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As a general rule, most people want to avoid viruses, which are at the root of illnesses like colds, the flu, chickenpox and many a stomach bug.
But what about a virus that doesn’t make people sick — just the bacteria that infects people, effectively destroying it?
That’s what bacteriophages — or, simply, phages — are, and a new skincare brand is harnessing their power to clear up acne without the need for a complicated routine.
The primary cause of acne is bacteria. Even hormonal acne has a bacterial element: When hormones make skin overproduce oil that clogs pores, bacteria has great conditions to grow.
“And the issue is that when that bacteria starts to grow in abundance, it causes inflammation, which then results in lesions,” Neil Giugno, CEO of Phyla, told The Post.
There are countless cures and solutions for fighting zits, bumps and clogged pores, from diet restrictions — think less sugar, fewer greasy foods, no dairy — to topical serums and creams like benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid.
But according to Giugno, there’s a much more natural way to stop acne and get to the root of the problem: phages, a virus that infects bacteria.
“What the phages do is they get into the pore and look for that specific bacteria, and then they poke it and release genetic material into that bacteria and neutralize it,” he said.
But this isn’t some unknown entity being introduced into your system. Everyone already has phages naturally occurring in their body — some people just have more than others, which is why some people don’t really get pimples but others do.
“Many third-party studies around the world [have addressed], ‘Why do some people have acne and other people don’t?’” said Giugno.
“And it’s not due to the amount of exercise you do or the pizza that you eat. It’s correlated to the amount of phages that you have living in your microbiome, and those phages are working hard to kill and suppress that bacteria to levels that are low enough that they don’t cause inflammation, and therefore cause the physical acne.”
Different phages target different kinds of bacteria, so to make its serum, Phyla spent years identifying which ones specifically kill the C. acnes bacteria that causes acne.
After tests for safety and effectiveness — and getting investors including Ryan Reynolds and beauty giant Shiseido — they’ve rolled out their Acne Phage Serum, $70, as well as a $30 cleanser and $60 niacinamide moisturizer.
All three can be purchased as a bundle for a discount at $120, while subscribers can get a further reduction in price. Only the serum — Phyla’s “secret sauce,” according to Giugno — has phage technology, though the rest of the product line was designed to meet customer’s wider skincare needs.
So does the serum actually work — and how long does it take to kick in?
Testimonials on the brand’s site are certainly promising, with 87% of reviewers giving it four or five stars. And yes, they keep the handful of one-star reviews on their site.
One fan said it’s the only thing that’s cleared her face of cystic acne, while another raved that she went from getting a pimple every week to going a whole month with no blemishes.
According to Giugno, consumers are seeing results in as little as seven days, while other people need over a month of steady use to make a difference.
He also thinks giving swapping harsher products for Phyla’s natural technology is a great way to embrace being healthier.
“Over recent months, there’s been — and for good reasons — an increased spotlight on healthier America,” Giugno said.
“And I think one easy way to start is using phages for acne. It’s easy, they’re efficacious, they’re safe, they’re natural.
“And the fact that many dermatologists are reaching out to us and using the product, I think, goes a long way to show that this is likely to become our generation’s and the next generation’s go-to product for acne.”
