Propionibacterium acnes, better known as P. acnes, are bacteria known to cause pimples. If you have acne, you may be itching to kill those acne-causing culprits. However, look before you leap! Believe it or not, P. acnes bacteria are a natural part of your skin anatomy.
According to Corixa Corporation, Seattle, “Chronic inflammatory acne cannot be defined as an infectious disease, since the bacteria are normally present on the skin of a vast majority of individuals.” Why? Because, whether a person has acne or not, P. acnes is there.
In fact, bacteria are good for human skin. When skin is injured, the “normal bacteria” that reside on the epidermis help prevent “excessive inflammation” (ScienceDaily).
The irony is that these bacteria do not cause inflammation until they are “introduced below the skin’s surface” (ScienceDaily).
Because of this, researchers suggest P. acnes bacteria play a relatively minor part in acne formation.
P. acnes do not decide to cause pimples. The environmental conditions of the bacteria’s habitat—in other words, the condition of the skin—determine whether a person is prone to acne (Grove).
If a follicle is plugged by oil or skin cells, the bacteria can get trapped beneath the skin’s surface and be forced to grow there (news-medical.net).
In 2001, Corixa Corporation researchers began to pursue the possibility of developing an acne vaccine. If this vaccine one day becomes a reality, acne could be cured and even prevented.
Suppose you consider a treatment that can destroy P. acnes bacteria. When considering such a treatment, you may do well to ask yourself: should I destroy a part of my skin anatomy?
Learn more about skin anatomy by reading my articles about the layers of the skin and the acid mantle.
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