In persistent cases of acne that do not respond to topical treatment, an antibiotic alternative is usually exercised by doctors. An antibiotic is a drug, synthetic or natural, that kills bacterial proteins while inhibiting bacterial growth alongside.
If it was limited to this action, antibiotics would be the most preferred treatment for numerous bacterial disorders including acne. However, antibiotics cannot differentiate between bacterial proteins and cellular proteins that are part of the body cells. And this is what causes the negative effects of antibiotics, commonly known as side effects.
Tetracycline is the most common and the first-use antibiotic for acne. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic and also the least expensive. Tetracycline and its derivative, Doxycycline, are taken on an empty stomach or at least two to three hours after meals as food restricts absorption of the drug. Minocycline, another tetracycline derivative, on the other hand is easily absorbed and can be taken with food.
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