Scroll Down to watchππ
Acne Treatment with Oral Medications
Oral medications are often one of the best ways to treat and prevent acne breakouts. Many different medications can be prescribed based on the type, cause, and severity of the breakouts. Oral antibiotics are often one of the first medications prescribed as they work to limit and reduce acne-causing bacteria. Doxycycline, tetracycline, and minocycline are among the most common antibiotics prescribed for acne. Many dermatologists will also prescribe Oracea, a form of doxycycline, for acne management.
Women experiencing acne can use spironolactone, birth control pills, or a combination of both to treat breakouts. Spironolactone is a type of hormonal therapy used to treat breakouts in patients with an underlying hormonal imbalance, such as patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. For these patients, spironolactone will help decrease the androgen (testosterone) levels and treat their acne. In other patients, it helps regulate the hormonal changes that can cause adult acne. Oral contraceptives are used to manage hormonal acne breakouts by regulating your hormonal cycle. The FDA has approved some oral contraceptives to treat women with hormonal acne. Three popular brands of birth control pills to treat acne are Yaz, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, and Estrostep, which combine estrogen and progestin. Some potential side effects of birth control pills are weight gain, nausea, mood swings, and an increased risk of blood clots. Women should avoid cigarette smoking while on oral contraceptives as this increases their risk for blood clots. Adult women experiencing acne post-menopause can turn to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for treatment. HRT entails the supplementation of estrogen and progesterone to combat lowered levels of these hormones after menopause. Supplementation can come in various combinations of pills, gels, creams, patches, or inserts.
