Acne can be torture. This dermatological ailment occurs especially in adolescence (mainly between 15 and 19 years old), in full formation of the personality, and sometimes it leads those who suffer from it to serious problems of self-esteem and a withdrawal that is very detrimental to their development as adults. . Also, it can leave scars for a lifetime.
Millions of people who have had and still have acne (it is not uncommon for it to last in the second and third decades of life) would welcome with relief the creation of a vaccine against pimples, something that is closer thanks to a work of dermatologists and other medical specialists from the University of California, San Diego and the National Central Taiwan University, which has just been published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
These researchers have shown for the first time that the use of antibodies against a toxin produced by bacteria linked to acne vulgaris can reduce the inflammation of the lesions of this disease. It is the first step in developing an effective vaccine.
Towards the end of the grains?
The bacterium Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) stars in this story. It is found on the skin, but in the case of people with acne in a much higher number than the average. It acts on sebum and in doing so produces fatty acids that are mainly responsible for the unsightly inflammations that we call pimples, which affect 80% of the population at some point in their life.
The vaccine we are referring to neutralizes the toxins secreted by P. acnes, which are key to causing inflammation. Applying it preventively could prevent acne, and the evidence is very encouraging. A trial with mice and human cells has shown that the vaccine reduces the inflammatory response to the toxin.
Chun-Ming Huan, a dermatologist at the University of California, San Diego and leader of the research, notes that “current acne treatments are not effective enough.” Also, they can be overly aggressive or annoying. They often involve taking antibiotics and hormonal treatments, and applying creams and products to the skin requires a lot of perseverance and high expense. “We need new, safe and effective therapies,” says this specialist.
