Doxycycline - what is it, and does it work on acne?

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Doxycycline acne treatment is used for more severe cases of acne when other traditional acne treatments have failed to make an improvement. It is a derivative of tetracycline, and is often referred to as a tetracycline antibacterial. Some believe doxycycline is more effective in treating acne than tetracycline itself, but this will vary from one person to another.

Doxycycline doesn’t actually cure acne; it just suppresses the condition. It works in two ways: firstly, it helps to control inflammatory reactions in the body, and secondly it reduces the number of bacteria on the skin surface and in the follicles.

The bacteria associated with acne are called, Propionibacterium acnes, they feed on sebum (the skin’s natural oil) produced by the sebaceous gland. This common bacteria produces waste products and fatty acids which aggravates the sebaceous glands, leading to inflammation and blemishes.

Doxycycline acne treatment stops the production of proteins that P.acnes needs to survive and without them, the bacteria can not perform essential functions such as growth and repair. However, doxycycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic, which means it will also reduce a number of different bacteria including the ‘friendly bacteria’ your body needs to function correctly. These ‘friendly bacteria’ help the body to absorb nutrition and they prevent the growth of bad bacteria, yeasts and mould.

This explains why many women suffer from yeast infections (candidiasis) after taking a course of doxycycline acne treatment. Other side effects from doxycycline may include: Gastrointestinal (GI) upsets such as indigestion and diarrhoea, rashes and hives.

Doxycycline may also cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun (photosensitive), causing an exaggerated sunburn reaction. While taking this medication try to avoid exposing your skin to direct sunlight and don’t use sun beds or sunlamps.

Pregnant women or those that are breastfeeding should not use doxycycline acne treatments because it can cause liver problems in the mother and bone problems in the developing babies. It is also advised that children under the age of twelve do not take doxycycline as it can cause swelling of the brain and teeth discoloration.

Medications such as warfarin, penicillin and the contraceptive pill do not mix particularly well with doxycycline. If you are taking a contraceptive pill there is a low risk that the pill might not be as effective while taking doxycycline. Vitamin and mineral supplements such as calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium bicarbonate and antacids, affect the absorption of doxycycline acne treatments and should be taken at least two hours beforehand.

Acne should respond to a doxycycline acne treatment within five to six weeks. This will vary for different individuals, but the standard time frame is three to six weeks. Some patients may also find their acne gets worse before it improves.

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