Antibiotics and Acne: a Client Success Story!

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed for the treatment of acne and can be effective at controlling breakouts. When I met Annali (picture below), she had taken antibiotics for her acne on 4 different occasions, and each time they worked well to clear her skin. 

However, due to possible side effects and the potential for bacterial resistance, Annali's dermatologist wouldn’t prescribe her any more. Instead, they decided to try Yaz, a birth control pill thought to help with acne. Unfortunately, in her case, it did the opposite and caused a severe breakout. 

When Annali came to our clinic, she felt desperate and out of options. She was skeptical our acne program could help, but her skin responded quickly and within 4 months, her skin was clear. She's been able to control her breakouts with topical skin products - and without medication, antibiotics, or birth control - ever since. 

Antibiotics help to kill bacteria in current breakouts but do not prevent new acne lesions from forming, which is essential for long-term success. In most cases, excessive skin-shedding (retention hyperkeratosis) is the root cause of acne, not bacteria.

Retention hyperkeratosis causes the pores to fill up with dead skin cells on a daily basis. This condition is best managed with products that prevent the skin cells from accumulating in the first place. Often, when a person stops taking antibiotics, new acne lesions start forming immediately and will appear on the skin's surface in a few months. 

Additionally, antibiotics should only be taken for short periods of time and never as a long-term solution. They destroy the gut microbiome leading to a host of other health issues, including dangerous antibiotic resistance.