Experts at the University of California, San Diego, are testing a new vaccine for Acne. Apparently, this condition is common during puberty, but it has become one of the leading skin diseases for adults.
Lead researcher Eric C. Huang told Allure that Acne is caused by P. acnes bacteria that thrive in a human's body for life. Unfortunately, doctors cannot eliminate them totally because P. acnes are somehow good for the body. Nonetheless, his team found an antibody to combat the particular toxic protein that P. acnes secrete on the skin. The latter is actually the ones causing the inflammation that leads to the skin disease.
Basically, per Business Insider, the vaccine aims to block the acne-causing effects of the bacteria "without killing the bacteria themselves." The researchers at the University of California have already tried it on skin biopsies collected from acne patients. Their next move is to test it directly on people. Huang noted that this next process will be a series of experiments, wherein the first phase may already take one to two years.
Reportedly, the National Health Service (NHS) estimates that around 5 percent of women and one percent of men have acne at 256 years old. A different study conducted last year revealed that there is a 200 percent rise in the number of adults looking for acne treatment. Females have higher risks of developing the skin disease due to hormonal changes like periods, pregnancies, and birth-control methods.
While waiting for the treatment, patients could wash the affected area with mild soap and lukewarm water. However, there is no need to wash it more than twice a day because frequent cleansing will only make symptoms worse. Per NHS choices, patients should avoid too much make-up and cosmetics.
For the record, acne commonly appears on the face (almost 100 percent), back (about 50 percent), and chest (about 15 percent). There are six main types of acne spots such as blackheads, whiteheads, nodules, papules, pustules, and cysts. Regular exercise also helps prevent the development of the irritating skin condition.
