Treating acne with antibiotics is a common practice and chances are, no matter how or extreme your case of acne is, one possible course of action your dermatologist will try is a course of antibiotics for an extended period. One reason why dermatologists often use antibiotics in acne treatment is because one specific bacteria that is the root cause of some acne (called propionbacterium acnes) responds well. However, in getting rid of your acne, you might also be producing an interesting side effect; a dramatically increased rate of resistance to antibiotics.
The report on this unforeseen consequence of using antibiotics to treat acne was first made public in May of 2001 after general studies conducted by the Swedish Karolinska Institute and has been discussed at greater length over the years as more researchers in the field of microbiology have addressed the concern. Nonetheless, many doctors are still prescribing common antibiotics for general acne treatment. The most common antibiotic treatments for acne include relatively low doses of erythromycin and related bacteria-fighting drugs.
Generally, most cases of acne that are treated with antibiotics are rather severe and do not respond to topical medications such as Retin-A, for instance. Possible alternative treatment for severe acne includes some other, non-antibiotic options. While it does come with a host of relatively severe side effects, the Accutane treatment has been proven successful and is chemically rather than organically (or simulated organically) derived. This is one potential open that can reduce the risk of becoming resistant to antibiotics for acne patients.
The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research is one of many groups that are promoting the unfortunate news that resistance to antibiotics is inevitable for all of us. Still, they contend that reduced use of antibiotics, meaning only when they are vital, is one way to stave off this inevitability. If you have been prescribed antibiotics for use in treating your acne, you might want to consider investigating the topic in greater detail. Ask your dermatologist if there are alternate courses of action for your acne treatment plan. Without attempting to incite any kind of panic, it is important that you do not become resistant to antibiotics as they hold the power to save your life and help you recovery from infections that could be harmful or fatal.
References
American Society For Microbiology (2001, May 25). Treating Acne With Antibiotics Leads To Resistance. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
Netherlands Organization For Scientific Research (2004, December 27).
