Ethics in Medicine

Probiotics and Acne

Kristen Sparrow • August 04, 2015

A case for probiotics for acne.
Acne. Small studies from Italy, Russia and Korea have found that probiotics from food or supplements used in conjunction with standard acne treatments may increase the rate of acne clearance, and also helps patients better tolerate acne treatment with antibiotics, Bowe told Live Science. Some probiotic strains found to be effective in studies of acne include Lactobacillus, L. acidophilus, and B. bifudum.
Preliminary studies of topical probiotics for acne have shown they may help reduce the number of active skin lesions, Bowe said. Probiotics applied to the skin might help acne by forming a protective shield that prevents harmful pimple-causing bacteria from reaching the skin, aggravating the immune system and triggering inflammation, she said.