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
June 17, 2009
Cons:
none
With the broad range of antibiotics available for other infections, I certainly wouldn't worry about developing "resistance" to the bacteria causing my scalp acne.
June 10, 2009
Pros:
helps with inflammation a bit
Cons:
hurts stomach, doesnt work well enough
I really want to discourage anyone from using oral antibiotics for acne. First of all, using antibiotics like this for a prolonged period of time can cause problems down the road if you get seriously sick and need antibiotics, as they might be less effective since your body has grown used to them. For me it just didnt work. It helped with larger blemishes and inflammation but my acne problem was basically the same. It also can cause an upset stomache and the price is ridiculous. So just stick with topical acne products, they're your best bet.
May 14, 2009
Pros:
The medicine helped clear up my acne a little bit in the beginning.
Cons:
I barely noticed any results. Sometimes taking the medicine made me a bit nauseous. And the pills are huge!
I've had acne for several years now and I've tried basically everything, and nothing will get rid of it. I was on this medicine for about a year and noticed no change at all. However, I'm not saying it won't work for other people. Why not give it a try?
May 1, 2009
Pros:
it works almost instantly i noticed a difference in almost 3 days
Cons:
the first time i took it i felt nausea but its because i didn't eat. It does say u must take with food so i cannot blame the medicine.
buy it!it really works and you'll be happy you did!you'll start noticing better skin almost instantly! the skin irritation and the redness will start going away before u know it i know how bad it can hurt sometimes & how irritating it is! i've suffered from it since i was a little girl b=)
April 19, 2009
Pros:
Fades inflamation in a couple of weeks.
Covered by Insurance
Cons:
Nausea, Vomiting, Diareah
Ive been on the product for an exact month now and the stomach issues are making me want to rethink other options.
February 4, 2009
Pros:
Worked within the first 2 weeks I started taking it.
Cons:
Gives upset stomach if not taken with food or enough food. Also doesn't work when taken with milk.
Cheap, easy, effective but stomach ache can be pretty obnoxious. almost all my acne is gone and only one breakout since starting.
September 26, 2008
Pros:
My skin is it's worse around the time of my period and usually takes the rest of the month to recover, Doxycyclin helped and I saw my face start to clear up fairly quickly after starting the antibiotics.
Cons:
Antibiotics are bad for you and long term usage can cause immunity/decreased efficacy. Antibiotics also cause the flora in your body to change and can result in many secondary conditions.
I think the ill-effects of antibiotics outweighs the potential for clearing up acne. I don't see why anyone would want to be on antibiotics for longer than 14 days, tops, and especially not long term. Also, antibiotics are not going to cure your acne, it'll just come back after you're done the treatment. The only reason I can see this being a good choice is if you want to get rid of your breakouts quickly, and for a short period of time, such as a special occassion.
September 20, 2008
Pros:
It reduces inflammation. Health plan covers the cost.
Cons:
Terrible side effects. Seems to make skin worse before better. Takes many weeks to see results. Can't eat two hours before or after taking it because medicine won't absorb properly and taking it on an empty stomache causes neausea.
I took this for moderate/severe acne and it took about 4 weeks to see a slight improvement. I had side effects like headaches, neausea, and it also messed with my appetite. It was hard to function properly while taking this. I would recommend it only because I do think it probably does work for other people but for some reason my body didn't agree with it. Overall, it keeps the acne at bay but also gives an initial break out the first week of taking it as your body gets adjusted to the med.
July 25, 2008
Pros:
havent seen any good from this yet
Cons:
getting worse and worse by the week i was told this was gonna happen thow you know how they always say gets worse before better talk uuughhh!!!!
ive been on this doxycycl hyc 100 for like 3 weeks now and all i see is more acne bigger red hurts like hell acne now i was told this is gonna make it worst because its pushing all the bad bacteria out now ive gotten no sideffects i drink the water and eat and im fine but all i see is more acne now is there somebody out there that can tell me how long this stuff takes to kick in cuz im about to go back to that doctor and shove these blue pills up her a**!!!!!
February 19, 2008
Pros:
its cheap, um ive been using it for a week it took away 2 or 3 zits but nothng more...
Cons:
its okay and i hope itm akes a diff cuz im trying this for a month to c results
try it i guess
Pros:
Take it for acne of the scalp. Takes a little while t work, then pretty much keeps it under control. Still have an occasional bout of scalp acne, but not nearly as bad as when I not taking it!