A recent study from UCLA found that there are both good and bad strains of P. acnes bacteria (Propionibacterium acnes) that live on the face and elsewhere on the body. Researchers believe that the good bacteria strain may protect the skin against the bad bacteria strain that causes acne.
The study isolated more than 1000 strains of P. acnes. 101 volunteers, 49 with acne and 52 with clear skin, provided bacteria samples by using pore cleansing strips to extract bacteria from their noses. Two types of P. acnes were found in 1 out of 5 of the volunteers with acne. Those 2 types were rarely found in the volunteers with clear skin.
There was a 3rd P. acnes strain found that was common on the clear skinned volunteers but was not common on the acne volunteers. This leads researchers to believe that this good strain protects against the bad acne causing strain. This is good news because it could lead to a new probiotic acne treatment. It also means that researchers can target the bad bacteria with new drugs that kill the bad strain but leave the good bacteria unharmed.
Till then, we need to exfoliate the skin with salicylic acid, glycolic acid and oral and topical retinoids to help prevent blocked pores to minimize acne infections and use anti-biotics and benzoyl peroxide to help kill bacteria.
The study isolated more than 1000 strains of P. acnes. 101 volunteers, 49 with acne and 52 with clear skin, provided bacteria samples by using pore cleansing strips to extract bacteria from their noses. Two types of P. acnes were found in 1 out of 5 of the volunteers with acne. Those 2 types were rarely found in the volunteers with clear skin.
There was a 3rd P. acnes strain found that was common on the clear skinned volunteers but was not common on the acne volunteers. This leads researchers to believe that this good strain protects against the bad acne causing strain. This is good news because it could lead to a new probiotic acne treatment. It also means that researchers can target the bad bacteria with new drugs that kill the bad strain but leave the good bacteria unharmed.
Till then, we need to exfoliate the skin with salicylic acid, glycolic acid and oral and topical retinoids to help prevent blocked pores to minimize acne infections and use anti-biotics and benzoyl peroxide to help kill bacteria.
Have a Happy Clearer Skin Day!
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