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Topical Antibiotics
For Moderate to Severe Inflammatory Acne
People with moderate to severe inflammatory acne may be treated with prescription topical (applied to the skin) or oral (taken by mouth) medicines, alone or in combination.
Several types of prescription topical medicines are used to treat acne. They include:
- Antibiotics - Help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation
- Vitamin A derivatives (retinoids) - Unplug existing comedones (plural of comedo), allowing other topical medicines, such as antibiotics, to enter the follicles. Some may also help decrease the formation of comedones. These drugs contain an altered form of vitamin A. Some examples are:
- Tretinoin (Retin-A ®)
- Adapalene (Differin ®)
- Tazarotene (Tazorac ®)
- Others - May destroy P. acnes (the bacteria that causes acne), and reduce oil production or help stop or slow the growth of bacteria and reduce inflammation. Some examples are:
- Prescription strength Benzoyl peroxide
- Sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur-containing products
- Azelaic acid (Azelex)
Prescription topical medicines come as creams, lotions, solutions, gels, or pads.
The benefits of prescription topical medicines are not immediate. Your skin may seem worse before it gets better. It may take from 4 to 8 weeks to notice improvement.
References:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH Publication No. 06-4998
www.niams.nih.gov/
For updates and for any questions about any medications you are taking, please contact:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Toll Free: 888-INFO-FDA (888-463-6332)
www.fda.gov/
This summary does not include everything there is to know about the medicine mentioned above. Do not use this medicine without first talking to your doctor. Other brand names or generic forms of this medicine may also be available. Side effects other than those listed above may occur. This medicine may be prescribed for other uses. If you have questions or concerns, or want more information, your doctor or pharmacist has the complete prescribing information about this medicine and possible drug interactions.