Effectiveness with low-dose doxycycline as effective as with high doses, but with greater tolerability<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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FRIDAY, March 21, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2013 Relative to high-dose doxycycline, low-dose doxycycline is comparably effective but more tolerable for lymphocytic scarring alopecias, according to a research letter published online March 18 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology<\/em>.<\/p>\n Carli Needle, from the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of low- (20 mg twice daily [BID], 40 mg daily, and 50 mg daily) versus high-dose (50 mg BID, 100 mg daily, and 100 mg BID) doxycycline for lymphocytic scarring alopecias in a retrospective review. The analysis included 241 adults treated between 2009 and 2023.<\/p>\n The researchers found that high-dose doxycycline was associated with significantly higher rates of adverse effects (AEs), most commonly gastrointestinal symptoms and photosensitivity\/rash. One in five (20.4 percent) of high-dose patients and 9.1 percent of low-dose patients reduced\/discontinued doxycycline due to AEs. Doxycycline use was associated with improvement in inflammation severity, regardless of dose, when adjusting for the presence of at least one adjunctive anti-inflammatory medication. There was no significant difference seen between the groups for progression of hair loss or improvement in number of scalp symptoms. For patient-reported outcomes, there were no significant differences between dose groups after controlling for adjunctive therapies.<\/p>\n “This study highlights the benefits of low-dose doxycycline for lymphocytic scarring alopecias, showing comparable efficacy and improved tolerability relative to high doses,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required<\/a>)<\/p>\n