How long does it usually take for doxycycline to work?

Doctor's Answers 1

For the treatment of inflammatory acne (i.e. those with painful red bumps and pus-filled bumps), doxycycline may take up to 6-12 weeks to work.

Thereafter, the antibiotic should be stopped and topicals (benzoyl peroxide, adapalene and tretinoin) should be continued as maintenance therapy. Prolonged use of doxycycline indiscriminately will promote antibiotic resistance in the future.

Hope this helps!

Similar Questions

What should I do if doxycycline is not working for my acne?

It may be because your acne is severe and hence may need stronger treatment like isotretinoin. Another reason is non-compliance or you have not tried doxycycline long enough (usually takes 2-3 months to see significant results). Perhaps your acne is hormonal driven (in females), hence an oral contraceptive may be more beneficial for you. I would advise you to see a dermatologist for further assessment.

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Human

For acne, how long should I take oral antibiotic treatment for, such as with Minocycline or Doxycycline, before it is considered to be a treatment failure?

Hi,Treatment failure with oral antibiotics for inflammatory acne is considered to have occurred if there is no improvement in acne after 3 months of compliant therapy. Hope this helps!

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Dr Chin Yee Choong

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