On 10/8/2018 at 2:08 PM, 25andSensitive said:

Hi everyone! I really hope I get at least one reply! lol  I have been browsing this site for a while and reading up about many treatments I have tried to treat my hormonal acne! Unforuntaely, I also suffer from rosacea and perioral dermatitis (though these are pretty much under control now THANK GOODNESS). Anyway, my new derm just gave me Spiro. I am to take 100 mg a day (50 mg in the morning. 50 mg in the evening.)

MY QUESTIONS:
* Has anyone here started Spiro on 100 mg?? What should expect? 

I was put on spiro 100mg back in Jan 2018. It took about 3-4 months to actually see very minor improvement on my skin. I still broke out but not the big painful bumps. My regular periods became very irregular. To the point it came every other week. My hair became very dry and brittle. I should've stopped but I was so blind to search for that perfect skin. See below.

* How long to get 100% clear? Will I get worse before better? 

I quit before I go 100% clear. Fair warning - and plenty of people have posted about this. You MAY or MAY NOT lose hair. I lost nearly 60% of my density from spiro. I just had a second opinion since my first derm (who prescribed spiro) didn't think spiro was the cause. Jumping to 100mg was very irresponsible on my first derms part (second opinion derm said this). I am now paying for it dearly. If I could turn back time, I'd never go on spiro. My skin, funny enough, is pretty clear now. 

* My acne is now considered mild thanks to VELTIN (used it for a month and a half now) and I just had an extraction facial 5 days ago so my skin doesn™t look awful now. Just hyperpigmentation. However, my acne flares always right before my period....
IS IT WORTH IT TO TAKE SPIRO NOW FOR MILD BUT PERSISTANT CYSTIC ACNE? Or should I just wait a little longer on Veltin (Retin-A day antibiotic combo).

Thank you so much!!!

A little background on me (skip if you™re not too interested):

I had VERY mild acne (here and there I™d get 1 quick healing Whitehead pimple throughout college. Usually before my period). After college, that™s kinda when the crap hit the fan. I started getting cysts on my jawline. I went to the derm for my first time ever then. She gave me Epiduo and Tazorac (made my skin PEEL off and turns BRIGHT red...I used the directed amount. I™m just very fair and sensitive). When she saw how I reacted to the topicals, she just prescribe 100 mg doxycycline. I WAS RID OF ACNE IN A WEEK!!! I had no more cysts for about a year or so. Then they came back but pretty mild. One quick healing cyst right before my period. I thought œI can handle that. So I just bought full coverage foundation and learned how to cover that one cyst really well. Well, over time one cyst became two...and then three...and they were taking longer to go away. So I went back to the same derm. Again, antibiotics. Now, THIS was my biggest mistake. :™( My face BLEW UP. Full face of acne. I was on antibiotics for 3 months. My acne was not getting better. I was prescribed epiduo again. Again, my face burned. Hyperpigmentation was awful. I am very fair. I also developed rosacea and perioral dermatitis at this point. Maybe caused by he stress of the whole ordeal. Maybe hormones. Idk. I was a mess.  Did I mention this all happened RIGHT when I first started dating my boyfriend? I felt so ashamed of my face but he has been so supportive and has loved me through it (I™m tearing up right now thinking about it. I™m so blessed to have had him through this). :™) Anyway, I™ve discontinued everything. Including that derm!!! And I eventually got better...but it took nearly a year to be where I am now. I currently alternate Metrocream and Veltin in the evenings. I use Onexton in the mornings. Violet extract for perioral dermatitis. And maybe, SPIRO will control my monthly breakouts that still remain after all this drama. After all, fixing my hormonal acne was  all that I was trying to do all along. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR READING! <3

If if I do start Spiro, I plan on making a log to help others! 

I would DEFINITELY NOT take spiro if I were you. You say your acne is mild and you have hyperpigmenation, try a skin brightening serum (Tatchas has done WONDERS for me - its pricey but worth it). Spiro is NOT worth the side effects, and do you really want to be dependent on a Steroid for clear skin? Try a gut cleansing diet, a good brightening serum, some Fish oil pills and possibly spearmint if you think your acne is a hormonal issue. 100mg of Spiro is a lot to start out on and NOT worth the potential side effect oftelogen efluvium.

Thank you for your suggestion! For a yearI was on a strictpaleo diet in attempts to fix my skin. No alcohol or caffeine either, obviously.I ate lots of veggies and salmon and drank tons of water. Really, a great diet! I took probiotics every day and drank kombucha regularly as well. These things did help slightly.I saw an allergist and also a Chinese medicine doctor. However, I just say that nothing has helped me like Spironolactone 100 mg a day. I no longer get painful cystic acne on my jawline and I am so relieved.

On 12/14/2018 at 1:48 AM, ChristinaMarie13 said:

I would DEFINITELY NOT take spiro if I were you. You say your acne is mild and you have hyperpigmenation, try a skin brightening serum (Tatchas has done WONDERS for me - its pricey but worth it). Spiro is NOT worth the side effects, and do you really want to be dependent on a Steroid for clear skin? Try a gut cleansing diet, a good brightening serum, some Fish oil pills and possibly spearmint if you think your acne is a hormonal issue. 100mg of Spiro is a lot to start out on and NOT worth the potential side effect oftelogen efluvium.

Thank you so much for your recommendations! Maybe Ill check out the Tatcha serum you suggested. Im using pure rosehip oil right now actually and its worked wonders over the past weeks.I definitely understand your concern butImso so glad I started taking spiro. Its not a steroid, actually. Its a dieuretic originally used to treat high blood pressure.I am now three months in and no longer get painful cystic acne. My skin is not perfect but sooooo much better. I know everyones experiences will be different but for me, it was definitely worth it.

On 12/6/2018 at 9:54 AM, maryxhenderson84 said:

 

Wow!!!! Thanks so much forsharing you detailed experience. Ive heard about this side effect (hair loss) from a lot of women! I FORTUNATELY experienced the opposite! Ive been on spiro now (100 mg) for three months and about 4 weeks in I started getting compliments from co-workers that my hair was looking great and a lot fuller/longer. I couldnt believe it at first but now I know it really is true. My hair is drier (my hair was extremelyoilybefore spiro though) but I prefer it this way because I dont have to wash it everyday like I had to before. I also used to get some hair on my tummy (like a very sparsehappy trail almost) before and now I dont grow hair there at all. I think the dosage of spiro is very delicate matter. Too high or too low in mg and your body can freak out. Just right canbalance your hormones out very well in time (from my experience, at least).