Acne Medicine :
Your resource for acne information
Oral Antibiotics
A mainstay of acne therapy, oral antibiotics are usually prescribed for moderate to severe and persistent acne cases. As with topical antimicrobials, oral antibiotics reduce inflammation by attacking Propionibacterium acnes (aka P. acnes), the bacteria responsible for the redness, heat and pain that can accompany acne.
Only your doctor can determine if an oral antibiotic is right for you. These products can cause serious side effects and are not right for everyone.
The P. acnes bacteria can, over time, become resistant to the antibiotic being used to treat it. In order to regain control over the acne another antibiotic or alternative treatment can be prescribed.
Types of Oral Antibiotics
Erythromycin
Effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria, including P. acnes, erythromycin can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Tetracycline
Tetracycline is used for the treatment of inflammatory lesions (blemishes) such as papules (inflamed comedones that are firm, pink, and tender to the touch) and pustules (small round lesions with a red base and yellowish or white center).
Tetracycline Derivatives
There are two synthetic derivatives of tetracycline that are used to treat acne, doxycycline and minocycline.
- Doxycycline is very effective in treating inflammatory acne. As with several other acne medications, it can cause sun sensitivity in some people.
- Minocycline has been used in the fight against acne for quite some time. It often succeeds where other oral antibiotics have failed. Also to its advantage, minocycline seems to produce fewer incidents of antibiotic resistance.
