Acne.org Products
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
56%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Oral Antibiotic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Antibiotics should be used for a maximum of 3 months, provide only moderate benefit and only to some people, and may lead to side effects and strains of resistant bacteria. Studies do show doxycycline can reduce severe acne in the short term, and as far as oral antibiotics are concerned, it’s usually the go-to, but approach with caution and stay your own advocate.
Oral Antibiotic
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Doxycycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 15, 2007
Cons:
None that I have found yet.
I really like this product. I was taking Vitamin B6 for over 3 years and was getting worried about using B6 for so long as it can be toxic. I will allow my body to get the B6 out of my system, whilst using doxycycline.
June 30, 2007
Pros:
It cleared up about 80% to 90% of my acne including my shoulders.
Cons:
When I didn't take it at the regular time or when I forgot to take it I felt really sick.
It was worth the 9 months that I was on it.
June 16, 2007
Pros:
Clears up small pimples right away and smooths skin works well
Cons:
has the "worse then better" kinda thing for the first few weeks used kinda got worse no other side effects for me
I had steriod induced acne till i got kicked in the face (relized that no amount of muscle could help you there :P) went to doc to see if he could help clear it up put me on tetracyclin... kinda worked. He asked me if i was happy with it i said "na" he put me on minocycline (angle choir "AWWW") minocycline worked nice you still get lil pimples every now and then but bareable this worked for me for 9 months then pescription went out. Went back to docs he said... "well cause you may have built a resestance to it we are going to put you on doxycycline" I unwillingly agreed cause minocycline worked so well for me and 3rd week worked great for me 1st week taking it i broke out bad but that was to be expected with most of these drugs... Anyways good luck with all of your treatments and know that something will work although this will probably work for you as long as you take it like you should :P
May 6, 2007
Pros:
Just started taking this yesterday - my dermatologist put me on 100mg every 12 hours. Maybe it is just my imagination (or wishful thinking), but I swear my skin feels smoother and looks less red than it did yesterday. I am also using Differin gel.
Cons:
I haven't had any nausea like others have mentioned on here, but I did have a weird stomach pain in my lower right stomach a few hours after taking it. I don't like the idea of taking such a strong antibiotic for 6 wks but if it works, worth it...
Only been on it a day, and have high hopes! Am in my early 30's and have had acne on and off for most of my life since adolescence, so would be so happy to have this clear up once and for all (that would be a miracle.) Acne is really a horrible thing, and I am so glad to have found this page to read what others are saying and realize that I at not alone (it still sucks, but at least we can all be miserable together!) :) WISHING EVERYONE GOOD LUCK AND CLEAR SKIN AND CONFIDENCE!
March 5, 2007
ive been on doxy for about 2 weeks now, at first i noticed more redness to my problem areas, and broke out a little on my chest, but it hasn't really made my acne drastically worse. i think people just need to keep on taking the full pescription, becuase in order for it to get better it needs to get worse beofre it can. my doc sed i shud notice a difference after about 2 months so am just waiting till then. will try and update wen i get there. antibiotics are different for everyone, if it doesnt suit you, dont worry just keep trying till you find something that does. good luck to everyone:)
November 3, 2006
Pros:
Clears up acne after about 6 weeks and works petty well for about a month or two.
Cons:
Most likely, this antibiotic will stop working because the bacteria in your skin will become resitant to the medication. This is more likely to occur if you miss doses or overdose.
I used doxycycline for about 5 months and it worked for about a month or two. However, I had a major acne flare and my face was even worse then before I was taking the antibiotic. If you are planning on taking this antibitotic you'll be pleased to see you're acne will go away for a little while but eventually the bacteria will become resistant to the medicine and your conditon may worsen
October 12, 2006
Pros:
easy to use!
Cons:
makes me feel kind of sick even though i take it with food and water! and the sun burn things not the best!
my skin has just really flared up this year (im 19) so i finally went to the doc and she put me on doxycycline as well as differin gel! its only my third day on it and havn't really noticed any results yet but in saying that it hasn't got worse either! im on 100mg tablets for a 3 month dose! my hormone levels are being tested too so might end up on the pill for it too if they are out of balance!
December 10, 2012
Cons:
Did absolutely NOTHING for me
Nothing positive to say. Did absolutely NOTHING for my acne. Didn't stop it from spreading or make it any better. Minocycline worked WAY better for me overall throughout the years of battling acne...
April 12, 2012
Pros:
Small size pill
Cons:
Feel ill if not taken with food
Made my face itchy
I started to see a difference with in two weeks, especially on my upper back, however I seem to become immune to it because I started to notice my face acne coming back more frequently and serve....So now my dermatologist would like we to try sulfameth...i hope to see a difference/improvement with my acne.
February 9, 2012
Pros:
Got rid of some large pimples, but definitely not all of them
Cons:
Did not clear up my face
My stomach hurt with use of it (if I ate or not)
I'm Filipino and I have moderate to severe acne (and it doesn't help that I have extremely oily skin as well). I just broke out around my 17th birthday (what a great birthday present, right?) all over my cheeks. Now, I grew up having very bad acne on my forehead but my cheeks remained relatively clear until my birthday and then all of a sudden, I was breaking out in multitudes all over my cheeks. It has, in effect, made me extremely insecure about myself. I went to the dermatologist and his assistant was there to treat me instead and prescribed me this horrible, ineffective pill. It has done nothing for me whatsoever. I saw no changes and considering the fact that my family doesn't have health insurance, the cost for this pill was extremely high. I forced myself to take it every day despite how upset my stomach made my body; I've thrown up and I've been bed ridden due to this pill and I just gave up and told my parents how this pill made me feel. I stopped using it and I started using Pro Active instead. I'm still currently in the use of it so I can't say how Pro Active has worked for me but it has done a lot more than this pill has. What I also don't like about taking pills is that it affects the whole body, not just one specific area.
Pros:
I believe that it clears up acne beautifully and it also makes the general appearance of my skin look much better.