10 Little-Known Seysara Side Effects
Medically Reviewed by Mehetarin Sharmin
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Clinical Nutritionist & Public Health Specialist
Mehetarin Sharmin has over 17 years of experience in clinical nutrition, disease management, maternal and child health, and lifestyle guidance. She reviews all health and nutrition content to ensure accuracy, safety, and adherence to clinical guidelines, providing trusted and reliable advice.
Seysara, also known as sarecycline, is a tetracycline antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat severe acne vulgaris in adults and children over nine years old. While highly effective, it comes with potential Seysara side effects that every patient should be aware of before starting treatment.
What is Seysara?
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Seysara antibiotic fights bacterial infections causing acne.
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It does not treat viral infections, like colds.
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Works by inhibiting bacterial growth, reducing redness and swelling of acne lesions.
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Similar to doxycycline, but with a modified structure for fewer gut microbiome effects.
How Long Does Seysara Take to Work?
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Early results: ~3 weeks
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Optimal improvement: 12 weeks (22.6% of patients showed clear or almost clear skin)
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Duration beyond three months: safety unclear
Is Seysara the Same as Doxycycline?
Seysara is an antibiotic like doxycycline and was approved by the FDA for treating acne in 2018. Both two medications are in the same tetracycline class.
Additionally, Seysara has a modified structure which compares it to other tetracycline antibiotics such as doxycycline. This is also the reason behind its different pharmacologic properties.
It contains a narrower antimicrobial spectrum than minocycline and doxycycline, with less activity against enteric gram-negative bacteria.
As a result of the above, Seysara will have reduced gastrointestinal microbiome effects in quantities recommended for treating acne.
How Long Does it Take Seysara To Work?
Seysara is preferred in treating acne because it is less likely to eliminate the good bacteria in your body. It is also less likely to cause fewer side effects while reducing the bacteria that cause acne.
A study published by the National Library of Medicine indicated that 22.6% of patients taking Seysara had clear or almost clear skin after 12 weeks.
However, according to the medicine’s website, it is unclear whether taking Seysara for more than three months is safe.
If you have just started on it, you might be able to see the results as early as three weeks.
How to Take Seysara
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Administered orally as a pill, with or without food.
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Standard doses: 60mg, 100mg, 150mg
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Take with water to avoid stomach irritation.
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Consult your dermatologist for the right dosage.
Who Is Not Safe To Take Seysara?
Generally, Seysara was originally made for people with acne and is safe for most people aged 9-30. However, some clinical studies have found the drug effective for people up to 45 years of age.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the following people should not take this medicine:
- Pregnant women or breastfeeding women. This is because the drug can harm the baby and can be transmitted to the baby via breast milk.
- Children under nine years of age.
- Those who are allergic to the tetracycline class antibiotics, which the drug falls under.
- Those with a history of oesophageal issues.
What Are the Drug Interactions of Seysara?
Inasmuch as Seysara is a great medicine to fight the bacteria that cause acne, the drug has powerful properties. Due to this, mixing it with other medications can lead to dire reactions.
If you are taking this medicine, consider avoiding the following medication:
- Avoid coadministration of Seysara and oral retinoids because tetracyclines can increase intracranial pressure like oral retinoids.
- Strontium, which is important for bone health and osteoporosis.
- Similar strong antibiotics like penicillin. This is because Seysara may interfere with the bactericidal function of penicillin.
- The cholera vaccine. This is because it can affect effectiveness.
- Anticoagulants because Seysara may depress the plasma prothrombin activity. This may, in turn, increase the risk of bleeding in patients who are on anticoagulant therapy.
Additionally, for optimal absorption of Seysara, consider waiting for 2-3 hours after taking supplements or medication that contain the following:
- Aluminium
- Milk
- Iron
- Calcium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
What Are the Pros of Seysara?
- The drug only has one dose per day.
- You can choose whether to take the drug with or without food.
- This drug may have lower risk side effects compared to similar acne treatments.
- This drug is okay for people with mild or moderate liver or kidney issues.
10 Little-Known Seysara Side Effects
Like every medicine, there are risks and benefits. Even if this drug is effective, it has several side effects. Below are 10 little-known Seysara side effects that you should expect:
Causes slow bone growth
This is among the major Seysara side effects in children taking the medicine. However, slow bone growth can be reversible after the completion of treatment.
Causes diarrhea
As with most antibiotics, diarrhea is among the common Seysara side effects. The diarrhea is a result of an intestinal infection. Make a point of reaching out to your doctor if you spot watery or bloody stool.
Causes intracranial pressure
Most people also experience increased pressure around the brain (intracranial pressure) as one of Seysara side effects. You will most likely get this side effect if you are a female with childbearing potential and are overweight.
You will likely experience this if you have an intracranial pressure history.
Causes permanent teeth discoloration
Permanent teeth discoloration is among the common Seysara side effects, especially in children developing teeth.
May cause infertility in males
Although rarely, some males can experience infertility as one of Seysara side effects. Sarecycline can cause reproductive risks in males.
In animal samples, sarecycline greatly affected spermatogenesis when administered orally at 8 times the maximum recommended amount.
To be safe, consider avoiding this medication if you are a male attempting to conceive.
May harm the unborn baby
If you are pregnant, one of Seysera side effects you might experience is harm to your unborn child. This treatment may lead to slow bone development and discoloration of your baby’s teeth later in their development.
If you get pregnant while on this medication, stop immediately and contact your doctor.
May cause infections
The prolonged use of Seysara may lead to one of the common Seysara side effects, such as vaginal yeast infection or thrush.
Call your doctor immediately if you notice white patches in your mouth or a change in the color of your vaginal discharge.
May cause allergic reactions
Allergic reactions are one of Seysara side effects that rarely hit Seysara users.
However, make point of reaching out to your doctor if you notice adverse allergic reaction symptoms such as fever, lymph node swelling, or rush.
May lead to light sensitivity
If you are taking this medicine, light sensitivity is among the side effects that you may experience. This medicine can make your skin sensitive to the sun and cause major sunburns.
Causes dizziness and lightheadedness
Seysara may lead to lightheadedness or dizziness, where you feel like the room is spinning. Due to these side effects, avoid activities that require full attention, such as driving.
Conclusion
Seysara is highly effective for treating severe acne, but it comes with potential Seysara side effects like bone growth issues, teeth discoloration, infertility, and light sensitivity.
Always consult your dermatologist before starting treatment, and stop immediately if severe reactions occur. Alternatives like doxycycline and minocycline are available for those who cannot tolerate Seysara.
For further guidance on acne treatments and safe prescription use, check the FlabFix homepage and the Brian Syuki Program for holistic health recommendations.
