Periostat (20 mgs doxycycline hyclate) has been helpful to some rosacea sufferers. Originally developed to combat periodontal disease (gum disease), periostat was approved by the FDA in 1998. Recently the FDA approved the introduction of generic periostat equivalents. Ivax Pharmaceuticals and CorePharma are now free to sell their generic equivalents of Periostat.
Oracea is a new form of doxycycline, the same active ingredient as CollaGenex’s gum disease treatment Periostat. CollaGenex is shifting its focus to the dermatology market following the approval of generic competition for Periostat.
Colin Stewart, CollaGenex’s president and chief executive officer of CollaGenex, said he believes the product could “significantly expand” the current $500 million market for prescription drugs to treat rosacea.
The lead investigator for the trial, says
“Oracea provides therapeutic efficacy in rosacea through anti-inflammatory and anti-collagenolytic effects and is devoid of antibiotic activity. Therefore, even with long-term use, development of antibiotic resistance is not an issue. Many rosacea patients will benefit from a once-daily formulation of doxycycline that has been optimized to treat rosacea effectively and safely.”
Oracea is a new sustained release, once a day 40 mg tablet. 10mg of this 40mg is coated to delay the release of the doxycycline.
As part of the latest Phase III study for Oracea, when compared to the placebo, erythema showed a trend towards improvement. In a second study, the reduction in erythema achieved statistical significance as erythema scores improved (again against placebo).
CollaGenex is also developing a new once-daily version of Periostat, called Periostat MR, to protect it position in the dental market. Collagenex has restructured their sales team around the fact that Periostat is about to become a generic label.
The company is also seeking to expand the label for the drug’s main ingredient to include its use in treating a variety of skin disorders including acne and rosacea. Additionally Oracea may also be targeted towards treating ocular rosacea as well.
Promoting Oracea
Oracea is promoted as safe and effective for long term use. It was reported that the average duration of Oracea therapy is 4 months, compared to an average of 2.5 months for other rosacea prescriptions.
Collagenex are holding up to 6 patents relating to Oracea. These patents cover Oracea’s method of use, mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic profile (i.e. how it is absorbed and acts over time).
Collagenex reports that Oracea is equally effective as 100mg of doxycycline. That particular press release is a culmination of a trial that we have reported previously – oracea plus metrogel, better than 100mg doxycycline plus metrogel ? and also a 2007 SkinMed paper; maximum effective dose of doxycycline is 40mg a day.
See more about how Collagenex are promoting Oracea.
Oracea Plasma Concentration
The following graph, sourced from Collagenex, shows the blood plasma concentration of doxycycline for Oracea compared to 50mg once a day of generic doxycycline. The horizontal axis stretches out to 24 hours post dosage. The vertical axis is in nano-grams per milli-litre (ng/mL). The anti-microbial threshold is listed here as a concentration of 1000 nano grams/mL (i.e. 1.0µg/mL).
(click for a larger view)
I read this graph to suggest that Oracea is able to maintain a sustained release of the active ingredient doxycycline without venturing into anti-microbial territory. The advantage of a delayed release product is that Oracea can offer the `area under the concentration-by-time curve’ delivery, but at sub-antimicrobial dosage over 24 hours.
Method of Action
As part of Collagenex’ push to promote Oracea and Incyclinide, a new web site developing the idea that rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease has been created. Be sure to check out the video of the the suggested Doxycycline Method of Action.
A Cheaper Alternative ?
As Oracea is a new prescription product it can be quite expensive, especially if you don’t have comprehensive insurance coverage. One possible alternative you could discuss with your doctor is 50mg a day of generic doxycycline. Whilst this dosage won’t have exactly the same profile in your blood, it is likely to be very close. As with all systemic treatments both, Oracea and a low dose of doxycycline can cause unwanted side effects so the supervision of your doctor is important.
Your Thoughts
Have you tried Oracea or another low-dose doxycycline ? How long did it take to see some benefit ? Did you experience any side effects ? Please leave a comment below.
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Related Articles:
- Oracea Prescribing Information (PDF)
- doxycycline and eye surface repair
- low dose doxycycline hyclate (SDD)
- Rosacea Resources: Oracea
- Subantimicrobial Dose Doxycycline for Acne and Rosacea
- periostat and metrogel better than metrogel alone
- Subantimicrobial Dose Doxycycline for Acne and Rosacea
- Oracea (40mg slow release doxycycline) shows promise
- Oracea approved by FDA for oral rosacea treatment
- collagenex: rosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease
- Oracea too expensive ?
82 comments ↓
I have Rosacea that was mild until I turned 48. For a year, I have had red patches on one or the other side of my nose that refused to go away. Multiple daily applications of 1% metrogel and 15% Finacea failed to eliminate the red blotches.
I finally tried the Oracea prescribed in my third visit to the dermatologist. After 5 days of taking Oracea, the lesions are almost gone. I saw improvement after taking just two pills. The dermatologist said to take Oracea fo r1 week and not continuously.
My daughter started using Oracea about a year ago and it has done wonder for her acne. She went off of it for a few days and the acne returned. As long as she takes it her acne is clear. The dermatologist has always stated since it is a very low dose antibiotic it is not harmful in any way. She had tried other oral meds but was told that she could only take them for the short term, we are very grateful for Oracea.
I recently started taking Oracea for an irritated scalp. However, my previous doctor prescribed Doxycycline 100mg that worked in a matter of days, and was considerably cheaper. I called my new Dermatologist to get Doxycycline but she said Oracea and Doxycycline are the same thing. Is Oracea a low dosage? I’ve been taking Oracea 2 weeks and there has not been any improvement. Any suggestions?
Hi Marily,
Oracea is 40mg of doxycycline with 10mg of that in slower release to the remaining 30mg. At this dose it is considered low dosage or sub microbiotic dose. I would expect oracea to take longer to see a benefit compared to 100mg a day of generic doxycycline, so 2 weeks might not be long enough.
davidp.
I was orginally prescribed to Oracea, but switched to Doxycycline 50mg due to the huge difference in cost. I was given a 4 day sample of Oracea. Should I just go ahead and take the sample and continue taking the 50mg of doxycycline after that? Should the treatment work the same?
Thanks!
Hi Thuy,
You should be able to safely substitute the oracea for the doxy. I imagine the 4 day sample is just to confirm that you don’t have an allergy to any of the ingredients.
good luck !
davidp.
I have been taking Oracea for about 6 months. I keep having problems with a yeast infection, which seems to be related. The Oracea is working for the rosacea. Almost no one asks if I have a sunburn now. Any idea on the yeast infection?
Oracea is crap! It is no better than taking regular doxycycline, tetracycline, monocylcine, or any of the other multitudes of antibiotics that dermatologists prescribe us rosacea sufferers in an attempt to get us out of their offices. I have inflammatory rosacea with visible veins, redness, blotches, p&p, and daily burning, which drives me crazy. I have been on Oracea, as well as the other aforementioned drugs, and I have had only brief periods of relief. I’ve been on antibiotics now for one and a half years. I pray daily for relief from this awful affliction.
Ty
Hi Ty, Oracea is only ever promoted as being for the papules and pustules of rosacea (as indeed are other antibiotics). Oracea is just a low dose of doxycycline, so if you don’t get any benefit from doxycycline the oracea might not be for you – unless you are particularly looking for a low dose to avoid the side effects or continue long term for eg. Have you considered treatments like IPL ? davidp.
Hi all, I am seriously thinking on ask my doctor about oracea or better periostat.
Do you think periostat can help me?. I am 30 years old and my skin looks all burned. I’ve tried metrogel, rosacure, prosacea, all types of washes, also some oils somebody suggested…but every morning I see my face and I just want to cry…
This year in January I got a pretty bad cold taht developed into a infection, the doctor prescribed me tetracyclines and my face cleared for the first time in a year… but of course my stomach was aching and I was feeleign really weak in general… so I am wondering if one of those very low doses can help, how low can it be and still work?
thanks
Hi Rosita,
One of the promoted advantages of a low dose doxycyline like periostat, oracea or 50mg per day of generic doxycycline is that they are likely to induce less of the normal negative reactions to higher doses of antibiotics. So this should be a reasonable alternative for you to try.
How it works is that you still get the anti-inflammatory benefits of the doxycycline, but the dose is low enough not to effect gut flora for eg. Collagenex published a study recently that showed that as far as rosacea symptoms are concerned 40-50mg a day will give the same benefit as 100mg a day i.e. a low dose should be just as good.
It is the ability of doxycycline (and indeed other tetracyclines) to interrupt the inflammatory pathway that gives a benefit to rosacea sufferers, not the eradication of bacteria or infection.
davidp.
I started on Oracea one year ago, along with Finacea. I had unsatisfactory results with every other treatment. AND due to painful ocular rosacea, I was hoping to find something that would help my eyes AND my skin. The Oracea is fantastic for me!!! It started working immediately. But if I go a day or two without it, my eyes and skin react poorly.
My question is in regards to Oraceas interaction with oral contraceptives. I suffer from endometriosis and ovarian cysts. My gyn started menstrual suppression by low dose monophasic pills four years ago. This was a miracle for me, & very successful.
HOWEVER — soon after starting on the Oracea, I started spotting, which soon turned into 7-14 day long “periods”. It has only gotten worse over the last 11 months ; having now been switching my BCPs every 3 months and getting ultrasounds to see what happens. AND I am now getting cysts again as well.
I was wondering if there have been any studies as to how MUCH the Oracea might interact with oral contraceptives.(especially the low dose monophasic types)
I am not even concerned about pregnancy. I am flipping out b/c four years of successful menstrual suppression and no pain has now reversed back to the way things were before.
I really don’t want to stop taking the Oracea. BUT if it will help me stop having 14 day long periods, migraines & unbearable cramps — I guess I’ll have to deal with my skin itching, & my eyes feeling like there are small rocks rolling around under the lids every day. I lowered my dosage to every other day, but still the same results. My gyn knows I am on the 40mg Oracea & says it isn’t the cause.
Does anyone have any input, ideas, suggestions, info? Thanks!!!
I tried Oracea and had terrible results. If someone wants to have a flare up, I would recommend the Oracea. I had more burning and ruddiness than prior to taking the Oracea. The only thing that has helped me at all is Demulen (birth control pills). I also have found a little relief which was a complete fluke but better than all the topicals which only aggravate the condition. I have a pinched nerve in my back. It is extremely painful. My back doctor put me on Neurontin and Darvon. I can honestly say that it sometimes help with the burning in my face. I think doctors need to focus more in this area. I have tried lazer, Accutane, etc. You name it, I have tried it.
Stacey M.
I have rosacea & adult acne for about 9 years now and it REALLY SUCKS. Monodox worked best but I stopped for potential candida issues. I tried a pretty stict diet and saw many holistic doctors with no luck. Was on doryx for a month and it works pretty well but I started breaking the pills in half to avoid diarhhea. I read about Periostat and went to see my derm. Thankfully, he’s up on the latest stuff and gave me Oracea. No diarhhrea but have had some small bumps –could be from recent dairy intake. Last night I took a full doryx. So we’ll see. I think Oracea is a great option. If it’s anti-inflamitory action is enough to keep my skin from getting new pimples and I’ll be thrilled. Doc says time will heal my red marks but it takes a loooong time. I’ll give it time. If it doesn’t work I’ll just track down Michael Jackson surgeon and get a new face.
I recently started taking oreacea 40 mg. No improvement in my acne. Also it is exspensive since it’s a new drug my insurance doesn’t cover it so it’s $75 a month so I won’t be using this again I’m going back to doxycycline.
Hi Betti… hope this helps.
It may sound weird but I just buy the cheap 50mg doxy and I open the capsules and remove 10mg. The first two or three times I had to weight it (I work in a lab so i was able to use a good balance but you can try a cheaper one) then I just knew how much to empty the capsule.
The capsules are like 15 dollars for one month (30 ).
I decided to not take 50mg because I reviewed some papers and found that 50mg do have ANTIBIOTIC activity while 40mg a day the compound is only ANTI-inflamatory. Ideally, as you may know, you should take 20mg twice a day, but I think is not very practical for me with the 50mg capsules.
I think my skin is clearing, of course I also eat only the good stuff, lots of water, moderate excercise etc etc
good luck!
I have suffered from Rosacea for over 10 years. I have obsessively experimented with a lot of different cosmetics, OTC cleansers, lotions, etc. I have also tried metrolotion, azealic acid and traditional antibiotics. Up until this Spring, I had pretty much given up on doctor’s help. I had not found one that took it seriously or really cared. But then I developed perioral dermatitis and went to a new dermatologist. She prescribed me a sulfur cream, Plexion TS, in combination with Oracea. The Plexion TS dried out my skin at first but once my skin adjusted it was fine. Then after about 4 weeks, my Rosacea was essentially gone. The redness was gone, the papules were gone, the painful bumps around my mouth were gone…everything, gone. But after using it for 2 months, I stopped due to the high cost. Well, after 5 weeks, everything is back. So in my case, Oracea worked. Now my daily regime for success is as follows: Cetaphil gentle cleanser, Plexion TS, Prescriptives virtual skin foundation/powder and Oracea.
Hi Sara,
Thanks for the note. Sounds like you have found a good regime that works for you. Well done ! We wish you all the best for more success with Oracea, Plexion and Cetaphil.
davidp.
Hi
I’ve been prescribed Minocin for rosacea but am also anaemic and cannot take Minocin with iron. I am confused about doxycycline and tetracycline – what’s the difference. I think Minocin is just a tetracycline. I am currently trying Zineryt -a rub on solution containing Erythromycin and zinc acetate but not getting a great result. Would Oracea be better and can it be taken with iron?
Hi Deirde,
Iron can interfere with the absorption of all tetracyclines . The tetracycline family includes doxycycline, oracea (which is just doxycycline) and minocycline.
Some people find that a combination of a topical like you are using and a low dose systemic antibiotic work well together. As to the best antiobiotic to take that isn’t affected by iron, I don’t know, hopefully your Dr. can give the best advice.
davidp.
i have been taking oracea for almost a year now, i have some rosacea and adult acne or what i thought was acne, the oracea started working pretty good and every month it seems to be getting better, i noticed after time went on that it worked better and better, my skin has barely any inflamation and looks nice and clear, i am very very happy with oracea and the results…if your taking oracea and you have only been on it for a little bit, give it time, it worked for me when countless others never did..the cost is very high although mine is covered by insurance..other than that i highley recommend it, great results and few to no side affects.
Hey Digital Davo,
I visit this site often to read and see what new options people are trying. I have always been against using medicine but i read about Oracea and how it’s a low dose medicine. I just wanted your advice on it. I have mild rosacea with some redness, mostly on my cheeks. My biggest concern lately is that I have been getting more P & P’s. Thanks for the help.
- David
Hi David,
Oracea likely won’t do much for your redness, but it should help with the inflammation that causes papules and pustules. The fact that the dose is low enough to not cause the normal problems associated with antibiotics is an advantage for sure. It is still a systemic drug of course though, so if you only have a mild case it is worth trying other treatments first.
davidp.
digital davo,
what other options would you recommend?
thanks,
David
There are heaps of topicals you can try. I have tried to collect the best information here on this blog. See the links below or on the right. The usual suspects that rosacea sufferers consider: metrogel, finacea, gentle moisturizer, physical sunscreen. Also Eucerin Redness Relief, Aveeno Ultra Calming, Clinique Redness Solutions. The new members section on the bottom left is also a good resource.
Heaps of stuff to try and hopefully good information here to help you decide.
davidp.
would a dermatoligist prescribe oracea for acne? i don’t have severe acne or anything but i have it enough where it looks bad, sometimes hurts, and it’s really irritating. i’ve tried every face wash and all those acne treatment kits and nothing works for me. so what medications can i take or get prescribed? i need something i’m going crazy!
Hi Amanda,
Oracea would be a reasonable option for acne treatment as well as rosacea. It should give relief from the inflammation of the acne lesions while minimizing the likelihood to give other symptoms like full strength anti-biotics.
davidp.
I am also taking Oracea for mild acne, I have been on it for a month, I have not noticed any difference. Yet, honestly I seem to forget doses, because I am trying to take it when I have not eaten as prescribed. The problem is I pretty much eat (snack) every two hours so it is hard to find that window of opportunity. So maybe the sporatic doses is why it is not working. Does anyone just take it with food? If so what have the results been?
I’m a 33 year-old man and have had rosacea now for about 4 1/2 years. What began as one or two ‘bumps’ eventually turned into many. In the beginning, my dermatologist prescribed doxy and finacia. It did ok. It didn’t make it completely go away. A year or so later, I changed dermatologists and the new one prescribed finacia in addition to a form of minocycline with the brand name Soladyn. It worked wonders. I can take a 30 days of Soladyn and have no paps for at least six months. I also use a combination of MetroGel and Finacia along with a sulfur-based cleanser. Also, with IPL treatments, one could hardly tell I ever had rosacea. The unfortunate thing is that it’s all very costly and demands a certain fortitude. Sometimes, no amount of medication prevents a flare-up, especially drastic plummets of temperature. It’s an unfortunate affliction, especially since I’m an actor. I’m a little irritated that with all the medical technology in our grasps, there is no cure. My first dermatologist said it was because there was little to no professional interest. That’s a terrible thought.
Hey Shane,
I too have rosacea and have had it now for about 10 years or so. During the past 10 years i have seen a few derms. and they each prescribed me doxy. and metrogel. Medication has never been my thing and i was disappointed to find out that there is no cure and medication is pretty much something that has to be taken from now in most cases. i opted to never take the medication and try a natural approach. i wash my face with 100% oatmeal (aveeno), i use jojoba oil for a moisturizer, use purified water to wash with (no tap water), and here lately been doing my best to eat right. along with my daily routine, i have found that eating right makes a huge difference. i used to eat greasy food, sweets, and drinks lots of soda, but since cutting all that out, my skin looks way better and flare ups have eased greatly. i once read an article that sugar makes rosacea worse and i would have to agree. everytime i consumed sugar or even ate a fatty meal, my face would flare up and feel hot and uncomfortable. diet has a lot to do with it.
take care,
Davidpaul
Hi,I would like to know if is better ORACEA or DORYX for rosacea,because one of my dermatologist prescribed to me to take doryx and the other one to take oracea.I am taking the IPL laser treatment but they told me that I need to help me with any pill like doryx or oracea,and both ar expensive,Doryx is more expensive than oracea,but I am not sure which is better,I would like to get some recommendation.Thanks
Hi Diana,
You are pretty unlikely to notice a difference between Oracea and 50mg a day of generic doxycycline. Are you able to try generic doxycycline – that should in general be the cheapest option – unless you have rebates and full insurance cover for Oracea that is.
davidp.
Hi, I am 28 years old, and I started noticing the rosiness in my cheeks about 7 years ago if I recall correctly. Perhaps it started even 10 years ago, but I didn’t really start noticing it until about 7 years ago when my college mates would say that I blushed at everything. Well, I do blush at a lot, but it’s on top of already rosy cheeks. For a while I disliked my rosy cheeks. Then I got used to it, and considered it okay since I wouldn’t need much blush if any. I knew my mom had rosacea, but hers in redder than mine. Only recently did I go in to see a dermatologist since I started breaking out with the little white pus filled pimples. When I say breaking out, I only mean 2-3 pimples at a time, but I am unused to it, and I didn’t like it because as soon as the 2-3 that were there started to clear, another 2-3 started up elsewhere.
Anyway, the dermatologist gave me oracea, metrogel 1%, a night cream with coffeeberry by Revaleskin, and recommended that I either continue to use my Neutrogena cleanser or Cetaphil and upgrade my Neurogena moisturizer to 45 spf. I did all that, but I took an initial 4 or 5 pills (sample) that the dermatologist gave me. Then I didn’t refill the pills until about a week later. I had a horrible rash like break out after about a week. I hadn’t had a such a breakout since I used that awful harsh skin cleanser for teenagers when I was a teenager. I didn’t know if it was because I had suddenly quit taking the pills (oracea) or if it was the combo of using Neutrogena cleanser called healthy skin anti-wrinkle anti-blemish with the other things the dermatologist gave me. I have never before had a break out from the simple use of that Neutrogena cleanser, but I thought that perhaps the use of it with the other things might have been a problem. I wish I knew what the cause of that rash was. It strangely cleared up almost completely the next morning after cleansing with Cetaphil and using the night cream. So, I am hoping that it was only that the mix of cleanser, toner, metrogel, moisturizer, and cream somehow didn’t mix right. I am terrified of having that effect again. If it was the sudden stopping of Oracea that caused the rash, then that worries me because if my insurance changed and I couldn’t afford it anymore, I would be up a creek with a rash no less…
I don’t know what to think. I was doing fine on the Neutrogena stuff up until recently with the pimples. I don’t mind the rosiness so much as long as it doesn’t get really red.
Hey LB,
I’m also 28 and have had rosacea for about 10 years now, since I was 18. I had the exact same thing happen to me as you. It started off as slight redness in my cheeks and all of my friends would ask me if I had a sunburn, lol. I eventually got more used to the redness. Over the past 10 years my skin has become slightly more red, mostly in my cheeks. I do get little pimples once in awhile. One thing I have noticed is that my skin gets worse and flushes when I eat fatty foods, sweets, and drink soda. I do my best to stay away from those things. I also wash my face with 100% oatmeal by aveeno in a powder form. I mix the oatmeal with a little bottled water, make a paste and wash my face, then rinse with bottled water. I then let my face dry and use all natural Jojoba oil for a moisturizer. Oatmeal is proven to be a natural cleanser and anti- inflammatory and Jojoba oil is not only a natural moisturizer but a natural anti- inflammatory as well. I tried the Cetaphil before I discovered oatmeal and it irritated my skin, if you look at the ingredients in cetaphil it has a lot, including a lot that are known to be irritants to sensitive skin. I hope some of this helps.
Take Care,
David T.
Hey Digital Davo,
I’m still considering getting the IPL procedure done and was wondering if you could give me some advice on it. I have come across a lot of posts online saying that they had bad experiences with IPL. Most say that they have “dents” in their skin that looks like fat loss. This is the only thing making me cautious of having IPL done. Thanks for your help.
Take Care,
David T.
Hi David,
I think the key to having a successful IPL treatment is finding someone with experience in treating rosacea. This might not be an easy task, but it will help you achieve the best results with the lowest risk of problems. I’ve never had IPL myself so I can only refer you on to others to seek their advice; The Laser & IPL Therapy Forum is one place you could try.
davidp.
Thanks davidpaul, I am also into trying the most natural route first. Normally if I’m not absolutely desperate, I won’t take meds. I especially hate when I have to take something regularly. So, maybe I will just try the cleansers and perhaps continue the metrogel.
The Oracea may not have been the reason for that sudden rash, but I’m fairly certain that it is responsible for this stomach aching that started after I started taking the Oracea. I have a sensitive tummy anyway. So my diet has gotten milder and with less grease and sugar as well in the past couple years. I am also on a fairly regular exercise routine these days. From what I understand I am supposed to take the Oracea without food before breakfast in order for it to be most effective. Well, I have gotten to where I am eating nearly right afterwards because it hurts my stomach even more if I don’t, but now maybe it’s not even totally effective. Sheesh… This is why I usually try the most natural route first.
Like I said before, I can deal with the “blushing” as my friends called it, but hopefully it doesn’t get worse as years pass, and hopefully I will not have to go through a stage like teenagers do of constantly dealing with breakouts! My dermatologist that said she thought my skin was beautiful, and I’d like to keep it that way if I can.
Hey LB,
I feel the same way you do. I thank God that my rosacea has really not progressed much in the 10 years that I have had it now. Everyone always tells me that I have nice skin and when I tell them I have rosacea, the one’s who know what it is say they would have never known. Everyone just thinks I have a naturally reddish tone to my skin. Unfortunately I don’t feel that I have nice skin and i’m usually really aware of it out in public. When I go out I pretty much always feel that I have a spotlight on me and everyone is staring at my skin. My friends and family say that i’m too hard on myself and i’m finally starting to realize it. We can’t help the fact that we have this condition and should’nt feel so self- conscious. You know the old saying, we are all our own worse critic. Take care.
- David T.
David,
Please tell me how you use the oatmeal to cleanse your face. Do you grind it up into a powder? I suppose I could use an electric coffee mill to do that. Also, what type of Jojoba oil product do you recommend.
Red
Hey Jen,
My daily routine is really quite simple. I use 100% natural colloidal oatmeal made by aveeno. It is already in a powder form so you don’t have to crush it up. You can buy it anywhere really, like walgreens, wal- mart, H-E-B (if there’s one in your area). The box will say Aveeno bath treatment. It’s sold to be used as a bath treatment, but it’s just 100% oatmeal and perfect to clean your face with. The best jojoba oil that I have come across so far is Heather Loraine. Be sure to get the light (clear or almost clear) filtered jojoba oil because it’s less heavy on your skin. All I do is get a bowl, put some powdered oatmeal in it, mix it with bottled water (I don’t like tap water) and mix it up to a paste. You will probably have to experiment with the water to oatmeal ratio because it can be too thick or too watery if not mixed right. Then I get a soft wash cloth and wash my face in circles, then rinse. You may or may not want to use a wash cloth because wash cloths seem to irritate some people’s skin, it does’nt bother me. After my face dries I then apply jojoba oil with a cotton ball and that’s it. I only use the jojoba oil at night before I go to bed because if you use it in the morning your face will look oily. By morning time my face is well moisturized and if it is still a little oily looking, I just get a wet wash cloth and take off the excess jojoba oil. Your routine may be a little different, especially since you wear make up. Hope this helps. Let me know how it works.
Take Care,
David T.
Thanks for the information David. Where do you buy the Heather Loraine brand of Jojoba Oil?
I’m going to give your routine a try.
Red
Hey Jen,
I get my heather loraine jojoba oil at my local health food store. Check yours to see if they carry it. If not, you can go to heatherloraine.com and see a list of stores that carry it in your area. If no stores in your area carry it, I believe they can send it to you direct.
Take Care,
David T.
Dave, I was given some Oracea pills by my Dr. over the summer–enough for about 2 months. They were the kind they give the Dr’s for samples-40-50mgs I think. This really helped my Rosacea because it totally went away. Once I ran out the Rosacea gradually came back. As I travel a lot and its difficult to get to my regular Dr sometimes I called him and he prescribed 100mg of Doxycycline twice a day. I have been taking it now for about 4 days and its already almost completely cleared up. I worry that this is a higher dose than what I’ve seen recommended on your site and others since they recommend 40-50mg a day. I don’t seem to have any negative reactions to the amount he prescribed but worry about building up a “tolerance’ or whatever the word is to taking so much antibiotic. Should I worry about this? Also I was considering that once the Rosacea disappears I would cut back on the 100mg twice a day and start taking 100mg every OTHER day. Do you think this is a good idea or should I just get the Dr to prescribe the 50mg pills? Is there any documentation I can show him that he will “listen” to about this type of treatment? Obviously he knows the Doxycycline will work but I’m not sure he knows about the dosage. Thanks.
Dean, have you seen this page 100mg doxycycline no better than oracea ? In there I explored the idea that the maximum effective dose of doxycycline is 40mg a day. The papers mentioned on those 2 pages should give you enough ammo to give your doctor. When I was weaning myself off doxycycline, I got my dose down to 50mg a day and then 50mg every second day. This seemed to work quite well for me.
davidp.
Dave–thanks. Yes I found that article and several others that I will give him. Just one other question that I haven’t seen an answer to—How long can you take the low dose of this? Months? Years? Forever? I would hate to start this and find out I have to quit and end up with the rosacea back on my face. I sure am glad this website is here. Thanks.
I just answered this over at the community site too;
The official trials for Oracea only studied the treatment for a period of 9 months. Like all drugs, even at low dose, the potential for adverse side effects always exist.
Low dose antibiotics are thought to be much safer to take long term as they don’t affect the gut flora and are also not as likely to cause antibiotic resistance.
As to how long `long term’ really is, that is not an exacting science. Your doctor can advise how long they think it is safe.
My GP was happy to keep me on 50mg a day of doxycycline for a few years while I continued to need to take it and continued to get a benefit from it.
hope this helps,
davidp.
Thanks Dave that does help. I have printed out a bunch of stuff from this site to give my GP so I hope it helps him too.
Great site and great information, thanks! I think I got some relief the past 60 days using Oracea + Metrogel. I have the papule-type rosacea pretty much confined to the nose, but it gets pretty bad. I recently had to drop the Oracea when my insurance stopped subsidizing and it was $230/mo?? Wow. And as I was dropping off, I had an outbreak concurrent with the cold weather (and a few too many margaritas perhaps). I might ask for the 50mg doxy regimen, and I can diminish the dosage if need be. Question is whether the 40mgTR vs 50 mg is important? (I am 200 lbs, 5′10″, muscular build) I take supplements 2x/day – can I get a 25mg dose of generic doxy to take?
chucho, Check out some of the other information on the site about whether the Oracea or the 50mg doxycycline is better. It APPEARS, in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter and the doxy is way cheaper. I have actually been taking 100mg twice a day because thats what my Dr has prescribed but recently I went to 100mg ONCE a day and my face is still clear. I am going to try going to every other day and see what happens. I think its a matter of trial and error to see what works for you but thats ONLY my opinion because I’m not a Dr. Unfortunately the pills I have are capsules so I can’t cut them in half to see if 50mg will work. The next time I go to the Dr I will see if he will prescribe a 50mg size. If you read the articles on the site you will see that for MOST people the 50mg should work because at that dose it doesn’t work like an antibiotic. Instead it works like an anit inflamatory if I’m reading it right. And thats what works on the Rosacea. At that dose it also keeps you from building up a tolerance to antibiotics–again if I’m reading it correctly. Though it probably wouldn’t hurt to take some probiotics occassionally like yogurt or something–you can also get a probiotic pill. This helps keep the stomach “flora” going according to this site. I don’t know if your size or weight has anything to do with the dosage of doxy. I’m not an expert or Dr but this site sure is teaching me quite a bit about rosacea.
Thank you for all of your comments. It is very informative. After reading them all, it appears to me, if I’m reading it correctly, that stopping any of the anti-biotic therapy results in a relapse?
I was considering the 50mg Doxy a day because of cost. At Costco, it is listed as $15.00 for 150 pills. Very cost effective, if it works and one doesn’t have income or insurance for other types.
I bought some 1% hydro-cortizone cream (off the shelf) and tried it. It stopped all the breakouts and pustules! However, my doctor said to stop using it because the rosacea would relapse even worse, plus it would thin the skin.
Well, it seems like relapse is a problem with the Anti-biotic too. Seems confusing to me. The cheapest thing to do would be Cortaid, the next would be 50mg doxy. Any thoughts on my thoughts? thanks for this site, it is really appreciated.
Hi Rhonda,
I found that if I tapered off doxycycline slowly then I had less and less problems with relapsing. I think less exposure to your triggers might help as well i.e. try to keep the inflammation down at the same time.
davidp.
I am trying to taper off too. My Dr gave me a prescription for doxy but for 100mg 2x a day. I have tapered to 100mg every other day. I just haven’t had the time to get back to him and get the prescription changed to 50mg a day because I’m actually 8hrs away from him. Long story. I moved but can’t find a decent Dr any where in this little one horse town I now live in. Too bad you can’t get doxy without a prescription.
I noticed on Costco Pharmacy Pricing Site that they have generic 20mg. It is a little more expensive than 50mg, but not much. One could take two every 12 hours of the 20mg if one 50mg a day doesn’t seem correct for a low dosing of doxy. I am assuming the half life is 12 hours and I’m not sure this is correct. If it is right, then 20mg every 12 would be very inexpensive compared to Orecea and be circulating at a stable and very low rate. Of course, I’m not sure if I’m thinking about this correctly. I just want to request from my doctor something somewhat equal to the medical results but not equal to the Oracea price. ha
I forgot to mention that I had wondered in my previous email if anyone had tried over the counter Cortaid or had their physician slap their hands for doing it and/or what your results might have been. Thank you
Rhonda, I am not sure about your idea. Maybe Dave will jump in with an answer as he seems to have a good handle on things. I THINK the dosage is probably user specific. I’ve noticed that I can go several days and only take a 100mg dose in that time period with no return to the red blotches etc that I usually get when I don’t take the doxy. I’m trying to see how many days I can go without taking it just to see what MY tolerance level is.
I want to get my Dr to prescribe the 50mg size but I am 8hrs away from him and its going to be a while before I can get back to see him. But,like I said, so far I can go about 3 days and only take one 100mg pill and I see no return to the rosacea blotches that I usually get. I’m going to try to stretch it out because I hate taking pills.
As for the Cortaid I’ve never tried it. I was using Metrogel but it had absolutely no effect on the rosacea for me after using it for over 6 months by itself.
Have you all seen this? Go to oracea.com and click on savings offer. The mfg is offering a card that they say will limit out of pocket costs to any insured individual to $25.00 per month. I have no idea how the card program works (wouldn’t it seriously interfere with the mfg’s profits?) but if it only cost $25.00 per month, it would be much more affordable.
Kim
Thanks for link, Kim. The only problem is for people without insurance. I read that they will give you $25 to help, but that leaves more than $150 a month for one to pay without insurance help.
I just checked Walmarts web site and Doxy 50mg dose is $4./30day supply or $10 dollars for ninety pills/90day supply. That’s hard to beat for people without insurance.
Dean… if you have a Walmart closer than your doctor, maybe you could phone the Walmart Pharmacist to see if they will call/fax your physician for a new lower dose prescription and possibly mail to you.
Costco and Walmart, both, offer mail order. I’ve never used mail order so I don’t know how it works, but it’s on their web sites. Also, Costco gives additional small discount for people who do not have insurance. It saves me about 7% off their list price. Target also has a list of common drugs they offer to compete with Walmart.
Thanks Rhonda I will check into that. He did decide, on his own, to lower the dose to 100mg 1x a day and I’ve kept to that the last week or so and I’ve seen no reappearance of the problem. I think I will be making a trip to his area next month so I will probably get an appt to see him them and present him with the 50mg information. I am still planning on starting back on doing 100mg every OTHER day like I had been doing because it didn’t seem to hurt anything–no reappearance of the problem. I”m hoping I can stretch it out even further so I’m not constantly taking this stuff.
Hello- I am wondering if anyone else out there has had any of the following symptoms while taking any dose of doxycylcine: lightheadedness/near fainting, fast pulse, fast or irregular breathing or just an overall “weird” feeling. I realize they are the same symptoms as an anxiety/panic attack, but I really don’t think that is what’s going on with me. Over a year ago my derm. started me on 100mg and I took that until last summer with good results for adult acne. So then I wanted to lower the dosage and my doc. suggested Oracea, which was good but still had some break-thru break-outs, so I wanted to go back to 100mg. She then said to try 150mg Doryx, which I only tried for 4 doses at most b/c I started to research my symptoms and really think they could be from the meds. I am not on any other med of any kind. Any suggestions?
I have tried it all and to no avail. I am soooo disgusted with the medical options that are tossed in our direction by doctors who really have no idea what rosacea is, what causes it, how to treat it much less cure it.
I have taken to seeing a integrative doctor who has tested me for heavy metals. It appears I have very elevated levels of mercury (& lead) which he says has a direct correlation to my rosacea. He is recommending I undertake a regimen of chelation to remove the metals and alleviate my condition.
I would like to know if anyone has investigated or has experience with heavy metal toxicity in the course of treating their rosacea.
Treating the symptoms is typical of western medicine and as such is flawed and plays directly into the bank accounts of the drug companies.
I want to know why, I want answers, I want a cure. Anything less is unworthy of us.
Jill, sorry you are having such a bad time. Didn’t know that mercury and lead could cause rosacea. I have always been told it was hereditary and that mostly people of eastern european descent got it. Which is where my ancestors hail from. Of course they don’t know for SURE thats the causes it but research is still being done. I know that doesn’t help you NOW but there is hope.
I take doxycycline–about 100mg every 2 or 3 days and that seems to keep it in check. No red bumps, rash or itching. My Dr was the one that started me on it after everything else failed. Metrogel only temporarily stops the itching and nothing else–at least for me. From what I’ve read though I need to get him to change it to 50mg a day. And it appears you can take it almost forever since it works as an anti imflamatory at that dose instead of an antibiotic. But you do have to take it regularly. I’ve noticed if I go more than 3 days without taking it then it will start coming back and it will take a day or 2 of taking it to go away again.
So don’t get discouraged. Get the chelation done first and get the heavy metal out THEN start on the doxy.
Also what is an integrative Doctor? Never heard the term before.
Dean
I have mild rosacea. I was on an 8 week study for Oracea with Metrogel. Unfortunately at week 4 I developed joint pain in my right hip and I was unable to complete the study. Joint pain is a rare side affect of Oracea, so please be careful. However, I did see results. I now just use metrogel and it works really well for me. It does dry out my skin but I moisturize well. Hope this helps.
I am a 27 years old and have suffered with rosacea for 10 years or so now. Recently I received the sample 4 pack of Oracea. I have not taken it yet, because I have a presciption of 100mg Doxycycline tabs. I was thinking I could cut them in half and get 2 months in lieu of 1 presciption. The only reason I have not started taking it was I use the Mirena as form of birth control and I am unsure if it will affect the effectiveness of the IUD, has anyone heard what the effects of Doxy when using an IUD? I do not want to become pregnant and do not like other methods of birth control. But I am losing the battle keeping my skin clear. Everyone always assume I am sun burned or angry. I have used metro gel and some other cleanser prescribed by the Dermatologist with no success except dry flaky red skin, with the white puss filled bumps all over my checks, and nose. Help
Kathy I cannot comment on the IUD part of your question. Ask your Dr or Pharmacist if there would be any problems using doxy or Oracea with the IUD.
I too have used metrogel but it does absolutely nothing for me so I’ve quit using it.
I take 100mg doxy but its a capsule so it can’t be split. I’ve experimented and can usually go 3 and sometimes 4 days before I start to see the red bumps coming back so then I start taking it again.
The fact that doxy DOES work is a great thing. I will continue to experiment to see what the optimum dose is for ME and I encourage you to do the same.
I used to have horrible red bumps, scales and white pimples on my cheeks and nose until I started taking doxy so this is a godsend. From everything I’ve read on this site and others the USUAL maintenance dose is 50mg a day. Instead of acting as an antibiotic it acts like an anti inflamitory at that dose.
So don’t lose hope. Just check with your Dr.
Does Oracea help with the Demodex mites? I was taking Oracea along with a a number of other medications… but they didn’t seem to work. So I discontinued them… how long does it take to see results?
I think that medication some times works differently for different people and that you just have to try it and see what results you get. I never knew what I had, when I was a child we just thought I had acne, when I was in my teens/mid-twenties I thought I had sunburn as I never used sunscreen. My cheeks were always red and raw, I made the problem worse as I was using harsh over the counter cleaners thinking it was acne only burning the already tender skin even more. I always had a constant supply of liquid benadryl on hand to help with the itching and burning, but nothing really ever did. I am a very fair African American female. Once I started using sunscreen the problem got a little better but as time progressed it only got worse. I just recently started training for a Triathlon in Phoenix Arizona, due to the heat/exercise my entire face became red, raw and flakey, and it was sooooo painful. I finally went to the dermatologist and he told me that I didn’t have acne at all, that it was Rocasea. He prescribed Oracea. He told me that he thought this was something I would have to take every day for the rest of my life….Geeesh!!!! I don’t really like taking meds so I walked away thinking I was just gonna have to deal with the problem for the rest of my life. A couple of days later I decided to at least try the four day sample he given me, within 24 hours the redness was gone and I felt 100% better, by the fourth day the swelling was gone as well. I got the scrip filled and took Oracea faithfully for about two weeks and stopped. That was about six months ago. I only take the pills now right before we do a long workout outside in the heat or if I am going to be in the sun or overheated for long periods of time and I love it. It’s totally helped me in soooooo many ways! I have not had any side effects that I know of right now.
Meek, glad to hear you finally found some relief. I moved from the east coast about 7yrs ago and the move seemed to trigger the problem because I never had it before I moved to CA. About a year ago my Doc gave me a trial of 100mg doxycycline that I took once a day and in about 3 days the redness, bumps and swelling was gone. I have also gone back east a couple of times for about 2 weeks each and never seemed to have the condition bother me then. So for me, at least, it seems that WHERE I live has some effect. The doxy works like a charm and I’ve gotten to where I only need to take it every other day–longer than that and it seems to want to come back.
You MIGHT want to ask your Dr to give you just a plain prescription for 50mg doxycycline. If you read all the stuff on the treatment of Rosacea it seems that is the preferred dose. Oracea is good but expensive unless your insurance covers it. Doxy is fairly cheap.
I don’t know how much you have read about it but it appears to act like an anti inflamatory instead of an antibiotic at that dose and you don’t build up a tolerance to it which is good in case you need a higher dose for an illness that needs the antibiotic to kill it.
Its a godsend if you ask me.
Dean
I broke out on one side of my nose with a terrible case of what I thought was acne…large area with tons of whiteheads and painful large bumps. This showed up after a particularly stressful week. I assumed it was acne and treated it as such. It only got worse. I went to a clinic and they prescribed Bactrim and a benzoyl peroxide wash. It began to clear but as soon as the Bactrim was finished it came back with a vengeance. People were looking at me and you could see their eyes immediately go to that part of my face. My relatives constantly asked me what was wrong with my face. I began to get very self conscious. I finally went to a dermatologist after 3 months of dealing with this. 3 doctors examined me and one of them suspected rosacea (the others thought some kind of skin infection as it was only on one side). They prescribed 200 mg of doxycycline for 8 days and 1/2 of that for another 20 days. The spot cleared within one week. I went back to the derm after 2 weeks and he was sure at this point that it was rosacea. I cried, because it seems from research that this is a lifelong condition. My brother has it and has a constant red blotchy complexion. He uses tetracycline and Metrogel as needed. My doc prescribed Oracea to use after the doxy runs out. He assured me it was non-microbial and would work on the inflammation only. I don’t like the idea of taking a pill every day, but I don’t want the condition to return. Anyway, as far as the cost, if you go to Oracea.com you can sign up for a savings card that will help with the cost. I wish everyone well.
Lori, While I’m by no means an expert on the subject but you might want to read the info on this website and others about doxycycline. From what I’ve found out that while Oracea is good for this it is no better than the cheaper plain old doxycycline. I started out with Oracea but switched because its way cheaper and doxy does just as good a job FOR ME. Don’t know about others. From your description you had the same problem I had and yes it is a lifelong problem for which there is no cure. The good thing is that both doxy and Oracea work as an anti inflamatory at the low dose and not like an antibiotic. 50mg of doxy is the recommended dose from what I’ve read but I take a 100mg cap every other day. But ONLY because thats what the doctor prescibed on my last visit and I’m trying to use it up before I get a 50mg presciption.
Along with this website you might try Googling “Doxycycline for Rosacea” there are a ton of articles about it.
Good luck and don’t dispair. There may not be a cure but it can be completely controlled. By the way Metrogel FOR ME has absolutely no effect on anything-it may help some people but not me.
My doctor initially prescribed 20 mg of doxycycline, but it had little effect on my rosacea. I happened to be traveling to Africa around the same time, and it was recommended that I take doxy at 100 mg to prevent malaria. I did take it and discovered that it not only prevented malaria but eliminated my occular rosacea and the terrible pustules on my nose. Out of concern for long term side effects, I stopped taking the doxy for a few weeks and my condition returned with a vengence. I am now back on it at 100 mg. I’m not sure if the long term usage will eventually weaken my immune system and may consider Oracea if it has less impact.
By the way, Metrogel also had no effect on my condition.
Gary, Metrogel has no effect on my rosacea either but I continue to take it since I paid for it. When its gone I’m done with it.
You might try an experiment with doxycycline. I too was given 100mg of doxy per day and it cleared my rosacea up in less than a week. But I was worried about the long term effects like you are. I decided to try just taking it every OTHER day–or 100mg doxy every 2 days. Partly to test how long I could go between doses and see what the effect was and partly because the capsules can’t be split. IF I go more than 2 days without it then the bumps etc start to come back. I have gone as long as 4 days with only one 100mg dose but even then it is starting to return. So with some experimentation I have narrowed it to 100mg every 2 days and I usually take it before bedtime.
The next time I see the doctor I’m going to get him to give me the 50mg dose that I can take every day. If you read the stuff on this website and others it APPEARS that either Oracea every day or just plain 50mg of doxy per day does the trick. Oracea is very good but lots more expensive than just plain doxy. From what I’ve been able to determine at this low dose it works as an anti inflamatory and not like an antibiotic so you don’t build up a resistance. There are apparently no long term effects either.
Experiment a little with your dosage or get your doctor to give you 50mg per day and see if it helps.
Good Luck.
I am 31 and have had rosacea for several years…I’ve tried several topical ointments and even two laser treatments. 3 weeks ago I started using Oracea-I have actually had more papules/pustules since using Oracea. Should I stop using it? Some days are better than others, but my face is still much worse than it was before. Help!
I am starting my Oracea treatment next week since my derm chose me for the Oracea trial study he is conducting. I’ve had rosacea for about 3 years and developed ocular rosacea in the past year. I hate the redness in my cheeks and nose and bumps on my forehead, but the worst part is how my eyes feel. I’ve stopped using contacts but my eyes still look and feel irritated, teary, and red on most days. Some days I wake up and my lower lid is completely inflamed. I hate to go on medication, but since I can’t use topical treatment, I am giving Oracea a try. Will let you all know how it goes. I really hope it doesn’t aggravate my condition… I’m glad to know that after the Oracea study is over, I can switch to doxy as a more affordable option!
Is 50mg of doxycycline more like to cause anomalies in my blood tests than Oracea?
CGJG
Couldn’t really answer that but I can tell you that if you read all the studies on this website and others the general consensus is that 50mg of doxy seems to work just as good as Oracea and its a lot cheaper.
If I recall the only difference between the doxy and Oracea is that Oracea is time release and regular doxy is not. If memory serves doxy is 50mg and Oracea is 40mg but you might want to double check that AND ask your Doctor the question about blood tests.
What I WILL tell you is doxy has been a lifesaver for me as far as rosacea is concerned. And MOST everyone I have seen on here has said the same.
I have had rosacea for 7 years. At first, I tried the IPL treatments and that worked well for the flushing. Within, the last year I have developed P&P in between my eyebrows, nose, and chin. I just got back from the derm with a Rx for Finacea and Oracea. I will try them both and let you know the results in 2 weeks, when my doctor told me I should see results.
Good luck Amie. I started back on 50mg of Doxy last week. It’s cheap and I had some left from the last go around. The rosacea had been going out of control again after stopping it on my own two months ago. It started helping me within 3 days. It is really amazing how the swelling goes down and the pimples recede. My eyes are more comfortable too. The burning sensation in my skin has also stopped. This is really a strange disease. Again, Good luck to you.
I have been taking Oracea for 2 weeks and I really haven’t seen much of a difference. I still have a break out on my forehead, on the sides of my nose, and my cheeks. The redness hasn’t receded. My eyes are still red and gritty. I had my hopes up so I’m quite disappointed. Also, last weekend, I got some sun on my arms and in the last several days, my arms have broken into a rash. I have small red itchy bumps all over my arms, right in time for short sleeve season.
Has anything like this happen to anyone on oracea/doxy?
Thanks Rhonda, appreciate the support, and yes it is a strange and an unfair disease.
Kay, I too was diagnosed with ocular rosacea, along with seborrheic dermatitis. My eyelids always had a red inflammation around them, and now due to the dermatitis, dry flaky skin on the eyelids and eyelashes. Horrible, itchy, gritty feeling. It has been one week, since I have been on Oracea (take 40mg 1 hr before eating in the morning), and was applying Finacea two times during the day (am and pm). I also began washing my face with colloidal oatmeal, which I ordered online. I mix the powder with a little water, and get a mud like consistency that I apply all over my face, including my entire eye—doesn’t burn, actually feels soothing. I keep it on for about 10 mins, then rinse. I love washing my face with it; my eyes have begun to feel normal again. My face has cleared up quite a bit–still a few pimples on the side of my nose, but redness down a lot. Now on my second week, I am keeping the same regimen but only using Finacea once at night, to limit the dryness, flakiness of my skin. I wish I could attribute my improvement to the oatmeal, but am not sure since I began all 3 things at the same time. Little by little, I will decrease the Finacea and Oracea and see how my skin reacts. The oatmeal is here to stay because that feels great on my face and eyes. Don’t know about your arms, sorry. I hope things get better.
Thanks for sharing your insight and new regimen, Amie. I’m glad to hear that the combo of Oracea, Finacea and colloidal oatmeal is working for you. I will ask my dermatologist about Finacea. I think he wants to keep me only on Oracea to see how effective it is independently, but I want whatever combination that works! I’ve been washing my lids with baby shampoo and using Eucerin redness relief for cleanser. I tried Azasite (eyedrops for ocular rosacea) but it didn’t work for me. I’ve heard that it’s successful for some ocular rosacea sufferers though. You might ask your opthamologist. Please keep us posted on your condition.
I started out only having small bumps with puz on the right side of my mouth. Went to dermatlogist and he prescribed me oracea, aczone/metrogel. I use the topicals on and off because it is drying and my skin felt even worse.
Anyways, after a month of taking oracea, i have to say my face is way way worse than before taking it. How i wish i didnt go to my dermatologist. Now the bumps/acne is on the right and left and all the way up my cheek, nose, its all over my face. It gets itchy every so often and now face is pitted and scarred.
I am very depressed i dont know if my face will get back to how it was before. It was at least clear at other areas. i know i cant say for sure it is the oracea, but it is the only thing i have taken religiously everyday, hoping one day it will get better.
I was a former accutane patient in my early 20s. I took it for five months. I was clear for years. But in my early 30s I started getting occasional big pimples around my chin and nose at the most inopportune times – e.g., big date, family event, etc. I also developed eczema (redness and scaling) certain times of year, which aggravated any coinciding acne. It sucked! It was like the Black Plague!
I went to a dermatogist, tried creams, etc., but nothing was effective. I went on 40mg Oracea, and it really worked! However, it is so expensive. So I switched to 50mg Doxcycline, and the results are just as good. I’m told 50mg Doxcycline is just as safe and can be taken long-term. I have been on it for 2 years, and very few breakouts, and no eczema. Wow, really cool!
Oracea is a clever marketing scheme. Dont spend the money. There is no difference between delayed release 40mg Oracea vs. 50mg doxycycline. The only difference is price. Dont be fooled! Take Doxycycline.
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