Acne is a widespread dermatological problem that affects children, adolescents and grownups. This disorder involves enormous money outlay and has a serious psychosocial impact on the sufferers. About 40 percent of young people under the age of 15 are exposed to this problem and approximately15 percent of these sufferers face with a rather troublesome acne that requires a serious course of treatment. The appropriate therapy will reduce the gravity of the disease and diminish the risk of cicatrization.

The choice of the proper treatment is determined by the gravity of the problem. Patients with mild acne generally undergo topical therapy. Those who are attacked by moderate or severe acne mostly require multimodality treatment including antibiotic therapy and the use of oral retinoids. Most dermatologists primarily recommend the treatment with antibiotics including doxycycline, tetracyclines, erythromycin, and minocycline. Azithromycin has joined this list recently. Comparative clinical tests have demonstrated that the tolerance to azithromycin is higher than that of doxycycline and erythromycin. Besides, the use of tetracyclines can result in yeast infections and other side effects.

High efficacy of azithromycin, along with its unique pharmacologic properties, makes this antibiotic a very suitable treatment option for acne sufferers. This drug has an antiphlogistic action and affects numerous bacteria types, including P.acnes.

Azithromycin has a lot of advantages over other antibiotics. Thus, in contrast to erythromycin, azithromycin is more stable in low pH of the gastric acid. It causes fewer gastroenteric side effects and has no major interactions with other drugs. Moreover, azithromycin appears to be less harmful than tetracyclines. In the end, the possible effectiveness of less frequent dosage regimen enhances compliance, tolerance and cost-effectiveness.

The latest studies confirm that azithromycin is a harmless and efficacious antibiotic with good compliance and minimum side effects. Besides, in contrast to tetracyclines, this medicine is not photosensitizing. Clinical studies have demonstrated that azithromycin shows positive results within 8 weeks of therapy in more than 88 percent of acne sufferers.

Being a macrolid antibiotic, azithromycin can be a proper alternative to people who are resistant to tetracyclines.

Doxycycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that belongs to the group of tetracyclines. The medicine was developed by Pfizer Inc. in the 1960s and is sold under the trade name Vibramycin. Today doxycycline is also produced by other drug companies under various names such as Vibra-Tabs, Periostat, Doryx, Oracea, Vibrox, Monodox, Adoxa, Microdox, Doxylin, Doxoral, Atridox and Doxyhexal.

Doxycycline is very efficacious in treatment of infections that are triggered by certain bacteria. This medicine may be used together with other drugs to treat some amoeba infections. It can also be taken to avert or slow down the development of anthrax. This tetracycline antibiotic works by retarding bacterial growth. Slowing bacteria multiplication enables the immune system of the body to eliminate the bacteria.

The use of this medicine involves certain side effects. Doxycycline may provoke photosensitivity reactions for people who intend to use it for a long period of time for malaria prevention. In contrast to some other tetracycline drugs, it may be taken by the patients who suffer from renal insufficiency. Previously, there was a belief that the medicine weakens the effect of different hormonal contraceptives because of CYP450 induction. However, recent studies have proved that doxycycline has insignificant impact on the effectiveness of birth-pills.

Before resorting to doxycycline, you should make sure whether this medicine is suitable to you. Thus expectant mothers and suckling women had better avoid treatment with this antibiotic. Besides, it may interact with some prescription as well as non-prescription medicines, herbal remedies or diet pills. While using this drug it may be also necessary to abstain from certain food and substances. Besides, it is better to avoid using doxycyclin if you suffer from diarrhea, an enteric or stomach infection, lupus, or some blood disease.

Although doxycycline carries some side effects, it is reputed as a very efficacious remedy against numerous infections. This broad spectrum antibiotic is used for treating of various conditions. But being a prescription medicine, doxycycline should only be used after consultation with a medical professional.