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My dermatologist prescribed me minocycline and i was wondering will i have to continue using minocycline if i want a clear face or does it work like accutane where you take it for a short 4-6 months? I am 19 years old. The acne i had on my chest gets only one or two minor pimples a month and the acne on my back is diminishing and it is just my face that has horrible breakouts. Just wondering because i do not plan on taking antibiotics for a long time. I would rather go on accutane and forget about acne once i am done.
A lot of doctors are comfortable prescribing them indefinitely.
That said, it's not a great idea for society overall, because the overuse of antibiotics promotes antibiotic resistance.
Thanks! They've managed to clear up my cysts which were so painful and widespread so I'm hoping I can stay on them for a while yet. Yeh I agree it's not a great idea to prescribe them indefinitely, although doctors do seem to have specific types of antibiotic that they only prescribe for acne, presumably to lower the number of bacteria types that might become resistant to it.
Yeah, they tend to stick with a few antibiotics for acne like keflex, erythromycin, and tetracyclines.
But, it still promotes resistance.
If they work for a few years, go for it. I don't think you're really killing off mankind, but use them judiciously.
They can work for a few years?! Wow, I was thinking they'd stop working after a few months! Shows what I know about science. I don't expect they'd prescribe them for me for that long in any case. Don't worry, I'm desperate enough to use them very judiciously!
Just to share my anecdotal experience: I tried the tetracycline in high school, and that was a joke. Doxy worked amazingly well for me last year. I was on short-term course because as was mentioned, long-term use of antibiotics promote resistance. It's actually becoming a seriously problem worldwide. In many countries, you can get them without a prescription (e.g., India). I did a 14-day course of 200mg/day, followed up with a 30-day course of 100mg/day. It was great.
Skip to today. It didn't do jack for my cysts. I was on 200mg/day for three week and I was breaking out more than ever. Now I'm on Duricef (part of the cefaflexin family - brand name is Keflex). I have no idea if it will work, but I really hope it does.
I don't know what I'm going to do if I become immune to this. That is the inherent problem with antibiotics. They aren't meant to kill bacteria. So, if you have an infection, they work well. Acne, though it is an infection, is chronic so taking antibiotics long terms can cause it to lose its effectiveness, but also for the individual to have a weakened immunity system.
So yeah, it sucks. I try to use it as a kickstarter in the short term, by the time the long-term medications kick in (i.e., Spiro or BCPs, for women anyway). Part of it also depends on the cause and severity and age of the individual who has acne too.
Just to share my anecdotal experience: I tried the tetracycline in high school, and that was a joke. Doxy worked amazingly well for me last year. I was on short-term course because as was mentioned, long-term use of antibiotics promote resistance. It's actually becoming a seriously problem worldwide. In many countries, you can get them without a prescription (e.g., India). I did a 14-day course of 200mg/day, followed up with a 30-day course of 100mg/day. It was great.
Skip to today. It didn't do jack for my cysts. I was on 200mg/day for three week and I was breaking out more than ever. Now I'm on Duricef (part of the cefaflexin family - brand name is Keflex). I have no idea if it will work, but I really hope it does.
I don't know what I'm going to do if I become immune to this. That is the inherent problem with antibiotics. They aren't meant to kill bacteria. So, if you have an infection, they work well. Acne, though it is an infection, is chronic so taking antibiotics long terms can cause it to lose its effectiveness, but also for the individual to have a weakened immunity system.
So yeah, it sucks. I try to use it as a kickstarter in the short term, by the time the long-term medications kick in (i.e., Spiro or BCPs, for women anyway). Part of it also depends on the cause and severity and age of the individual who has acne too.
Well thanks everyone for the replies. I do agree that antibiotics should not be used long term which is why i do not even consider taking the antibiotics and instead just go for accutane. Many people have had success with it, including one of my closest friends who had severe acne. I do see a short term benefit to antibiotics but it does not address the root cause of acne, which is excess oil clogging up pores which create a environment for P. acnes to reproduce in. Also it seems like a big hassle to constantly go to the dermatologist for refills and what not which is where accutane comes in with it's benefits. Concluding this should i just go straight for isotretinoin?
If you've been battling acne and you're frustrated, do accutane, it's amazing! And the effects are long-lasting.
Antibiotics will stop working. My new favorite acne antibiotic is Keflex, it works really well for me. But I usually just do a 10 day course here and there when the cystic stuff gets out of hand... I'm on Accutane right now, finishing month 4.
If you've been battling acne and you're frustrated, do accutane, it's amazing! And the effects are long-lasting.
Antibiotics will stop working. My new favorite acne antibiotic is Keflex, it works really well for me. But I usually just do a 10 day course here and there when the cystic stuff gets out of hand... I'm on Accutane right now, finishing month 4.
Okay thanks Richard, i will definitely be trying accutane. I read your log, i hope everything goes well for you on your third course.
Okay thanks Richard, i will definitely be trying accutane. I read your log, i hope everything goes well for you on your third course.
Awesome, I think you'll be happy with it. With regards to antibiotic resistance, even though doctors will prescribe it forever, it will probably be less effective as time goes on, so it's not a good long-term solution. But a course of Keflex here and there seems to work pretty well. When I was taking minocycline that worked pretty well too (Can't take tetracyclines with Accutane -- brain swelling risks), but I wasn't comfortable taking it long-term. That's why I opted for another course of Accutane.
Wishing you all the best,
Richard
