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Painful zit-popping, burning face creams and dry acne wash may be a thing of the past as doctors may soon have ready a new weapon to use against the dreaded marks of puberty, periods and stress: An innocuous and natural virus that lives on our skin that seeks out pimple causing bacteria and kills it.

The American Society for microbiology have just released a study, conducted by paired scientists from UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh, that reveals "harnessing a virus that naturally exists and already preys on bacteria that causes pimples could offer an effective and lasting tool against severe acne. "

Researchers explain that acne affects millions of people worldwide (and 90 percent of Americans at some point in their life) and there are very few treatments that are as universally safe and effective. While acne treatment methods such as Proactiv, Neutrogena, or other non invasive though more serious methods such as laser treatments do not work for all acne suffers and still may leave the others with side-effects worse than acne such as severely dry skin, bleeding or, allergic rashes and breakouts.

But researchers have gone skin deep to determine a solution by looking at two strains of acne causing and fighting viruses called Propionibacterium acnes and P. acnes phages, respectively. While the two strains are not harmful to humans it can and does directly effect our immune system, leading us to fight the disease resulting not in high fever, but in aggravated swelled bumps that we have come to know as acne.

"We know that sex hormones, facial oil and the immune system play a role in causing acne, however, a lot of research implicates P. acnesas an important trigger," explained first author Laura Marinelli, a UCLA postdoctoral researcher in Modlin's laboratory in a statement. "Sometimes they set off an inflammatory response that contributes to the development of acne."

In an effort to isolate the viruses for study, researchers used over-the-counter acne cleansing strips and lifted strains of bacteria from pimple and clear skinned volunteers. Researchers then proceeded to study the genomic sequencing of the viruses to determine if they had characteristics that made them perfect candidates to be the start and end bodies used to create a new treatment.

According to the study, they absolutely were.

"Our findings provide valuable insights into acne and the bacterium that causes it," observed corresponding author Graham Hatfull, Eberly Family Professor of Biotechnology, professor of biological sciences at the University of Pittsburgh and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher. "The lack of genetic diversity among the phages that attack the acne bacterium implies that viral-based strategies may help control this distressing skin disorder."

The researchers now intend to isolate the the protein in the acne fighting virus to see if it can be directly used as a treatment option. If all goes well in laboratory testing, the researchers will study the compound's safety and effectiveness in combating acne in people.