Oral antibiotics for acne

Oral antibiotics for acne have been a basis of therapy for many years for individuals with mild to moderate and to severe acne, . As any other treatment options, it is used to minimise bacterial infection that causes acne, which in turn, decreases inflammation.

Depending on the severity of acne, treatment usually begins with a higher dosage and decreased as acne resolves. In most cases, oral antibiotics are prescribed for a maximum of six months. Sometimes the bacteria that causes acne become resistant to the treatments used to treat it. When this happened, another antibiotics should be prescribed.

In order to reduce the risk of developing antibiotic resistance, most dermatologists prescribe topical benzoyl peroxide together with oral antibiotics for acne.

Commonly used oral antibiotics for acne

Oral antibiotics helps to protect skin against the proliferation of P. acnes within the sebaceous follicle. Some of the antibiotics such as tetracyclines, have both anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effects. The most commonly used oral antibiotics include:

• The tetracycline (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline).
• The macrolides (erythromycin and azithromycin).
• Trimethoprim /sulfamethoxazole  (TMP/SMZ).
• Clindamycin.
  

Side effects

The main purpose of taking  oral antibiotics for the treatment of acne is to target and kill a bacteria called P. acne that is believed to be a major causal factor in infection and inflammation. When using antibiotics for acne, it's important to understand the possible side effects to prevent complications.

It is difficult to mention all the possible side effects of acne antibiotic here. If you want to know more about the side effects specific to your acne antibiotic, you have to read the information package that comes with the medicine. The followings are some of the common side effects:

Allergic reaction is the most risky side effects of using antibiotics for acne. If you see the following symptoms such as difficulty breathing, itching, rash,  and swelling of the face, tongue and mouth after medication, contact your doctor immediately.  If you do not get medical attention soon from a severe allergic reaction,  serious complications, as well as death, can occur.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotic is another side effect that can occur as a results of antibiotic treatment. Resistance arise when the  bacteria that causes acne developed immunity against the antibiotic being applied for treatment. This condition makes the antibiotics no longer effective in combating the bacteria.

Digestive complication is another forms of side effects as a results of acne antibiotics. It ranges from  loss of appetite, stomach cramps, nausea and diarrhea, to severe side effects such as vomiting, bloody stool and severe stomach pains.

Hearing loss, Irregular heartbeat, yellowing of the eyes and skin, blistered skin, and muscle weakness.

Usually acne antibiotics are not prescribed to a pregnant and breast feeding woman.  Otherwise, it can negatively affect teeth and bone development and possibly cause birth defect.  

Tags

mild acne, moderate acne, moderate acne, benzoyl peroxide, topical, erythromycin, azithromycin, doxycycline, minocycline