Doxycycline and Adapalene gel

Doxycycline should be taken once a day with a meal and lots of water, you should be sitting or standing when taking the tablet and make sure you take it well before going to bed.

Adapalene gel (generic Differin) should be applied thinly to the affected area each evening before going to bed.

The combination of these two medications works to tackle both the causes and the effects of acne.

Doxycycline is an antibiotic and therefore works to eradicate the bacteria that cause acne, preventing the formation of acne in the first place.

Adapalene gel is a retinoid and works to reduce redness, soreness and inflammation caused by acne. As acne is so often caused by blocked pores, Adapalene gel unblocks these pores and breaks down blackheads and whiteheads.

The pairing of Doxycycline and Adapalene gel for cream is effective on a variety of types of acne and is therefore a rounded acne treatment.

Adapalene gel is effective for those who experience comedones (blackheads and whiteheads). Oral antibiotics can be effective at treating pustules (small bumps filled with pus) as well as nodular and cystic acne.

Like a lot of medications, some people may experience side effects when taking Doxycycline or applying Adapalene gel.

The most common side effects of taking Doxycycline include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, shortness of breath, dizziness, fast heart rate and swelling limbs. It also increases sensitivity to the sun, so it is important to apply appropriate SPF when out in the sunshine. 

When taking Adapalene gel some people may experience dry skin, skin irritation, burning sensation or redness.

For full information on side effects and correct use, see the Doxycycline and Adapalene gel patient information leaflets.