Doxycycline is a prescription drug tetracycline antibiotic approved by the FDA in 1967 as the brand-name drug Vibramycin. The tetracycline class of drugs is approved to treat infections caused by numerous types of bacteria; doxycycline is most often used to treat skin infections, like acne or rosacea, and genitourinary infections, like urinary tract infections. Doxycycline is more recently marketed as Oracea, which was approved in 2008 as a low-dose oral capsule to treat rosacea. In addition to typical antibiotic-related side effects, doxycycline has specific tetracycline-related side effects.
Tooth Discoloration
Doxycycline can cause yellow, brown or grey coloration of teeth, which is permanent. This effect is more likely in young children, so doxycycline is primarily used in adult patients or children older than 8 years of age, when tooth development is usually complete. Although an exact mechanism for the discoloration is not clear, all tetracyclines are associated with increased pigmentation effects, such as darkened skin, teeth, scar tissues and gums.
Vaginal Yeast Infection
Like many antibiotics, doxycycline can cause vaginal, and sometimes oral (i.e., thrush), yeast infections from Candida albicans. A yeast infection is a common result of antibiotic treatments because bacteria normally present in the body are reduced when antibiotics are used, and these lower levels allow the yeast to build up. Although yeast infections require over-the-counter or prescription treatment, they are not a long-lasting side effect of doxycycline that would require a person to stop doxycycline treatment.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common side effect of most antibiotic treatments. As with yeast infections, diarrhea associated with antibiotic use is also caused by an imbalance in normal bacteria levels in the body. Clostridium difficile, or C diff, is the most likely cause of diarrhea when taking doxycycline or other antibiotics. C diff-associated diarrhea occurs less often with tetracyclines like doxycycline, but throat and stomach pain not associated with infection or diarrhea still occur frequently.
Photosensitivity
In addition to its skin-darkening effects, doxycycline causes photosensitivity, or a strong reaction to sun exposure. People who are taking doxycycline should stay out of excess sunlight, because their skin will burn more easily while they take doxycycline. In addition to natural sun exposure, increased sunburn risk is possible with artificial exposure from tanning beds.
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