Acne Medication
Oral antibiotics offer dual benefits: They not only kill skin bacteria, but they also help to reduce inflammation.
Acne Medication Containing Oral Antibiotics
Oral antibiotics are used to treat moderate to severe acne. This acne medication also helps to alleviate inflammation. Oral antibiotics reduce the amount of the skin bacteria, P. acnes, which can contribute to acne.
Common oral acne antibiotics are erythromycin, tetracycline and doxycycline. Erythromycin is known for its ability to target a wide variety of skin bacteria. The acne medication tetracycline is most effective in treating papules and pustules, which are inflammatory types of acne. Typically, the dosage for antibiotic acne pills begins at a higher level and is reduced as the acne begins to clear up. Individuals are usually treated with oral acne antibiotics for six months or less.
Pros and Cons
Oral antibiotics offer dual benefits: They not only kill skin bacteria, they also help to reduce inflammation. However, there are several side effects associated with oral antibiotic acne treatments that your physician or dermatologist should explain to you. As with many antibiotics, the use of oral acne antibiotics can lead to bacteria resistance. This is typically resolved with a prescription for another antibiotic or other treatment. Another common side effect of oral antibiotics (such as erythromycin) is the irritation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Cost
The average cost for a prescription of erythromycin ranges from $20 to $40, while the majority of tetracycline prescriptions are less than $25. As with the topical prescriptions, these prices will vary depending on insurance, dosage and brand.
Effectiveness
Oral antibiotics are often used in combination with topical medicines to treat moderate to severe cases of acne. The combination of treatments is different for different individuals, so your dermatologist will need to monitor and evaluate progress every four to six weeks until the acne is under control.
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Oral antibiotic acne medication is an effective way to combat acne. Read on for information about acne remedy options that include topical retinoids.