Oral Acne Treatment

Aimee Paik Doctorate Degree American Board of Dermatology Board Certified Dermatologist Chief Medical Officer Dermatologist 100 A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails. A dermatologist can identify and treat more than 3, 000 conditions. These conditions include eczema, psoriasis, and skin cancer, among many others. California https://images.ctfassets.net/fc84yqnhe77u/1lIDCMA5X4UgoaUSzjseGW/0d165f8f5c862657bfce1a18571f9e05/Paik__1_.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fl=progressive&q=80&fm=jpg https://assets./img/avatar.png Dermatology2022-04-25T23:08:35.513Z

When it comes to looking for the best acne treatment for you, there are endless products out there. Here at , the dermatologists on our platform recommend topical and oral acne medications to effectively treat your skin and concerns. There are several types of oral acne treatments, so today we'll be breaking down the most commonly prescribed oral medication for acne vulgaris.

While topical treatments are a great option for keeping acne under control long term, a patient with moderate to severe acne may also be prescribed oral medication to effectively treat their acne.

Acne Relief Kit

Typically, dermatologists will take a look at the types of acne you experience and their severity when deciding what treatments would work best for your acne breakouts.

Oral medication is typically prescribed to patients with more moderate to severe or cystic acne. It’s prescribed alongside topical treatments for best results. 

Dermatologists also take a look at your medical history to determine if oral acne medication is the best fit for you and your skin.

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While there are many oral medications that can be used to treat acne, they typically fall under three main buckets: hormonal/adult acne medication, oral antibiotics, and oral retinoids. Here's how these three types of medications treat acne:

Hormonal/adult acne is often found on the chin and jawline. It's commonly found in women in their 20s and 30s (and beyond) and is caused by an increase in androgens. Androgens are a class of hormones that can cause abnormal follicular epithelialization (meaning your dead skin cells don’t shed properly), which can directly lead to breakouts.

While there are great topical treatment options, your dermatologist may also prescribe oral medications to help treat hormonal breakouts. The most commonly prescribed medications are:

Accutane Treatment For Acne

Spironolactone is a diuretic that was originally prescribed as a blood pressure medication. This hormonal acne treatment helps to decrease testosterone levels and block androgen receptors. This helps to balance sebum production and reduce acne-causing bacteria.

Oral spironolactone is typically only prescribed to cis-women or trans-women. Cis-men or patients sensitive to medications are not the best candidates for oral spironolactone.

Another option for hormonal breakouts is the birth control pill. Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) with estrogen and progesterone can help lower the effect of androgens. Like spironolactone, this helps with reducing hormonal breakouts by balancing sebum production in the skin.

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It's important to talk to your doctor to see if birth control is the right fit for you. Similar to spironolactone, it is typically only prescribed to cis-women or trans-women.

These medications are great for hormonal breakouts, but if you're dealing with inflammatory lesions or more cystic acne, oral antibiotics or isotretinoin may be a better fit for you.

Many dermatologists prescribe topical antibiotic treatment to help calm inflammation in the skin. While topical antibiotics are a great long-term treatment option, oral antibiotics are a great option for more severe acne. Oral antibiotics help to quickly calm inflammatory acne, making them a great option for cystic breakouts.

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Oral antibiotics help to kickstart rapid improvement by getting painful, inflamed acne under control quickly. This treatment is only prescribed for short-term use (typically a period of 3-6 months) in order to prevent antibiotic resistance.

Before starting treatment, every patient is provided with specific instructions from their doctor to ensure they will see the best progress in their skin.

Isotretinoin (commonly known as Accutane) is an oral acne treatment that is prescribed for very severe acne. Oral isotretinoin is commonly used to treat severe cystic acne.

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Isotretinoin helps to normalize follicular epithelialization (skin sloughing) and shrink sebaceous glands. With all breakouts, there is a buildup of keratinocytes at hair follicles which leads to clogged pores. Isotretinoin helps normalize epithelialization to resurface the skin and remove the keratinocyte buildup.

While isotretinoin is one of the most effective options for treating acne, it does have potential side effects. Isotretinoin must be used alongside two forms of birth control in women because of the potential risk of birth defects.

Isotretinoin treatment is always done under the care of a dermatologist to ensure each patient is seeing progress in their skin and the treatment is done safely.

The Best Oral Acne Medication Options

Like all medications, there are potential side effects that come with these treatments. For hormonal medications like spironolactone, you may experience mild headaches, irritability, and breast tenderness. For oral antibiotics, increased sun sensitivity, nausea, and stomach upset are potential side effects. 

Your dermatologists will provide any information you need to know about side effects and detailed instructions for use. It's important to read your entire medication guide before starting treatment.

If you have any questions or experience an adverse effect from your medications, we always recommend reaching out to your dermatologist or healthcare provider at any time.

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As mentioned earlier, all prescription acne treatments must be prescribed by a doctor or dermatologist. You can visit your local derm to see if you're a good candidate for oral or topical medication, or you can visit to start an online derm visit.

At , we prescribe oral and topical treatments to effectively target body and facial acne, signs of aging, acne scars, rosacea, and more. If you're looking for an easy, convenient way to get expert treatment for your skin, we've got you covered.

You'll receive a customized treatment plan crafted by a board-certified dermatologist. We even deliver your treatments directly to your door - no in-person derm visits or trips to the pharmacy needed. Get started on your skincare journey today!   

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ABSTRACT: Acne vulgaris is the most common dermatological disease in the United States, affecting up to 85 percent of teenagers. While the American Academy of Dermatology has established guidelines regarding acne treatment in general, the variability among acne treatments, even within a given class, prevents establishment of a straightforward regimen. For example, moderate to severe acne is generally treated with an oral antibiotic, although several options are available—both across and within antibiotic classes. The aim of this review is to report the efficacy and safety data available for commonly prescribed oral antibiotics. While there are currently no data to support superiority of one drug over another, there are substantial differences in safety profiles and brand-specific features that may make one antibiotic preferable over another.

Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disorder encountered in dermatology practice in the United States, affecting approximately 85 percent of teenagers and sometimes persisting into and throughout adulthood.

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Many patients with acne report feelings of depression, anxiety, emotional stress, or poor self-image, and severe acne can lead to permanent scarring in up to 20 percent of cases.

Acne is a disease of the pilosebaceous unit with a complex pathology. Currently, there are thought to be at least four synergistic, biological mechanisms that contribute to acne pathogenesis, which is primarily inflammatory in nature.

These include increased sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, local inflammatory cascades, and microbial proliferation of Cutibacterium acnes (or C. acnes, formerly Propionibacterium acnes).

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The complex interplay of these biological pathways makes effective treatment of acne difficult. Nonetheless, there are a variety of therapeutics available, each targeting one or more of these pathogenic processes.

Pharmacological treatments for acne include a variety of topical and systemic agents. Topical treatment (e.g., benzoyl peroxide, antibiotics, and retinoids) is generally used as first-line treatment in cases of mild-to-moderate acne with comedonal lesions and inflammatory lesions.

Systemic treatment (e.g., oral antibiotics and hormonal therapy) can be used as first-line treatment in cases of moderate-to-severe acne, in combination with a topical agent.

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While it is outside the scope of this review to discuss each treatment type in detail, Table 1 provides a summary of recommended treatment options. This review will focus on the efficacy and safety of oral antibiotics that are commonly used or available to treat acne.

The American Academy of Dermatology supports the use of oral antibiotics for treating moderate and severe acne, and oral antibiotics have been a mainstay of acne treatment for over 50 years.

As such, some previously employed antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin and clindamycin) are no longer used clinically because of their high rates of resistance.

Antibiotics And Acne

The concern is serious enough