Types of Oral Antibiotics Available For Acne Treatment
When a doctor prescribes oral antibiotics for your acne, he will have to consider which will be the best for you in terms of the drug's cost-effectiveness, individual acceptability and any potential interaction with other medications you may be taking.
The most common types of antibiotics are as follows: 1) Tetracycline Tetracycline has a good track record of effectiveness and is relatively safe for use.
A higher dosage of tetracycline is usually taken initially and maintained until some clear improvement is observed, then the dosage will be reduced gradually.
Tetracycline absorption is affected by the presence of food and dairy products.
So it is advisably taken on an empty stomach or about an hour before mealtime.
Side effects of tetracycline can include mild gastrointestinal trouble, such as diarrhea or vomiting.
For children, it may cause discoloration of their teeth.
It is also not suitable for pregnant women.
2) Doxycycline Doxycycline is similar to Tetracycline, but it can be taken with meals as its absorption is not affected by the presence of food.
Side effects include gastric upset and for some patients, it may occasionally cause rash aggravated by sun exposure.
3) Minocycline Minocycline is also another generation of Tetracycline, and it is possible to take it with food.
Side effects include nausea and dizziness and a bluish pigmentation of the skin.
4) Erythromycin Erythromycin is as effective as Tetracycline and is the antibiotic of choice for patients who can't take Tetracycline.
It is also suitable for women planning for pregnancy and for those who are already pregnant.
Side effects of erythromycin can include gastrointestinal upset like flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea.
But usually, these are mild and temporary.
Some medications for asthma or epilepsy might interact with erythromycin, so always inform the doctor of your other medical conditions before you start your antibiotic regime.
5) Contrimoxazole This is a "reserve" oral antibiotic not so often employed to treat inflammatory acne as there are potential side effects like skin rashes which can become quite severe.
The most common types of antibiotics are as follows: 1) Tetracycline Tetracycline has a good track record of effectiveness and is relatively safe for use.
A higher dosage of tetracycline is usually taken initially and maintained until some clear improvement is observed, then the dosage will be reduced gradually.
Tetracycline absorption is affected by the presence of food and dairy products.
So it is advisably taken on an empty stomach or about an hour before mealtime.
Side effects of tetracycline can include mild gastrointestinal trouble, such as diarrhea or vomiting.
For children, it may cause discoloration of their teeth.
It is also not suitable for pregnant women.
2) Doxycycline Doxycycline is similar to Tetracycline, but it can be taken with meals as its absorption is not affected by the presence of food.
Side effects include gastric upset and for some patients, it may occasionally cause rash aggravated by sun exposure.
3) Minocycline Minocycline is also another generation of Tetracycline, and it is possible to take it with food.
Side effects include nausea and dizziness and a bluish pigmentation of the skin.
4) Erythromycin Erythromycin is as effective as Tetracycline and is the antibiotic of choice for patients who can't take Tetracycline.
It is also suitable for women planning for pregnancy and for those who are already pregnant.
Side effects of erythromycin can include gastrointestinal upset like flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea.
But usually, these are mild and temporary.
Some medications for asthma or epilepsy might interact with erythromycin, so always inform the doctor of your other medical conditions before you start your antibiotic regime.
5) Contrimoxazole This is a "reserve" oral antibiotic not so often employed to treat inflammatory acne as there are potential side effects like skin rashes which can become quite severe.
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