Treat Acne With Oral Antibiotics

Oral antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed oral medication in acne treatment. They are the first line of oral treatment, and have somewhat been proven quite safe and effective over the years. Oral antibiotics work in several ways. They reduce the population of P. acnes, the bacterium involved in the formation of inflammatory acne. Systemic antibiotics also inhibit the action of certain pro-inflammatory chemicals.

Treatment of acne with oral antibiotics often brings some results in about four to six weeks. It usually begins with a higher dosage and is reduced gradually over time. During this initial period, the acne patient must take the medication regularly, as non-compliance or irregular intake will affect the effectiveness of the drug. As the acne starts to clear, the dosage of antibiotics will be reduced and eventually stopped. Generally, inflammatory acne takes at least a few months to clear, so patience is the key!

The very common types of oral antibiotics used are tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline as well as erythromycin and cotrimoxazole. Usually the doctor will consider how suitable the drug is for each patient and the side effects that may occur before deciding which to prescribe.

Of course, the long duration in the consumption of such oral antibiotics is often a cause of concern in many acne patients. However, this method has been used over decades and is deemed to be established and safe. Once the acne lesions clear, usually antibiotic treatment will stop and the patient will resume topical medication to maintain the acne condition.

Over time however, for some patients, the P. acnes bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic used to treat it. When that happens, acne may reappear and another antibiotic may be prescribed to substitute the current one. Alternatively, other forms of acne treatment may be suggested for the patient.

By: Angela Tay

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