Doxycycline is a generic prescription drug used to treat certain infections and acne. It’s also available as the brand-name drug Acticlate. Doxycycline can cause side effects ranging from mild to serious including increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Doxycycline is prescribed to treat the following conditions in adults and some children:

In addition, doxycycline may be prescribed to prevent or treat malaria.

Doxycycline comes as an oral tablet and an oral capsule. It also comes in the following forms, which are not covered in this article:

  • delayed-release tablet (from which the drug is slowly released into your body over time)
  • oral liquid suspension
  • liquid solution for intravenous (IV) infusion (an injection into a vein given over time)

Keep reading to learn about the common, mild, and serious side effects doxycycline can cause. For a general overview of the drug, including details about its uses, see this in-depth doxycycline article.

Some people may experience mild to serious side effects during doxycycline treatment. Examples of the drug’s commonly reported side effects include:

Not everyone who takes doxycycline will experience these side effects. And there are other possible side effects the drug may cause. The following sections detail more mild and serious side effects reported with doxycycline treatment.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Doxycycline’s side effects explained” section.

Mild side effects have been reported with doxycycline. These include:

In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. And some may be easily managed. But if you have symptoms that are ongoing or bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop taking doxycycline unless your doctor recommends it.

Doxycycline may cause mild side effects other than those listed above. See the drug’s prescribing information for details.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Doxycycline’s side effects explained” section.

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Serious side effects have been reported with doxycycline. These include:

If you develop serious side effects while taking doxycycline, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Doxycycline’s side effects explained” section.

Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. If you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with doxycycline, visit MedWatch.

ALLERGIC REACTION

For some people, doxycycline can cause an allergic reaction.

In general, symptoms of an allergic reaction can be mild or serious.

What might help

If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may suggest a treatment to manage your symptoms and can determine whether you should keep taking doxycycline.

If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.

If your doctor confirms you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to doxycycline, they may have you switch to a different treatment.

Doxycycline is used to help treat certain infections in children ages 8 years and older.

This drug may be prescribed for children under the age of 8 years when:

  • there are no other treatments for their infection
  • the risks of not treating the infection outweigh the risks of taking doxycycline

Doxycycline can cause permanent tooth discoloration or enamel hypoplasia if the drug is taken by children under 8 years old. These side effects can be permanent and are possible even if doxycycline is only taken for a short time.

Due to this risk, doctors typically avoid prescribing doxycycline to children under 8 years of age unless there are no other treatments available or the benefits of using doxycycline outweigh the risks.

For more information about potential side effects of this medication in children, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Get answers to some frequently asked questions about doxycycline’s side effects.

Should I expect side effects after stopping doxycycline?

No, stopping doxycycline treatment isn’t expected to cause specific or different side effects.

With some medications, stopping treatment can cause withdrawal symptoms. These are uncomfortable side effects that can happen when you stop taking a drug your body is used to. Withdrawal symptoms have not been reported with doxycycline, though.

Talk with your doctor if you have questions about stopping treatment with this medication.

How long do doxycycline’s side effects last?

Most doxycycline side effects are short term, but some may be long term in rare cases. Long-term side effects include those that may start at any time you’re taking a drug, even if you’ve taken it for a long time. It also refers to side effects that may not go away, even after you stop taking the drug.

Examples of long-term side effects reported in studies of doxycycline include:

  • permanent tooth discoloration, if the drug is taken by children under age 8 years
  • C. diff-associated diarrhea (CDAD)
  • inflammation and ulcers in the esophagus
  • liver damage
  • intracranial hypertension*

Talk with your doctor to learn more about possible doxycycline side effects and how long they may last.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Doxycycline’s side effects explained” section.

Can doxycycline cause fatigue?

It’s not thought to. Doxycycline is prescribed to treat certain infections, and fatigue is a common symptom caused by these infections. Fatigue isn’t a side effect reported in doxycycline studies.

However, fatigue can be a symptom of certain side effects doxycycline may cause, such as liver damage, pericarditis,* or intracranial hypertension.*

But fatigue can be caused by many other factors besides those related to doxycycline or an infection. If you have symptoms of fatigue, contact your doctor. They can help determine possible causes of your symptoms and how to treat them.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Doxycycline’s side effects explained” section.

Learn more about some of the side effects doxycycline may cause.

Increased sensitivity to sunlight

Increased sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity) was a common side effect reported in studies of doxycycline. This side effect increases your risk of sunburn and other skin symptoms if you are exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) light.

Photosensitivity may cause symptoms such as:

  • exaggerated sunburn or skin rash, which may blister, peel, or weep in severe cases
  • skin itchiness

What might help

To lower your risk of photosensitivity symptoms, you should try to avoid excessive exposure to direct sunlight and other UV light, like tanning beds. If you’ll be exposed to the sun while taking doxycycline, it’s very important to protect your skin using sunscreen or protective clothing, such as long sleeves and a hat.

If you have symptoms of photosensitivity during doxycycline treatment, talk with your doctor. They’ll likely recommend a treatment based on your symptoms, such as a corticosteroid cream to reduce inflammation in the affected area. They’ll also likely have you stop taking doxycycline.

Intracranial hypertension (IH)

IH (increased pressure in fluid around the brain) is a rare side effect reported with doxycycline. This side effect can be serious and may cause long-term eye problems in severe cases.

Symptoms of IH may include:

Factors that increase your risk of IH while taking doxycycline include:

  • being a female* who has previously had IH
  • being a female who is overweight
  • taking the medication isotretinoin (Accutane) at the same time as doxycycline

* In this article, we use the term ”female” to refer to someone’s sex assigned at birth. To learn more about this topic, see this article comparing sex and gender.

What might help

Intracranial hypertension often goes away once you stop taking doxycycline. But in rare cases, this side effect can cause irreversible complications, including permanent vision loss.

Due to this risk, immediately contact your doctor if you have symptoms of IH while taking doxycycline — especially eye or vision symptoms. They’ll likely have you stop taking doxycycline and recommend that you schedule an eye exam with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis (inflammation around your heart) has been reported with doxycycline treatment. It’s not clear how often this side effect happened in these studies, but it’s thought to be rare.

Symptoms of pericarditis can include:

What might help

If you have chest pain, seek immediate medical attention by calling 911 (or your local emergency number) or going to the nearest hospital or emergency room. Chest pain can be a symptom of a more serious medical emergency, such as a heart attack.

Pericarditis can be treated, although it can take weeks for your symptoms to go away. If your doctor believes you have pericarditis, they’ll likely suggest you stop taking doxycycline. They can also recommend appropriate treatment for your pericarditis, such as colchicine or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.

Keeping track of side effects

During your doxycycline treatment, consider taking notes on any side effects you’re having. You can then share this information with your doctor. This is especially helpful when you first start a new drug or combination of treatments.

Your side effect notes can include things such as:

  • what dose of the drug you were taking when you had the side effect
  • how soon you had the side effect after starting that dose
  • what your symptoms were
  • how your symptoms affected your daily activities
  • what other medications you were taking
  • any other information you feel is important

Sharing notes with your doctor will help them learn more about how doxycycline affects you. They can then use this information to adjust your treatment plan if needed.

Doxycycline can sometimes cause harmful effects in people with certain conditions. This is known as a drug-condition interaction. Other factors may also affect whether doxycycline is a good treatment option for you.

Talk with your doctor about your health history before taking doxycycline. Be sure to tell them if any of the following factors apply to you:

  • blood cell problem, such as anemia
  • chronic pancreatitis
  • CDAD after taking doxycycline or another antibiotic in the past
  • intracranial hypertension in the past
  • liver condition, such as hepatitis
  • occupation that requires prolonged time in the sun
  • pericarditis or other heart condition, such as heart failure
  • previous allergic reaction to doxycycline
  • pregnancy
  • breastfeeding
  • alcohol consumption

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.