High-tech skin patch new way to cure acne

LONDON - A high-tech skin patch could be a new way to cure acne, the most common type of skin condition that afflicts adolescents.

The patch produces an electric charge to kill the bugs that cause the ugly spots.

Results from a test show that acne spots almost disappeared within three days, and that spots in the area around the patch also improved.

In some cases, acne will continue into adult life, with one in 20 women and one in 100 men over the age of 25 experiencing symptoms, reports the Daily Mail.

While it usually develops on the face, it can also appear on the back and chest.

The condition is thought to be triggered by hormones which send sebaceous glands into overdrive. These glands, found near the surface of the skin, are attached to hair follicles.

Their purpose is to stop the hair from drying out, which they do by producing an oily substance called sebum. In acne sufferers, the glands produce too much sebum.

The excess mixes with skin cells to block the hair follicle. Bacteria that normally lives harmlessly on the skin can then infect the blocked follicles, resulting in the characteristic spots.

Traditional treatments include creams such as benzoyl peroxide, which work by preventing dead skin blocking hair follicles and killing bacteria on the skin. Another option is antibiotics to kill off the bacteria.

The contraceptive pill, which balances out the hormone levels, may also be helpful.

However, many of these treatments can take weeks to be effective and some carry a risk of side-effects, including dry skin, nausea, weight gain and mood changes.

The new treatment, which looks like an ordinary plaster and is used once, produces results overnight - with no apparent side-effects.

The patch, which was developed by Oplon, an Israel-based technology company, is now being trialled. Around 100 people will wear the patches overnight or for around six hours.

The study results are expected by the end of the year and the patch itself could be available within two years.