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
July 12, 2010
Cons:
Not much. I had a few bad headaches but I'm not sure if this is a side effect of this drug.
My derm prescribed the generic brand of this so it was covered by Medicaid (and thus free). I didn't have any bad effects that I knew of (aside from the headaches). And now, all I have left are a few light post-acne marks.
July 10, 2010
Pros:
Cleared My acne up really well. Not fast but still good.
Cons:
If you stop Using it acne come back, Took a couple months to clear. Sometimes gives light belly ache
I have been using it for a while and I do reccomend it to people. It will take a bit but just have pathence
July 2, 2010
Pros:
works well & fast
Cons:
may not be right for everyone!
very strong drug
Doxycycline may work wonders for some users. However, I am a 22 year old girl and started developing serious acne for the first time a couple of months ago. I have been taking doxycycline for two months, and have seen great results. However, I discovered after my skin cleared that my acne is hormonal. I am only getting breakouts before my period. I am asking my doctor to switch to Aldactone!
P.S. DO NOT take this on an empty stomach! Eat a piece of bread etc. before taking
June 30, 2010
Pros:
cleared acne only after after a few weeks, no breakouts from starting prescription.
Cons:
pill is hard to swallow but thats no biiig deal(:
helps inflammation from cystic acne and any other type of acne. the only thing ive noticed is my pores are a little more clogged than normal but im not sure if its the prescription or other products my dermatalogist has given me but other than that only good things have come out of it!
June 29, 2010
Pros:
-Acne doesn't get worse
Cons:
-Nasea
-Have to plan when to take, etc.
I've been using it for about a week, twice a day with 100mg. I was VERY apprehensive about using an oral antibiotic because I don't want to mess up my immune system or have to rely on antibiotics. The nauseous feeling, I think, compares to the stomach ache you get after reading in the car to long. It's not enough to make me vomit, but I haven't had it without food yet (and I'm not going to). My derm recommended that I take it 1/2 hour after a meal whereas my pharmacy recommended 1 hr. I took it 45min after the first time and that was to long (I felt nauseous) so I take it 30 min after, and only feel sick if it was a smaller meal. Also I take 30 min after even if I have calcium, which the pharmacy and my doc said was ok. Hopefully I will see more results soon!
June 26, 2010
Pros:
1. Cheap
2. Kind of cleared up acne.
Cons:
1. I lost weight (I'm talking double digits here).
2. Sensitive skin.
I used it in conjunction with retin-a and the topical does wonders, however, the anti-biotic made me lose weight weekly and on top of all of the throwing up, I was previously diagnosed with gastritis. I would take caution while taking this medication. (I used omoxyciclin which is my favotite, and I just finished with Ampicilin.)
June 24, 2010
Pros:
Cleared up face
Cons:
Took a while to work
Made me prone to sunburn
Can't take it with anything containing calcium
Lowered platelet counts
This product took a while to kick in, but once it did, it helped a lot. I used to have moderate acne, some cystic, but now I only will have one small pimple every now and then. It was frustrating to take because I had to take it morning and night (with food, because my stomach is sensitive) but you can't take it with anything that contains calcium (because it hinders absorption of the doxy). I had to stop taking it, though because it lowered my platelet counts, which is a somewhat common side effect.
June 21, 2010
Pros:
Clears up Acne some, but not nearly as much as you expect. I was on it for a while, and it worked really well but quit working then was put on monocycline and that didn't work so i stopped taking any oral medications for a while. My doctor then put me back on doxycycline and there has only been a minor improvement. I do not have severe acne whatsoever, but I do want clearer skin and this did not work that well.
Cons:
Slow to work
Does not fully clear up the skin
Bad stomach ache if not eaten with food
Try Acutane, if too expensive, there is a generic version that works wonders
June 14, 2010
Pros:
cheap
Cons:
didn't help my acne
made me prone to yeast infections
Sorry for the extra personal info, but I couldn't even take this for the full time prescribed because of reoccuring yeast infections. I took it for over a month though and saw no results.
June 12, 2010
Pros:
Cleared up my cystic acne as well as pustules and pretty much everything else. Easy to take and few side effects.
Cons:
Didn't clear up my back acne at all, if anything it made it worse. The pills can upset stomach pretty badly. Takes about a month and a half to show progress.
I absolutely love doycycline (Doryx). After suffering from moderately severe acne for 6 years, I had tried every kind of topical treatment from retinins to benzyl peroxide. I finally decided to try an oral medication. My dermatologist gave me a choice between this and acutane, and I'm so glad I chose doryx! The results took a little while to show up. My face began to show a lot of progress after about a month and a half. I still get acne, but it's no where near as bad as it once was. The side effects are true, especially if you are a woman... If you've been suffering from moderately severe acne, I would recommend asking your doctor to prescribe doxycycline.
Pros:
My face was already pretty clear. A few zits here and there. But the point is, it kept my face clear and I haven't broken out since I used it.