Can Antibiotics be used to treat Acne?

Yes, antibiotics can be used for the treatment of acne. Usually, antibiotic treatments are reserved for the more severe cases of acne. Antibiotics do a number of things; they kill the bacteria around hair follicles, they inhibit the white blood cells from producing the chemicals which irritate the skin, and reduce the amount of free fatty acid produced in the sebum by the sebaceous glands.

The most widely used antibiotic is Tetracycline, an effective drug which unfortunately has to be taken on an empty stomach, which can be difficult for teenagers who are always eating. Erythmycin is another antibiotic, preferred over Tetracycline because it can be taken with food. It helps to reduce inflammation in lesions as well as kill bacteria. For pustular acne, the best antibiotic is Minocycline, a derivative of tetracycline. It can be taken with food, but it does cause some changes in the skin and teeth. For people who cannot tolerate Tetracycline and Erythromycine, or whose acne does not respond to these antibiotics, there is Doxycycline, which must be taken with food because otherwise it causes nausea.

There are also topical antibiotics such as Cindymion, which can be used together with milder treatments like benzoyl peroxide for best results.