Doxycycline is a type of antibiotic used to treat or prevent a variety of bacterial infections, including certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and malaria. Doxycycline can also treat severe acne and rosacea symptoms.
Doxycycline belongs to a category of antibiotics called tetracyclines. It works by killing the bacteria causing an infection and helps reduce inflammation. It is a generic medication that comes as an oral tablet or capsule, liquid suspension, or a solution for injection. Brand-name versions of doxycycline are also available.
Doxycycline comes in strengths ranging from 20 to 150 milligrams (mg). The dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on the condition for which you are receiving the treatment.
Doxycycline requires a prescription from a doctor or other healthcare professional. Your doctor will discuss your specific condition, dose of doxycycline, and potential side effects.
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Severe acne
Dermatologists may prescribe doxycycline to help treat severe acne. They typically recommend topical treatments first, including antibiotics, for mild to moderate acne. For more severe cases, they may prescribe an oral antibiotic such as doxycycline in addition to a topical medication.
Although acne is not a bacterial infection, antibiotics like doxycycline can help lower the amount of bacteria on your skin and reduce inflammation.
American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends dermatologists to prescribe antibiotics, including doxycycline, for the shortest time possible. This helps lower your risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change over time, and the antibiotics can no longer kill them.
Doctors also prescribe an acne medication in combination with an antibiotic, like doxycycline, to help improve the effects of the antibiotic and reduce the time you need to take it.
Rosacea symptoms
The underlying condition of rosacea is not curable. However, doctors may prescribe doxycycline to treat the pus-filled bumps that appear during a rosacea flare.
A 2021 study suggests that a combination of oral doxycycline and topical metronidazole (another type of antibiotic) effectively reduced inflammation and helped relieve rosacea symptoms.
The AAD notes that dermatologists may first prescribe a low dose of doxycycline for rosacea bumps. A lower dose helps reduce inflammation without the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. This means you can take it long term. However, if symptoms persist, they may prescribe a stronger antibiotic dose for a short duration.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Doctors may prescribe doxycycline to treat STIs, including chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea.
Bacteria cause STIs. They can be spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom or other barrier method. A birthing parent can also pass on these infections to a newborn child during delivery.
2021 CDC guidelines explain doxycycline to be the first-line treatment for chlamydia. For syphilis and gonorrhea, doxycycline may be used as an alternative treatment for people with an allergy or sensitivity to penicillin.
Prophylactic use of doxycycline for STIs
A 2023 NIH study tested the use of doxycycline as a preventive measure for certain STIs in men who have sex with men and in transgender women. Participants were either living with HIV or were taking preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV.
The study found that rates of gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia were two-thirds lower in participants who received doxycycline within 72 hours after sex without a condom compared with those who did not receive doxycycline.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends advising certain groups of people on the benefits and risks of taking doxycycline after potential exposure to STIs. These groups include:
- gay, bisexual, or other males who have sex with males
- transgender women
- any of the above groups who have had chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea in the past 12 months
- any of the above groups who have not had a bacterial STI in the past 12 months but plan to participate in sexual activity that may expose them to STIs
Research on the benefits of postexposure doxycycline is limited to men who have sex with women, cisgender women, transgender men, or other people assigned female at birth. Talk with a doctor to learn more about your benefits and risks.
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Get free cardMalaria
If you plan to travel to areas with certain strains of malaria, doctors may recommend you take doxycycline as a preventive medication.
Malaria is a life threatening disease transmitted by the bite of a mosquito carrying a certain kind of parasite. Malaria is common in tropical climates.
Doctors typically prescribe doxycycline alone when used as a preventive medication. If you contract malaria, treatment may include doxycycline in combination with another medication.
Doxycycline is safe for most adults and children older than ages 8 years. Pregnant people should not take doxycycline. Your doctor will discuss specific dosages for you and your family and other tips for lowering your risk of malaria while traveling.
Other uses
Doxycycline is effective in treating a wide variety of other conditions caused by bacteria. These include:
- urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- respiratory tract infections
- eye infections
- gum disease
- Lyme disease
- cholera
- anthrax
- typhus fever
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Doxycycline may also be used to help lower inflammation in people with conditions like osteoarthritis.
Summary
Doxycycline is an antibiotic that healthcare professionals prescribe for a variety of bacterial infections or conditions. They prescribe doxycycline to treat certain STIs, severe acne, and rosacea symptoms. They can also be prescribe doxycycline as a preventive medication for malaria and some STIs in certain groups of people.
Your dosage of doxycycline will depend on the condition you are receiving the treatment for. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss your individual use of doxycycline, including possible side effects and how long you may take the medication.