Overview

Bad acne can cause your self-esteem to plummet and may even affect your job prospects and your personal relationships. Finding a medication that works on your acne might be challenging, but dermatologists can prescribe many different types of drugs to treat your pimples. Although it's not common, your dermatologist might prescribe Gantanol, an oral sulfa drug, for your acne.

Causes

Bad acne occurs when bacteria infects blocked pores. Unfortunately, the oily skin commonly present in acne creates a perfect environment for these pimple-promoting bacteria to grow and multiply. The resulting inflammation and infection can spread from a small patch of pimples to create widespread acne.

Function

Gantanol, a sulfamethoxazole drug, fights the bacteria that promotes acne, according to the website Sulfamethoxazole.org. Gantanol is an oral medication, and you should consume it with a full 8-oz. glass of water. Your doctor will tell you how much of the medication you should take, and you shouldn't exceed the recommended dosage.

Effects

If Gantanol works against your acne, you should start seeing results within a week or two, according to the website Sulfamethoxazole.org. It may not be safe to take Gantanol long-term because it potentially can increase your risk of infections and other health issues. The medication also may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, and it may itch and break out into a rash. A few people react severely to Gantanol, with bad abdominal cramps and diarrhea. If this happens to you, consult your doctor immediately.

Results

Dermatologists don't commonly prescribe Gantanol for acne. In one medical study review, published in the September 2007 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, clinicians led by Dr. K. Amin noted that sulfamethoxazole represents a third-line defense against acne. However, your dermatologist may opt to try Gantanol if more commonly prescribed drugs fail to bring your acne under control.

Considerations

Instead of Gantanol, which contains just sulfamethoxazole, dermatologists more frequently prescribe oral medications with a combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, another antibiotic. These combination medications, which include Bactrim and Septra, seem to work better than sulfamethoxazole alone to curb acne-causing bacteria.