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HealthWatch: Superacne

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Apr 20, 2009 3:53 pm US/Eastern

HealthWatch: Superacne

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Antibiotics are one of the most frequently-prescribed treatments for acne. They target the bacteria and inflammation and are often the key to clearing up the patients skin. But because they're used so much, they're becoming less effective, and pesky breakouts are harder to treat.

For patients like Zahra Hashemian who treat their acne with antibiotics, the regimen may not work like it once did. "I would just take, actually different kinds of antibiotics, I guess, just trying to find the right, right one," she said.

The bacteria that cause acne have developed resistance to some of the most common antibiotics, creating a superbug or in this case, superacne.

"It's like a psychological thing that, like, you know you have it, but it makes you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable," she said.

Dermatologist Dr. Howard Sobel says he suspects antibiotic resistance when treatments stop working.

"You've had them on antibiotics for a long period of time and now all of a sudden the P. acnes, the bacteria that causes acne, doesn't seem to respond to anything, that's resistant," Sobel said.

A pimple is caused by four things. First, pores create excess oil. Then dead skin cells clog them. Bacteria overgrows. And the skin responds to the bacteria by becoming red and inflamed.

Acne is one of the most common teenage ailments affecting up to 90 percent of adolescents. But adults aren't completely off the hook.

Half of those in their twenties, thirties and even forties suffer from acne breakouts.

Some strains of P. acnes are resistant to both tetracycline and erythromycin.

The key to conquering the resistant bugs is to change antibiotics regularly. "To avoid the resistance that could build up over a period of time, I keep the patients on an antibiotic for a short period of time, and then I rotate it, and I switch, so I may have it on--I may have them on minocin, and then I'll have them on erythromycin, and maybe then bactrim," Sobel said.

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