Doxycyline vs Accutane

[rose0780]

After more than 10 years of mostly clear skin my complexion has fallen apart seemingly due to the hormones brought on by pregnancy. It has been a year of bad breakouts, oily skin, not limited to my face but also my chest and back as well. My dermatologist has given me a prescription for Doxycycline as well as Epiduo Gel, which was not covered by my insurance and so i was not able to get that. It seems to me that there are some similarities between this antibiotic and Accutane. Maybe not as severe side effects but the overall impression I am getting is that Accutane is more effective and if closely monitored, safer. Is this true? My doctor didnt give me the impression that there was much I needed to be worried about. All I was told was to take it with a full glass of water 2x a day. Are there severe side effects that I need to worry about while taking this antibiotic?

[rose0780]

It seems that I have not properly explained my situation. The acne that I am experiencing appeared about three months AFTER I had my son. I am NOT currently pregnant. What I meant to say was that I had always had clear skin until I became pregnant. It was not until after that change in hormones that my skin became a problem.
I suppose that what I needed to know was this:
Are antibiotics safer than accutane or are they the same? Why do they prescribe one over the other? I was always under the impression that taking too many antibiotics could weaken the immune system. If that is true then why are they prescribed for long term use?


Thanks again.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Accutane must not be used by female patients who are or may become pregnant. There is an extremely high risk that severe birth defects will result by taking this drug during pregnancy. It may also cause may cause depression, psychosis or violent behavior. So before taking this medicine, talk to your health care provider about this drug.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.