Doxycycline for Acne Treatment

Acne that fails topical antibiotics usually requires treatment with oral antibiotics. Over the past 30 years, the most common oral antibiotics used to treat acne have been erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, and minocycline.

Doxycycline is a tetracycline derivative with excellent penetration into follicles and sebaceous glands. It has proven to be effective in treating acne, particularly in cases of moderate to severe acne. Doxycycline, like other antibiotics, treats acne by affecting the growth of bacteria that is involved with acne infections. It is bacteriostatic and works by preventing bacteria from producing proteins that are essential to them.

Besides working as antibacterial medication, doxycycline also works as powerful anti-inflammatory agent. This antibiotic also works to treat acne by controlling inflammatory reactions in the body.

Doxycycline is given in doses ranging from 50 milligrams twice a day to 100 milligrams once or twice a day. It may also be prescribed to be taken as 75 milligrams once or twice a day. This medication may be taken with food. Taking it with food will make you less likely to get an upset stomach.

According to the recent research, treatment with subantimicrobial dose doxycycline (20-mg tablets taken twice daily) can significantly reduce the number of inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions in persons with moderate acne. At such dose, doxycycline has no detectable antimicrobial effect on the skin flora, and does not contribute to increase in antibiotic resistance.

It is available in generic formulations as well as brand names (e.g. Doryx, Vibramycin). It is somewhat less expensive than minocycline. Doxycycline has better tolerability than other tetracycline antibiotics. It lacks the potential for serious side effects sometimes seen with minocycline (such as lupus-like syndrome, serum sickness like reaction (SSLR) and secondary intracranial hypertension).

The disadvantage of doxycycline is that it is the most phototoxic among the tetracyclines. You should be advised about sun protection if you're prescribed this medication. Also, the use of doxycycline can be complicated by esophageal injury. Be sure to drink enough fluids along with doxycycline to reduce the risk of esophageal irritation and ulceration.

Doxycycline is contraindicated for pregnant women and children under the age of 8. This drug may cause permanent discoloration of teeth in children.