What is Minocin and what is it used for?
Containing the antibiotic minocycline, Minocin MR capsules are prescribed to treat mild to moderate acne, by killing the excess bacteria, propionibacterium, which builds up over time on the skin.
Administered as a 100mg capsule, Minocin MR will need to be taken for up to eight weeks. The active ingredient is minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, which is highly effective at treating acne vulgaris and other bacterial infections. This medication is also available under the generic name Minocycline 100mg MR capsules, which costs substantially less than the brand name.
Manufactured by Mylan, the brand Minocin MR capsule contains a modified-release formulation of 100mg of minocycline. This medicine is available on prescription for adults over the age of 18 years in boxes of 56 tablets.
What is acne?
Acne develops when excess sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands) and dead skin cells are present on the skin, giving the bacteria food on which to multiply. The waste materials from the bacteria then block the pores and this causes irritation which leads to acne. Read more about the causes for acne.
Once the bacteria are killed, there cease to be any waste materials and so the acne clears up. Keep your skin as clean as possible from any build-up of keratin skin cells and sebum, by washing with a mild cleanser such as Acnecide or Cetaphil Daily Cleanser that will not irritate your skin.
How does Minocin work?
Minocycline is the active ingredient in Minocin Capsules and is in a class of medications called tetracycline antibiotics. This type of antibiotic works to treat acne by inhibiting the growth and spread of a specific type of bacteria that infects the pores in the skin. It also helps improve the condition and appearance of the skin by decreasing the natural oily substance, sebum, that can contribute to acne.
Does Minocin help dry skin?
If dry skin also presents itself in the same place as the acne, use a water-based emollient (a preparation that softens skin) which is fragrance-free, to soften your skin. This preparation will not lead to blocked pores.
Alternative acne treatments
Acne is a very common skin complaint that can affect individual people differently, meaning that some people will find certain treatments more effective than others. It is recommended that if you do suffer from acne you start off by trying over the counter treatments. These treatments include:
If you have tried over the counter treatments and these have not been effective, you should speak to your GP about further prescription-only options. For details of all our acne treatments please take a look at our Advice for Acne page.
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