 Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when the oil-secreting glands and hair follicles in the skin get clogged and cause bacteria to grow in the pores. You can get blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples as a result. Most people can control their acne with over-the-counter products, but some may need stronger prescription medicine. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic solution or gel, which can be applied directly to your skin. Commonly used antibiotic medicines include clindamycin solution (brand name Cleocin-T) and >erythromycin (T-Stat, Emgel). These antibiotics are about equally effective and associated with few side effects. Other creams or gels such as >tretinoin cream (Retin-A), adapalene (>Differin), azelaic acid (>Azelex), or tazarotene (>Tazorac) are also effective in treating acne. Tretinoin, adapalene, and azelaic acid appear to be equally effective, and people report fewer side effects with adapalene and azelaic acid. These medicines reduce acne blemishes by up to 65 to 70 percent. Tazarotene is reported to reduce acne by about 45 to 55 percent. Prescription antibiotics taken orally, such as >minocycline (Minocin), and >erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab) may be used when creams or lotions don't work well enough. Alone, oral antibiotics result in about a 50 percent improvement of acne lesions. When used in combination with other products such as benzoyl peroxide, they are up to 88 percent effective. If you have severe acne, your doctor may prescribe the oral medicine isotretinoin (Accutane). Isotretinoin is effective for improving acne in up to 90 percent of people. It should not be used by pregnant women or women who could potentially become pregnant. Oral Contraceptives such as a combination of norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol (Ortho-Cyclen and OrthoTri-Cyclen) have shown some improvement of acne in women who take them. There are side effects to these medications that may not outweigh the benefits for many women. Talk to you doctor about which prescription medication is best for you. Sources
Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. Appleton & Lange, 1999.
Leyden James. "Therapy for Acne Vulgaris", The New England Journal of Medicine 336 (1997).
Habif, Thomas. Clinical Dermatology. Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1996.
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2006.
Brown, Sonya. "Acne Vulgaris", The Lancet 351 (1998).
Tazorac Gel product information, Allergan, Inc., September 1997.
Diseases and Conditions, "Acne." http://www.mayoclinic.com. Mayo Clinic Health. Last accessed 12/20/2006.
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2006.
This answer prepared 11/3/2000.
This information updated 12/20/2006.
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