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
June 6, 2012
Cons:
Stops working after about a month
Makes acne worse eventually
Stomach upset
I wouldn't recommend antibiotics. Actually, for acne, I would vehemently fight your doctor from putting you on them. If you use an antibiotic for acne, you risk several things with your skin alone. Number one, continued usage will kill about 95% of the bacteria which live in your pores. However...the 5% which remain will breed...and breed...and breed...and the antibiotic will not be able to touch them, because they are descendents of that original 5%. When you do the math...you realize that after a few months, the doxycycline (or other antibiotic) will be rendered totally useless. The other issue I have with antibiotic usage for acne is the fact that bacteria is NOT the cause of acne: unless you have an infection. All other things considered (let's say you exfoliate and you wash your face daily with a gentle cleanser, and you're still getting acne...and it's driving you nuts)... you either have an excess of oil production due to a) overactive glands as a result of an endocrine or hormonal problem, or b) a general hormone regulation problem (such as PCOS). THOSE MEDICAL PROBLEMS CANNOT BE FIXED WITH AN ANTIBIOTIC...as such...accutane and birth control are the only two "cures" for acne. So, your doctor prescribing an antibiotic for you will NOT fix the problem in the long run...and you'll be back at square one in the doctor's office explaining your problem to them again for another expensive visit. I hope this has helped you all...please reconsider if you're going to go on this medication. It's pretty much useless unless combined with another, more powerful medication.
May 27, 2012
Pros:
Helped to keep it under control
Cons:
Unless I used it with multiple topicals (including cleanser/topical treatment/moisturizer and masks for when it got really bad) it didn't work at all.
If you take this for too long, it can have a bad effect on your bones and make your teeth yellow.
If you take this and are sexually active, if you are pregnant you could seriously deform your baby.
Acne reappeared much worse than before I took the medication
I wouldn't use this product again. For the first 6 months it helped to keep it under control but then it was hardly effective at all. I noticed that when I tried to ween off of the pill I got sick all of the time because my body had to work twice as hard to fight off the germs since it was used to an antibiotic. Also, I didn't have insurance so it was pricey for me. I was afraid that my teeth were getting yellow, so I tried to back off it while still using topicals. Once I stopped using it, my acne came back so much worse... This product was a waste of money and time.
May 14, 2012
Pros:
cleared up skin very quickly
healed very minor scars
reduced redness
Cons:
have to always have snacks in case of nausea antibiotics are kinda scary
must be combined with healthy eating/activity to really help it work
My doctor put me on this about a 1.5 weeks ago. I was nervous to take it at first, but i finally took it and none of the evil side effects e.g (redness, nausea, sun burn) happened! Having said that, i also dont eat meat, im pretty healthy/active, and never really get sunburned, so that may be why i got lucky.
Anyway, it cleared up some mild, deep-under cysts and new pimples( if there even are any) heal up very quickly.
DRINK LOTS OF WATER! YOUR SKIN WILL THANK YOU! :)
May 3, 2012
Pros:
Worked initially.
No side effects.
Cons:
Doesnt last.
Only Supresses acne.
Acne will get worse initially when you stop taking it.
As soon as you stop taking this drug your acne will resume. It simply supresses the problem and for me it was not all that effective anyway.
March 7, 2012
Pros:
Clears skin from the inside out.
Cons:
A little tough on the stomach at first.
Takes some time to work.
I have been fighting back acne (BACNE) for years. I have always been using the topical medications, they did somewhat work but not good enough.
So after I got good health insurance from my work, I went to a very good dermatologist in my area. I really wanted to get on Accutane so bad because I was desperate. However the doctor strongly suggested that I try Doxy first. So I listened to him.
After 3 weeks I have to say that my back acne was 60% gone! I did get some minor random breakouts at first, but they quickly healed. Today I am in my 5th week and my back is 90% clear. I am satisfied with this medicine so far. MY ADVICE ON HOW TO TAKE THIS MEDICINE TO AVOID NAUSEA/VOMITING : TAKE IT SHORTLY AFTER A GOOD MEAL. You will be fine, trust me.
The only thing I am worried about is if I get pulled off this medicine, I really hope the acne wont come back.
TRY THIS medicine before Accutane.
January 3, 2012
Pros:
1. Works fast.
2. Easy to administer.
Cons:
1. Possible side effects.
2. Only a short to medium term solution.
Doxycycline works for me. It took only two weeks on a 100mg dose (2x a day) to dramatically clear my face up. There are occasional pimples now, but it is so much better than before. Antibiotics might only a short term solution as the bacteria will return once you stop taking them, but the prescription period can serve as a window, a break from the agony of acne. Also during this time one can try other treatments such as AHA/BHA, and if the pores are nicely exfoliated by the time you finish the course, the acne might not return with a vengeance. For those still struggling with various treatments: keep at it! It is as true as it is cliched that different things work for different people. I've tried honey masks, changing my diet, azelaic acid, lymecycline, Differin - all to no effect. Thankfully Docycline still works for me. Thanks be to God.
December 6, 2011
Pros:
clears up skin to an extent
Cons:
cant take pill forever
Breakout after stopping it
Its works pretty good once you're on it, however you cant stay on it forever. Once you get off you you will most likely have breakouts again. The negative side effects outweigh the benefits of any antibiotic
November 29, 2011
Pros:
-The only thing that worked!
-Very Cheap (free on my insurance)
Cons:
-Large pill, hard to swallow
This is the only thing that has cleared up my acne, which consisted of whiteheads and inflamed bumps on forehead, cheek, and chin. I've tried benzoyl peroxide based topical products like Dan's system and Epiduo as well as taken Minocycline but they have had no effects on my acne. After 1 week of taking Doxy everything cleared up. I'll get 2-3 pimples a week but this is a vast improvement over anything I've used before. I took this on an empty stomach before going to sleep and didn't have an upset stomach or experience any sun sensitivity while taking this pill. I've since finished the 1 month prescription and don't know if my acne will come back but (crossing my fingers) I really hope it doesn't!
November 2, 2011
Cons:
I been using these pills for a little over a week and it really made my acne worst then it was, my face hurts so bad, I want to stop using it as soon as I can!!!!!!! It kept me from goin out because of the way my face ended up
Its the worst
October 25, 2011
Pros:
.clears up my acne
Cons:
.makes me really sensitive to the sun so i get sunburned all the time
. i went off of it and my acne got bad, but im back on it and it's clearing up again
totally worth it! i love it! after 8 weeks, my acne was completely clear! i reccomend it
Pros:
Clears acne relatively quickly
No initial breakout.