Anti-microbial Treatment Effective for Acne

University Georgia researchers have developed an anti-microbial treatment that adheres to the skin to treat burns without being toxic and may be helpful for various skin conditions including acne.
The patch was later applied to skin lesions on fish and other aquatic animals. Tricide works by enhancing the effectiveness of antibiotics and may be helpful for various skin conditions including acne.

"In the case of burn victims, whether animal or human, bacteria and fungi can infect the open wounds and kill the patient," Dr. Bran Ritchie at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine said.

Petroleum-based ointments are commonly used in treating skin infections such as acne, but researchers say that petroleum can be toxic and inhibit acne healing. "Using a petroleum product would be like pouring motor oil into the wound," he said.

"We have found a way to kill those drug-resistant bacteria and fungi with compounds that cleanse wounds while being gentle on the tissue."

Ritchie found that using an ointment made from vitamin E kept wounds from dehydrating and promoted healing of various skin lesions including acne eruptions. The researchers envision a human application for the technology, which they're currently seeking to patent.

"In high-school athletics especially, getting staph infections from scratches is a huge problem. Our bioadhesive can adhere to wet skin, cleanse the wound and promote healing," he said, adding that they're also looking at a non-oily gel formulation for use as a combination cleanser and ointment for killing acne-causing bacteria.