Moderate to severe acne causes red, pus-filled bumps and pimples, along with inflammation. It may also cause scarring. If this describes your skin, you may need help from a dermatologist to clear your complexion. Solodyn, a prescription antibiotic, potentially can help you treat this type of acne.
Causes
Acne develops when a combination of your skin's oil and other debris forms plugs in your hair follicles, according to Mayo Clinic. In some cases, the plug forms at the skin's surface, producing a blackhead. In other cases, the plug forms just below the skin's surface, creating a whitehead. Non-inflammatory acne also involves tiny bumps. Inflammatory acne develops when blockages in your hair follicles become infected with bacteria, causing pus-filled pimples.
Features
Solodyn holds U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for treating moderate to severe inflammatory acne in people age 12 and older. Solodyn, which features the antibiotic minocycline, works by helping your body kill the bacteria causing your inflammatory acne. It's designed for you to take once a day, unlike other forms of minocycline that must be taken multiple times each day. You should take the medication at the same time every day for it to be most effective.
Side Effects
Most prescription drugs cause some side effects, and Solodyn is no exception. Those taking Solodyn commonly report dizziness, headaches and tiredness along with some itching. Some people taking antibiotics, including Solodyn, develop severe irritation in their intestines, with bloody diarrhea developing. If this happens to you, you should report it to your physician immediately. Children under age eight should not take Solodyn or any other minocycline antibiotic because the drugs potentially can cause discoloration in their adult teeth.
Results
Two medical research studies reported in the journal "Cutis" in 2006 concluded that extended release minocycline like that found in Solodyn works safely and effectively to treat inflammatory acne. The studies found people taking lower doses of the medication had as much acne clearing as those taking higher doses. Subjects taking extended release minocycline saw about half of their acne lesions clear up within about three months of starting treatment.
Considerations
Some patients taking Solodyn develop more sun sensitivity than they normally experience. If your dermatologist prescribed Solodyn for your acne, be sure to wear extra sun protection and avoid excess exposure. In addition, women shouldn't use Solodyn if they're pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Your dermatologist may recommend you to use a topical agent to fight your acne in addition to Solodyn so your treatment is more effective.
References
- Solodyn.com: Solodyn
- Mayo Clinic: Acne Causes
- Drugs.com: Solodyn
- "Cutis"; Safety and Efficacy of a New Extended-Release Formulation of Minocycline; AB Fleischer Jr, S Dinehart, D Stough, RT Plott; October 2006
- "Cutis"; Dose-Ranging Efficacy of New Once-Daily Extended-Release Minocycline for Acne Vulgaris; DM Stewart, HM Torok, JS Weiss, RT Plott; October 2006
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