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Acne is a b*tch.

If you get it as a teen, it can damage your self-esteem and make those supposedly halcyon years of being make-up free and fresh-faced a nightmare.

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But at least there’s a chance that your skin will calm down eventually.

Dealing with adult acne, however, is even worse.


It’s not like you can take any consolation in the fact that you’ll grow out of it in a few years when your hormones settle. No, it’s either go on Accutane or wait until the menopause when your skin will be so dry that it won’t have the energy to start producing whiteheads.



According to the British Skin Foundation, 80% of us have to deal with acne at some point between the ages of 11 and 30 – so isn’t it about f*cking time someone did something about it once and for all?

Good news – someone finally is.

Scientists at the University of California San Diego are currently working on an acne vaccine which will counteract the toxin that causes breakouts.

‘Acne is caused, in part, by P. acnes bacteria that are with you your whole life — and we couldn’t create a vaccine for the bacteria because, in some ways, P. acnes are good for you,’ Eric C. Huange, the project’s lead researcher tells Allure.

‘But we found an antibody to a toxic protein that P. acnes bacteria secrete on skin – the protein is associated with the inflammation that leads to acne.’

So that means that the injection could block the acne-causing effects of the bacteria without killing it off altogether.

(Picture: Ulrich Baumgarrten via Getty Images)

So far, it’s worked on skin biopsies that the researchers have collected from acne patients and the next step is testing on people in clinical trials, which are due to get underway in the next couple of years.

The future, my friends, is looking pimple free.

MORE: 10 natural, cruelty-free product ranges for people with adult acne to try

MORE: Apparently acne sufferers age slower than those with clear complexions

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