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
February 24, 2012
Cons:
Takes a while
I can gradually see my skin clearing up. Not as many black or whiteheads. Not nearly as many cystic pimples as before. I think it is working quite well!!
June 19, 2011
Pros:
Did wonders for my skin for about 8 months and slowly started to stop working.
Cons:
You have to be very careful about when you take it.
I loved this antibiotic. It worked amazingly at first, I just wish it could have lasted longer ):
June 14, 2011
Pros:
-completely cleared up my skin the first month and a half I took it!!
Cons:
-stopped working 2 months in!!! :(
I didn't get the neausea others are talking about... I took it at night and just fall asleep.. The first month: acne started clearing up!
A month and a half: acne completely gone! beautiful skin!!
2 months: acne explosion! 20+ pimples! It all came back!!! :(
May 3, 2011
Pros:
Worked fast
Cons:
Messed with my birth control
Quickly stopped working
HAD A HORRIBLE REACTION TO IT
Doxycycline worked somewhat well but not really. After about 3 months my body freaked out from it and my throat started swelling shut and it hurt if I ate ANYTHING. Took over a week to figure out it was the antibiotic and by then I was so fatigued from hunger. Stopped taking it immediately and noticed nothing different in my skin after that, so obviously it wasn't really doing anything. My doctor just shrugged when I told him. It may work for you, but if you're on birth control, it'll mess that up because antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of those. Also, you have the chance of becoming dependent upon it for your immune system if you take it too long.
February 27, 2011
Pros:
Less hungry (?)
Easy to take
Cons:
Taking w/ just water makes me groggy for a little while
Although I've read about the nausea that Doxy can give, my Derm put me on 50mg twice daily and it hasn't given me the problems others have had. I've only been taking it for less than a week in conjuction w/ Sodium Sulfacetamide lotion 10% at night and Clindamycin 1% topical in the morning. Now at the end of the 4th day I can see a difference - the giant red eruptions have stopped and the ones already there (lower half of my face) are now shrinking rapidly. The upper half of my face that is already clear is beginning to take on a nice texture - a glow perhaps? This combination appears to be working nicely for me - a 31 yr old female with lengthy acne history now due mostly to hormones.
January 24, 2011
Pros:
Keeps acne at bay and prevents new acne from forming.
Cons:
Takes a while to work. Requires persistent use and dedication to witness results. Missing a dose can cause some effects. The antibiotics may cause some stomach discomfort, so do take with food.
Works really, really great! Got rid of my acne and I all I have left are some post-acne marks to combat which is going quite well. I was on the medicine for 3 months, I believe a full course. I began seeing results after the first month. The antibiotics work, but slowly. Please have patience when on this medicine.
January 17, 2011
Pros:
cystic acne already gone
acne marks gone
cheap only $15
Cons:
dryer skin but goes away after a week!
this product absolutely works. I have the 100mg tablets and ive taken them twice a day for the past month, and my skin is a billion times better than it was before. i use this with the Reten A topical cream and my skin is just wow. &im 15 and this works perfectlyy!!
September 11, 2010
Pros:
- Cheap (around $5 for 25 pills if you have a Concession Card)
- Small, easy to take if you're not used to swallowing medication
- No side effects that I have noticed
Cons:
- Helps with light to moderate acne, not effective for severe or cystic acne
- Loses its effectiveness after some time, as with all antibiotics. You will have to take a break from it after a few months of treatment.
I have been prescribed on many cycles of Doxycycline since I was 15 years old. It has been very effective with clearing up mild to moderate type blemishes.
(If you have cysts, I recommend antibiotic Bactrim as it will stop the bacterial infection dead in its tracks. Then after the severity has subsided, you can then change to Doxy to keep the bacteria levels down if your Derm recommends it.)
As with all antibiotics, it may be a while before it takes effect and after a while you may notice it stop working. Nothing can be done about this resistance apart from waiting a while in between cycles, hence I am giving this medication a 4 for its great acne-clearing properties before this resistance takes place.
April 9, 2010
Pros:
- Very economical.
- Effective with consistent recovery.
- Easy to swallow capsule.
Cons:
- Will make you feel very ill for a long while if taken on an empty stomach.
- Requires planning, i.e. when to eat, when to take the medication.
- Should be taken at regular time intervals.
- Supplements like calcium, magnesium, iron, antacids, laxatives and others reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic.
- May develop side effects, e.g. diarrhea, yeast infection, stomach pains, etc.
- Possibility of increased resistance of bacteria.
Acne runs in my family (from both sides). My grandparents, my uncles and aunts, cousins all suffer from acne. This is my third course on the antibiotics so I know that this works for me as it had in the past. I've noticed a trend of 4-5 years of clear skin before the next severe uncontrollable acne breakout. I used to go to a dermatologist for my last two courses. Needless to say, the consultation fees and harsh topical medications were very costly and I never enjoyed my trips to the clinic anyway. Recently, I purchased the medication over the counter and realised how much I could have saved in the past. Currently, I am at day 12 of my course. There has been little to no breakouts since I started the course. However, several acne breakouts occured during the 3-4 day period when I had very little sleep. I had been up late at nights during those days rushing a deadline to finish synthesizer/keyboard arrangements for a coming acoustic gig and had been going to late rehearsals and waking up early the next morning for work. Not only did I breakout, I fell sick from overworking (burned out). Medication should always be accompanied with a good regimen. Other than that, the antibiotics helped clear my pus-filled acnes and swells. I had acne on my forehead, left and right cheeks and chin. Most had cleared out and started to reduce in swelling and redness within the first week. It was so noticeable that my boyfriend was more than shocked to see the improvement. Before this, it got so bad to the point where I couldn't even touch my face lightly to wash without crying out in pain. I am now using Shiseido's facial wash, moisturizer and blemish gel. Before I had the severe breakout, I was also on supplements like vitamin B complex, C, E, Zinc and Magnesium, Fish Oil and Calcium. I am lactose intolerant and had also recently sustained an injury of a broken toe. I had to stop intake of Calcium, Zinc and Magnesium for the meantime.
February 13, 2017
PLEASE READ: Dangers of Overusing Antibiotics
I was perscribed tetracycline, doxycycline, etc. for 3-6 months each course. While I was on these antibiotics my skin was perfectly smooth. Naturally, I wanted to upkeep this level of improvement so I continued to use these antibiotics. Because of the overuse of antibiotics I have developed a skin condition called "pityrosporum folliculitis." There's is a delicate balance of bacteria and fungi/yeast on our skin. Which, for the most part, is there to benefit the human body. By overusing or inappropriately using antibiotics, this balance can become disrupted and cause an overgrowth of the fungi/yeast. This imbalance resulted in "acne-like" bumps all over my neck, chest, and back. I was genuinely devastated and spent an entire summer seeing a psychologist because I felt so depressed over it. This condition is not curable, it is ONLY treatable. There's not a day that goes by that I wish I had explored other alternative to heal my acne. I have been able to keep it under control for the most part but like bacteria, yeast can become resistant to anti-fungal medications. So please do not try to "fix" your acne with a temporary solution that can lead to long-term consequences. *For the record I am not against taking antibiotics when necessary but doctors should not be allowed to prescribe them for acne.
Pros:
Not as many cystic pimples
My acne is clearing up
Easy to take
Hasn't made me sick