How does doxycycline work for acne?

Taking antibiotics for acne?

• Hi guys, I have moderate acne around my nose and mouth area, and above my upper lip, and several lone dots around my face which are a little less visible. I've tried face washes with Salicylic acid, Neutrogena face wash, Benzoil peroxide creams (up to 10%), and now I'm using tretinoin cream which was prescribed my my derma. I've only been using the tretinoin every night for 2 months, and nothing on my face has changed. My acne isn't covering my entire face (thank goodness), so it's moderate, but it is unbelievably resistant to everything I've ever used that I listed above. Why is my acne being so resilient? Today, I got a prescription for doxycycline antibiotic pills (100mg). I already took one today, but I read online that apparently antibiotic pills only work as long as they are being used. That means that once I stop taking the pill, my acne will return (if the pill even makes it disappear). I also am experimenting with quitting dairy. I used to love milk and ice cream and cheese, but so far I've been dairy-free for over a week. The point of this question is this: I do not want to have to rely on a pill to keep my acne at bay for the rest of my life. What are my options to try, and can I use any other products while on the pill?

• Answer:

  Its good that you are seeing a dermatologist. They are the experts at this. There are guidelines to treatments, but each person is different and therefore treatment may vary. Dont get discouraged and just make sure you follow what your doctor prescribes. Having said that, you shouldnt be on antibiotics indefinately. Oral antibiotics improve inflammatory acne by inhibiting the growth of Propionibacterium acnes within the pilosebaceous unit. The rise of P. acnes antibiotic resistance is a concern for acne management; there is some evidence that the presence of resistant organisms can reduce treatment efficacy. There is also concern that long-term antibiotic therapy affects other host bacterial flora, although the clinical impact of this is unclear. Some experts recommend a maximum treatment of 12-18 weeks. Stopping milk consumption is something that may potentially help. Though no randomized trials have evaluated the relationship between milk and acne, there have been a few studies and theories that may attempt to suggest a link. Also, the following are some suggestions that may be useful, based upon clinical experience and clinical trials: •Apply a gentle synthetic detergent cleanser (ie, syndet) with their fingers, and rinse with warm (not hot) water twice daily. Synthetic detergent cleansers possess a pH of 5.5 to 7, which is close to normal skin pH, while soap has a pH of 9 to 10. The lower pH of synthetic detergents, such as Cetaphil®, minimizes skin irritation and dryness. In a small randomized trial, patients with moderate acne (treated with a benzoyl peroxide/erythromycin combination gel alone or combined with adapalene) were instructed to wash their faces with either a synthetic detergent bar (Dove® Sensitive Skin Bar) or soap. After four weeks, the patients washing with the synthetic detergent bar exhibited less skin peeling, dryness, and irritation than those using soap. •Patients should not aggressively scrub the skin; gentle massage with the fingertips is sufficient for cleansing. Repetitive mechanical trauma can aggravate inflammatory acne and promote the development of new acne lesions. •Several reports have suggested that antibacterial soaps such as triclosan, povidone-iodine, and chlorhexidine can improve acne vulgaris. However, data supporting their use are limited, and these agents have not been proven superior to conventional therapy. Therefore, it cannot be recommended •Water-based lotions, cosmetics, and hair products are less comedogenic than oil-based products. Patients should be encouraged to seek out noncomedogenic skin care and cosmetic products. •Patients should be advised not to pick their acne lesions, as this may exacerbate scarring! Hope this helped