Doxycycline

What is Doxycycline?

Doxycycline is an antibiotic that (like all antibiotics) treats conditions caused by bacteria. It’s in a class of drugs called tetracyclines, which inhibit the growth of bacteria by stopping protein synthesis. Although doxycycline is widely used to treat a range of conditions, such as bacterial pneumonia, acne, chlamydia, Lyme disease, cholera, typhus and syphilis, we’ll focus on how it works to treat folliculitis and hidradenitis suppurativa here.

Folliculitis is a condition that affects your hair follicles, and it’s commonly caused by a bacterial infection. When infected, your hair follicles become inflamed and form a pustule or a papule, which can cause pain and discomfort. Treatment isn’t always necessary, but if left untreated, bacterial folliculitis can progress into a more severe infection.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflammatory skin condition. It’s common in areas like the armpits, groin, bottom and breasts. Although it’s not caused by bacteria, it can make it worse, and secondary infections can occur when a lump or sore breaks and its contents spill into the surrounding skin. This causes an immune response and leads to the formation of an abscess. It's important to treat abscesses to prevent them from spreading to other areas. Oral tetracyclines are mainly used in HS for their anti-inflammatory properties.

How does Doxycycline work?

Doxycycline's active ingredient (doxycycline hyclate) is an antibiotic that inhibits the synthesis of proteins. It stops their production by binding to the protein unit in bacteria. Without proteins, the bacteria cannot grow and will eventually die.

What doses of Doxycycline are there?

Doxycycline comes in a 100mg capsule. The usual dosage will be 100mg once or twice a day. The length of the treatment will depend on your condition and its severity.

How to take Doxycycline

To take Doxycycline, follow the directions below:

• Take one capsule with plenty of water;
• Don’t take it lying down, or lie down for 30 minutes after taking it. This can disrupt the flow of the capsule to the stomach;
• Try to take it at the same time every day;
• Finish the entire course of the treatment. If the treatment is incomplete, your symptoms might return.

You don’t need to take doxycycline with food, but taking it with food can lower the chances of an upset stomach.

How long does Doxycycline take to work?

How long it takes for Doxycycline to work depends on what you're using it for. For folliculitis, you may be prescribed Doxycycline for 5-30 days. Whereas for hidradenitis suppurativa, it can take more than 10 weeks of antibiotic treatment to improve symptoms. But, in both cases, even if you feel better, finish the entire course of the treatment. Leaving it incomplete can cause the symptoms to return.