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
August 18, 2010
Cons:
If taken on an emtpy stomach it causes a little nausea (but it only last for about 30 min)
The first day i took this pill i almost threw up and was going to start eating it with food but decided that i'd just suck it up and try it again on an empty stomach and i'm glad i did becasue i really wanted the full effect of the drug and now i just have a lil nausea that passes quickly. I'm 18 and i recently stopped taking minocycline because i wasn't seeing any results after a month of taking it and I've been on this pill for about 2 1/2 weeks and i'm just starting to see improvement :) I also use a prescribed sodium sulfacetamide and sulfer wash twice a day to help kill bacteria and retin a 0.25% at night to help with the scarring. I've had no major side affects and hopefully i'll be clear in about another 2 weeks
May 21, 2010
Pros:
Cleared the bigger pimples in a little over a month
Helped clear out most of my back
Cons:
Still have little bumps
BE CAREFUL: Have something in your stomach when you take the pill, (like don't have it be the first thing you have in the morning), otherwise you could vomit or be extremely nauseous.
Dry lips
Staying on too long can cause damage to your immune system
It was a great way to help kick start clearing my skin. It helped not only my face, but my self confidence. I puked a couple times because of it though. Just be careful with when you eat. It says nothing within two hours, so try and respect that, but don't have a completely empty stomach when you take it. I'm trying to switch off, because if i'm on for a long period of time, I'm worried about my immune system.
May 12, 2016
cautiously optimistic
I have acne-prone, extremely oily skin, with scarring / hyperpigmentation (I'm Asian, and I've read that we're more prone to hyperpigmentation, so yay for that?). I've suffered from moderate but near-constant acne in the form of cysts and whiteheads on my forehead for over 6 years (I'm 17, by the way). My doctor prescribed to me 100mg doxycycline (to be used with 5% benzoyl peroxide) and before I started taking it I researched it, of course, and psyched myself out from all the reviews on here about all the negative side effects like even more breakouts, stomachaches, etc. However, I've been taking it for a little while now and experienced none of these things, and my skin has slowly started to clear up, although I would say I'm only about 75-80% sure (so pretty sure, but not completely certain) that it's due to the medication. If you're also starting doxycycline and worried about side effects, consider the following: - Doxycycline, like any other antibiotic prescribed to fight acne, is NOT a permanent solution. My doctor's current plan is to keep me on it for 3 months and check up on the progress of my skin.
- Antibiotics will kill all bacteria, so make sure to take probiotics or eat yogurt with probiotics in conjunction. I take 1-2 probiotics a day and have had no negative side effects.
- Also, remember basic biology: bacteria can and will develop resistance to antibiotics gradually, so make sure you're not skipping doses or taking them irregularly.
- Doxycycline can cause severe stomach pains if you take it on an empty stomach. Instead, take it after a meal (I take mine after lunch) and with a big glass of water.
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.
October 27, 2010
Pros:
~Got rid of zits while taking it
Cons:
~Caused red and itchy bumps all over arms, hands and legs because of a little sun exposure
~Caused upset stomach
~Acne came back after stopping
I wouldn't recommend it if you have mild acne, i suggest only take it if you have really bad acne. It caused pain from the sun all over my skin and i had to stop taking it, then my acne came back, not worse or better (about the same).
August 24, 2010
Pros:
-Still get new pimples but they are smaller than before.
Cons:
-Stomach aches
-Constipation
-Redness
-After one month it causes you to break out more
I have been taking this pill since July 17, It is now August 24 &I have seen hardly any results. The dermatologist said it is normal to see acne get worst after 4 weeks, then 2-3 weeks after you should starts seeing progress. I have no self esteem what so ever. If you are on this pill and see no results you're not alone. I cry over acne too. I'm not going to get to sad over until my next appointment, if you see no results after that time period then worry. Not now, just wait and see.
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 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.
February 13, 2010
Pros:
Works well on my face?
Cons:
doesnt really help with back, chest acne
I've been taking this for like pshhh...2 and a half weeks so far and i think it works awesome on my face...even though my face wasnt horrible to begin with, but i dont think its working that well on anything else, im going to start putting benzaclin on my back along with alpha hydrox 10% AHA gel, im changing my diet..NO MORE POP, plenty of water, and im going to start using selsun blue shampoo, and use borax powder for a body wash, I just wont give up til this nastty crap is gone! So for all of youu people out there with bacne, chest acne, keeepp fighting! Im not going to waste my life hiding my skin..and neither should you, If you have back acne use Doxycycline,benzaclin,and alpha hydrox 10% AHA Gel! :) Im trying this next week..so ill keep you posted on how its working!
January 1, 2010
Pros:
It started to somewhat clear up my acne. (but I'm thinking that was placebo)
Cons:
It never totally cleared up my acne, just slightly improved it for a month or two. Then I was back to normal. And then about 4 months after starting, I started to get massive breakouts on my chest and back.
I wish my dermatologist had never prescribed this. I don't know if it was the cause of my body acne (it could just be the crazy hormones as I get into the worst years of being a teenager), but it definitely didn't help anything. Now I'm trying a bunch of topicals to clear it up and my dermatologist and parents are trying to put my Accutane which is frustrating. This medication was a waste of time and money.
Pros:
I only have to take it once a day
It doesn't dry out my skin too much