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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3.4
1460
5
20.4%
4
35.1%
3
21.8%
2
12.1%
1
10.5%

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June 26, 2011

Pros:

-Cleared up acne
-Used for staph infection on left cheek

Cons:

-The worst cysts you will have for the rest of your life
-Cysts = scarring
-puss filled pimples

I was actually acne free for the past two years consistently. Suddenly though I ended up getting a staph infection on my left cheek. It looked like a nickle-sized hickey, but infected and gross looking. I am a 23/m, so not sure if my hormones level started to taper off causing me to be acne free; which is a lot of times the reason for acne. The doctor prescribed me Doxy-100mg for 10 days, 2 times a day, for the staph infection. This all happened about, mid-May-2011. 2 months later... Major cysts. Before I had maybe 1 or 2 small cysts every other month or so.... but now... cysts are like the new breakout pimple. Never had puss filled pimples in a long time, probably back in highschool when I was 17...18.. now though, it's back. Really bad puss filled pimples then turns into cysts. sucks. Not sure what to do. I have a pretty clean diet, drinks a lot of water for hydration and normal detox. so... not sure, don't take doxy. Yeah you get the results WHILE you're taking it... but After?! You'll hate your face. Not joking.
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June 6, 2011

Pros:

none so far

Cons:

-made acne worse
-didn't cause me to vomit, but did bother my stomach somewhat every day
-DRY SKIN
-itchy skin

I was prescribed this for acne (100mg once a day for 30 days), I have four days left and I have seen no improvements in my skin. It seemed to make my acne worse (and cystic acne at that, which I have NEVER had before). I thought it was just a coincidence, but after looking up the side affects and reading other's reviews I realized I am not the only one with these problems. The skin on my eyelids and other patches on my face has also become very dry to the point where no matter how much lotion I apply, it does NOTHING and I have big flakes around my eyes. This might have been caused my sun exposure, but I haven't been doing any outdoor activities. It did make me nauseous the first few days I took it, but I never threw up. This seems to happen to a lot of people, and my dermatologist warned me of it when I started taking it. I have read to take it WITH food, and WITHOUT food, so i am not sure what to follow. I have taken many many acne medications (including being on ammoxicillin for a few years) and I've never had side affects that made me sick or made my acne worse, except with THIS medication.
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May 30, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

Major cystic breakout (and I don't get cystic acne) scarring and nausea

This caused me to breakout into very bad cystic acne after 1 week, and I've never had this kind of acne. It's been over 2 weeks since I got off the doxycycline hyclate and many of the zits are still there and taking forever to heal. Some of them have caused what is probably permanent scarring. If a drug is going to cause an initial breakout, it shouldn't be so bad that it scars you for life. My dermatologist is also a jackass for prescribing it when I didn't really need it. My skin was doing OK and I just had some bumps near my hairline which would probably be gone by now anyways. This will take months to recover from. Stay away from this stuff unless your skin is already full of cystic zits and can't get any worse.
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May 18, 2011

Pros:

Nothing

Cons:

Depression
Made me throw up every morning

I saw no change in my acne and I took this pill for probably about four months. I was 13 when I started taking it and I made me so sick but I kept taking it hoping it would work because it was the first antibiotic i'd been on. In order to not throwup I had to drink probably a gallon of water which is impossible, and I couldnt pay attention in class, adn then one the nausea wore off I'd just be in a depression that lasted even after I stopped taking it, so yeah Don't run off to your derm asking for this one.
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May 17, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up acne (sort of)

Cons:

Itchy butt, itchy private parts
Dry skin, chapped lips
Acne comes back immediately if you miss even just one day
Extreme nausea if taken without food
I experienced extreme depression and negative, racing thoughts after taking myself off the drug
Experienced ADHD-like symptoms while taking the drug, couldn't focus on things ever
Loss of appetite after taking myself off the drug

I hate doxycycline. After my doctor said I should stop taking it, I had a very lengthy major depressive episode while the drug was exiting my system completely. I lost all feelings of pleasure in anything for a long period of time, including my girlfriend. I'm still working to regain the feelings that I previously felt for her. I took this drug for about two years straight, and during those entire two years I had ADHD-like symptoms, and had problems focusing in school and with other things. It's not worth taking it, my side-effects were too harsh. My acne wasn't even that bad, for Christ's sake.
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May 14, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up severe breakout within days
Stays clear when taken everyday

Cons:

YEAST INFECTION! kills the good and bad :(
Pelvic inflammation, have to pee all the time
Acne returns when stop taking
Feel fatigued, anxious, depressed
Worried about continuous antibiotic use

I've had moderate to severe acne since puberty, 13 yrs old. Was severe through teens, improved some in early & mid twenties. I exercise, eat mostly organic and half the food I consume in a day is raw. I would say my diet, exercise and sleep is fairly balanced and not the issue. I have tried EVERY product from commercial (Neutrogena) to Proactive to very pure organic products. After years of using witch hazel (with alcohol) and thinking it helped, I realized it was creating an imbalance. Now my regimen is basic with a mild natural & organic cleanser and a moisturizer, but my body has gone crazy for the last couple months my acne is severe. Seems hormones are a culprit, but after using the Doxycycline, it seems to be more bacterial/inflammation related?? The Doxycycline is giving immediate results but at the same time wreaking havoc on my body..got insurance last week so going to see the dermatologist again...this can't be good long term...
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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.
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April 22, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

Made me throw up in the morning
Makes privates itchy
Skin didn't improve and get worse

I thought throwing up in the morning wouldn't be that awful if my skin got better, well my skin didn't change at all. After a month of throwing up sometimes or just being nauseous I decided I couldn't handle it. To top it off I made me so uncomfortable down under. Didn't work, period.
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April 22, 2011

Pros:

Did not dry out my skin

Cons:

Did absolutely nothing for acne.

It did absolutely nothing and was a waste of time.
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April 18, 2011

Pros:

I have better things to say about Satan than this antibiotic.

Cons:

- Broke out in places I didn't even know acne could exist.
- Lots of itchiness in the scalp
- Experienced itchiness in the rectum area as well as discharge
- Stomach constantly growled.
- Extreme nausea when I didn't take it with lots of water and food.
- Had break outs of lots of whiteheads while on it.
- Made me lose hope in ever clearing up acne

After a month and half of being on this pill, I decided the side effects were not worth the small chance that the acne would clear up. "It gets worse before it gets better." The "getting better" part never happened. I also noticed that ever since I took this pill, the skin in the middle of my forehead has an indent in it. Not attractive. When I began this treatment, my acne was already on the path of worsening. I hesitate to say this antibiotic caused my acne to get worse, but at that VERY least, it did nothing to stop it. I never had so many whiteheads until I started taking it. I suffer from acne on my back, upper arms, forearms, face, thighs, legs, and feet. It couldn't do anything to stop any of it. The itchiness was completely unbearable and the rectum itches was embarrassing. This pill ruined my confidence. This antibiotic has the most positive reviews out of any of the others, and still couldn't do anything for me. Shame.
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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