Aknemycin Plus

Aknemycin Plus is a topical acne treatment, which means you apply it directly to your skin. To help clear acne, you apply Aknemycin Plus once or twice a day for 2 to 3 months.

Aknemycin Plus contains 2 key ingredients:

• erythromycin, an antibiotic
• tretinoin, a medicine similar to vitamin A

Acne can be caused by bacteria on your skin or the build up of natural oils your skin produces. The active ingredients in Aknemycin Plus work together to target these causes.

A combination product like Aknemycin Plus treats your skin and allows it to renew itself while healing from the impact of acne. You’ll achieve clearer and smoother skin over time.

You can use Aknemycin Plus once or twice a day. The usual length of treatment is 9 to 12 weeks (around 2 to 3 months). Your doctor will discuss with you how long to use the solution.

Aknemycin Plus comes in a brown bottle with a white applicator at the top. The bottle protects the medication from being broken down by light and its applicator allows you to use the medication directly on your skin.

To apply Aknemycin Plus on your skin:

1. Activate the applicator by pushing the top of the screw cap onto the foam pad until you hear a ‘click’
2. Turn the bottle upside down so that the solution wets the foam pad
3. Swipe the applicator pad over the areas of your skin that you need to treat
4. Place the lid back on top to protect the applicator and save it for the next time you use it

Be careful to not let any Aknemycin Plus solution get onto your fingers or into your eyes. If this happens, wash them with cold water.

Avoid using Aknemycin Plus before you go swimming, or if you are sunbathing or using sunbeds.

If you use too much Aknemycin Plus solution, you may have side effects like reddening or irritation of the skin. You can wipe away any extra solution with a tissue and wash your skin with cool water to prevent this. For a few days, you’ll have to use Aknemycin Plus less often until the side effects clear. Speak to your doctor for advice if you have any concerns.

If you forget to use Aknemycin Plus, use it as soon as you remember. Do not apply twice as much Aknemycin Plus to make up for the missed dose.

Aknemycin Plus works in different ways to treat acne because there are 2 active ingredients that make it effective.

As an antibiotic, erythromycin in Aknemycin Plus reduces inflammation from acne by:

• stopping the bacteria on your skin from growing and spreading
• reducing the amount of oil on your skin

When the bacteria on your skin can no longer reproduce, they will die out. Your skin will look clearer and less red or swollen.

Tretinoin is a type of vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy skin and is found in foods like salmon, eggs or carrots.

Tretinoin in Akenmycin Plus treats acne by:

• softening your skin by removing dead skin cells
• clearing pores that are blocked by oil or dead skin cells

Tretinoin helps to reduce blackheads and improves the appearance of your skin.

Aknemycin Plus also contains ethanol which helps to dissolve the oily layer that coats your skin. This is to clear sebum, which is an oil your skin may overproduce, which then causes acne.

Studies have shown that erythromycin and tretinoin in Aknemycin Plus are around 90% effective in reducing acne. This makes Aknemycin Plus a strong and effective treatment to clear your acne when you use it regularly as prescribed by your doctor.

It may take several weeks for you to see a change in your skin. So it’s important to use Aknemycin Plus every day before you see any improvement in your acne.

As Aknemycin Plus is only for use on the skin, there are a few temporary side effects you may experience while using it.

Most commonly, you may find that the inflammation on your skin seems worse at first when you start to use Aknemycin Plus. This might look like your skin is more red or swollen. It’s a normal sign that the medication is working. This will pass as you continue to use the Aknemycin Plus solution.

If you notice any unusual side effects when using Aknemycin Plus, stop using the solution and speak to your doctor right away. These effects include peeling of the skin or skin discolouration, such as your skin colour getting lighter or darker than usual.

For a full list of side effects of Aknemycin Plus, read the patient information leaflet.

If you have acne that does not go away with other topical treatments, you can use Aknemycin Plus.

You should not use Aknemycin Plus if you:

• are allergic to any of the ingredients
• are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding
• have acute eczema, rosacea, or an inflammatory condition of the skin
• have sunburnt skin
• use another medication or products on your skin that cause irritation, such as an exfoliator
• have a personal or family history of skin tumours called cutaneous epithelioma

If you’re not sure whether you can use Aknemycin Plus, speak to your doctor. You can also fill out our ZAVA acne questionnaire which will be reviewed by a doctor. They can then tell you whether Aknemycin Plus is right for you.

As Aknemycin Plus is only used on your skin, the potential for interactions with other medications is low.

Be careful when using other topical products like exfoliators or cleansers. These products can cause dry skin which can be made worse when using Aknemycin Plus.

There is a small chance that the active ingredients of Aknemycin Plus can be absorbed into your bloodstream. Tell your doctor if you are using any prescription medication or over the counter products. They will make sure that Aknemycin Plus is safe to use along with your other medications.

Although acne cannot be cured, you can treat and manage the symptoms using medication and making some changes to your lifestyle.

There are other topical treatments for acne, including:

• Epiduo Gel, which contains adapalene and benzoyl peroxide
• Zineryt, which contains erythromycin and zinc acetate
• Duac, which contains benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin

You can also use these treatments in combination with lymecycline capsules that you swallow once a day. Lymecycline is an antibiotic that kills the bacteria causing acne and inflammation on your skin.

If you are a woman, you may want to consider using the contraceptive pill to manage your acne.

Lifestyle tips to help improve your skin include:

• avoiding wearing too much makeup, and make sure to wash it off before going to bed
• washing your skin twice a day and moisturise afterwards
• using warm water to wash as hot or cold water can irritate your skin or make it feel sore
• avoiding popping spots or blackheads to prevent scars or uneven skin

If you’re not sure which acne medication to use, speak to your doctor or fill out a free online form with ZAVA Online Doctor today.