Acne Medicine Five Facts You Need To Know

If you have moderate to severe acne, you may have been prescribed an oral acne medicine. Understanding as much as possible about the acne medicine youre taking, how it works and what the side effects are should help put your mind at ease. Here are five facts to get you started.

What Are Acne Medicines?

Antibiotics, retinoids and hormone medicines are all used to treat acne. Oral antibiotics used include erythromycin, doxycycline and tetracycline, which is the most often used. Antibiotics can also be taken by way of topical acne solutions. Oral retinoids includes drugs such as Accutane, which are a form of Vitamin A, and have been used for some time to treat severe acne. Anti-androgens and oral contraceptives are used to treat acne hormonally.

How Do They Work?

Oral acne medicines are used to treat the many different causes of acne. Anti-androgens counteract the effects of male hormones on oil glands, which is to stimulate them to produce too much oil. Retinoids shrink the oil glands and antibiotics kill the bacteria in infected plugged pores.

What Are the Side Effects?

For antibiotics these vary, but all antibiotics can cause antibiotic-resistant bacteria and yeast infection. Many arent safe while pregnant. Side Effects for oral retinoids are rare but severe. They include liver damage, mood changes and the most dangerous, birth defects. For this reason, the drug isnt suitable for pregnant women or women at risk of becoming pregnant. Other less serious possible side effects include fatigue, sensitivity to sunlight and hair thinning.

Which is Best?

The best acne medicine will depend on the severity and cause of your acne, and also on whether or not your have a heightened risk of suffering any of the accompanying side effects.