Doxy For Syphilis

How Long Does Doxycycline Take to Cure Syphilis?: Your Guide

Written by: Dr. Natalia Fuller

When it comes to syphilis, just because your symptoms disappear doesn’t mean the infection is gone. If you’re using doxycycline to treat it, understanding how long it takes to be cured can keep you and your future partners safe.

In this article, we’ll explain what to expect during treatment, how long it might take based on your syphilis stage, and how we define a cure in medicine. While some people may see quick results, others may require months or even years of treatment to achieve a confirmed cure.

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Syphilis Stages and Doxycycline Treatment

Syphilis progresses in four stages. The length of treatment (and your chance of full recovery) depends on which stage you’re in when diagnosed.

Primary Syphilis

This is the first stage, typically marked by a sore (chancre) that appears 10–90 days after exposure.

  • Treatment: Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 14 days

  • Outcome: Symptoms often resolve in a few weeks

  • Cure Rate: Most people are fully cured within 12 months

Secondary Syphilis

This stage usually develops 2–6 weeks after the first sore appears, often causing rash or flu-like symptoms.

  • Treatment: Same as primary; Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 14 days

  • Cure Rate: About 97% within 12 months

Early Latent Syphilis

While this stage will have no symptoms, infection will have occurred within the last 12 months, often discovered through blood tests or sexual history.

  • Treatment: Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 14 days

  • Cure Rate: Around 91% at 12 months

Late Latent or Unknown Duration

This refers to infections that occurred over a year ago—or at an unknown time—with no symptoms.

  • Treatment: Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 28 to 30 days

  • Cure Rate: About 79% within 12 months

We don’t know how long the infection has been present, so late-stage treatment is longer and cure rates are lower.

When Are You Considered Cured?

Even after you’ve completed your full course of doxycycline and are no longer contagious, you are not immediately considered cured.

A full cure is defined by a fourfold drop in syphilis antibody levels in your blood, usually measured with an RPR or VDRL test.

Timeline for Blood Test Confirmation

  • Primary stage: Within 6 months

  • Secondary stage: 6–12 months

  • Early latent stage: Up to 12 months

  • Late latent or unknown duration: 12–24 months or longer

Doctors also check for:

  • No new symptoms (rashes, sores, ulcers)

  • No signs of reinfection or new exposures

  • No positive follow-up testing

Why It’s Important to Confirm a Cure

Confirming you’re cured after syphilis treatment is essential to:

  • Prevent long-term health issues like cardiac or neurological damage

  • Avoid transmitting the infection to others

  • Catch reinfection early and retreat if needed

While you can safely resume sexual activity once your course is complete, confirming a cure is about protecting your long-term health, not just your sex life.

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FAQs

What is B Brand?

B Brand is a telehealth company focused on delivering premium quality sexual health products, paired with education and resources to help people make informed decisions. We are your one-stop destination for all your intimate health needs.

How do B Brand consultations work?

To complete a B Brand consultation, all you need to do is answer our quick online medical questions. Your answers are then reviewed by our US medical team, who will decide if you are eligible for treatment, and which medication is best for you.

What is doxy-PEP?

Doxy-PEP means taking the antibiotic doxycycline after sex, to prevent getting an STI. It is like a morning-after pill but for STIs. Taking doxy-PEP reduces your chance of acquiring syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia by about two-thirds.

When should I take doxy-PEP?

Two 100 mg pills of doxycycline should be taken ideally within 24 hours but no later than 72 hours after condomless sex. Condomless sex means oral, anal or vaginal/front-hole sex where a condom isn’t used for the entire time.

What about when I have sex again?

If you have sex again within 24 hours of taking doxycycline, take another dose 24 hours after your last dose. You can take doxycycline as often as every day when you are having condomless sex but don’t take more than 200 mg (two 100 mg pills) every 24 hours.

How should I take doxy-PEP?

• Take doxycycline with plenty of water or something else to drink so that it does not get stuck when you swallow. If your stomach is upset by doxycycline, taking it with food may help.

• Some people are more sensitive to the sun when they take doxycycline, so wear sunscreen.

• Please do not share doxycycline with others.

• Avoid dairy products, calcium, antacids, or multivitamins 2 hours before after taking doxycycline

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