1. Seaweed may treat acne symptoms

    May 23, 2012 by Neuschwanstein

    Seaweed-based face wash could be an effective cure for acne as researchers have claimed that that an active ingredient from brown seaweed can cut spots by nearly two thirds.

    A new clinical trial of treatments containing the ingredient showed that the number of spots fell by 64 per cent whereas blackheads were cut down by 60 per cent just after eight weeks.

    The trial is the first cosmetics clinical study for acne, which got published in an official dermatology journal.

    The study investigated products from a wide range of ‘OXY’ treatments using the active compound called Phycosaccharide ACP.

    In a trial of 60 young men aged between 14 to 21 years with mild acne, half used seaweed-based skin wash and balm, while the others used dummy products that did not contain the active ingredient.

    At the end of the trial, after eight weeks, both groups of teenagers showed a reduction in inflammatory spots and comedones (blackheads and whiteheads)

    The trial found that ‘OXY’ products were significantly more effective than a dummy face wash, scrub or gel.

    Seaweed

    Seaweed

    The study claimed that acne is an age-old problem for teenagers but help could be at hand from an unlikely source.


    The Seaweed has been found to contain a powerful active ingredient that could help to beat acne.

    The active ingredient is extracted out of the brown seaweed ‘Laminaria digitata’, which is found only off the coast of Brittany, France.

    Dr Gill Jenkins, a GP with a special interest in acne, revealed that the combination of seaweed extract and zinc directly affected the formation of spots rather than the oil-producing sebaceous glands.

    “The zinc-oligosaccharide complex used in this study produced a significant reduction in mild acne compared with control without causing irritation,” she said.

    “As a result of this study, I would suggest that for many people with mild acne, opting for these OXY products could be beneficial since they have been clinically proven,” she added.

    Category Health | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments

  2. New superbugs emerging

    May 23, 2012 by Neuschwanstein

    Controlling hospital infections such as salmonella and E.coli must be a priority, say experts.

    While there has been a drop in rates of the superbug MRSA and C. difficile, other infections like E. coli appear to have taken their place, they say.

    Health Protection Agency data gives a snapshot of infection rates and antibiotic use by NHS hospitals in England in the autumn of 2011.

    It shows, overall, that infection rates are down but new bacteria are emerging.

    The total prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) decreased from 8.2% in 2006 to 6.4% in 2011.

    But much of this decrease was due to lower rates of MRSA and C. difficile – infections that the government has repeatedly targeted with policies.

    At the same time, rates of other infections, like E.coli, appear to be rising.

    In the 103 hospital trusts surveyed, covering more than 52,000 patients, a total of 3,360 patients (6.4%) had been diagnosed with a healthcare-associated infection.

    In a third of cases, bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli – collectively known as coliforms – were the cause.

    And 12% of these were resistant to the antibiotics normally used to treat these infections – cephalosporins.

    Experts are concerned that coliforms infections are becoming more prevalent and harder to treat.

    MRSA

    MRSA

    Surveillance figures gathered by the HPA suggest rates of infection are creeping up.

    Over the last five years, there has been a 35% increase in reports of E. coli blood infections.

    Report author Dr Susan Hopkins said: “When you get rid of one bacteria another one will sneak into its place. We are seeing a slow but steady rise in E. coli.


    “It is clear that we need to find ways to control and prevent transmission of these bacteria, and this is an important priority.”

    Most HCAIs developed during the patients’ stays in the hospital.

    But a fifth of HCAIs were present on admission to hospital.

    Unlike MRSA, which can be screened for, everyone possess coliform bacteria. In most people they exists harmlessly in the gut. But in some people – typically the elderly, very sick or very young – they can cause serious and even life-threatening infections.

    Dr Hopkins said: “Everyone has it, so we can’t screen and get rid of it. We need to look at better hygiene to prevent infections.”

    The report reveals that MRSA and C. difficile infections have gone down by more than 70% over the last five years. There was an 18-fold decline in overall MRSA infections (1.3% to 0.1%) and a five-fold decline in C. difficile infections (2.0% to 0.4%) between the 2006 and 2011 surveys.

    Category Health | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | No Comments

Older Entries