Good news for teens (and adults) suffering from acne! A group of researchers at the University of California, San Diego are working on a vaccine to cure the skin condition.
The vaccine is meant to rid the skin of bacteria that causes pimples and breakouts, without harming the microbes your body actually needs.
“Acne is caused, in part, by P. acnes bacteria that are with you your whole life — and we couldn’t create a vaccine for the bacteria because, in some ways, P. acnes are good for you,” lead researcher, Dr. Eric C. Huang told Allure of the logistics surrounding the vaccine. “But we found an antibody to a toxic protein that P. acnes bacteria secrete on skin — the protein is associated with the inflammation that leads to acne.”
Dr. Huang and his team have tested the vaccine on skin biopsies with success and are looking to extend their research on to real-life patients. “The next step is testing it on patients in clinical trials,” Dr. Huang said.
According to the Acne and Rosacea Society of Canada, acne affects 5 million Canadians and 85 per cent of youth between the ages of 12 and 24. While it has long been regarded as a teen skin condition, studies show female adults are also predisposed to suffering from acne.
“I get a lot of personal e-mails from acne patients telling me how much they suffer and how much they spend," Dr. Huang said in a 2011 interview with Cosmetics and Toiletries magazine. "We can feel the importance of this vaccine."
Acne varies in severity from mild to moderate to severe and has been linked to many factors including hormones, genes and medications.
If you or your child suffer from acne, don't fret. A 2016 study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, suggests people who suffer from acne tend to look younger for longer.
Take that, high school bullies!
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