Physical Wellness

Wine Keeps Acne Away

By Peter R | Update Date: Oct 01, 2014 07:48 PM EDT

A glass of wine a day is not just good for heart but your skin can benefit too, new research shows.

According to Daily Mail, researchers at University of California in LA discovered that antioxidant resveratrol present in wine had bactericidal prowess and when combined with Benzoyl Peroxide, its ability is enhanced. Control of acne-causing Propionibacterium acnes bacteria is commonly treatment modality for acne. Resveratrol is an antioxidant derived from grape while benzoyl peroxide is commonly used to treat acne.

The Independent reports that acne affects 85 percent adolescents and 10 percent adults while costing more than $3 billion each year. Side-effects of treatments include development of resistance to antibiotics and skin irritation caused by medication like benzoyl peroxide.

Researchers cultivated bacterial colonies and exposed them to resveratrol to find that it slowed down bacterial growth for long periods of time. When colonies were exposed to benzoyl peroxide, bacteria died but the effect lasted only 24 hours. When both resveratrol and benzoyl peroxide were combined, the best results ensued though they were unexpected.

"We initially thought that since actions of the two compounds are opposing, the combination should cancel the other out - but they didn't. This study demonstrates that combining an oxidant and an antioxidant may enhance each other and help sustain bacteria-fighting activity over a longer period of time," said Dr. Emma Taylor, the study's first author and an assistant clinical professor of medicine in the division of dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in a release.

Researchers cultured human skin cells and conducted the experiment to determine effectiveness of the combination. They found that benzoyl peroxide is more toxic compared to resveratrol, evinced from the skin irritation and redness former produces. The combination could lead to more effective and less-toxic treatment options.

"It was like combining the best of both worlds and offering a two-pronged attack on the bacteria," said senior author Dr. Jenny Kim, professor of clinical medicine in the division of dermatology at the Geffen School.

The findings have been published in journal Dermatology and Therapy

© 2023 Counsel & Heal All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics