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 12, 2013
Doxycycline
Cons:
initial breakout
sickness if taken on an empty stomach
takes time
Doxycycline first of all is different for everyone. I was on this antibiotic before at 100mg a day for a month and my acne literally DISAPPEARED! But as soon as i ended the treatment the acne came back. I've been suffering from acne since i was 14, now 19 I've tried everything from accutane, to naturals, to differin, tetracycline, EVERYTHING. Now i'm on it again and I've been experiencing an initial breakout. It's been 3 weeks back on it and my acne is the worst its ever been, but i heard higher doses can do that for you. I'm on 200mg a day now but i'm going to remain patient because it has worked for me before. I definitely would give it a try if you suffer from body acne as well because it has been clearing mine up tremendously. Oh. and my acne is moderately severe.
December 28, 2012
Pros:
*Helped clear skin for many months
*Easy-just pop a pill twice a day
*Cheap with insurance
Cons:
*Ended up causing my breakouts after about a year
*caused stomach aches if I hadn't eaten enough before taking it
*made me susceptible to sunburns
My dermatologist prescribed me doxy to clear up my moderate to severe acne and it helped stop the breakouts. It took 2 months for it to really start working but then, my skin was great for about 10 months. Then, for some reason, my acne started coming back, looking more and more like it started out. Eventually I stopped taking it and my acne cleared a bit. Not perfectly, but not quite as bad. It's waxed and waned and I still haven't a permanent solution. I'd say if you're desperate, try it.
November 27, 2012
Pros:
really gets rid of acne
Cons:
takes a long time, has to be taken with food and lots of water, can cause fungal infections
I started taking doxycycline about a year ago and was on it for about 6 months. I want to say my acne finally was gone between the third and fourth month of taking it. I have been off of doxy now for six months and my acne has not come back. However, I have been using clindamycin, 4% benzoyl peroxide wash, and a retinol cream for maintenance. I am so glad that I took doxy. I contribute much off the success of getting rid of my acne to doxy, because i have tried just the retinol creams and Benzyol before and it didn't work. I would highly recommend this to people with severe acne.
November 21, 2012
Pros:
my skin is better
side effects very minimal
Cons:
took 2 1/2 months before acne started clearing up.
Don't like the idea on being on antibiotics
I am 39 and have been dealing with adult acne for 6yrs. now. I have tried so many products and nothing worked, I was starting to get really bummed and finally resorted to meds. The first month on Doxy was tough to get through - acne got worse. 2nd month it would come and go. I'm in my third month and I have a few pimples but it is way better then it ever was and I feel more confident about going out. The derm told me hormones are triggering the outbreaks and I would have to go on hormone meds too if I want to be totally clear. But not willing to do that at this point. I highly recommend taking probiotics when you are on Doxy to minumize side effects of drug and for overall health. Make sure you eat when taking the pill and drink plenty of water too. Gotta be patient with this drug. I just hope when I go off of it the acne doesn't come back, I don't want to be on meds forever! I recommend Doxy because it sure beats being depressed and feeling awful about myself. I'm glad I held out till month 3 to see some results.
November 16, 2012
Pros:
clears acne
Cons:
it takes time to work
I suffered acne since I was about 13. I tried every OTC products but nothing worked, and they just made my acne worse. Now I'm 18, I finally decided to go to the derm. I asked for Accutane, but she said my acne is not that worst. I just have a lot of acne hyperpigmentation. She also said it's frustrating treating acne because nothing works overnight and immediately, so I need to be patient.She prescribed me 100mg doxycycline hyclate 2x a day and epiduo at night. On my first month, I broke really bad. I felt it's not working or it does not suit my body. On my second month, my acne started healing. Now I'm about to start my third month, I only have 3 acne. I'm just hoping after I stop taking it, my acne will not go back.
September 9, 2012
Pros:
Suppresses/controls most new acne within the first two weeks of treatment.
Visible control of pustular & papular acne
Cons:
Thrush (serious feminine discomfort)
Dry lips
Skin sensitivity to sun
Prescribed for facial acne, 1 pill 100mg. Full course of treatment for doxy is about 7 months. Twice a day for 5 months, with improvement & acne control, lowered to once a day for 2 months. Repeated this treatment 2 times thus far. First course in 2010, acne came back - second course in 2012. Found that it helped to suppress new acne from forming. But in using to control acne that had already erupted or was slowly surfacing, not effective. In those circumstances, doxycycline alone was not enough, found that treatment of acne had to be complemented with either topical adapalene or tretinoin. Stagger the intake of 1st pill & the next a strict 12 hours apart. Taken too closely and the good bacteria will also be destroyed by medication resulting in thrush. Can be alleviated by Canesten however, thrush returns because of continued doxy intake.
June 5, 2012
Pros:
Effective. My skin looked better after the first month.
Cons:
Nausea and dry skin
I took Accutane in 2004-2005 and it miraculously cleared up my acne on my back, chest, and face. I had my confidence back, it was great. 2011 acne came back and broke me out under my jaw line and neck area. Tried over the counter products in hopes of getting that clear skin back but nothing. I was prescribed Doxycycline Mono 100mg cap and after 1 month of seeing results I stopped. Today, 5 months later, I have acne once again on my back, chest, and jaw line area. I'm taking Doxycycline for the second time, this time I'll wait longer than 1 month.
March 28, 2012
Pros:
-kills bacteria from the inside out
-easier to take a pill than a topical
-great results
Cons:
-only works for as long as you use it
-can't take an antibiotic for long periods of time
-can hurt stomach (only experienced this a couple times)
I was prescribed doryx 150mg 1x daily to use in 2 week intervals as needed. My chin acne got clear and I saw results in less than a week. by 2 weeks i was very pleased with the results and my skin was clear for a couple weeks after I stopped taking it. over time, my acne started to gradually come back to about normal. It can be great for a quick fix and you can use it in the first couple weeks of a new topical to avoid an initial break out. I will start taking this a few weeks before prom so my skin should be clear then
March 13, 2012
Pros:
Prevents cysts, shrinks existing ones.
Cons:
Irritating to stomach
Been using it for 3 years. I have not developed a tolerance to it yet because I will break out if I discontinue use. Twice a day. VERY irritating to stomach: must be taken with food.
February 9, 2012
Pros:
-It's taking away my cysts and shoulder acne
-Only have to take 1 pill a day
-Paid $6 for a month supply
Cons:
Don't really have any
I have battled acne for about 2 years now. I have done so many things to try to get rid of it. I was on Tetracycline for about 2 months. That got rid of a lot of my cysts but not completely. My doctor prescribed doxycycline about a week ago. I also apply topical erythromycin at night and use arbonne face wash in the shower. During the day i wear arbonne's lotion. This combination seems to be doing the trick. I only have about two cysts left and my face feels amazing. I still have a bunch of red marks from past zits but that will heal in time. I recommend taking doxycycline.
Pros:
Works great for body acne
easy to take
clears you right up!