Cystic Acne - Skin Care

Question: Oral antibiotic for whiteheads (not cystic acne) ? see details - preferred dermatologists answer.?

(Posted by: Justin S on 2010-01-16 10:18:51)

I have whiteheads (pimples filled with sebum/excess keratin etc.) Just your standard run of the mill pimples, all gathered around my chin. I am 17 so I assume this is hormonal as well as the dry, winter weather. I was just on Cefdinir for a sinus infection and I saw vast improvement in my face, yet the doctors refuse to give me any more. I've tried Doxycycline, Mino, Tetra, Sulfa(Bactrim), etc. all to no avail. My acne is very stubborn it seems. QUESTION : Will Erythromycin work on the whiteheads ? It seems that most of the oral antibiotics prescribed for acne only REALLY get to kill the cystic type.

Posted by: curator on 2010-01-16, 14:28:09

The cycline type are most commonly used for acne and usually work. Sulfa is sometimes used and erythromycin used to be first line treatment. There is some resistance to the erythromycin now, but it may work for you. Did you give the doxy, tetra, mino an adequate trial, at least two months? The accutane may be an option if really nothing else works, but there are lots of potential side effects and it has no guarantee either.