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
October 20, 2011
Cons:
nausea, break-outs, itchiness, skin irritation
This is the first oral solution I've tried. The nausea was there, but bearable, and it only happened the first couple times. I've been taking 100mg a day for almost 3 weeks. At first there was no affect, but in the past week my skin has been irritated, itchy, and breaking out like crazy. I've broken out with with pimples and red splotches ALL OVER my neck and chest. I've never broken out there in my entire life. My skin is rough and puffy and so uncomfortable. Wish this had worked for me like it did for other people.
October 19, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
Made me feel sick. Made my skin worst
I never wrote a review before but since I always read them decided to share. Those peels were horrible for me. Made my skin much worse and I felt sick all the time. Once even threw up from it. I wasn't taking it on empty stomach. Anyways, after I stopped taking them my skin actually got better.
Hope it helps someone
October 17, 2011
Pros:
Works well with painful inflamed blemishes
Cons:
Must be taken with food. Otherwise, you'll suffer from fatigue and barf.
need to wear sunscreen.
It did take a month and a half to show any signs of improvement but it really helped me. I was on a crusade to heal my acne holistically but failed so I started on this and im very impressed with the results. I have serious skin issues with a combination of sometimes dry, flaky, oily skin and this calmed everything down. Did not help with scars but definitely ended breakouts. If your concerned about choosing pills to clear up skin vs. holistic methods choose this antibiotic in a low dosage and get your life back.
October 13, 2011
Pros:
clears acne
Cons:
can make you nauseous
takes a few weeks to see results
acne might come back once you stop taking it
i took 100 mg twice a day, and although i kept breaking out the first few weeks and thought it wasn't working, six weeks later there was definite improvement. now 3 months later my dermatologist, family, and friends have all commented on the improvement in my skin. i am very pale but still tanned outside and did not experience and allergic reaction or extreme sensitivity as my doctor said i would. i did throw up once when i decided to experiment and take it first thing in the morning without eating. but most of the time i would take it in the middle of the day, a few hours after eating, and i experienced no nausea doing that. i have heard it is more effective to not take it with food so that is what i did. i was also very careful about not eating dairy two hours before or after i took doxycycline. i think what you eat definitely makes a difference in the effectiveness in the medication. it worked great, and now i am supposed to go down to once a day and hopefully my acne will not come back.
October 13, 2011
Pros:
Did not get deep pimples for a week or two
Cons:
Started to get more cysts (more than I've ever had on my face at one time) once I took 100mg twice a day
Yeast infection
Nausea if not taken with food
I've been taking 100mg once a day from August 24th to mid-september. But I realized I was actually supposed to be taking 100mg TWICE day, so I've been taking 100mg twice a day for about a month now and my acne is not really getting better now. I'm not going to lose hope but this was about $70.00 in Canada and I really hope it ends up working. The true bottom line is follow what your dermatologist says. I've also been using differin and benzaclin so I'm not sure what's helping/not helping.
October 12, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
Getting sick if taking with little food
Gave me lots of cysts
Headaches
I used it two times in my life and both times I broke out horribly with these pills. My acne got so bad like never before and after about 2 months I stopped using these pills. It also made me feel very sick if taken with little food, felt like throwing up and could not stand.
October 12, 2011
Pros:
so far its clearing my skin
Cons:
yeast infections
stomach irritated
i have been on doxycycline for about a week i see my skin is improving i also started drinking alot more water. to prevent yeast infections i take 4 probiotics chewable tabs or gummies :) i also have a good skincare regime i wash my face 2x a day am and pm with mario badescu acne cleanser and then i tone my face and i use clindamycin lotion after then i prep my skin for make up to cover up i use bare minerals but i deff see my skin is getting better i see it clearing it up you have to be motivated to clearing acne
October 11, 2011
Pros:
Cheap and pills are small and easy to take.
Cons:
Didn't work. Made my face peel and burn. Extreme sensativity to the sun. Made acne worse. Made skin so sensative to the sun that it burnt my hands and fingers and left permanent scars.
Don't waste your time on this product. I was on it for 4 months and never did it really work. The burns are still here and it is october. I started the treatment in March and ended in June.
October 7, 2011
Pros:
Gets rid of blackheads
Clears body acne
Cons:
Sensitivity to sun, kills good bacteria as well
I have been taking this antibiotic twice a day for about a month and so far it has been working very well. I was concerned about the side effects, but I always take this pill with food, and no upset stomach has occurred. I also take a probiotic to avoid the chance of yeast infection. I did notice a major increase in sensitivity to the sun, my skin starts getting pink within minutes of being outside, but I packed on high spf sunscreen (oil free sunscreen for my face) and that problem went away. Overall, my back acne has cleared up and my face looks much better. I think it's worth it.
October 7, 2011
Pros:
Got rid of acne
did it quickly
Cons:
have to take with food or your stomach complains
This is the only antibiotic that's actually had an effect on my skin. I started it with retin-a about 4 months ago and it's fantastic. I'm now weaning off the retin-a and using just the doxy to keep my skin in check.
Pros:
for me: non