Doxycycline
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Doxycycline is an oral antibiotic that works by fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation. It should...

Doxycycline is an oral antibiotic that works by fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation. It should be used only short term (max. 3 months).

It is usually prescribed at a dose of 50 to 100 mg once or twice per day.

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3.4
1460
5
20.4%
4
35.1%
3
21.8%
2
12.1%
1
10.5%

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June 21, 2010

Pros:

Clears up Acne some, but not nearly as much as you expect. I was on it for a while, and it worked really well but quit working then was put on monocycline and that didn't work so i stopped taking any oral medications for a while. My doctor then put me back on doxycycline and there has only been a minor improvement. I do not have severe acne whatsoever, but I do want clearer skin and this did not work that well.

Cons:

Slow to work
Does not fully clear up the skin
Bad stomach ache if not eaten with food

Try Acutane, if too expensive, there is a generic version that works wonders
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June 7, 2010

Pros:

Does clear acne
No side effects for me
Easy to swallow

Cons:

None

Its been exactly 13 weeks on this pill and i gotta say my pimples on my forehead has cleared up but they still keep coming back smaller ones then before. But this isn't good enough for clearing all of your acne, its ok for a period of time.
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May 28, 2010

Pros:

-Clears acne
-Quick fix

Cons:

-My side-effects: fatigue, gas , stomach aches
-if you skip a pill your acne gradually comes back

I'm kind of unsure about this pill...when paired with benzaclin it cleared up my face 99% yet when I look at my back and chest(that I don't use benzaclin on) it has moderate acne. Who knows which ones really clearing up my skin. To be fair, I was on proactiv since the begginning of puberty so I have no idea what my acne's badness potential is. The gas was really bad for me in the beginning. Like REALLY BAD. And yet I take the timed-realese version and I always take it with food. And I think my extreme tiredness maybe due to doxy. My advice: try some harsh precription topicals like benzaclin BEFORE you try this pill. Especially if ur acne is just moderate. Because once you start this pill, you're afraid to stop. And please, research the side-effects.
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May 6, 2010

Pros:

Don't know

Cons:

Naseau

I've only used it for one day and for one hour following I had naseau. Will wait longer to see if it works
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April 30, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up some of my severe acne

Cons:

I still kept breaking out, and had to use AcneFree while on it, but broke out still.

Doxycycline was alright for me for a few months, but stopped working after a period of time- I have severe acne so I still kept breaking out even though I used it. It made me so naseaus even if I had a small meal- If you have light acne I guess it would work better, but not for severe conditions,sadly.
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April 25, 2010

Pros:

easy to take, not expensive

Cons:

had to take twice a day, couldn't eat dairy products with it, or take anitacids.. that was a pain. had severe stomach pains

clears severe acne FAST.
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April 22, 2010

Pros:

Helped clear up face- cleared up after about 2 weeks

Cons:

Acne returned after about 6 weeks
Had terrible reaction after 3 months where pain in throat, chest, back prevented me from eating for a week until I stopped taking it. Went back to normal after stopping.

It was a nice 4 weeks I was clear and healthy but the inability to eat without pain wasn't worth it.
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December 16, 2009

Pros:

Starting to clear up skin

Cons:

I'm on the 150mg Slow release pill and OMG it's like a horse pill!! Can they make it any bigger??? ;) Anyways besides it being really hard to swallow, and upsetting my stomach a little bit nothing else so far.

I started to take this on Monday so 3 days now. Before I started to take it, I had the worst breakout ever! I mean at least 20 big pimples on my face and a TON on my arms shoulders back and chest. I look like a walking pimple! I had one on my arm that was double stacked! Freaking gross!! Anyways now that I have totally grossed everyone out my point is the Doxycycline seems to be making the breakout go away. I have those cystic acne ones that are a bugger to get rid of. They take WEEKS to go down and they seem to be getting smaller and less painful! My main goal is to get accutane but if this works heck I swallow a horse pill every morning!! I already took the Monocyclin and it made me really sick so I stopped taking it after 2 weeks. I'm totally allergic to Penicillin, so hopefully this works for me! Also I got these as a sample from my Derm so I don't know what my co-pay is going to be. My last one for the monocyclin was 20.00
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December 16, 2009

Pros:

Works well, more convenient than slathering creams on your face almost constantly, plus you get to avoid the burning and dryness that comes with most prescription acne creams.

Cons:

Aside from the stomach-based issues that have been mentioned endlessly, after taking doxycycline for a month, I learned that yeast infections were not just the domain of women. Just saying.

Between the constantly upset stomach and the yeast infection, I decided that acne was the lesser of all evils. I stopped taking the doxycycline after the yeast infection turned up, and whenever I would take even one pill, the yeast infection would flare up and I'd have to make sure I was always within close proximity to a washroom. Plus antibiotics aren't a long term fix anyways. I, for one, don't feel all that inclined to disturbing the bacterial balances of my body indefinitely. Further along that grain, replacing a benign skin issue with one that is, ahem, less socially accepted was hardly appealing. The only thing appealing was the cost. I was prescribed Periostat to be taken multiple times daily (20mg 3x/day) and though the sticker price is $3/pill, it worked out to $10 for 90 pills once the insurance kicked in.
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December 7, 2009

Pros:

Really cleared up acne.

Cons:

Depression is BAD.

I like feeling happy and the bottom line is that I would rather have a few breakouts than feel like i want to kill myself. Doxy made me very very depressed. Hope to feel like myself again.
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website