Antibiotics for Acne Treatment

Acne is something which might trouble you for days and months together. Acne can be in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, pimples, cysts or nodules over your skin. These develop when the follicles get blocked up and infected and it becomes very important to cure it soon. The more it stays over your skin, the more it will spread and grow and become difficult to be treated. You can always try some acne treatment at home but sometimes, you have to opt for antibiotics for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Antibiotics work by destroying the bacteria in and around the follicles and reducing the irritating chemicals produced by the white blood cells. Antibiotics for acne treatment can be given in oral or topical form. Mentioned below are some of the best antibiotics for acne treatment.

Benzoyl peroxide: Benzoyl peroxide is one of the popular antibiotics used for acne treatment. It is available in the form of gel, lotion, cleanser and cream. Many of the popular lotions, soaps, gels and creams available in the market today contain benzoyl peroxide for acne control. P. acne, the acne infection causing bacteria, is destroyed by the use of benzoyl peroxide. This bacteria is present in everyone, but when the sebaceous glands get clogged with sebum, it creates problem and leads to acne. As benzoyl peroxide kills the bacteria, the excess sebum dries off. This might sometimes cause irritation and drying of the skin. So, the use of this must be followed by a good moisturizer. Benzoyl peroxide is known to increase the effectiveness of medicines like erythromycin and clindamycin hence, it is used in combination for acne preparations.

Clindamycin: Clindamycin is a semi synthetic antibiotic which is very useful as an oral antibiotic for acne, but it is mostly used in topical form, which has been proven safe and well tolerated. It helps in destroying the acne causing bacteria and works as an anti-inflammatory hence, decreasing the inflammation. It might cause skin side effects like dryness and irritation of skin. The major side effect of clindamycin therapy is that it may lead to serious intestinal infection called pseudomembranous colitis which is caused by the Clostridium difficile bacteria.

Tetracycline: Tetracycline is one of the widely prescribed antibiotics for acne treatment, especially for reducing papules and pustules. An inflammatory comedo resembling a small, red bump over the skin is known as papule and that resembling a whitehead with a ring of redness around it is a pustule. The usual dose starts with 500-1000 mg twice a day, which is decreased to 250 mg twice a day as improvement occurs and then discontinued. For severe acne, higher doses may be prescribed. Pregnant or breast feeding women should not take tetracycline, because it can harm the development of the baby's bones and teeth leading to skeletal defects. Also, it should not be given to children under 9 years of age.

The synthetic derivatives of tetracycline, minocycline and doxycycline are also commonly used antibiotics for best acne treatment.

Minocycline: Minocycline has been used since decades for treating acne, especially acne of pustule type. Generally, the starting dose is 50-100 mg twice a day. Dizziness, nausea and vomiting are some of the side effects of this antibiotic. Sometimes, extended intake may lead to skin or tooth discoloration.

Doxycycline: Doxycycline is an effective antibiotic used for inflammatory acne treatment. People who can't tolerate or respond to erythromycin or tetracycline are often given doxycycline. The starting dose is 50-100 mg twice a day. It should not be consumed empty stomach as it can lead to significant nausea. Doxycycline may increase skin sensitivity to the sun.

Erythromycin: Erythromycin is amongst the common antibiotics for acne treatment and has many advantages over tetracycline antibiotic. Erythromycin has anti-inflammatory properties which work in reducing the redness in lesions along with killing the bacteria. It is typically prescribed as 250-500 mg dosage twice a day, but the dosage may vary according to the type used. It can lead to minor side effects like stomach upset or nausea, but it can be used by pregnant women. Topical erythromycin is good for treating acne due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Combination of topical erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide is also very effective for treating acne as the two antimicrobial agents work together in this case. Like other acne antibiotics, erythromycin may also cause skin dryness and skin irritation. To reduce the bacterial resistance that might occur with antibiotic use, it is best to be used as directed.

You may need to take the antibiotics for acne treatment for a longer duration in case of severe acne. Your skin care regime must include skin cleansing with a mild soap, once a day, which will help remove excess sebum and dead skin cells. Also, avoid harsh scrubbing, touching and squeezing for acne prevention. Squeezing and picking the affected area will worsen the acne. Along with the antibiotics for acne treatment, you need to follow the simple skin care to get rid of the annoying acne.