# Keflex (Cephalexin) For Acne - Possible TMI **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561 "2005-05-12T14:24:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![larsenmtl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@larsenmtl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/larsenmtl)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/1 "2005-05-12T14:24:49Z")
My dermotologist was put me on Keflex (500 mg tablets) and Cleocin T dabber for treatment of infected Acne Vulgaris. Ughh, I had a better complexion when I was a teenager. Questions I forgot to ask- My doctor told me not to drink milk when taking the Keflex. Anyone know why? How long should I wait after taking it to have some milk with cereal? What about other dairy products? It’s only been two days so far. Anyone know when I’ll start to see and feel relief? The Cleocin has been drying my pustules out significantly. I asked the doctor and he said this is what he’s going for. They are so dry and scabbed over they hurt. Should I be concerned? My dermotologist was not. My poor face thanks you. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/2 "2005-05-12T15:27:30Z")
> [@](#): > > The Cleocin has been drying my pustules out significantly. I asked the doctor and he said this is what he’s going for. They are so dry and scabbed over they hurt. Should I be concerned? My dermotologist was not. I am not a doctor and can’t give medial advice. My experience in general, however, is simply that your skin is likely dry and inflamed. Unless your doctor told you otherwise (and read the label on the medicine, too) wash your face with water or lotion. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/3 "2005-05-12T17:17:20Z")
Keflex will annihilate the ‘friendly’ bacteria in your digestive tract, so drinking milk will cause you intestinal distress. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/4 "2005-05-12T17:19:13Z")
As for how long to wait, I would say several days. Should eat yogurt to reintroduce the bacteria to your system. ---
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/5 "2005-05-12T17:24:17Z")
I believe the reason not to drink milk is that it blocks the ability pill to properly absorb into the body. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/6 "2005-05-12T17:31:05Z")
awldune, I had never heard that. I have always been told that it’s what Spezza said, it interferes with absorption. Take it an hour before drinking/eating or at least two hours after. ---
**Author:** ![larsenmtl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@larsenmtl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/larsenmtl)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/7 "2005-05-12T18:03:17Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > I am not a doctor and can’t give medial advice. My experience in general, however, is simply that your skin is likely dry and inflamed. Unless your doctor told you otherwise (and read the label on the medicine, too) wash your face with water or lotion. Oh I should have mentioned, he gave me special soap for washing my face. **GingerOfTheNorth** and **Spezza** thanks. I didn’t know about the absorption issues. Is it just milk or all diary products? I’ve been taking it at like 8 and not eating breakfast till 10 or so… **awldune** , I was aware of the normal flora destruction. Luckily my stomach is pretty robust. Anybody wanna take a guess as to when I’ll start seeing some results? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/8 "2005-05-12T19:12:37Z")
> [@larsenmtl](#): > > I’ve been taking it at like 8 and not eating breakfast till 10 or so… :eek: I was given Keflex for an infected cyst on my back. If I took it without food, took two doses near each other in time, or even didn’t quite eat enough, I felt nauseous. Actually, I was sort of borderline nauseous the whole time- if I rode in a car, I’d be prone to start feeling motion-sick, that sort of thing. I described it once as my stomach being about 7 out of 10, where 10 is perfectly fine and 1 is puking up my toenails. Glad you’re having a better experience with it than I did. I don’t recall being told not to eat milk products, but I wasn’t sleeping too well then (hard to get comfortable in bed with an infected and inflamed cyst on your back), so it’s entirely possible that I just don’t remember that. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/9 "2005-05-12T19:16:19Z")
I have no first hand experience, but my understanding is that with most oral anti-acne products your face will get worse before it gets better. As to how long it will take to see results - I would imagine that depends on the dose your taking, how severe your problem is, etc, etc - you should probably direct that one to your Dr - perhaps you can just phone the office? ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/10 "2005-05-12T23:48:34Z")
Interesting, Alice-in-Wonderland. My experience w/ antibiotics for acne never involved a worse-before-better situation. Topical products, yes. Cleocin for me was useless. If I even took antibiotics for 10 days for an unrelated condition I would definitely see an improvement in my skin. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/11 "2005-05-13T07:53:12Z")
> [@larsenmtl](#): > > it’s only been two days so far. Anyone know when I’ll start to see and feel relief? > > The Cleocin has been drying my pustules out significantly. I asked the doctor and he said this is what he’s going for. **They are so dry and scabbed over they hurt.** Should I be concerned? My dermotologist was not. > > My poor face thanks you. If its anything like Acutane ,then your skin should start to molt. It removes the acne by stripping away skin layer by layer , so that you will be able to peel off disgusting strips of translucent skin. Stay the course and nuke the acne, in about 6 weeks , you should be able to step back and assess your condition. Declan ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/12 "2005-05-13T12:35:55Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > :eek: I was given Keflex for an infected cyst on my back. \ > Actually, I was sort of borderline nauseous the whole time- if I rode in a car, I’d be prone to start feeling motion-sick, that sort of thing. I’ve only taken it while pregnant and bleah. I’m glad it wasn’t just me. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/13 "2005-05-13T14:35:29Z")
Keflex is Cefalexin, a Cephalosporin antibiotic. There is no listed reason that I could find not to drink milk, it may be just a personal preference of your physician. Ask him why, as it could be for any number of reasons, although I can see nothing in the literature to suggest that avoiding dairy products is necessary with this medication. Cleocin is Clindamycin, another antibiotic. All antibiotics are associated with rash, Cefalexin has Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis as a listed side effect and Clindamycin has exfoliative and vesiculobullous dermatitis listed. Although listed, they are EXTREMELY rare, so don’t apnic. If your doctor is happy, you’re fine, but if it gets worse, you develop rash on other parts of your body, or previously normal skin (ie skin unaffected by acne) on your face starts to peel and blister, go back and see him again asap. A fair trial of any acne treatment is 3 months (although you’ll probably notice improvement earlier), as you’re trying to affect the new layers of skin coming up from the lower epidermis, not the layers of skin currently on the surface. It can take a while to see the full effects. Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![larsenmtl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@larsenmtl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/larsenmtl)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/14 "2005-05-13T17:33:40Z")
Thanks all. I’ve been calling my doctor and checking in. My face is way worse now than when this started (only 4 days ago). The worst spots are now scabbed over and painful. He wants me to discontinue the Cleocin and up the antibiotic to Cipro. I hate to take such a strong antibiotic but hopefully, doctor knows best. He feels that the acne itself is infected and that’s what needs to be treated. Ughh… ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/15 "2005-05-13T22:49:14Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > If its anything like Acutane ,then your skin should start to molt. It removes the acne by stripping away skin layer by layer , so that you will be able to peel off disgusting strips of translucent skin. > > Stay the course and nuke the acne, in about 6 weeks , you should be able to step back and assess your condition. > > Declan They’re nothing like Acutane. Completely different mode of operation. And that’s not why Acutane works either; if that’s what happened to your skin, that’s unusual. Acutane reduces the oil production of your face - so much so that users get chapped lips and nosebleeds. It manages to affect oil production for life - quite amazing, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/16 "2005-05-14T05:32:43Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > They’re nothing like Acutane. Completely different mode of operation. > > And that’s not why Acutane works either; if that’s what happened to your skin, that’s unusual. Acutane reduces the oil production of your face - so much so that users get chapped lips and nosebleeds. It manages to affect oil production for life - quite amazing, actually. It was an interesting time of my life ,I tell ya. 5 years of living with acne and going to highschool and forever looking blech. Then six weeks later , totally clear , it was amazing. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/17 "2005-05-14T07:58:56Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > It was an interesting time of my life ,I tell ya. 5 years of living with acne and going to highschool and forever looking blech. Then six weeks later , totally clear , it was amazing. > > Declan I’ve heard that people who go on Acutane are inevitably sad they didn’t start earlier. It’s amazing what modern medicine can do. As long as you like rubbing vaseline inside your nostrils to stop the bleeding. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keflex-cephalexin-for-acne-possible-tmi/303561/18 "2005-05-14T16:48:02Z")
**Excalibre** - or they could be suffering from that famous side effect of depression! Accutane is a very powerful medication with potentially devastating side effects. It should be reserved as a last resort for serious cases of cystic acne. It is not a miracle cure for everyone with acne, it is what you turn to when NOTHING else works.