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
July 21, 2010
Ive only taken this for 2-3 days now, ill probably write another review later. My kind of acne is not the nodular, pustule types but i tend to get loads of whiteheads over my nose and sides of nose area because I constantly sweat loads there. The whiteheads and sweat also constantly make my nose look really red. What ive found is that doxycycline has stopped my sweat production in this area which was one of the main reasons why i got so much acne there. It has calmed the whiteheads from coming and therefore my nose does not look red. One problem i do have now though is that it makes my face feel really dry and tight all over but jojoba oil helps this. Ive had this problem for years, doxycycline is the only thing that has stopped this.
July 12, 2010
Cons:
Not much. I had a few bad headaches but I'm not sure if this is a side effect of this drug.
My derm prescribed the generic brand of this so it was covered by Medicaid (and thus free). I didn't have any bad effects that I knew of (aside from the headaches). And now, all I have left are a few light post-acne marks.
July 10, 2010
Pros:
Cleared My acne up really well. Not fast but still good.
Cons:
If you stop Using it acne come back, Took a couple months to clear. Sometimes gives light belly ache
I have been using it for a while and I do reccomend it to people. It will take a bit but just have pathence
June 29, 2010
Pros:
-Acne doesn't get worse
Cons:
-Nasea
-Have to plan when to take, etc.
I've been using it for about a week, twice a day with 100mg. I was VERY apprehensive about using an oral antibiotic because I don't want to mess up my immune system or have to rely on antibiotics. The nauseous feeling, I think, compares to the stomach ache you get after reading in the car to long. It's not enough to make me vomit, but I haven't had it without food yet (and I'm not going to). My derm recommended that I take it 1/2 hour after a meal whereas my pharmacy recommended 1 hr. I took it 45min after the first time and that was to long (I felt nauseous) so I take it 30 min after, and only feel sick if it was a smaller meal. Also I take 30 min after even if I have calcium, which the pharmacy and my doc said was ok. Hopefully I will see more results soon!
June 24, 2010
Pros:
Cleared up face
Cons:
Took a while to work
Made me prone to sunburn
Can't take it with anything containing calcium
Lowered platelet counts
This product took a while to kick in, but once it did, it helped a lot. I used to have moderate acne, some cystic, but now I only will have one small pimple every now and then. It was frustrating to take because I had to take it morning and night (with food, because my stomach is sensitive) but you can't take it with anything that contains calcium (because it hinders absorption of the doxy). I had to stop taking it, though because it lowered my platelet counts, which is a somewhat common side effect.
June 12, 2010
Pros:
Cleared up my cystic acne as well as pustules and pretty much everything else. Easy to take and few side effects.
Cons:
Didn't clear up my back acne at all, if anything it made it worse. The pills can upset stomach pretty badly. Takes about a month and a half to show progress.
I absolutely love doycycline (Doryx). After suffering from moderately severe acne for 6 years, I had tried every kind of topical treatment from retinins to benzyl peroxide. I finally decided to try an oral medication. My dermatologist gave me a choice between this and acutane, and I'm so glad I chose doryx! The results took a little while to show up. My face began to show a lot of progress after about a month and a half. I still get acne, but it's no where near as bad as it once was. The side effects are true, especially if you are a woman... If you've been suffering from moderately severe acne, I would recommend asking your doctor to prescribe doxycycline.
June 12, 2010
Pros:
-Cleared up about 80% of my acne
- Starts working very quickly (I noticed changes in less than a week)
Cons:
-I noticed I get sunburned easier which is no biggie really
- I noticed a gray-black stain on my bottom teeth, asked my dentist and he said this medicine is the cause, but he managed to get it off... just a warning to people who love white teeth (like me)
- You have to take it with food which is sometimes inconvenient.
I would definitely recommend this. Make sure you take it everyday though (or twice if prescribed). That seems to be what really makes it work.
May 21, 2010
Pros:
Cleared the bigger pimples in a little over a month
Helped clear out most of my back
Cons:
Still have little bumps
BE CAREFUL: Have something in your stomach when you take the pill, (like don't have it be the first thing you have in the morning), otherwise you could vomit or be extremely nauseous.
Dry lips
Staying on too long can cause damage to your immune system
It was a great way to help kick start clearing my skin. It helped not only my face, but my self confidence. I puked a couple times because of it though. Just be careful with when you eat. It says nothing within two hours, so try and respect that, but don't have a completely empty stomach when you take it. I'm trying to switch off, because if i'm on for a long period of time, I'm worried about my immune system.
May 17, 2010
Pros:
-clears skin really well periodically
-didn't take to long to get to work
-read bottom line
Cons:
-nothing, occasional sun burn easier than normal, but nothing extreme
Been on Doxy 50mg per day and differen at night for about 4-5 months or so. Started getting improvements within 2 weeks or so, not sure didn't notice a bad initial break out..just felt like a normal break out. Face was very clear after about 3 months..and since has stayed 90% clear periodically..meaning, i'll have a couple weeks of relatively clear skin, but then a week of bad, which is starting to get annoying but still the bad is still good compared to before the medication...bottom line its an awesome product, but seeing my derm this friday to see what I should do from here.
May 14, 2010
Pros:
It's cheap, and at least temporarily effective.
Cons:
Acne comes back after you stop taking it, you have to be careful about eating with it while avoiding dairy.
I was about to start taking Accutane until my insurance company declared my acne a pre-existing condition, so my dermatologist decided to put me on doxycycline and Aczone until the waiting period is over. I started taking it a week and a half ago (when my acne was pretty severe) and I'm already much clearer and my skin appears much calmer. Unfortunately, it seems to be making me tired and fuzzy headed, especially if I'm subjected to heat, and I do have to take the pills with food and stay sitting up or I'll vomit. Also, and I apologize if this is TMI, but I'm already battling a yeast infection a week and a half in. I think this is an effective drug, but with what it's doing to my body, I'd really rather be on Accutane and just get it over with.
Pros:
My face was already pretty clear. A few zits here and there. But the point is, it kept my face clear and I haven't broken out since I used it.