Antibiotics and The Sun

For moderate to severe inflammatory acne, oral antibiotics are one of the most popular and effective choices for treatment. It is important to note however, that many of the antibiotics used for acne can cause increased sensitivity to the sun. In fact, they can cause what is know as phototoxic reactions. In other words, an exaggerated sunburn-like response. Not all oral antibiotics cause this sun sensitivity and for those that do, there are varying degrees of sensitivity that can result.

Probably the most common oral antibiotics used in acne that cause photosensitivity are the tetracyclines. Of these, doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx) is the most photosensitizing, followed by tetracycline, and finally minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Myrac).

Perhaps the next most common class of oral antibiotics used in treating acne is the erythromycin family (Eryc, Eryped, EES, and others). The erythromycins are not photosensitizing and would be a good choice for people who spend a lot of time in the sun.

Finally, a less commonly used oral antibiotic, Bactrim is also photosensitizing and caution should be used when in the sun.

So, if you happen to be on one of the oral antibiotics that can cause increased sensitvity to the sun, please exercise caution when outside and add a suscreen to your topical skin regimen.

Add comment December 14th, 2005