Growing up with acne can be a huge blow to your self-esteem, but researchers may have found the upside to your bad experience.

Having acne early in life might mean better skin later on, a study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology found.

Previous acne sufferers experienced signs of aging and wrinkles later in life because they have longer telomeres, which are often referred to as protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that fight deterioration, according to researchers at King's College London, who looked at 1,205 twins from the U.K.

In other words, previous acne sufferers may not age as quickly.

"For many years dermatologists have identified that the skin of acne sufferers appears to age more slowly than in those who have not experienced any acne in their lifetime," study lead Simone Ribero said in a release. "Whilst this has been observed in clinical settings, the cause of this was previously unclear."

The "cause could be linked to the length of telomeres, which appears to be different in acne sufferers and means their cells may be protected against aging," Ribero added.

Previous research has suggested a link between telomere length and a person's lifespan.

Telomere shortening may contribute to one's mortality in age-related diseases, according to a 2003 study in The Lancet.

Some dermatologists have previously said that early-in-life acne sufferers may age more gracefully and get wrinkles later in life because of their higher rate of oil production, the Journal of Investigative Dermatology noted.

There are other factors that could contribute to aging.

Skin aging is the result of general aging, and the whole body is affected by it, dermatologist Jenny Kim told Everyday Health:

"The aging process and the acne process are different mechanisms. The major part of premature aging for skin is UV (sun exposure) aging."

Sunscreen can help prevent signs of aging on the skin, and the American Academy of Dermatology recommends getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and seeking shade during the hours 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to avoid premature aging.