Aknemycin Plus Solution For Acne

It's a solution applied to your skin to treat acne. It contains two medicines called erythromycin and tretinoin. Erythromycin is an antibiotic that attacks the bacteria which cause acne.

When it’s applied, Aknemycin Plus also reduces the oils on your skin and is anti-inflammatory.

It's used to treat all forms of acne, both non-inflammatory acne with comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) and inflammatory acne with papules (inflamed red bumps) and pus-filled spots (pustules) on oily skin.

Aknemycin Plus is applied to your skin once or twice daily for 10 to 12 weeks. The exact duration of your treatment will depend on the condition of your skin.

You may not see any improvement in your skin condition for several weeks after starting treatment. You may also feel that your acne has got worse during the first few weeks, but this is as a result of the Aknemycin Plus working on deep, unseen blackheads, whiteheads or papules.

Although it can’t cure the underlying causes of your acne, when used correctly, Aknemycin Plus is an effective treatment for acne symptoms – a large clinical study on its effects showed the following:

• Aknemycin Plus reduced symptoms in approximately 35% of patients after 2 weeks
• Aknemycin Plus completely cleared comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) by 47%, papules by 58% and pustules by 74%
• When it didn’t completely clear comedones, Aknemycin Plus improved their appearance by 41%, papules by 33% and pustules by 18%

Because it contains tretinoin, a form of vitamin A, Aknemycin can reduce your symptoms of acne in the following ways:

• Affects the growth of your skin cells by encouraging the layer of dead and hardened cells that build up on your skin surface to peel off
• Clears the blackheads that block your skin pores
• Allows sebum to escape more easily from unblocked pores, which reduces the activity of bacteria

There’s a good chance Aknemycin Plus is right for you – this is because it’s suitable for most types of acne. It is recommended mainly for acne with papules and pustules that is at a risk of scarring in the future, particularly with very oily skin. It is also used if other topical treatments do not work, you do not tolerate them or are unable to use them for other medical reasons.

The easiest way to tell if Aknemycin is right for you is to get an online assessment; our online assessment normally takes a few minutes to complete. You can order Aknemycin Plus easily from our online service, with these steps:

• You’ll be asked to upload two photos to make sure that Aknemycin Plus is a suitable treatment for you
• You’ll also be asked questions about your general health and medications that you may be taking to assess whether Aknemycin Plus is safe for you
• A doctor will review your questionnaire and photos, and prescribe Aknemycin Plus if it’s appropriate
• Your prescription of Aknemycin Plus will be dispensed and delivered by post

Aknemycin Plus is a prescription only medicine. To find out if Aknemycin Plus is suitable for you, simply complete our online assessment. You do not need to see your GP first. Alternatively, you can see your GP and ask about getting a prescription of Aknemycin Plus. If the GP prescribes it for you, you can go to any pharmacy to receive your medication.

Aknemycin Plus is not to be used in the following:

• Perioral dermatitis – a red, bumpy rash around the mouth or lower portion of the face
• Personal or a family history of non-melanoma skin cancer
• A family history of cutaneous epithelioma – benign or cancerous growths on the skin
• In acute eczema, rosacea or other acute inflammatory conditions of the skin, especially around the mouth
• When underlying sunburn is present – any sunburn should be allowed to heal before you start treatment
• Hypersensitivity to any of the ingredients
• Pregnancy
• In women who may become pregnant – women of childbearing age must use effective contraception (oral progesterone-only contraceptives are not considered to be sufficiently effective)

Aknemycin Plus can interact with other medicines or can cause an interaction in the following:

• Should not be used with other skin medications especially those containing keratolytic agents that work to soften and remove the outermost (epidermis) layer of the skin
• Skin irritation can be increased with UV rays (natural sunlight, sun beds, sun lamps), X-rays or by bathing in chlorinated or salt water

A doctor can prescribe the most suitable dosage for you depending on the condition of your skin. Aknemycin Plus is applied thinly once or twice a day. It is available in a 25mL bottle containing 4% erythromycin and 0.025% tretinoin.

You can change dosages if you need to – if you feel that the effects of Aknemycin are too strong or weak, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Using more than what is prescribed or applying a thicker layer is not recommended as it does not make Aknemycin Plus work quicker to clear your acne. Using too much can irritate your skin further and cause redness or peeling.

Overdosing with Aknemycin Plus does not usually occur as it applied only to your skin. If by accident you swallow Aknemycin Plus then seek medical attention from your nearest A&E department immediately. In the meantime, rinse your mouth out with plenty of water but do not try to make yourself vomit.

Side effects are usually temporary – some people find that the symptoms are worse during the first few weeks of starting treatment but they usually settle down.

You can use moisturiser to deal with side effects – if you experience side effects, you could apply a moisturiser to soothe the irritation after you apply Aknemycin Plus on your skin and wait for it to dry. If this does not help then your doctor may recommend one of the following:

• Use Aknemycin Plus less often, for example every other day
• Take a short break from using Aknemycin Plus
• Switching to another medicine – this could be another medicine to apply on your skin or an antibiotic to take by mouth.

Avoid contact of Aknemycin Plus with the eyes, eyelids, nostrils, mouth, mucous membranes (e.g. linings of the nose) and broken areas of the skin. If you accidentally get the medicine on these areas, carefully wash it off with water immediately.

Pregnancy – Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy before using Aknemycin Plus. Aknemycin Plus should never be used if you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant because tretinoin is toxic to a developing baby. If you become pregnant whilst using Aknemycin Plus you should stop using it immediately and seek medical advice.

Allergic reactions or emergencies – a severe allergic reaction could occur whilst you are using Aknemycin Plus. This is rare and is more likely when you first start to use it. If immediately after applying Aknemycin Plus, you experience dizziness or light-headedness, swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, sudden redness and feeling hot in the hands and feet, seek urgent medical advice by calling 999 or visiting your nearest A&E department.

Using it correctly will give you the best chance of success – Aknemycin Plus is a clear solution applied to the skin. It is important to always use Aknemycin Plus as prescribed by your doctor. Applying it consistently as prescribed improves the chances of success in clearing your acne symptoms.

If you forget to apply your dose of Aknemycin Plus – just apply the next dose as normal. Do not apply more than normal to make up for the missed dose.

Some extra self-care that can help – there are some self-care habits that can also help you manage your acne. It’s recommended to:

• avoid washing your skin more than twice a day – excessive washing can aggravate active acne or irritate the skin further
• use a mild soap or cleanser and lukewarm water – very hot or cold water may make your acne worse
• avoid vigorous scrubbing when you’re washing acne-affected skin. Using abrasive soaps, cleansing granules, astringents, or exfoliating agents is not recommended (use your fingers or a soft wash-cloth instead)
• avoid scrubbing or picking at the acne as this can make your condition worse. You should not attempt to ‘clean’ blackheads as this can increase your chances of scarring
• avoid using excessive makeup and cosmetics. If you must use them, then a non-comedogenic, water-based product should be used sparingly (details of cosmetic ingredients are displayed on the product label), and all makeup should be completely removed at night
• avoid using ointment or oil-rich creams, as these can clog your pores. Instead, use a fragrance-free, water-based moisturiser if you’re experiencing dry skin

Using other skin products – you can use cosmetics or moisturisers whilst using Aknemycin Plus, but you should not apply them at the same time. You can use them after it has absorbed into your skin. Another option is to apply Aknemycin Plus at night and use your cosmetics as normal in the morning.

Avoid ‘home remedies’ like toothpaste – some websites advise on applying toothpaste to the affected areas of the skin. This is not recommended as while toothpaste does contain antibacterial substances it also contains substances that can damage your skin.

Alternatives – there are also some non-medical treatments for acne available:

• Comedone extractor – a small pen-shaped instrument that can be used to clean out comedones
• Chemical peels – where a chemical solution is applied to the face, causing the skin to peel off and new skin to replace it
• Photodynamic therapy – where light is applied to the skin in an attempt to improve symptoms of acne

Scarring – acne scars usually improve naturally within 6 – 12 months. Speak to your doctor if you are experiencing scarring.

Don’t be fooled by acne myths – there are also certain myths about acne and adjusting your lifestyle around these is unlikely to help.

• Acne is not caused by poor hygiene – there’s no evidence that cleaning your skin improves your acne
• Diet has not been shown to have an effect on acne – but it may be helpful to keep a food diary if you notice certain foods are triggering symptoms so that you can avoid them and see if symptoms improve
• Acne is not infectious – the bacteria causing acne is called Propionibacterium acnes, which normally already lives on people’s skin, so you cannot pass it onto other people
• Sunlight has little benefit on acne – there is no evidence that sunbathing improves the symptoms of acne. It is advised to wear sunscreen when you are exposed to the sun