Table 3:

Oral antibiotic therapy for acne vulgaris^20,21

Antibiotic, dose	Notes
Tetracycline 250–500 mg twice daily	Inexpensive Contraindicated in pregnant women or in children under nine years of age Chelated by antacids and milk; to be taken on empty stomach
Minocycline 50–200 mg daily	Can be taken with food Contraindicated in pregnant women or in children under nine years of age Adverse reactions: dizziness, pigment changes, hepatitis, lupus-like reactions
Doxycycline 100–200 mg daily	Can be taken with food Acceptable for use in patients with renal failure Contraindicated in pregnant women or in children under nine years of age Adverse reactions: gastrointestinal upset; phototoxicity (greatest of all tetracyclines)
Erythromycin 500 mg twice daily	Safe in pregnant women and children Adverse reaction: may cause gastrointestinal upset 42% of patients may show resistance to Propionibacterium acnes18
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 80/400 mg or 160/800 mg four times a day	Useful in patients resistant to other antibiotics Adverse reactions: 3%–4% of patients experience rash;21 risk of serious skin reactions, such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome