10 white people also carry the gene, that can make you look up to ten years younger than you actually are.
The research put to rest the assumption that people of black origin have flawless skin because of the high levels of melanin in their skin protects them from the sun. Researchers identified seven gene categories, including DNA repair and the ability of the skin to protect itself from the environment, that all contribute to the youthful glow often found amongst the darker skinned population.
Alexa Kimball, professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, said: ‘Many of us felt that people with darker skin aged better because of more pigment and better photo [sunlight] protection, but we have found there is much more to it than that.
“They have other characteristics in their skin which confer good ageing, which until now we had no idea about.”
“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,’ added Dr Rosemarie Osborne, a beauty research fellow for Procter & Gamble.
“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.”Details of the study’s finding were revealed at the World Congress of Dermatology in Vancouver earlier this week, as skincare company Olay, who partnered with the University on the project, prepare to launch a new range of anti-aging products.
