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Acne, Antibiotics, and the Common Cold
People who use either oral OR topical antibiotics to treat their acne are more than twice as likely to catch colds, according to a study in the September 2005 Archives of Dermatology. If the results of this study hold up to further investigation, it may change the way acne is treated. Here, the researchers analyzed the experience of over 100,000 people with acne over a fifteen year period. About ¾ of them were treated with antibiotics such as topical erythromycin or clindamycin and/or oral minocycline, doxycycline, or tetracycline. Those who received any of the antibiotics for at least 6 weeks had more than double the chance of catching colds during the entire following year. The common cold is a virus –not directly affected by antibiotics. But antibiotics, in addition to taking care of harmful bacteria, also attack beneficial bacteria that are part of our body’s defense system, apparently resulting in the increased frequency of viral infections. It surprises me that topical antibiotics on the skin of the face would have the same effect as oral antibiotics, but previous research has shown that topical antibiotics can change the characteristics of bacteria on the skin, even far from the site of application. They can also change the bacteria in the nose passages, and on the skin of people close to the user. And the odds of being a carrier of resistant Group A Strep are higher in people treated with oral or topical antibiotics. This study does not suggest that antibiotics be abandoned when treating acne, but that their effects on subsequent infections be included when weighing their benefits and costs. Over 2 million people each year in the United States alone have acne severe enough to deserve treatment. That’s a lot of colds to consider!
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Alan Greene MD FAAP
Reviewed by Alan Greene MD FAAP December 2005
September 22, 2005 | Permalink
Comments
Hi My name is Mae and I'm an 11 year old child.Right now I'm having a lot of pimples and It's really disturby.Mr.Greene what are you advise me for my acnes'.
I hope you can help me!
-Mae
Posted by: Mae Caras | May 11, 2008 2:15:21 PM
I have been using 1% clindamycin phosphate pledgets for about 6 months and I am sick now for the first time in those six months. It is, in fact, the first time in a year or so.
Posted by: Robert | Dec 11, 2006 1:20:52 AM
I've also been prescribed antibiotics to prevent/treat acne and my family appears to be prone to Staph infections. My family of 4 has had 5 staph infections in the last 2.5 years. 4 out of the 5 have resulted in hospitalization. I'm wondering now if my acne treatment is partially to blame. Any insight into this would be helpful.
Posted by: Betty | Sep 13, 2006 9:00:56 AM
I am currently going through this! I've been on 2 different antibiotics in the past year to treat my acne. The most recent being Amoxocillin. Being a person who never gets sick It is interesting to find that since going off of Amoxocillin 2 months ago that i've had several colds and sore throats, a urinary tract infection, bacterial vaginosis, and the mumps! I've been the visit the doctor more in the past 2 months than i've ever had in my entire life. I am a college student and came from a household where antibiotics were never used. In college antibiotics are pushed upon us for every little sickness.
Posted by: Kristin | Apr 25, 2006 8:30:21 PM
