Laser and Minocycline

[ERIC THE RED]

Do anyone know if it's ok to take minocycline while doing laser?
I take the minocycline for the burning/stinging I get on my face,neck and ears. Now i've stared Laser(3 Sessions so far but wondered if I should continue the Mino? Laser is helping a little so far
By the way -This forum is fantastic-it has helped me understand what the hell is going on with me and many like me,I don't post much but I read alot of this stuff-
THANKS.
Eric

[Melissa W]

Hi Eric,
I was taking mino (45 mg) all throughout my first five VBeams and I had no problem. You should be fine.
Good luck with your upcoming treatments!

Best wishes,
Melissa

[snuffleupagus]

My derm wont let me do any laser while on doxy. He says the laser could burn me and give me scars, ouch!

[francois]

My derm wont let me do any laser while on doxy. He says the laser could burn me and give me scars, ouch!

Probably because doxy can make you sensitive to sun and light.

[Melissa W]

I think it only makes you more sensitive to sunlight

This antibiotic will make your skin sensitive to the sun so that it will sunburn more easily, you will need to use sun protection.

from:
http://www.acneguide.com/acus_treat/antibiotics/doxycycline.html

My derm says it is perfectly fine to have laser while on antibiotics.
And I definitely don't think Eric needs to be concerned as he is on mino and that is not as photosensitizing in any case. Also, as I stated previously I had 5 VBeams while on mino with no deleterious effects as well as RLT.

EK1, your derm seems to be quite the opinionated expert on things doesn't he. First pyratine and now this LOL. I like a man with strong opinions... I just prefer when they are accurate.

[Melissa W]

I just want to add that you should follow your doctor's instructions of course if you are being treated by him. So if he says it's OK to continue doxy through laser then that's fine. If he asks you to d/c it you should.

Dr. Crouch states that he has never seen a problem with patients who are on doxy during laser but if your doc advises against it of course follow his advice.
http://www.rosaceagroup.org/The_Rosacea_Forum/showthread.php?t=9311

Just wanted to make that clear.

[TheMediumDog]

Melissa's advice is spot on.

I too have had 5 lasers (IPL) while taking minocycline, with no problems.

However, I did have two dermatologists tell me that I couldn't. And in one case, she made her reasoning clear: minocycline has a photosensitizing effect, and the IPL is high energy light. But this isn't right, because the light from the IPL is in a different part of the spectrum to that to which mino makes you sensitive.

After I die, I'm going to spend some time haunting dermatologists to get my own back.

[Melissa W]

Melissa's advice is spot on.

I too have had 5 lasers (IPL) while taking minocycline, with no problems.

However, I did have two dermatologists tell me that I couldn't. And in one case, she made her reasoning clear: minocycline has a photosensitizing effect, and the IPL is high energy light. But this isn't right, because the light from the IPL is in a different part of the spectrum to that to which mino makes you sensitive.

After I die, I'm going to spend some time haunting dermatologists to get my own back.


laugh:
I'll join you if I may.

I'm not asking for a cure from these doctors (though that would be lovely) but I would just appreciate it if they could know the answers to clear cut relatively straightforward questions. Too many times there seems to be no consensus to issues that they just should know the answer to. :(

[snuffleupagus]

He said that the doxy makes me sensitive to light and there's a chance i would burn under IPL. And if i burn, that causes scars.

[TheMediumDog]

It seems that doxy is different to mino. I don't know if doxy makes you more sensitive to the light of lasers.

[francois]

One of the side effects of tetracycline group of antibiotics is photosensitivity. It makes sense to me that IPL which is a form of light has potential risks for people who are on these group of antibiotics.

[TheMediumDog]

One of the side effects of tetracycline group of antibiotics is photosensitivity. It makes sense to me that IPL which is a form of light has potential risks for people who are on these group of antibiotics.

Hold on. As said before, at least as far as minocycline goes, it sensitizes you to a different part of the spectrum to that in which IPL is operating.

Nor is this just theoretical, since I (and others) have had IPL while on mino.

You'd be denying a large group of people a valuable treatment option if you prevented users of antibiotics (or, at least mino) from undergoing IPL, or forcing them into an unnecessary choice: antibiotics OR laser.

[LavenderVA]

Thanks for the final clarification, TheMediumDog! I once asked my laser derm if it is safe to have IPL while on Oracea, she said IPL is NOT on UVA/UVB therefore it is safe. But I did not ask about Doxycycline.

Anyone has undergone an IPL while being on Doxycycline? My primary derm prescribed me low dose doxycycline(60mg x 2 daily) yesterday as Oracea is not effective enough to suppress p&ps (having been on Oracea for 4 weeks by now but I am getting more small pimple here and there and skin is blotchy). I scheduled my 1st IPL this Friday, so I need to decide if I should be continuously on Oracea till the 1st IPL is completed, or switch to doxycycline now. I am so desperate to find something working, NOW!!

In addition, I have some kind of breakout this week. Can I still go IPL with minor breakout? The nurse practitioner said it is OK but I would like to hear you guys opinion.

Thanks lot!

Crystal

[TheMediumDog]

In addition, I have some kind of breakout this week. Can I still go IPL with minor breakout? The nurse practitioner said it is OK but I would like to hear you guys opinion.

Do you mean, like, acne?

For some reason, before pretty much all my IPL's, I've had some kind of acne breakout. Oddly enough.

It doesn't really do any harm, in my experience. Its not great, in the way that, if you get acne the best thing to do is to try not to aggravate it by touching it/rubbing it etc. Well, shooting a laser at it sure isn't the gentlest thing around! Plus there's the pre-laser cleaning of the face, and the calming creams put on afterwards. Can stoke things up a tiny bit if you have a breakout.

But nothing has ever really happened with me. Maybe the breakout lingers a tiny bit longer because of the aggravation, but nothing major.

My experience.

[LavenderVA]

theMediumDog,

Thanks for sharing your experience – it is great to know that IPL did not aggravate your breakout so seems that it does not have to wait until the pimples subside to start IPL treatment. So I can remove this dependency in my IPL decision process.

Yes my breakout is acne with inflamed pimples and more redness on the surrounding area. Skin is getting extremely dry and flaky. I read your post “IPL soon” and think my case is similar like yours.

I heard some people are able to reduce their antibiotic dose after a series of successful IPL treatment. I hope you share the same success and can taper off Minocycline eventually.

Crystal