Antibiotics for Acne

For patients who suffer from moderate to severe acne, doctors may prescribe a combination of topical remedies and oral antibiotics. The most common oral medications used to treat acne are tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline and erythromycin.

Like Benzoyl peroxide antibiotics control breakouts by curbing the body’s production of P. acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, and decreasing inflammation. This process may take several weeks or months, so be patient. And remember, you’re not “cured” just because your breakouts have subsided. That’s the medicine doing its job — so if you stop taking it, your acne will probably come back. Likewise, doubling up on your medication won’t make your skin clear up twice as fast. Using your topical antibiotics more frequently than prescribed may actually induce greater follicular irritation and plugging, which slows clearing time. And taking your oral medications more often than prescribed won’t help your skin clear faster — but it will increase your chance of experiencing unpleasant side effects.

If you have moderate to severe acne, consult your dermatologist; he or she will discuss your options and help you make the best choice. Once you’ve begun treatment, give it time to start working. Keep your doctor apprised of your progress, so he or she can make changes to the course of treatment if necessary. And again, don’t stop using your medication when your skin clears — let your doctor make that call.

With most of the antibiotics used to treate acne, side effects may include photosensitivity (higher risk of sunburn), upset stomach, dizziness or lightheadedness, hives, lupus-like symptoms and skin discoloration. Some women report a higher incidence of vaginal yeast infection while taking antibiotics; these can usually be treated with over-the-counter antifungal medication or a prescription antifungal, such as diflucan. Tetracycline is not given to pregnant women or children under 12 years of age because it can discolor developing teeth.

Lastly (and least common), because doxycycline is also the treatment of choice for Lyme disease, there is the theoretical possibility that a patient who takes this medication for a long period of time would build a resistance, and therefore be unable to fight Lyme.