Acne can be an intractable condition to treat. Current treatments involve either killing bacteria with antibiotics or disrupting its microbiome through isotretinoin (Accutane).

New breakthroughs in acne treatment are shaking up traditional approaches and offering promising outcomes. Modern advances and creative innovations present exciting new approaches that offer promise for successful therapy.

1. Nanotechnology Delivers Narasin

Narasin is an effective natural compound to combat inflammation and may help treat acne; however, getting it to where it needs to go in the body is difficult; to make this easier researchers are working on nanoparticle delivery systems capable of carrying this substance directly onto skin surfaces.

These particles are coated with chitosan and anionic alginate to prevent interactions with water in the body, and when applied directly to skin can be broken down and released, releasing Narasin into inflamed areas where acne exists. Additionally, this delivery system could be used with many other natural compounds or medications.

2. A Vaccine Reduces Inflammation

Acne is a multifactor disorder requiring multidimensional treatments. New medications may reduce inflammation, follicular hyperkeratinization and bacteria levels while light or pulsed dye laser therapies treat any scars left after acne lesions heal.

Antibiotic resistance and the failure of many topical drugs to penetrate hair follicles at acne sites limiting long-term effectiveness of acne treatments, Fatima Abid from University of South Australia’s (UniSA), led a team in an experiment testing whether Narasin encased in nanoparticles could reach its intended destination more efficiently.

They conducted tests on pig’s ear skin and discovered that their micelle formulation penetrated all layers of tissue effectively, helping reduce inflammatory lesions while simultaneously inhibiting basal lipogenesis, an essential step for sebocyte proliferation and excess oil production. For the first time ever, a micelle formulation of Narasin had been utilized to this end – an impressive feat indeed!

3. A Combination of Microneedles and Ultrasound Knocks Out Bacteria

Along with topical medications like benzoyl peroxide, acne patients can also use oral antibiotics such as clindamycin (Cleocin T, ClindaDerm) and erythromycin (Akne-Mycin, Erygel). Unfortunately, resistance is an increasingly prevalent issue when taking these types of drugs.

Researchers from South Australia took steps to address this problem by encasing Narasin antibiotic in small nanoparticles and applying them directly onto skin. When activated by skin heat or moisture, these particles swelled and released the drug, killing bacteria more effectively and creating an improved acne treatment solution. Scientists hope that their new approach may become the basis of future acne therapies.

They used a dissolving microneedle system composed of safe, biodegradable polymer needles that expand or dissolve upon insertion into the skin – eliminating bio-hazardous sharp object waste [25]. They then used ultrasound waves combined with Narasin for targeted acne deep layers that provoke acne flare-ups; combined together this produced highly effective bacteria killing effects regardless of Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria [26].

4. An Antimicrobial Peptide Targets Bacteria

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) attack bacteria through an unconventional mechanism compared to antibiotic drugs; they’re natural, nontoxic compounds that work by disrupting cell membranes of bacteria cells to kill them off.

These peptides can also be toxic to mammalian cells, though their cytolytic effect can be modulated by the target cell’s phospholipid membrane composition. Amphipathic monopeptides like magainin from African clawed frog Xenopus laevis’ skin and intestinal contents are known for destroying bacteria cell walls while leaving mammalian cell membranes undisturbed.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) scientists have employed neutrons to gain more insights into how magainin attacks bacterial cell membranes. This could allow researchers to develop more effective AMPs for fighting infections. Their findings, published in BBA Advances, reveal that AMPs attack bacteria by targeting lipid II within their membrane, leading to structural changes that result in cell lysis; bacteria are then able to sense these lipid changes via movement of an important enzyme known as phosphatidylinositol kinase.