High-dose tetracycline therapy in severe acne.

High daily doses of tetracycline (in most instances 2,000 mg) were administered over periods of 3 to 33 months to 31 patients suffering from unusually severe, disfiguring, and treatment-resistant forms of acne (papulopustular, cystic, and conglobated). The acne cleared in 14 patients, improved greatly in 13, improved only insignificantly in 3, and failed to improve in 1. Side-effects occurred in 15 of the 31 patients but necessitated cessation of treatment in only three.