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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December 10, 2010

Pros:

Kept Me Clear for about 4 Months

Cons:

Natural resistance after a period of time, and then acne came back worse than EVER

I began taking this August of 2009. By September, my light/moderate acne was clearing up. During October, my skin was a dream for the most part, minus one or two persistant blemishes. November, fine again. Then December rolls around. I notice my skin forming small break-out "areas." Not worrying, I kept taking my Doxycycline religiously. It all went downhill from there. I either needed to up my dosage because my acne bacteria had "morphed" and conquered this particular anti-biotic or I had to switch to something stronger. It wasn't until March, after my skin was now covered in SEVERE acne that I stopped taking it, and out of desparation, went to go see a dermatologist and a gynocologist. It has taken me one full year to get my skin back to clarity. I will never treat my acne with antibiotics again.
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December 1, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up acne
Helped with hyperpigmentation

Cons:

Made me really nauseated

I took 2 pills a day for my acne to jump-start the clearing process. I would take it in the day and get a lot of nausea. But it really helped me in the end and now my face looks clearer.
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November 26, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up my acne and prevents any from forming

Cons:

Took about two months to work
A weird side effect but makes my dreams very vivid which is kind of scary
developed a yeast infection from taking so many antibioticss, would recommend taking a daily probiotic while on treatment

Is worth it, is the only thing that keeps my face clear.
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November 26, 2010

Pros:

+ Inexpensive
+ Effective
+ Can be used in conjunction with topicals

Cons:

- None thus far

Approximately 4 weeks ago, the skin around my nose and cheeks broke out in dozens of small pustules. My skin had been consistently clear months prior to the breakout, which led me to believe it was either stress- or allergy-related. Nonetheless, I went to see a dermatologist after week 3 and was prescribed Doxycycline (100 mg). I have taken one tablet daily for the past four days and have noticed a significant improvement in the aforementioned area. Given that my skin hadn't changed for several weeks, I've been especially satisfied with such great results in a relatively short amount of time. With another three days' use, I think I'll be back to normal. Fortunately, I haven't experienced the stomach issues other reviewers have mentioned, and I think it's partly because I take the pill after lunch and with a full glass of water. I also don't plan on using this as a long-term treatment method, but it's been wonderful for healing what was an unexpected flare-up.
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November 20, 2010

Pros:

Works very well after about 1 month

Cons:

Stops working after 1 year.

I've been on Doryx for 1 year now. It has kept me 90%-99% clear. Now its starting to wear off, just as my derm said it would. I'm starting to break out again.
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November 18, 2010

Pros:

acne inflammation seems to be reducing
i've heard this drug doesn't make acne breakout worse before it gets better. So i'm looking forward to no new acne.

Cons:

light stomach cramp (possibly from the coming of my period)

I never had acne issues before. I'm 22 going on 23 at the end of this year. My doctor prescribed me doxycycline and yaz because i had a severe breakout (hundreds of acne all over my forehead, cheeks, jawline, and the space above my lip). I was mortified to see it getting so bad over a period of a week. So i rushed to my doc after minocycline made me dizzy. I took my first doxy pill last night (100 mg) and took my 2nd pill this afternoon. Thankfully, no dizziness. I'm gonna take a probiotic in a few hours as well. So I'm hoping it clears me up. I'll write another review in a month. Oh also, I've changed my diet so I'm hoping that'll help me for the better. I drink nearly 2 liters of water a day. Around 1.5 to be honest. I went from drinking none (a 16.9 oz bottle a week) to almost 5 to 6 of them a day and I'm already reaping the benefits. Waking up without feeling tired and exhausted. I'm depressed about my face going baazerk on me but I put this on myself. I had a horrible diet, drnak coffee like it was nobody's business, and no water. Stressed the hell out of my body over financial, relationship, and family issues. And lack of sleep (4 to 5 hours a night). So I need to fix myself. And to top it off, the only thing i can't control, my hormones went psycho on me. But I'm hoping i'll pee any toxins out of my system. Also I'm scared to start birth control but if that's what will help then it's well worth a shot. Doxy and Yaz please be my miracle drugs! I really want my old skin back. badly.
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November 16, 2010

Pros:

stops cysts
calms swelling

Cons:

after your off of it acne comes back

i love this stuff. my face would have been flawless if it wasnt for my picking but even with that it was mainly clear. i went off of it about 2 weeks ago because my perscription was done. i started breaking out allll over again... ): im back on it again though and my derm said i can be on it long tearm this time so clear skin is on its way again! people with moderate to severe acne could really benefit from this in my oppinion(:
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November 15, 2010

Pros:

If taken consistently, it WILL fight off bacteria that are not tetracycline resistant, thus clearing acne.

Cons:

You won't know if it will work until you try it for a period of time. It might work completely, it might work a little, and it might not work at all.

Regardless of whether you have taken antibiotics before, know that a good percentage of the bacteria that cause acne are already resistant to antibiotics in the tetracycline family, which includes Doxycycline. You just don't know. This accounts for the mixed reviews you see here. If it does work, there is no reason why your acne would not come back after you stopped taking it. If that happens, it's because your body has changed over the course of time in which you took the Doxycycline (in other words, it's not the Doxycycline, it's you). I'd recommend it as a possible quick fix while your looking for another option to treat your acne. It makes sense to use benzoyl peroxide at the same time, thus fighting the bacteria from both ends. It also makes sense to take supplements that are known for calming down acne, such as zinc and omega 3 DHA. It's far from a miracle drug, and chances are it will not clear your acne, but it may reduce it. For many, this is a good enough reason to try it out. If it's not working at all after about six weeks, it's probably time to move on.
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November 15, 2010

Pros:

-Reduces swelling
-Clearing skin
-Prevents new cysts

Cons:

-Doesn't reduce redness much
-Doesn't prevent little whiteheads

So basically, I am obsessed with clearing my skin right now. I moved to New York City from my small little town in South Jersey this past summer. When i moved here, my skin had been almost completely clear, the clearest it had ever been since I was 14 years old. When I was 14 I started getting whiteheads all over my jawline down to my neck and up to my lips. It started clearing up this spring and by summer it was almost perfect I only had a few almost completely faded scars. It was clear for the whole summer and then in September I had the worst breakout in my entire life. My forehead, which probably only has had 3 whiteheads in my entire life, grew one big cyst over my right eyebrow. About a week after that, seriously like 10 grew all over my forehead. Then it just continually got bigger and worse and redder and they hurt so bad it felt like they were pressing against my skull. So after about a month and a half of just trying to get rid of it with the face wash I had always been using, nothing had happened it was now just slowly getting worse. So I went to a dermatologist and he prescribed me Doxycycline Monohydrate 150MG, Tazorac (Tazarotene) 0.05% cream, and Clindamycin Phosphate Topical Solution 1%. I also started taking daily omega 3 pills and multivitamins. The combination of all of this has improved my skin so much. However, my skin still looks terrible and it's really embarassing. My cysts are nearly all gone the few that I have are so lowered they don't even look like cysts anymore, btu there are still quite a few on my forhead. I also started getting a few whiteheads on my chin and cheeks. Not that many but they are still annoying. My doctor said it would take about 3 weeks to start working and it did. Even though my skin still looks bad, it is improving so much people have noticed and complimented me on how much better it looks. I'm hoping at this rate it will be almost completely gone by New Year's, and I really think it will be. I highly r
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November 15, 2010

Pros:

Reduces acne relatively fast
Gets rid of all cystic acne
Easy pill to take
Significantly reduces acne over time

Cons:

Very sun sensitive!!!
Can give you very bad stomach aches,diarrhea

I am a 16 year old kid in high school and before i started taking doryx my face looked horrible. The first week I started taking once a day i went to Mexico. After 1 week i returned my face was drastically better and so was my back acne. After about 2 months i still had moderate acne which was a lot better then before. I am almost at the end of my 3rd month and face has about 5-10 pimples and a lot of scarring. This antibiotic helped me so much. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get rid of their acne without freaking out about creams and such.
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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