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
September 27, 2012
Cons:
If taken alone can make you naseaus.
I love this medication. I have light acne and I took it for one whole month and my acne cleared up and I never had to wear makeup. The only issue was after I took it for a whole month I was acne free for 3 months. Then my acne came back. So my dermatologist told me to take it for 2 days twice a day before or when I get a breakout. It works.
July 17, 2012
Pros:
helped to clear my skin, did not experience any side effects
Cons:
antibiotics kill ALL bacteria in your system, even the helpful ones, like probiotic bacteria in intestines that help regulate the digestive system -- I experienced some unpleasant stomach pains and irregular bowel movements (ew, sorry, but its truth), also, messed with my eating habits/diet because of the directions to not take the pills with food, risk of antibiotic resistance
I developed a great deal of deep, cystic acne on the sides of my face and cheeks suddenly after new years. I had some regular pimples (not cystic) on my chin and forehead as well. No blackheads, really. My skin was so inflamed, new blemishes were appearing daily, each blemish would leave a deep red mark (my skin is light and prone to marks) so I panicked and went to the dermatologist. I was put on 100 mg of doxycycline 2x daily, clindamycin wipes (2x a day) and a 10% benzoyl peroxide-aloe vera wash (2x a day). I followed the routine religiously, and even so, it took three months to see really noticeable results. I continued this routine for five full months, and my skin is practically breakout free, and the red marks are finally beginning to fade (time and sun, according to my derm.). I requested that my antibiotic dosage be lowered because of the possible adverse side effects of long-term antibiotic use, and I halved my dosage, still washing with the benzoyl-peroxide wash, and still using the clindamycin wipes. It's been about a month on the lowered dosage and so far, so good. No new spots. It looks like I will be able to successfully wean myself off of the antibiotics. I remember reading reviews on this website about the ineffectiveness of antibiotics and the possibilities of resistance. These are all very real possibilities, but this routine has worked to clear my acne up and to keep it at bay, so it is not hopeless. I'm an advocate of this routine, in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle.
July 14, 2012
Pros:
-cleared acne somewhat
-little to no side effects
Cons:
-felt nauseous for about 10 minutes prior to taking it (on an empty stomach, if the nausea is unbearable, eat a few crackers before taking it, mine wasn't that bad though)
-initial breakout was a little bit of a pain, didn't last too long though, I'd say about a month or 2 at the most
-my face was never quite clear, time of the month breakouts still sucked
-my face was "clear" for maybe 4 months, then things got progressively worse and I'm back to where I started
About a year ago I was given doxycycline, I think I was on 50mg a day. It was a low dosage because my acne at the time was maybe 5-10 papules and a few whiteheads, nothing severe. My initial breakout might not have been completely from doxycycline either. Keep in mind when you are starting a new regimen, you are stopping usage of the products you previously used. In my case, that is how it was. I was using duac before and switching between face washes every week, which I think was a contributing factor to my skin deteriorating, but that's another story. Anyway, the ib looking back was not horrid, but it was bad from what I was used to. Realistically, if you have light acne, you are not going to break out into full blown cystic acne with one antibiotic, probably not even moderate acne. I had about 4 more pimples then usual popping up every week, but they weren't inflamed because the antibiotic took care of that. It is never as bad as you think it will be. Anyway, so once the ib was over, I never experiences extraordinary smooth, flawless skin. I had bumpies and I had red marks, and when that time of the month hit, you could bet nothing was stopping a few red nastys from popping up on my face. At the time though, I was just happy that I could manage the acne, if I could cover it with makeup I thought it was fixed. Well months go by, and my skin got worse gradually. So gradually that I never noticed until I looked back on pictures I took a year ago on here. So months later, here I am writing a review to share what I went through. Bottom line, everyone's body has the potential to become immune to an antibiotic. I was on it for a year, I saw it coming. I went into this expecting it to be an easy, permanent fix, and it wasn't exactly that.
April 5, 2012
Pros:
Clears up most acne; fewer breakouts; if I did get acne, it would only be a pimple or two and they'd heal quickly
Cons:
Developed a resistance FAST :(
Definitely good for a few months, but after that I developed a resistance and started breaking out HORRIBLY :( Going back to the derm this week to ask about Bactrim.
January 22, 2012
Pros:
Clears up Acne
Leaves skin feeling soft and clean
Cons:
Leaves skin a bit ashy and weird
Makes you wanna vomit
Dizziness
Appetite loss
Overall, antibiotics are not good for health
... AT ALLLLL
Works if you want a temporary solution. I took 100mg pills twice a day for 1 month and then every alternate day for another month and a half.... completely cleared up my skin but left me feeling unhealthy... you can actually feel your body becoming sick in the long term... weight loss is immediate.. lost 5-8 kg in 3 weeks...
Kills off all the good bacteria in your body...
LOT of digestive problems (but not even severe or close to moderate.. mild is more like it)
you can easily get sun burnt too... not a problem for people living most of their lives indoor...
oh and the most important point... it clears skin in a minimum of 2 weeks :) great for those parties or wedding events that are just weeks away!! I recommend taking those accutane stuff when u stop ur course... that should give you seriously long term results... donno how people will react to these medications tho so be patient and cautious.... IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO consult your doctor before doing this... Oh and when i used this, it cleared up all my big cystic acne... for good... didn't come back again AT ALL... only some really small pimples and white heads came back and so now im gonna start with that accutane stuff...... wishing you the best of luck :)
December 23, 2011
Pros:
Works amazing ! i saw a difference on the first day ! but it took about a week for all my blemishes to clear
Cons:
feel sick if not taken with food
need to use sunsceeen on face!
apparently you break out after you stop taking it
it works incredible , but you have got to sit up or be up for 2 hours you can not lye down !
wear sun screen or you will get pigments (brown sun marks on your face)
take food before you take the pill
other then that it works extremley well , works really fast worth a try !
works for most people and i suggest you get your doctor to also perscribe a benzac wash !
my doctor perscribed the benzac was also and the doxycycline also for $28 alltogether but $3 for a perscription 90 days of doxycycline
December 23, 2011
Pros:
Non
Cons:
Didn't work, wasted 12 weeks on this not one improvement my skin got worse if anything
I know when you get prescribed a new antibiotic you go and research it and pray for it to be well reviewed and complimented, sadly doxy didn't work for me, however there is nothing to say it won't work for you, everyones different so try it out and don't let negative reviews put you down because you will never know until you try, end of
August 29, 2011
Pros:
works quickly
make skin feel smoother
Cons:
hurts stomach for 10 minutes after taking
Ive been taking this for about a week and a half..its already reducing the redness of my acne and my skin feels much smoother than before..dont take this with dairy or you will throw up. I take it with alot of water and my stomach hurts for just a couple minutes but so far its worth it.
August 23, 2011
Pros:
Works great
Clears acne all over body
Cons:
Esophogitis if used incorrectly
Doryx 150 is great. I haven't experienced any side effects from it. It is easy to take and gets rid of acne everywhere. Just make sure you drink it with a cup of water, and that you stay in a vertical position for at least 15 minutes. I once took this pill and went to sleep immediately after, and I had severe esophogitis and experienced pain while eating for a week.
July 30, 2011
Pros:
Clears up difficult chest and back acne
Cons:
Side Effects--difficult swallowing, pain in esophagus, dyspagia
This medication definitely works to manage acne, but I'm experiencing a fairly unusual side effect that may preclude me from continuing to take the medication. I have been taking 100 mg of Doxycycline for about a month. I did not experience any of the stomach ache/vomitting side effects that are common with this drug. I would take the pill at night right before i went to bed, so I suppose, if my stomach were to be upset, I was asleep. Anyway, after about 3 weeks on the drug, I noticed that I was having difficulty swallowing and a burning pain in my throat when I would eat. The closest sensation I can compare it to is heartburn, but it wasn't actually heartburn because it would start the moment I started to eat or drink anything. After a few days of this, I decided to look it up online and food that dysphagia is a rare side effect of taking doxycycline. Apparently, the pill is pretty acidic and it can burn little ulcers into your esophagus. I also found an article that explained that if you take the pill right before bed without enough water (like I was doing), it tends to create this problem. In essence, if you take this little acidic pill, then lie down, it tends to dissolve more in your esophagus than in your stomach and if you don't have enough water with it, the acid isn't diluted, thus, causing little ulcers. The ulcers should heal in about 2-7 days after stopping the medication. I'm going to stop taking the medication for a few days to let my esophagus heal, but then I think I will switch to taking the pill in the morning and see if the symptoms come back. If they do come back, then I suppose this medication is out for managing my acne....sigh... it does work pretty well and I would hate to not be able to use it. Other than this
Pros:
Clears acne and discoloration. Stops cystic acne and major breakouts.