Efracea

What is Efracea?

Efracea is a slow-releasing antibiotic treatment to reduce the symptoms of rosacea which comes as a capsule.

Rosacea is a skin condition that causes red bumps, pimples or pus-blisters on the face. In severe cases, small blood vessels are also visible on the face. It triggers a burning or stinging feeling when you use water or skincare products on the affected area. Other symptoms include dry skin, swelling around the eyes, yellow-orange patches on the skin, sore eyelids, crusts around roots of eyelashes or thickened skin mainly on the nose.

Rosacea mostly affects adults in the 30-50 age group, but women are at a higher risk than men. What causes rosacea isn’t entirely clear, but there are certain triggers which have been identified. These include alcohol, spicy food, dairy products, caffeine, hot drinks or exposure to UV rays.

One capsule of Efracea is to be taken daily in the morning on an empty stomach either one hour before or at least two hours after a meal.

It isn’t a treatment that should be used for ocular (eye) rosacea, a condition that causes inflammation, redness, burning and itching of the eyes. Efracea also doesn’t cure facial rosacea, but it does treat its symptoms.

How does Efracea work?

Doxycycline is the active ingredient in Efracea. One capsule of Efracea contains 40mg of doxycycline.

The symptoms of rosacea, like red bumps, pimples or pus-blisters, occur when the skin is inflamed. While at higher doses, Doxycycline is an antibiotic, the 40mg dose in Efracea isn’t enough to stop bacterial growth, but instead acts against the inflammation and reduces the redness and bumps on your skin.

What doses of Efracea are there?

Efracea is a single dose, 40mg capsule treatment. If you’re someone who’s always on the go, Efracea treatment might be a better option than creams or gels, as you can take it more quickly.

How to take Efracea

You should use Efracea as advised by your clinician.

• Take one capsule daily;
• Take the capsule in the morning on an empty stomach at least one hour before or two hours after the meal;
• Take the capsule with a full glass of water to reduce risk of irritation;
• Take the capsule in an upright sitting or standing position.

If you have taken the treatment continuously for six weeks and not seen an improvement, send our clinician a message. They can advise you on the next steps.

When you start using Efracea you should:

• Wear sunscreen of SPF 30 or above daily;
• Avoid heat, sunlight or humid conditions;
• Cover your face in cold weather;
• Use gentle skincare products for sensitive skin;
• Clean your eyelids at least once a day with water (if you also have ocular rosacea);
• Take steps to manage stress.

How long does it take Efracea to work?

How long Efracea takes to work can depend on the severity of your symptoms. But if you know that something specific makes your symptoms worse, such as spicy food or alcohol, you should try to avoid it where you can.^[1]

If you’re taking the treatment regularly for six weeks but don’t experience any relief from your symptoms, get in touch with your clinician and they can advise you.

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Efracea?

If you forget to take your dose, skip it and continue as normal with the next dose. Don’t take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

If you take more than one capsule accidentally, you should seek medical attention immediately. Overdose may cause a risk of damage to the liver, kidneys or pancreas.