Doxycycline hyclate vs monohydrate: which one is better for acne?

Learn about the differences and similarities between Doxycycline Hyclate and Monohydrate so you and your healthcare provider can decide if this may be a good option for you.

Medically reviewed by:
Dr. Uffe Koppelhus
Dermatologist

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The information presented in this article is based on scientific research and the professional advice of our Content Medical Reviewers, who are experts in the field of Dermatology. How we write our content →

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic used to treat different bacterial infections and a very common treatment for acne¹ and rosacea²; it comes in two formulations: doxycycline hyclate and doxycycline monohydrate. In this article you will learn about the similarities between these two medications and decide with your online dermatologist if doxycycline is the right acne treatment for you.

Although acne is not considered an infection, certain antibiotics such as doxycycline or Seysara can decrease the amount of P. acnes bacteria on the skin reducing inflammation and painful breakouts³.

In addition to oral antibiotics, your online dermatologist may also prescribe you with topical retinoids used in the treatment of acne such as trifarotene, tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene.

3 main differences between doxycycline hyclate and monohydrate in acne treatment

Doxycycline monohydrate and doxycycline hyclate are variations of the same drug, and they are both used to treat acne and rosacea.

Doxycycline monohydrate is less acidic and more gentle on the stomach⁴
Doxycycline monohydrate is considerably cheaper than hyclate in the U.S.
Doxycycline hyclate is water-soluble⁵, while doxycycline monohydrate is not

doxycycline monohydrate vs hyclate for acne distinctions

Doxycycline monohydrate brand names:

Vibramycin
Monodox
Oracea
Efracea

Doxycycline hyclate brand names:

Acticlate
Doryx
Periostat

Request an acne prescription for doxycycline

Acne treatment with doxycycline prescription needed

doxycycline prescription request acne treatment

Side-effects of doxycycline monohydrate or hyclate

Common side-effects of doxycycline

Mild diarrhea
Photosensitivity
Nausea
Vomiting
Skin rashes
Headaches
Tooth discoloration

Severe side-effects of doxycycline

Bloody diarrhea
Leukopenia
Migraines
Hemolytic anemia
Throat irritation or trouble swallowing
Chest pain
Exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus
Shortness of breath
Irregular or fast heart rate
Dysuria
Intracranial hypertension
Ulcerations in the esophagus, if taken without water⁶

Warning when taking doxycycline monohydrate or hyclate for acne

People who are allergic to doxycycline or other tetracycline antibiotics (demeclocycline, minocycline, tetracycline, or tigecycline) should not take doxycycline monohydrate or hyclate⁷.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid doxycycline as it may harm the unborn baby or cause permanent tooth discoloration. Doxycycline can pass into breast milk and may affect bone and tooth development in a nursing infant⁸.

Young individuals should avoid taking doxycycline as it may cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth⁹.

Doxycycline can make birth control pills less effective, ask your doctor about using a non-hormonal birth control to prevent pregnancy¹⁰.

Considerations when taking doxycycline for acne

Take doxycycline exactly as instructed by your healthcare provider

Use all the different medicines in your acne treatment plan and for the exact number of days they have been prescribed. If the treatment is not exactly followed as prescribed by your provider, your acne may develop a resistance to antibiotics¹¹.

To increase efficacy and reduce the time needed to treat and thereby the likeliness of antibiotic resistance, your healthcare provider will most probably prescribe other acne medications such as Tretinoin, together with Doxycycline.

Use gentle skin products

By using gentle skin care products and implementing a good skin care routine for acne prone skin in combination with your prescribed antibiotics, should help clear your skin in a few weeks’ time.

Follow-up with your healthcare provider

To ensure your treatment is working and continues to do so in the future, it is extremely important that you schedule periodic appointments with your healthcare provider.

Follow your maintenance plan

Once your skin clears, it is extremely important that you continue with the maintenance plan your healthcare provider has prescribed you to avoid new breakouts. Most people can keep their skin clear by using a combination of topical solutions such as gels and creams. Using the maintenance acne treatment will help you keep your skin clear and decrease the need for stronger medications such as antibiotics.

FAQ About doxycycline for acne

How to get an acne prescription for doxycycline?

To get a prescription for doxycycline for your acne, you can have a photo-based consultation with an online dermatologist. This only costs $59 and you will get an answer in 1-2 work days.

Which is better for acne: Doxycycline hyclate or doxycycline monohydrate?

Both of these medicines work equally well to treat acne. The structure and water solubility of doxycycline monohydrate and doxycycline hyclate is the main difference between them. However, these variations have no impact on how effectively either drug performs after being absorbed into the body12

How long does doxycycline take to start healing acne?

Doxycycline takes some time to start being effective, just like any other acne medications. Even if your acne may start getting better in just two weeks, the full effects of the treatment may not become visible for another three months.

When you notice fewer acne breakouts developing and your skin begins looking healthier, you’ll know doxycycline has started working. While many treatments can initially cause skin purging, doxycycline often may not cause this problem13

Can doxycycline be used with other acne medication?

Your healthcare provider can prescribe doxycycline in combination with clindamycin gels, tretinoin, adapalene or topical spironolactone to treat acne.

How to get doxycycline?

You can request a virtual consultation with an online dermatologist to get a prescription for doxycycline or any other acne medication.

What is the price of doxycycline?

The price for doxycycline hyclate varies from $100 to $300 while the price for doxycycline monohydrate varies from $10 to $30*.

*The price range listed here is just an estimation. Medication prices may vary depending on the state and the pharmacy selected. Miiskin is not responsible and cannot influence the price of the medication as it is independent from these entities.

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Article References:

¹ https://www.drugs.com/doxycycline.html
² https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047926/
³ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/derm-treat/antibiotics
⁴ https://www.singlecare.com/blog/doxycycline-monohydrate-vs-hyclate/
⁵ https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/deepweb/assets/sigmaaldrich/product/documents/162/885/d9891pis.pdf
⁶ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555888/
⁷ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555888/
⁸ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555888/
⁹ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555888/
¹⁰ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555888/
¹¹ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/acne/derm-treat/antibiotics
¹² https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6697815/
¹³ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20349684/

PATIENT EDUCATION

Acne medicines: What is the difference?

Reviewed by dermatologists