Notes/ Comments/ Questions
The virus that could cure horrible teenage acne
Experts discover a benign skin virus that naturally preys on a pesky zitcausing bacterium, meaning safer and more effective skincare options
could be on the way
THE WEEK
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 27, 2012, AT 7:37 AM
The secret to zapping irritating acne may have been on our faces
all along. Scientists at UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh have
discovered that a common, benign skin virus naturally preys on a
type of bacterium that causes nasty zits to form. Now experts think
it could lead to groundbreaking acne-fighting treatments, and
should prove welcome news for pimple-plagued teens everywhere.
A guide to the discovery, and what it means for your face:
How do zits form?
Acne forms when tiny hair follicles become clogged with oil and
dead skin, says Michelle Castillo at CBS News. When pores get
backed up, bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes can cause
infections that inflame the skin and result in zits. It's estimated that
85 percent of all people will experience acne at some point in their
lives.
Why is acne worse for teens?
During puberty, a teenager's hair follicle glands begin growing
larger. To help lubricate the skin, these glands produce an oily
substance called sebum, and bacteria like P. acnes live inside the
fatty acids of the oil. That's why teens are so susceptible to
breakouts and why as many as 40 percent of them end up suffering
from acne or acne scarring.
What did researchers learn about battling zits?
The report, published in the journal mBio, examines a type of virus
called a bacteriophage that lives harmlessly on our skin. These
bacteriophages, or phages for short, seek out P. acnes bacteria and
"inject their genetic material into [them], forcing them to make
more and more new phages until they burst," says Daniel J.
DeNoon at WebMD. Now skincare experts think tapping these
predatory viruses, which leave other cells alone, could hold the key
to stopping zits dead in their tracks.
How would phages be more effective than current treatments?
Current acne treatment is based on various factors, including
cleaning out the pores to remove sebum, using antibiotics to kill
bacteria, reducing swelling with anti-inflammatory medicine, or
Highlight all new or interesting
vocabulary in yellow
Highlight confusions in green
using hormone treatment therapy for especially bad acne. These
approaches all have their limitations: Antibiotics often fail, for
example, because P. acnes can develop a natural resistance.
Phages, which doctors hope to develop into a topical cream, offer a
"more efficient approach because they are a natural predator,
unlike a synthetic antibiotic," says Christopher Wanjek at
LiveScience. That means acne-causing bacteria would be less
likely to develop a natural resistance.