Cycline is a family of antibiotics, which includes tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline. These are the most prescribed antibiotics for acne with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Cycline antibiotics inhibit the propionibacterium acne, which causes the inflammation on the face or back. If taken for a long period of treatment (and depending on the severity of the acne), cycline can control or even stop acne breakouts.

According to the National Institutes of Health, cycline antibiotics differ from each other in some ways so doctors may prefer one over the other. The American Academy of Dermatology believes that most dermatologists would advise acne sufferers to take doxycycline and minocycline for acne beginning with a higher dose of 100 mg daily and tapering it down as acne slowly disappears.

Tetracycline

• Dosage: The antibiotic tetracycline is capsule or suspension (liquid) form taken  in 500 mg twice a day, or in 250 mg four times daily on an empty stomach. The dose is gradually decreased to 250 mg twice daily until acne disappear.
• Benefits: Perhaps the most popular among the cycline antibiotics, doctors prescribe tetracycline to treat moderate to severe acne and all other forms of bacterial infections including pneumonia and anthrax exposure.
• Side Effects: Upset stomach, diarrhea and stomach ache are common side effects when taking tetracycline. The medicine also can cause you to easily get sunburn. Rare and uncommon side effects include loss of vision and lethargy. Tetracycline must not be given to pregnant women because it might retard the infant’s skeletal development.  Children under 12 years old may also suffer from teeth discoloration during teeth growth.

Doxycycline

• Dosage: This comes in capsule, tablet or liquid form and is taken on a 100 mg dosage daily or 50 mg twice daily and after meal to avoid dizziness.
• Benefits: The antibiotic doxycycline is easy to be absorbed by the body thus it works faster in destroying the bacteria that causes inflammation of acne.
• Side Effects: Compared to the most prescribed tetracycline, doxycycline is more expensive and is prescribed when patient do not respond to tetracycline. All other vitamins and minerals or supplements like iron and calcium including antacids must be stopped because they hinder the body absorption of the drug. Because it’s a cycline, side effects are very alike with tetracycline. NIH recommends the use of sun protection for possibility of getting sunburned.

Minocycline

• Dosage: The antibiotic minocycline is in capsule, tablet or liquid form which can be taken by 50mg to 100 mg twice daily on empty stomach. There are also brands of minocycline that cannot be taken with milk or dairy product intake. Ask your doctor which brand is best to use with milk.
• Benefits: Minocycline has been found to reduce redness, swelling and tenderness or accne breakout by an average of 60%.
• Side Effects: Stomach ache and bowel-related symptoms including headache, vertigo, and nausea can be experienced if dosage is high.  If used on long term treatment, minocycline can cause bluish discoloration on the gums and teeth.  Some reviews indicated that minocycline can have two serious though rare side effects: hypersensitivity to the antibiotic can cause lupus erythematosus /hepatitis which causes severe joint pains, and  pseudotumor cerebri which is characterized by fluid accumulation around the brain causing headache and vision problems.

All cycline antibiotics taken orally cannot be administered to women using contraceptives because it can make the birth control ineffective. These antibiotics can also cause candida vaginal yeast infections among women with acne. It is always best to discuss with your doctor the side effects before taking the antibiotic.