Research Roundup

In the development of acne, the skin microbiome plays a significant role in pathogenesis. The aim of the authors was to examine the facial skin microbiome of acne and the differences of microbiome that are related to the different grades of this. To do this, swabs from nine healthy patients and 67 acne patients were obtained. The skin microbiomes from the swabs were then analysed.

The results showed that the acne patients harboured significantly altered skin microbiomes. The skin microbiomes of patients with grade 1–3 acne were similar, but patients with grade 4 acne showed considerably different skin microbiomes. The authors conclude that they hope these findings may provide evidence for the pathogenic mechanisms of acne and microbial-based strategies to avoid and treat acne, particularly those with grade 4 acne.

Symptoms with no medical explanation (also known as functional symptoms) can occur in any medical field, and this includes dermatology. Such symptoms occur with no definite organic pathology. Two examples of functional disorders commonly seen by dermatologists are mucocutaneous pain syndromes and functional pruritus. Patients with somatoform symptoms often have contradictory symptoms. After examination, they are seen to have severe symptomatology, but with minimal abnormalities.