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Acne Medication: Types of Medications
Here are a list of some common acne medication treatments to help heal acne:
- Oral tetracycline - has a long history in the treatment of acne, and remains one of the most widely used. A typical tetracycline regimen for treating moderate to severe acne is a starting dose of 500 to 1000 milligrams a day, decreased as improvement is noted. Oral tetracycline may cause permanent teeth staining or skeletal defects in a fetus and therefore should not be taken by a woman who is pregnant.
- Oral erythromycin - is an alternative to tetracycline that is safe for use in pregnant women and young children.
Oral minocycline and doxycycline are synthetically derived from tetracycline. Some evidence suggests that these antibiotics may be more effective than tetracycline in treating acne.
- Corticosteroids - These powerful anti-inflammation drugs may be prescribed for short courses to treat very severe acne. Their metabolic effects limit long-term use. Low-dose corticosteroids are helpful in specific instances, for example, to suppress excessive secretion of androgenic hormones.
- Isotretinoin - is a synthetic, orally-administered systemic retinoid that virtually revolutionized acne therapy due to its effectiveness in treating severe and therapy-resistant acne. The retinoids are molecules of the vitamin A family of molecules. Isotretinoin is a potent drug, usually reserved for treatment of very severe cystic acne and acne that is resistant to other medications.
- Important: A number of side effects are associated with Isotretinoin therapy, the most serious being the potential to cause severe birth defects to a developing fetus. The most common side effect of isotretinoin therapy is dryness of the skin and mucous membranes. Other, less common, side effects include nausea and vomiting, bone and joint pain, headache, thinning hair, psychological depression, and changes in blood and enzyme profiles monitored in regular follow-up examinations. Regularly scheduled monitoring for side effects is recommended by the physician.
Besides medications to help heal acne, there are also a lot of prescription medications known to cause acne. If you routinely take any of the following drugs (or drugs like them) and have problems with acne breakouts, you may want to consult your physician to discuss an alternative treatment with fewer side affects.
- Anticonvulsants - are prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy and other kinds of seizures. Most medications in this family list acne as a common side-effect.
- Corticosteroids - are often used to treat asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
- Disulfuram - is prescribed to help chronic alcoholic patients who want to remain in a state of enforced sobriety. When mixed with alcohol, this drug causes a range of unpleasant symptoms intended to discourage further mixing. Regular use of Disulfuram (even when not drinking) can cause acne in some patients.
- Immuran - Like other immunosuppressants, Immuran is used to suppress the immune system in patients awaiting an organ transplant. It can help prevent organ rejection; it can also suppress your body’s natural ability to fight the bacteria that cause acne.
- INH - is typically used to treat tuberculosis, or TB.
- Quinine - is prescribed as a precaution against — or treatment for — malaria.
- Thyroid preparations - Some thyroid medications (such as Thiourea and Thiouracil) are known to trigger acne. These preparations are used to stimulate the thyroid gland in patients with low thyroid function.
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