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Vaccines play an important role in our health and wellness. They help protect our immune system by combating many disease-causing germs, or microbes, that attack it. They are an effective way of preventing illness, disability, and death from infectious diseases. But what if there was an elective beauty vaccine, would you take it?
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne is most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually. It is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and deeper lumps (cysts or nodules) that occur on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and upper arms. It often causes significant physical and psychological problems such as permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression and anxiety. But now, a professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) may have a solution.
Professor Eric Huang, PhD, at the Department of Dermatology at UCSD has developed an acne vaccine he said could cure the disease.
He explained that an overgrowth of P. acnes bacteria inside an acne lesion can cause inflammation when the bacteria release a toxin called Christie-Atkins-Munch-Peterson (CAMP) factor. This is what causes acne.
But because of antigen masking, the human body cannot neutralize the toxin by itself. Research studies thus far show the anti-acne vaccine has been able to neutralize the CAMP factor, thereby preventing the bacteria from producing acne.
According to the researcher, two types of vaccines are in the works, a preventative vaccine and a therapeutic one. The preventative vaccine will be injected into patients at elementary school age.
If large clinical trials start soon, this vaccine could be available in three to five years if approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
But is a vaccine necessary for beautification? Just because science can do something, should we actually do it? Would we be unnecessarily over medicating our children for cosmetic reasons? What happened to more natural remedies for keeping your skin clear? Is America becoming that vain? We at Black Enterprise want to hear from you. Post your comments below and/or tweet us @BlackEnterprise @AskNurseAlice #AcneCure
Nurse Alice is a nationally board-certified and award-winning cardiac clinical nurse specialist with nearly two decades of experience in cardiovascular health. She is a community health activist and freelance media health expert. She has appeared on various national radio and TV shows including Dr. Oz, The Doctors, Dr. Drew, News One with Roland Martin, Tom Joyner Morning Show and more. She is also the author of “Curb Your Cravings: 31 Foods to Fool Your Appetite.”
You can follow her at AskNurseAlice.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @AskNurseAlice
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