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
December 16, 2009
Cons:
Pills taste bad and are sometimes hard for me to swallow. Makes birth control pills ineffective.
My doc prescribed me this with an 8% benzoyl peroxide facewash after I started breaking out after accutane. Was sufficient while I was taking them but I have the hardest time remembering to take the pills everyday!
I started breaking out terribly once I started taking Yasmin (my body just doesn't do well with hormones). I stopped the birth control, started taking the doxy, using the wash and adding Epiduo to the mix and I'm starting to clear up very well.. especially in the chest area.
I think the key to antibiotics is consistency! Take them everyday and you will see results in a couple of months. I realize that it's hard to be patient with acne!
December 11, 2009
Pros:
Instead of paying an estimated 20 bucks a month for brand acne medications that contains benzoyl peroxide which irritates and burns the skin, You can swallow the pill down with no worries its better then relying on topical applications!
Cons:
severe nausea, possible vomiting, mood swings, dry skin,- "so you may look a little white." hypertension, fatigue,
You must take this pill for the duration of time it tells you to on the prescription bottle unless you want the chance of vomiting, also preferably in the morning I suggest you take with food because your body is still "waking up," be cautious if your going out to tan make sure you wear sunblock some people may experience reactions while on that antibiotic, and the answer is "yes, it is ok to go tanning." for the most part I would suggest this product to anyone who is SERIOUS about completely clearing their acne. You will see the difference in about week and a half.
December 6, 2009
Pros:
+ Cleared the majority of my severely clogged pores after a month
Cons:
+ Made my skin even more sensitive to the sun (and it already was extremely sensitive beforehand)
Haven't felt sick like others have stated but have become really sensitive to the sun so I have to constantly apply sunlotion, however I was clearly warned about this... It works pretty well though and hopefully within another month my skin will clear up entirely if not then I'l try something else.
December 4, 2009
Pros:
It cleared up all of the fine bumps I had on my face and even gave me a glow after about 5 days. It works fairly quickly. Probably the best treatment I have recieved thus far.
Cons:
As with everyone else it does make you nausea and/or vomit if you take on a empty stomach. No dairy 1hr. before or 2 hrs. after taking. Lastly, gave me reoccurring yeast infections.
I love the difference the medicine made but it was not worth my health. My primary doctor said that reoccurring yeast infections in women are common with this antibiotic. So for the women that have not been taking Doxy for long BE WARE! It took me two months before I realized that Doxy was causing my yeast infections. I sadly thought that the Doxy would help clear it up, considering, before I finally got frustrated and consulted with my physician. However, they were very mild infections. The only way I knew that I had one was because sexual intercourse was a little uncomfortable, otherwise, I had no symptoms. I'm sure it works like a charm for men but I just wanted to give women a heads up since I noticed that most people women that have posted on this website have not been taking it for long and maybe may not even realize that they have a infection and if so, that Doxy is the cause.
December 3, 2009
Pros:
-Does an excellent job at clearing & preventing acne, AFTER about 3-4 weeks.
-It's easy, 1 pill/day.
Cons:
-Nausea! Eat something with it, You'll get very nauseous if you don't..
-I've noticed that my skin is a bit more oily than before.
-Found that I had a few more breakouts than before (with Proactive) during the first weeks. (Also on Tretinoin & Triaz)
As long as you can tolerate waiting a few weeks for results to appear (AKA stick with it), I would highly recommend Doxycycline as an addition to your acne treatment. (Although I mentioned that I initially had a few breakouts, they could be due to the fact that my doctor also put me on Tretinoin which can irritate the skin at first.)
December 1, 2009
Pros:
It dried up all excisting acne(not to mention whole face) and makes whatever is deep in the skin come out. Results can be noticed in 2 weeks
Cons:
Drys up skin really bad. Can easily get sunburned if exposed to sun too long.im my case about 10 minutes.works, but really slow will make u really sick if take it on an empty stomach
I have been using doxycycline 100 mg x2 a day along with retin a at night for two weeks now and the combination of both have really dried up my face bad! And i really dont know wich oneis doing it since i started both at the same time. All my acne is dried up and the little bumps i kept feeling but wouldnt come out are coming out and drying up as well once dry what ever was in there just falls off when i wash my face. For moisturiser i use mederma cream spf 30 it helps block the sun, moisterises your face, and also takes care of all the little brown stops left behind. Doxy is a long term use med but lets all be patient. NVR PICK UR FACE. People have either acne, acne scars, or a clear face. And trust acne does go away. So for all of us who are going thru this dont give up. Take the med and be patient. Oh and take with something light like fruit, sandwich, or juice and crckers. Never on empty stomach you'll be sorry if you do.
November 28, 2009
Pros:
4 days in..(also using differen at night)
-noticing my scars are clearing up already
-noticing my pimples that where coming through have come through and already going down
Cons:
nothing as of yet - not getting these stomach pains or anything, however, i am noticing occasional mood swings but i've been told its common when first on antibiotics
I've only just started this treatment along with Differen at night..I never really had that bad acne but genes do have a history of it. About 1-2months ago i got a really bad break out that didn't really go away and kept coming back with cysts etc and it was painful along with very uneven skin and it destroyed my confidence. I've just gone on this treatment and already i'm noticing my pimples coming through and going away alot faster along with my scars starting to clear up..not to much dryness yet but my eyes are getting more and more sensitive when outside which is expected..no stomach pains or nothing so lets wait and see!! Just been on this where i know i'm finally doing something about it makes me smile (even if it dosen't work)
November 26, 2009
Pros:
-Really, really works.
-Cleared up face, neck, and back
Cons:
-Makes you TERRIBLY sick if taken on an empty stomach.
-Skin gets dry and flaky in spots.
After suffering through moderate acne for years, my doctor prescribed Doxy along with topical Erythromycin. It takes about two months to totally take effect, but once it does, its worth it. It does make your face slightly dry which is easily reversed through a moisturizer. If you take it on an empty stomach, it acts very fast and makes you feel horribly sick. This lasts for about two hours until it passes. It also seems to reduce my appetite. But overall, it is definitely worth it! My face looks and feels great!
November 22, 2009
Pros:
dried up acne. pain and inflammation are gone.
Cons:
after 3 weeks not completely clear, some small pustules still appearing. very sick to stomach if not taken with food. medicine causing fatigue and depression.
Asking doctor for replacement or suffering through without oral medication. Going off to see if mood elevates and energy returns.
November 16, 2009
Pros:
Cleared up cystic acne well. I didn't suffer from any of the listed side effects.
Cons:
You must be extra careful when out in sunlight.
Didn't fully clear up all visible pimples.
I've done 2 full courses of this medication, about a year apart. I think I did eventually build up a resistance to it. It worked relatively well, but was not the solution to my acne problems. Once I got off the medication (both times) my acne did return within a couple months. Keep in mind that this is an antibiotic, so it is not a product you can stay on forever.
Pros:
Takes a while, as with all antibiotics, to start working.