People plagued by pimples may have bacteria to blame — but not all of them. Researchers have found that although some strains of the bacteria commonly associated with acne may cause problem skin, one appears to protect the skin and keep it healthy. The discovery may help dermatologists develop strain-specific treatments for acne.
Although acne is practically a rite of passage, it is not entirely understood. Past studies have pointed to Propionibacterium acnes, a bacterium that lives in the skin's follicles and pores, as a potential culprit, but that work had not precisely revealed its role.
Molecular biologist Huiying Li, of UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, and colleagues decided to take a closer look at the microbe. Armed with pore-cleansing strips, they sampled bacteria from the noses of 101 people, 49 of whom had acne and 52 of whom had clear skin. Then they examined the bacterial DNA, looking for patterns or variations in the microbes' genes that would help them identify specific strains of bacteria.