Overview of Fusidic Acid User Reviews

This section contains all of the individual user reviews and antibiotic susceptibilty rankings for FUSIDIC ACID (Fucidin, Fomax).

If you have used Fusidic Acid as a treatment for acne vulgaris, please share your experience and opinions.

Type of Treatment: Rx Medication – Antibiotic (Oral and Topical) - Fusidic Acid Family

How It Works: Fusidic Acid is an antibiotic. Antibiotics can improve acne symptoms by limiting the growth of bacteria that contribute to Acne Vulgaris.

When is this medication used? Fusidic Acid is is used for the treatment of all types of acne, from very mild to severe (Acne Types: 1-4). In cases of moderate to severe acne (Acne Types: 3-4), fusidic acid is often combined with complementary treatments.

Frequency of Fusidic Acid Resistant P. acnes Bacteria: Rare. (What does this mean?)

Official Name: Fusidic Acid
Popular Brand Names: Foban, Fucidin, Stanicid and Fusimax.

Important Note: The information provided on this site is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases. The Science of Acne strongly encourages you to consult a qualified medical professional before making any treatment decisions. For the complete disclaimer, click here.

Overall (Composite) Ranking for Fusidic Acid

The COMPOSITE ranking is calculated from a combination of all of the individual rankings for this medication (EFFECTIVENESS, ADVERSE EFFECTS and ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY).

This ranking is scored on a scale of 1 (WORST) to 5 (BEST).

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Effectiveness Ranking for Fusidic Acid

Fusidic acid is generally well reviewed by acne patients, although it is not a commonly used medication. Fusidic acid tends to be moderately effective against mild to moderate acne. Topical fusidic acid is generally not completely effective as monotherapy (used alone) against moderate to severe inflammatory acne.

The EFFECTIVENESS ranking is based on patient reports of how effective this medication was at improving their acne symptoms.

This ranking is scored on a scale of 1 (NOT EFFECTIVE) to 5 (VERY EFFECTIVE).

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Adverse Effects Ranking for Fusidic Acid

The ADVERSE EFFECTS ranking is based on patient reports about the adverse effects and side effects that they experienced with this medication.

This ranking is scored on a scale of 1 (NO SIDE EFFECTS) to 5 (SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS).

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Antibiotic Susceptibility Ranking for Fusidic Acid

The ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY ranking is based on scientific research reports about the antibiotic sensitivity of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), which is a bacterium that is a primary cause of acne symptoms. Our antibiotic susceptibility data is generated from the combined results of over 50 independent scientific studies. For more information about which antibiotics are most effective against P. acnes bacteria, visit the Antibiotic Susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes page.

Frequency of Fusidic Acid Resistant P. acnes Bacteria: Rare. (What does this mean?)

This ranking is scored on a scale of 1 (NOT SUSCEPTIBLE) to 5 (VERY SUSCEPTIBLE).

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User Recommendations for Fusidic Acid

The USER RECOMMENDATIONS chart indicates how many reviewers recommended this medication as a treatment for Acne Vulgaris. These recommendations are only from The Science of Acne users. For additional reviews of this medication from outside sources, refer to the section below.

There are four options available for this ranking:

YES (definitely recommended)
MAYBE (conditionally recommended)
NO (not recommended)
DON’T KNOW (no opinion)

Outside Reviews of Fusidic Acid

The following is a list of links to pages that review or discuss the use of this medication. Note: Some of these reviews are not specific to the use of this medication in the treatment of Acne Vulgaris.

Additional Patient Reviews of Fusidic Acid: Acne.org, DailyStrength.org, RateADrug.com, ReviewStream.com.

Fusidic Acid Background

Fusidic acid is an antibiotic that inhibits the growth of susceptible bacteria by preventing them from synthesizing new proteins.  Fusidic acid works by blocking the normal function of Elongation Factor G, which is essential for the translation of bacterial genes into proteins.  Fusidic acid is most effective in the treatment of Gram-positive bacteria, a group that inludes the acne causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes.  Fusidic acid is not highly active against many Gram-negative bacteria.

Fusidic acid is available in topical and oral formulations, but is most commonly used as a topical treatment.  Fusidic acid is often combined with other medications in combination treatments.  Several pharmaceutical preparations blend fusidic acid with corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medications).  Fusidic acid can also be combined with other antibiotics.  Research indicates that the combination of fusidic acid with rifampycin family antibiotics may be especially effective.

Fusidic acid was developed more than 40 years ago, and was never among the most popular antibiotics.  However, the increasing problems with antibiotic resistant bacteria have led to a renewed interest in this medication.  Because fusidic acid has a different mechanism of action than other common antibiotics, it is often used in combination with other treatments (except quinolone antibiotics).  Fusidic acid is often used in the treatment of skin infections caused by Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Corynebacterium species of bacteria, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  Fusidic acid is also a first-choice medication for the treatment for the skin disease Impetigo.

Additional Names for Fusidic Acid: Acide Fusidique, Acido Fusidico, Acidum Fusidicum, Afucid, Afusidique, Betafusin, Biofucid, Dermofucin, Dermomycin, Dermy, Desdek, Diacutis, Diethanolamine fusidate, Ezaderm, Fuci, Fucibet (Fusidic Acid and Betamethasone), Fucicream (Fusidic Acid and Betamethasone), Fucide, Fucidine, Fucithalmic, Fucizon, Fudic, Fudikin, Fugen, Fusextrine, Fusibact, Fusicutan, Fusid, Fusiderm, Fusidin, Fusidinsäure, Fusimax, Fusimed, Fusindac, Futasole, Natrii fusidas, Natriumfusidat, Phucidin, Sodium Fusidate, Stanicid, Taksta, Tricidine, Uciderm and Verutex.

Cost and Availability of Fusidic Acid

When possible, fusidic acid should be obtained through consultation of a physician. Some doctors and dermatologists are familiar with this medication, but many are not.  Fusidic acid is widely available internationally, but not in the United States. It is available in both generic and brand name formulations. Generic formulations of fusidic acid tend to be  moderately expensive. Brand name and compounded formulations of fusidic acid tend to be moderately expensive to very expensive.

Important Note: The information provided above is not intended as a recommendation or endorsement. The Science of Acne encourages you to adhere to all applicable legal regulations in your jurisdiction. Before ordering pharmaceutical medications online, please read our overview: A Guide to Buying Prescription Medications on the Internet.

Related Articles from The Science of Acne

In Depth: Fusidic Acid and Acne
Avoiding Negative Drug Interactions
A Guide to Buying Prescription Medications on the Internet
Prescription Medications Used in Acne Treatment
What causes acne?

References and Sources

Books

PDR Staff Writers. 2011. 2011 Physicians’ Desk Reference
Gallagher. 2011. Antibiotics Simplified, Second Edition
Habif. 2009. Clinical Dermatology
Goodheart. 2006. Acne For Dummies
Bartlett. 2012. Johns Hopkins Antibiotics Guide 2012 (Johns Hopkins Medicine)

Online Resources

Fusidic Acid @ Wikipedia
Physician’s Insert for Fusidic Acid
Oral Fusidic Acid Information @ Drugs.com

Scientific Research Articles

1. Spelman. 1999. Fusidic acid in skin and soft tissue infections.
2. Sommkr, et al. 2006. Investigation of the mechanism of action of 2% fusidic acid lotion in the treatment of acne vulgaris.
3. Hoeffler, et al. 1976. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes and Related Microbial Species.
4. Werner, et al. 2002. Mupirocin, fusidic acid and bacitracin: activity, action and clinical uses of three topical antibiotics.
5. Ross, et al.  2003. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antibiotic-resistant Propionibacterium acnes isolated from acne patients attending dermatology clinics in Europe, the U.S.A., Japan and Australia.