Finally The Hidden Truth On Antibiotics For Acne Treatment Exposed

by Lyra Carrillo

When you seek treatment for moderate or severe acne from your dermatologist, most likely you will receive antibiotics. It can be administered either topically or orally. Although they are prescribed frequently as part of an acne treatment regimen, they are not always the best remedy.

But why do doctors believe that antibiotics are ideal for acne treatments? First, you need to understand how they work.

How Do Antibiotics For Acne Treatment Work

We always assume that the main function of antibiotics is to reduce the population of P. acnes bacteria in the pores which is the cause of acne. When the number of P. acnes bacteria reduces, so is the inflammation.

However, according to Dr. Neal Schultz of DermTV, antibiotics can help inflammatory acne in different manners.

How Do Antibiotics Treat Acne Video

When your skin is plagued by free fatty acids, your body will respond by sending white blood cells to neutralize its damaging effects. As the dead white blood cells lump together, they will form a pus, leading to zits. When the white blood cells from the pus separate themselves from the blood and enter into the skin, you'll have pimples and cysts. The antibiotics play an important role in treating acne by blocking the white cells from entering the skin and stop them from forming into a pus.

You'll find Corynibacterium, the harmless bacteria in your skin, sebaceous gland and hair follicle. When they are dormant, they produce Lipase, a type of enzyme. This enzyme breaks down Triglycerides, a normal fatty acid which is found in the sebum, into several components such as free fatty acids. Free fatty acids are responsible for skin problems such as redness, swelling, inflammation and pus. They are the reasons why you have acne. When you administer antibiotics into your body, they'll kill Corynibacterium, which will reduce the amount of free fatty acids in the sebum.

What Antibiotics Treat Acne

There are two types of antibiotics for treating acne. The common oral acne antibiotics are tetracycline, minocycline, doxycycline and erythromycin while the main topical antibiotics for acne include erythromycin and clindamycin which come in the form of lotion, gel or cream.

We're going to review each of these antibiotics so that you know the difference.

Tetracycline

Doctors usually prescribe tetracycline to treat acne. It is the cheapest compared to minocycline and doxycycline, the two tetracycline derivatives. However, its strength is considered to be the lowest among the three.

Tetracycline is used to control the population of P. acnes bacteria. It also reduces the inflammation of moderate to severe acne because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

For best results, you've to consume it on an empty stomach. This may be a problem especially for teenagers who have regular eating habits.

Tetracycline is not suitable for pregnant women or children under 9 years of age. It can cause skeletal defects in fetus and poor development of teeth in younger children.

Minocycline

Doctors have been using minocycline for acne treatment for a long time. Compared to tetracycline and doxycycline, it is the most expensive. It is best used in treating pustules.

Minocycline is deemed to be the most effective antibiotics as the bacteria are less resistant towards it. And if other antibiotics fail to work, your doctor may prescribe minocycline. However, you may experience more severe side effects than tetracycline or doxycycline.

Doxycycline

Doxycycline is in between tetracycline and minocycline in terms of cost and effectiveness. If you find erythromycin or tetracycline too harsh or not working for you, then you can consider doxycycline. It is effective in treating inflammatory acne. You should take it with food as you'll feel nauseating if taken on an empty stomach.

Erythromycin

Not everyone is a suitable candidate for tetracycline especially if you're expecting or under 10 years old. Fortunately, erythromycin is the alternative.

Besides killing the bacteria, erythromycin has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce redness. It is ideal for teenagers who eat frequently as it is advised to be taken with food.

Clindamycin

Clindamycin can be used as both oral and topical antibiotics for acne. But most of the time, it is used topically.

Dosage

It is not really important to know the dosage for each oral antibiotic as it will be determined by your doctor. Logically, if you're suffering from severe acne, you'll need a higher dosage.

Usually, you'll begin the antibiotic course with a higher dosage. As your acne starts to heal, the dosage will be reduced. The course will last for up to six months.

You may decide if you want to continue with the treatment on a long-term basis. This is mainly to prevent acne from breaking out again.

It's not going to clear your acne faster if you double up the dosage of the oral antibiotics. You may aggravate the condition of the acne and put your health at risk. If you're thinking of getting fast results by applying topical antibiotics above its recommended frequency, you're just going to irritate the follicles and block the pores. This means you're not getting clear skin soon.

Side Effects Of Acne Antibiotics

All antibiotics for acne treatment have side effects. They share common side effects such as

	vaginal yeast infections in women
	stomach upset
	nausea
	dizziness
	increased sensitivity to the sun
	skin discoloration

Oral antibiotics can affect the effectiveness of birth control pills.

Why Acne Treatment With Antibiotics Are Not Effective?

Many people who have used antibiotics to treat acne are not getting the results they expected. So, why are they not effective?

One of the reasons is that the bacteria become resistant to antibiotics over time. Even by adjusting to a higher dosage or changing to another antibiotic, it'll not work as this will make the bacteria more resistant.

Just because you don't have any more pimples after being treated with antibiotics, this does not mean that it is over. If you stop the treatment, your acne may come back again. The effect is only temporary.

Long-Term Adverse Effect Of Antibiotics For Acne

If you're on a long-term course of antibiotics, you may experience repercussion. So, do antibiotics help acne?

Acne antibiotics destroy both good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria such as acidophilus, bifidobacteria, and bacillus substilis reside in your digestive tract. They assist in the absorption of food, protect your gut from toxins, and eliminate any bad bacteria or parasite.

Without the good bacteria, the bad bacteria will thrive in your body. They release mycotoxins which dampen the proper function of your liver. So when your liver cannot eliminate the toxins, inflammation will be the outcome, causing acne to form.

In other words, your existing acne will become worse than before.

An Alternative Remedy For Acne

By now you understand that you need a more effective remedy. What is the point of using antibiotics when the bacteria develop immunity against these prescription drugs. Furthermore, it is not going to do any good for your health on a long-term basis. You probably don't want to deal with the inevitable side effects from using antibiotics. Don't you think it is about time to get a better solution to treat your acne?

Click Here To Learn More About Acne Relief Without Antibiotics!