Cutibacterium acnes, or C. acnes for short, is a relatively slow growing bacteria linked to the symptoms of acne (and formerly known as propionibacterium).

Cutibacterium acnes survives on human skin by feeding on fatty acids in sebum, an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands found in hair follicles on human skin. This bacterium is part of the flora present on the majority of people’s skin, neither being of benefit or causing harm in normal conditions.

However, increased sebum production or blockage of pores (including the formation of whiteheads and blackheads) can result in C. acnes bacteria multiplying beyond normal levels. When this happens, the digestive enzymes produced by this bacterium can destabilise the layers of cells which form the walls of the follicle – and this damage, in combination with debris and irritants produced by the accelerated growth of C. acnes, can trigger inflammation resulting in spots and blemishes.

As the damage caused by C. acnes increases, pores can become more susceptible to infection from other microbes such as Staphylococcus aureus – resulting in a worsening of symptoms including the appearance of papules (small red, tender bumps), pustules (papules with pus at their tips), nodules (large painful lumps beneath the surface of the skin) and cystic lesions (painful, pus filled lumps beneath the surface of the skin) – known more commonly as cystic acne.

The lactoferrin in PRAVENAC help: clear skin® helps inhibit the growth of C. acnes by binding with the iron molecules which these bacterium would normally use, making it harder for the C. acnes to flourish and for the symptoms of acne to persist.

Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein present naturally in exocrine secretions: milk, tears, nasal exudate, bronchial mucus, gastrointestinal fluids and saliva. PRAVENAC help: clear skin® comprises a specific and exceptionally high grade of lactoferrin from which pathogenic lipopolysaccharides (which can cause an immune response in the body) have been removed. Further, the majority of any available binding iron has been removed from the material – which in turn has the effect of increasing the molecular performance of the lactoferrin against C. acnes bacteria.