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New treatment for acne is effective

Acne can be an unpleasant condition, especially when lots of spots appear on the body, and the condition can be particularly troublesome for teenagers. Acne is a skin condition that causes spots, pimples or “zits.” This array of skin markings includes whiteheads, blackheads, and red and inflamed patches of skin (like cysts). Acne occurs when tiny holes on the surface of the skin become clogged with a bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes. The P. acnes bacteria aggravate the immune system and cause skin markings, often filled with pus, to appear.

As to why some people are more prone to acne is not simply down to the presence and population of the bacteria, for most people carry the organism on their skin or within hair follicles. The trigger is thought to be related to the hormonal system. This partly explains why teenagers are more prone to the condition.

Another factor is inflammation and this is where nitric oxide comes in. Nitric oxide is a product of the combustion of substances. For example, with car engines and from fossil fuel power plants. It is also produced naturally during the electrical discharges of lightning.

By using nanotechnology to facilitate the slow release of the chemical, a research group think that by blocking certain biochemical pathways (termed “inflammasome”), this stops the development of the pimple. Nitric oxide has an anti-inflammatory effect and, to a degree, it is found in the body. However, the effect is short-lived. To overcome this, nanoparticles can be developed to allow nitric oxide to be trickle-fed over a prolonged period of time, to maintain the inhibitory effect. Nitric oxide can also target and kill the P. acnes bacterium.

The study was performed at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The findings have been published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The research paper is titled “Nitric oxide releasing nanoparticles prevent Propionibacterium acnes induced inflammation by both clearing the organism and inhibiting microbial stimulation of the innate immune response.”

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Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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