Minocycline: What are its benefits and side effects?

 

Minocycline has existed over 30 years for the treatment of acne. It originates from tetracycline antibiotics; minocycline does not cure acne; it represses an acne condition; it's no different than other tetracycline treatments.

Minocycline as an acne treatment does a fair job in treating pustular kind of acne; in general, a doctor will prescribe minocycline for severe cases.  Frequently minocycline is used when sufferers do not respond or are unable to handle tetracycline. Patients take Minocycline orally; they can also take it with food, unlike other acne treatments. In addition, patients only have to take minocycline once daily. 

Minocycline acne treatment works to improve the look of acne by doing two things. The first thing: like tetracycline it work at an anti-inflammatory level that helps to diminish the swelling, tenderness of pimples, and redness. The second thing: it works to lessen the amount of acne which causes bacteria on your follicles and skin surface.

Side Effects of Minocycline

Despite the benefits, a debate continues among dermatologists on the benefits and real dangers of minocycline since this medication does in fact have few but nevertheless rather serious side effects. For example, pseudotumor cerebri: an aggregation of fluid surrounding the brain which progressively causes more serious headaches as well as vision related problems. Another side effect to take note of is hypersensitivity lupus/hepatitis: this causes skin rash and swollen painful joints. Other symptoms can occur such as a sore throat, fever, depression, flu-like symptoms, and headaches. If you experience these symptoms, immediately stop the medication.

The chances are one out of a hundred people might be allergic to minocycline and can show up as a hives outbreak weeks after beginning the treatment. Minocycline sometimes has the tendency to accumulate in the body when it's taken for a long period. If this occurs, it will become dark purple in your body and could appear as a discoloration which looks no different than bruises that just won’t disappear. Such discoloration will fade away if you immediately stop taking the medication; but it may take up to a year for those dark purple blemishes to go away.

In addition, Minocycline acne treatment, like most other antibiotics, could make your skin more sensitive to light as well as more prone to experience sunburns. If and when taking minocycline, do try to keep yourself from exposing your skin to sunlight and using sunlamps and sun beds. Female sufferers can also discover that they are more prone to catch yeast and thrush infections when taking minocycline.

Warning: Pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding must avoid taking minocycline acne treatment, for it may cause permanent discoloration of teeth and skeletal problems for the developing fetus.

 

To learn about highly effective acne-fighting treatments, read  10 Best Acne Product Review