Doxycycline
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Doxycycline is an oral antibiotic that works by fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation. It should...

Doxycycline is an oral antibiotic that works by fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation. It should be used only short term (max. 3 months).

It is usually prescribed at a dose of 50 to 100 mg once or twice per day.

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June 30, 2016
Didn't work too well
Unfortunately, doxy didn't work too well for me. I was using Dan's BP nightly before I went on doxy (had been on BP for about a year), and still had about 5-10 painful pustules on my face at any given time. I wanted to have something fighting the bacteria from the inside, so my GP put me on 100mg doxy / day. It took a while to notice any kind of difference, but about a month and a half later I noticed that I would only get 1-2 pustules on my face at any given time (along with some small comedonal stuff). I got excited that it was finally working, and for about a month I didn't worry about my face too much. Unfortunately, about 4 months after I started, my acne came back worse. My whole face started breaking out - not in cysts, fortunately, but in small, raised ones with white heads. I had about 30 of them towards the tail end of my doxy treatment. I also developed eczema / dermatitis around my T-zone, near my temples and under my chin. I realized that the doxy was doing more harm than good at this point, so I quit cold turkey. My eczema disappeared within a couple days, and most of my acne was gone within a week. I went back to having 5-10 pustules on my face, but it was better than where doxy got me. Basically, like with all antibiotics - this really is not a long-term fix.
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December 30, 2015
If not working, try a different route :)
Little background: It was the end of my Junior year in high school and I got extremely extremely bad acne. It covered my ENTIRE face. I couldn't run my hands over my skin or even wash it without wincing in pain. I became deeply depressed over the summer and barely left my room. I knew I needed help and my mom took me to the doctors. They said I had severe acne and needed medication to help clear it. The first medication I had been on was doxycycline. I was on that for about 4 months and things got clear, not completely but enough. I decided to get off but of course, the acne came back. So I revisited my doctor and got prescribed minocyline and a birth control. I liked mino much better than doxy, one less pill and easier on the stomach. Finally I went to the doctors again for a check up and they decided to check my blood. I have irregular hormone levels, which was causing the acne. In order to correct the levels I needed a medication of course. So I was prescribed spironolactone! I have been on this for about 4 months and absolutely love it. It is 100 times better than any other medication I have tried. It took awhile to get started, maybe 3 months. But my skin was clear, no bumps, no cysts. One thing I would recommend is not waiting to refill.. The past week I forgot and haven't taken the pill in 5 days, and I now have multiple breakouts and cysts around my chin.. Of course I am discouraged but have faith that the pill will fix it all up quickly :)
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July 25, 2015
Works but not a long-term solution...
Doxy does work, however being that it is an antibiotic it is not a viable solution for long-term management of acne. It will likely cause nausea, and it makes you very sensitive to sunlight, so it's important to cover up and wear sunscreen when using this product. Make sure you take probiotics or consume some form of yogurt-type product while on any antibiotic because it will deplete the beneficial flora in your gut, making you more susceptible to malabsorption and fungal infections. I only recommend using as a stepping stone to get to Accutane, as insurance companies like to see you've exhausted all other options first. It is important to realize that no antibiotic will cure you of your acne. The effects only last while using the product, and occasionally, the effects may wear off over time as the acne-causing bacteria in your skin becomes resistant to the drug.
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June 24, 2015
Works best for mild-moderate acne
I was prescribed Doxy after Minocycline stopped working for me, 100mg/day. My doctor explained that Doxy was one of the stronger drugs of the cycline family (but if that failed, I'd be put on Accutane). I took it for 5 months, and during the time frame of 2.5-3.5 months, was when I had extremely clear skin. I took it mainly for very persistence superficial acne and cystic acne. There was no difference the first month, but definitely the third month was the best. I couldn't take it on an empty stomach since I would get nauseous and I would throw up, so I took it roughly 1.5-2 hours after a meal to avoid it. Other than that, I did not have any other severe side effects. Unfortunately, during the fourth month, my acne came back in full swing. I wouldn't recommend taking antibiotics, because your body will become immune to it, especially for the level of acne I had, which was moderate-severe. Doxy might work best for mild acne, or even moderate acne.
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April 22, 2015
Hoping it works
I've had acne since my 5th grade year, I'm now a junior which means I've had acne for 7 years. It hurts so bad to have to walk around with huge pimples on your nose, chin, and under your nose. Right now I have two HUGE pimples on my nose and a tiny pimple on my chin, with a lot of dark spots😩😞. It's hard to not be able to look people in the eyes because I'm so ashamed of my face & it's even harder to be the only one in your family to have acne. After trying proactive, clean & clear, neutrogina , BP, etc.. Nothing worked.Back in December my dr put my on doxycycline for two weeks and I notice that it reduce the size of my pimples, but when I finished the bottle I wasn't able to go back.. So finally I had my dr send me to the dermatologist. The dr prescribed me on doxycycline & two other things ( I can't remember what there called). I've been taking it for a week but I haven't really notice any change but I know its going to take some time, so I'll continue taking it. The worst part is that it makes me feel so sick and I have terrible headaches, as for right now I feel so sick ever since I took it this morning. I go see the dr in May so I'm hoping by then I'll see some improvement. Oh also I started back using tea tree oil mixed with water and put directly on the pimples. Anyways Im praying I get clear skin for the FIRST TIME by summer or by my birthday which is in sept. I've been reading the reviews and so far I've been seeing good things, just hope I also get the results I want.
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February 6, 2015
Works decent for a while, mild stomach upset
Took this as a 23 year old female with moderate acne - took 100mg/day for 3 months, and then 200mg/day for 9 months. For me, this product started working quickly, and my moderate acne became mild for the first 8 months I took it. After that, the effectiveness slowly dwindled, as my acne became resistant to the antibiotic (as it always does eventually). I have heard that applying topical benzoyl peroxide can delay this resistance, but I did not try it personally. I think it's worth noting that while I have taken 5 different oral antibiotics for acne, this is the only one that seemed to upset my stomach. I experienced intermittent nausea on the higher dose. It was a pain, but not enough of a pain for me to give up my clear-er skin, so I persisted.
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January 1, 2015
Gave up during the second round.
After i tried everything that it's on the market and everything failed to give any results, the dermatologist put me on a 3 month doxycycline prescription. This happened in Europe. It cleared everything in two weeks , no more breakouts, no side effects. I was happy. After i finished the entire 3 months treatment, after only two weeks, the plague called acne came back. I went back to the dermatologist ( this time in US ) and i asked for doxy again thinking that maybe my body needs more antibiotics to kill the bacteria. I've seen no results after two weeks and our doxy is so different from the European one. It gives me some serious stomachache , kills my appetite and zero results. So i would not recommend you this.
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December 18, 2014
hopeful
to day starts day two of being on doxy. Its to early to note any changes but reading the reviews, i'm hopeful this will push my treatment faster to get clear skin. I'm getting married in september, at this point my skin is making me second guess my date. around the same time every month, my skin breaks out and i get 1-3 cystic pimples on my face... unfortunately without thinking, i booked my wedding date around the time of month my break outs happen. I'll be updating my review as i go along. I'm also on two other treatments with this; Morning: aczone Night: adapalene cream 1%.
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ashleybauchert
December 19, 2017
howd it go?
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August 8, 2014
Has a mild effect in the short term, don't mix with ibuprofen
Took this from 2010-2012 and again for 2 months this year. The first time I had no side effects and it did seem to help a bit, but it was in conjunction with Duac and Yasmin, so I don't know how much it really helped. This time around, having had no sun sensitivity last time, I popped a pill and some advil for a headache then walked my dog at the park--big mistake! Apparently mixing ibuprofen and doxy exponentially increases your chance of a reaction to the sun. My arms and feet felt intensely prickly, and almost like something cold and wet was on them, then broke out in a rash that stayed till a few days after I stopped the medicine. Still, an okay thing to try short term.
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August 8, 2014
Great- short term
I have been dependent on the cycline family for 20 years. I began "breaking through" more and more, likely as my intestinal flora suffered and suffered. Always a low dose, for inflammation, not enough to kill the acne. In short, get yourself through a bad period with this, but it's a band-aid, and it can cause more problems in the long run.
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website