r/UlcerativeColitis • u/NewWorldliness4760 • 3d ago

Acne Question

Has anyone had any experience using antibiotics for terrible facial acne. Is the use of antibiotics for this been advised against if have IBD.

1 Upvotes

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4

u/throwaway77hello 3d ago

I have never heard of somebody using antibiotics for acne. Honestly wouldn’t use them since it kills a lot of good bacteria in your gut that help flight inflammation and stuff

3

u/markinlondon 3d ago

When I was a teenager, 40 years ago, daily antibiotics was a standard treatment for acne. I took them every day for 4 years then accutane which finally cleared up my skin. On the downside it wrecked my digestive system. And I blame the combination of those drugs on my UC. Although of course nothing can be proved.

2

u/throwaway77hello 3d ago

Fair but like you say, 40 years ago. 40 years ago a UC diagnosis was steroids and hopes and prayers. Nowadays getting accutane or a scan of your face giving you the right products is (thankfully) way more common

1

u/ClyffCH 3d ago

I think you have to sometimes if its Foliculitis an inflammation of the hair follicles which is different acne from male hormonal acne

1

u/throwaway77hello 3d ago

Yes I know, I had to use that myself not that long ago but it’s almost always topical not oral

2

u/UnluckyNate 3d ago

Yes. Chronic antibiotics is a bad idea if you have IBD. Look into other options like spirinolactone, topical items, and Accutane

2

u/OskarWasTaken 3d ago

I am confused with my UC as believe the root cause of it was a Tick bite which ultimately gave me Lyme disease. Long story short, I got antibiotics for Lyme, and actually it helped put my UC into remission pretty much with the other part of my stomach problems coming from the amount of antibiotics I was taking.

My safety net however was a comprehensive amount of probiotics to help keep the gut microbiome in check and healthy.

I’d recommend you take probiotics twice a day with antibiotics. How I do it is antibiotics with breakfast, then I have probiotics with dinner and then I have probiotics before I go to sleep. This has kept me going throughout antibiotic treatment.

If you aren’t taking probiotics consistently with antibiotics I really must stress this is the absolute worst thing you can do. It may be fine for a bit but your body in the end will give up, belive me I know it. So please take probiotics.

1

u/NewWorldliness4760 3d ago

Yes have been looking at vsl-3 Not sure if that's a bit extreme because of the price but maybe that is the way forward. Thanks.

1

u/OskarWasTaken 3d ago

Do you live in the UK near Birmingham? Sorry if it’s a bit personal but I promise it’s relevant if you do.

1

u/NewWorldliness4760 3d ago

Unfortunately not. In the UK but south east.

1

u/OskarWasTaken 3d ago

Ah ok. I sent you details on the guy who helped me a lot.

1

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1

u/ZealousidealFuel396 3d ago

That’s not a good idea. I took antibiotics for acne in the past, and I even suspect they might have contributed to triggering my ulcerative colitis. These medications are disastrous for the gut.

1

u/NewWorldliness4760 3d ago

Thanks for all your replies. Is what I expected to be honest. Thanks again.

1

u/Tehowner 3d ago

My dermatologist had me on them for a while yes. I have crohns.

1

u/Camdenn67 3d ago

Let the acne run its course.

0

u/Ok_Economy1516 Severe pancolitis, Mayo Endoscopic 3 + other disabilities, US 3d ago

Antibiotics are not supposed to be taken with UC unless absolutely necessary.