TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Study looks into vaccination to prevent acne
A new vaccine could possibly be the latest treatment to prevent acne, as a new study by researchers in the US has found that specific antibodies could help target acne-related toxins.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
The vaccine is hoped to be away to block the bacteria that causes acne by fighting an inflammation-triggering toxin called Christie-Atkins-Munch-Peterson (CAMP). (Shutterstock/-)
A recent study in the United States has looked into the possibility of a new vaccine to prevent acne.
Acne is known to compromise quality of life, as previous studies have shown that acne can lower the self-esteem of those suffering the skin condition.
Independent reports that a study conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Diego made a breakthrough in discovering that a specific antibody can possibly help fight the toxin secreted by the bacteria involved in acne and, in the process, can also assist in reducing acne-related inflammation.
The vaccine is hoped to be away to block the bacteria that causes acne by fighting an inflammation-triggering toxin called Christie-Atkins-Munch-Peterson (CAMP).
Read also: Seven mistakes people make when wearing sunscreen
The study, which concluded with promising results, was conducted on mice and skin cells collected from humans to test the effectiveness of an array of antibodies (proteins from the immune system) in fighting against CAMP.
"Once validated by a large-scale clinical trial, the potential impact of our findings is huge for the hundreds of millions of individuals suffering from acne vulgaris," lead researcher Chun-Ming Huang said.
Unlike the current assortment of acne treatments, which typically rely on antibiotics, hormonal treatment or the severe drug roaccutane, the vaccine would be a form of immunotherapy that would essentially fight acne from within the body.
"Current treatment options are often not effective or tolerable for many of the 85 percent of adolescents and more than 40 million adults in the United States who suffer from this condition," Huang said. "New, safe and efficient therapies are sorely needed."
Researchers would still need to conduct large-scale clinical trial of the vaccine on humans to confirm there are no side effects. (liz/kes)
