Everyone has acne-causing bacteria living on their skin, but researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have identified that there are "good" and "bad" strains of the bacteria, which determine the frequency and severity of developing pimples.
The findings, which were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, reveal that not all acne bacteria trigger pimples, they even identified one strain that can actually help maintain healthy skin.
Little is known about the scientific causes of acne, a disease which affects close to 80 percent of Americans - at least once in their lives. The treatment options have remained the same over the past few decades, with much need for improvement. A report in The Lancet said that further research is urgently needed for effective non-antibiotic treatments for acne, given the concerns of long-term antibiotic use and bacterial resistance.