New Research, Studies and Developments in the Treatment of Acne

Each pore on the surface of the skin is an opening to a canal called a follicle. The follicle also contains a hair and an oil gland (sebaceous gland). The oil gland helps remove old skin cells, keeps the skin lubricated, and prevents drying of tissues.

New advancements and developments in treating acne such as the use of ultrasound waves, curcumin (curry), thyme, phage viruses, and even nanotechnology are being studied as potential effective treatments against the disease. These are but some of the new discoveries in acne research. Enumerated are the most current and advance technologies and studies in acne treatment.

The most common skin disease in the world is acne. It is a skin condition that causes pimples on the skin surface. The face is the most common location for acne to appear.

Acne occurs when excess oil gets trapped in the skin pores, it leads to a build up of bacteria and infection that results in zits.

Although not harmful, the presence of pimples or zits, as they are commonly called, can cause embarrassment and even psychological trauma. Teenagers are the most prone to acne, around 80% of teenagers have had acne.

At a time where youngsters learn to interact socially and adapt to a group environment, acne can be an obstacle. A serious case of it can affect one's self confidence, self image, and social interaction.

Doctors and dermatologists have been researching on advanced treatments for the disease such as thyme, coconut oil, and a combination of medication and skin creams. They have even researched into ultrasound waves and bio-nanotechnology in finding the most effective treatment.

The following are the latest advancements in acne research and treatment:

Using Virus and Viral Products To Treat Acne and Other Skin Conditions

Acne is the most common skin disease. It is a condition that causes pimples on the surface of the skin. These are normally called "zits". Zits are a result of excess oil that gets trapped in the pores of the skin. The oil blocks the pores which leads to a build up of bacteria and eventually infection.

Acne is most prevalent among pre-teens approaching puberty and teenagers. 80% of teenagers suffer from acne, making the disease the most common skin disease. It is the most consulted skin condition among dermatologists. Acne is not confined to teenagers alone. Many adults also suffer from the it.

The most common location for acne is the face.

Acne is not harmful. It does cause discomfort but it is not life threatening. What is of concern with acne is that it may cause some psychological effects on patients specially with teens. Acne affects the person's self confidence, self image, and how he or she interact with the people around.

There are medical treatments of acne available. Some popular treatments are epiduo and doxycycline, which is an antibiotic.Epiduo Gel contains adapalene and benzoyl peroxide, a common treatment used for acne.

Other remedies for acne is thyme which is becoming a popular "organic" alternative. Thyme contains thymol which is an antispetic. Scientists are also looking at nanotechnology and coconut oil which contains lauric acid as another alternative treatment to acne. Lauric acid has antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties that can be used against the acne bacteria.

Could viruses be used to treat acne?

Scientists have isolated and studied the genomes of 11 viruses, known as phage, that can infect and kill the acne-causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, potentially paving the way for topical therapies that use viruses or viral products to treat this vexing skin condition. Their results are reported in the September 25 issue of mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"There are two fairly obvious potential directions that could exploit this kind of research," says Graham Hatfull of the University of Pittsburgh, an author of the study. "The first is the possibility of using the phages directly as a therapy for acne. The second is the opportunity to use phage-derived components for their activities."

Coconut Oil (Lauric Acid) Treatment of Acne With Bio Nanotechnology

Scientists and researchers have been busy finding the best treatment for acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples or "zits." These are spots that results from excess oil getting trapped in the skin pores which results in blockages, infection and build up of bacteria.

Recent studies have shown thyme as an effective treatment as well as a combined therapy of Epiduo Gel and Doxycycline. Another promising drug that is both natural and inexpensive is lauric acid found in coconut milk.

Lauric Acid

Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid, specifically a medium chain fatty acid because of its 12 carbon atom chain. It is mainly found in coconut oil, laurel oil, and in palm kernel oil, comprising more than 50% of the fatty acid content in these oils.

Lauric acid is a white, powdery solid with a faint odor of bay oil or soap. It can also be found in human breast milk, cow's milk, and goat's milk. It has antiviral, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and antifungal properties when present in the hyman body.

Because of these properties, lauric acid is being studied as a possible new acne treatment. Common acne (acne vulgaris) afflicts around than 85 percent of teenagers and over 40 million people in the United States, including adults.

Treating Acne with Coconut Oil

Current acne treatments have unwanted side effcts that include redness and burning. Because of the inherent properties of lauric acid, these could be avoided. University of California San Diego are researching coconut oil treatments for acne.

Graduate student Dissaya "Nu" Pornpattananangkul, who performs this research in the Nanomaterials and Nanomedicine Laboratory of UC San Diego NanoEngineering professor Liangfang Zhang from the Jacobs School of Engineering, says "It's a good feeling to know that I have a chance to develop a drug that could help people with acne,"

Combined Therapy of Epiduo Gel and Doxycycline Provides Powerful Treatment for Acne

Each pore on the surface of the skin is an opening to a canal called a follicle. The follicle also contains a hair and an oil gland (sebaceous gland). The oil gland helps remove old skin cells, keeps the skin lubricated, and prevents drying of tissues.

According to two published studies, a combined therapy of common acne medications have shown to be a powerful and potent regiment in the treatment of sever facial acne.

Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples or "zits." These are spots that results from excess oil getting trapped in the skin pores which results in blockages, infection and build up of bacteria.

It is the most common skin disease. It affects 80% of teenagers and many adults, especially women, 35% being between the ages of 30 and 40. 80% of professional consultations with dermatologists is about acne. While it isn't a life threatening disease, acne can have profound psychological effects on patients, says study co-author and dermatologist Linda Stein Gold, M.D., director of Clinical Research of Dermatology at Henry Ford.

The studies found that a combined therapy of the topical Epiduo Gel containing adapalene and benzoyl peroxide and the antibiotic doxycycline proved more effective at reducing acne lesions compared to other treatment regimens.

Thyme Effective Herbal Treatment For Treating Skin Acne

One of the emerging natural treatment for acne is the use of thyme. Recent discoveries in the medical benefits of thyme have shown that it is an effective treatment for acne. Acne is the most common skin disease in the world. Scientists and researchers are constantly researching for the most effective treatment and therapy for the disease (see Related Links below for current advances and developments in treating acne).

Thyme is a delicate looking herb with a penetrating fragrance. Its leaves are curled, elliptically shaped and very small. The upper leaf is green-grey in color on top, while the underside is a whitish color. It is popularly used in cooking for its strong flavor especially for meats, soups and stews.

Aside from thyme's culinary uses, the herb also has medicinal benefits as well. Oil of thyme, the essential oil of common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), contains thymol. Thymol is an antiseptic that has been found to protect and significantly increase the percentage of healthy fats found in cell membranes and other cell structures. Thymol has also been shown to be effective against various fungi that commonly infect toenails. Thymol can also be found as the active ingredient in some all-natural, alcohol-free hand sanitizers.

Aside from thymol, Thyme essential oil also contains a range of additional compounds, such as p-Cymene, myrcene, borneol and linalool. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, oil of thyme was used to medicate bandages.

Studies have also shown that a dietary supplement of thyme can increase the amount of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid) in the brain, kidney, and heart cell membranes.

It must be noted that women should avoid thyme during pregnancy as it stimulate muscles, including the uterus, which possibly can cause a miscarriage.

Treatment of Skin Acne

Herbal preparations of thyme could be more effective at treating skin acne than prescription creams, according to research presented at the Society for General Microbiology's Spring Conference in Dublin. Further clinical testing could lead to an effective, gentler treatment for the skin condition.

Researchers from Leeds Metropolitan University tested the effect of thyme, marigold and myrrh tinctures on Propionibacterium acnes – the bacterium that causes acne by infecting skin pores and forming spots, which range from white heads through to puss-filled cysts. The group found that while all the preparations were able to kill the bacterium after five minutes exposure, thyme was the most effective of the three. What's more, they discovered that thyme tincture had a greater antibacterial effect than standard concentrations of benzoyl peroxide – the active ingredient in most anti-acne creams or washes.