A vaccine to treat acne will soon be available as an alternative to cosmetics.

Scientists in the US are researching a vaccine to prevent acne – a ray of hope for tens of millions of people.

Each year, more than 50 million Americans seek treatment for acne, a number higher than both Australia and Canada combined. Surprisingly, the rate of acne among adult women is increasing.

According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, an acne expert and head of dermatology and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York: "Very few people know the real cause of acne. They all assume that there are bacteria under our skin that break down the epidermis and form pimples."

Acne will no longer be a nuisance for millions of people worldwide once an acne vaccine is developed.

The fact that we don't know the exact cause of acne explains why there's no cure for acne, especially for those with chronic acne.

To address this problem, in a laboratory in San Diego, California, a team of scientists is working to eliminate acne. But the development and research of an acne vaccine faces worrying challenges.

"Acne is caused by the bacteria P.acnes, which are present throughout your life; however, P.acnes is actually quite resilient to humans, so we can't eliminate them completely," said Eric C Huang, the lead researcher on the project.

He said: "We have now found an antibody against a toxic protein found in P. acnes – a protein that clings to the skin, causing inflammation and acne. This means that a vaccine could prevent the negative effects of P. acnes without completely eradicating the bacteria."

To date, the project has applied skin biopsies to a number of acne patients. "The next step is clinical trials on patients," said Huang. "The initial phase of these trials could last one to two years and will be conducted as soon as possible."

Therefore, we can soon hope to have smooth, blemish-free skin without the need for cosmetics.

According to vietnamnet