Oral Antibiotic
Reviews
3.4
1734 Reviews
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
56%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Oral Antibiotic
Side Effects
Medium-High
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.
Read All About Doxycycline
Compare To Other Treatments
5
20.7%
4
32.9%
3
22.1%
2
12.7%
1
11.5%

Used Doxycycline? Rate It:

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October 18, 2010

Pros:

none

Cons:

extreme dry skin!

i thought this would work but it just made my skin super dry. i stopped using it after 4 months due to absolutely no results. my skin is still dry bcuz of doxy after being off it for 5 months :( also got sunburnt bad in weird places like feet and hands. not for me could work for other people though.,.
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October 3, 2010

Pros:

Cleared my perioral dermatitis FAST
Reduced oil
Less breakouts
Less redness
The side effects aren't that bad
Small pills
Cheap

Cons:

Lost it's effectiveness a month and a half (for me :()
Nausea if you take a pill longer than 30 min after you eat
Can possibly cause a yeast infection
Constipation (for me:()
Acne slowly comes back after you're off the pill

I have perioral dermatitis, it isn't as bad as it was before AT ALL but there are still some spots. This has helped my acne, but I have been on doxycycline for longer then a month and a half and it has sort of lost it's effectiveness. I'm planning on going back to the dermatologist to get something more effective. Overall, give this pill a try, it may be worth it:)
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June 12, 2010

Pros:

-Cleared up about 80% of my acne
- Starts working very quickly (I noticed changes in less than a week)

Cons:

-I noticed I get sunburned easier which is no biggie really
- I noticed a gray-black stain on my bottom teeth, asked my dentist and he said this medicine is the cause, but he managed to get it off... just a warning to people who love white teeth (like me)
- You have to take it with food which is sometimes inconvenient.

I would definitely recommend this. Make sure you take it everyday though (or twice if prescribed). That seems to be what really makes it work.
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June 26, 2016
Saved my skin, saved my confidence.
Short summary: Doxycycline saved my skin. No more cysts since starting it. Skin type: Oily t-zone and chin, rest of face is normal. Products in daily routine since starting Doxycycline : Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel Cleanser OR Mediheal Pore Clean Charcoal Cleansing Foam. Tony Moly Pure Eco Snail Moisture Gel. Some backstory: My acne wasn't SEVERE, but it was pretty darn bad. I had cystic acne, since the age of around 14. I am now almost 18. It used to be that I would only get 1-3 cysts around my period (usually on the chin, or jawline) which I was told is "normal" for women. Though they were painful, deep and left significant scarring, I did very little to treat it - I thought I would just grow out of it, like every other teenager. Toward the end of last year (2015) it was getting much worse. I noticed that none of the other girls my age at school had these "normal" cysts around their periods. I enjoy doing my makeup so covering them up became routine - but I began to feel upset and insecure because I couldn't do normal things like go to the beach or go swimming with my friends because of how insecure I felt due to these deep, painful cysts on my face. Now let me tell you, I have tried every product accessible and affordable. Neutrogena, Clearasil, Cetaphil, pretty much the ENTIRE RANGE of Mario Badescu products aimed at treating and preventing acne. I have tried home remedies, I have tried COUNTLESS diet plans (as extreme as cutting out different foods completely to test whether the acne was result of dairy, meat or something like that). My hygiene was perfectly fine - I showered every day, changed my pillow cases every day, kept my hair out of my face, barely touched my face, etc. All the usual recommended things to prevent acne. All this time and money wasted, and absolutely no result. In fact, towards the end of 2015 my acne was getting worse and worse. To the point where I'd have up to 10-15 cysts on my face and perhaps 8-10 cysts on my back and shoulders. It was painful. For a long time, I couldn't sleep on either side because I would wake up from the pain of my face (cysts) on my pillow. I'd have to sleep on my back so not to hurt my face, but then my back would hurt even worse, because of the cysts there too. It was finally time that I put my foot down and did something about this. I was crying every morning, every night. I couldn't forsake my education, but I cried every single morning I had to wake up and put makeup on my face - not only because of how much it would HURT, but because of how insecure and horrible I felt about my own image. The doctor prescribed me doxycycline and Acne.org was where I read a combination of reviews about its results, on the way to pick up the prescription. Result: Within the first week of taking doxycycline, though the cysts on my face were still there, they felt less painful to the touch - and no new ones had sprouted up yet. Though I read many people experience a period where it "gets worse before it gets better", I was lucky enough not to experience this. I can safely, genuinely and honestly say that since beginning doxcycline, I DID NOT GET ANY MORE /NEW/ CYSTS ON MY FACE. My prescription: beginning with one 50mg tablet a day for a week, then two 50mg tablets a day for the rest of the course. I started at the beginning of March, it is now June and I can happily say that my face is CYST FREE. I have not a single cyst, or any sort of pimple, on my face. None. Literally none. Unfortunately, my back is still the same and I still get cysts on my back, but I think soon I'll begin to use a topical gel for that instead. The only concern I now have with my face is scarring, which I'm slowly trying to find cures for. As I am still on doxycycline, I don't know if the acne is just going to come back after I go off it or not, but seeing as I'm now 18, I'm hoping that I'm at that point where I'm "supposed to" grow out of skin problems. All in all, doxycycline ERADICATED my cystic acne and I can run my hands over my face without feeling a single bump. With this, I regained my confidence and now, putting on makeup is fun again, rather than a painful and upsetting task.
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August 17, 2016
Hi there! I'll start taking these soon. I hope they work! It seems as if you and I have the same skin type. And I did the same things as you. I even had a silk pillow case. Anyways! As for your acne scars, have you considered derma rolling? Make sure you only use it on acne scars though. Do you have somewhere that I can contact you? I'd like to know more about how the pill worked for you. :)
July 1, 2017
Hi, any long term update? Since its an antibiotic, are you still on it?
August 8, 2015
Works better than other antibiotics
I am taking 50 mg a day for more than three weeks now and what I noticed is it reduced the frequency of having breakouts.In these 3 weeks I only had three pustules whereas I used to get atleast two every week.Dunno if it's gonna clear me,but still hoping for the best. P.S-Never go for azithromycin.It may do more harm than good.
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September 18, 2015
it's a 10 week update and my acne seemed to have reach a plateau.When I started it I didn't breakout for three weeks together.But from the 7th week, I started to get at least 3 pimples every week. My doctor still kept me on it(another 2 months maybe) and asked me to have belief and hope.
February 22, 2016
Hi It's been 7 months since I started doxycycline and have recently stopped it and got prescribed for accutane since acne came back.Got accutane because i'm really scar prone. My final conclusion is antibiotics are a short term solution and can buy you time to outgrow acne.Some works better than the others.But they are never meant to cure acne.
July 17, 2015
Great! but not a longterm solution...
In grade 12 I started to get acne all along my jawline and chin. I went on Clinique's acne solution, and my skin became 10x worse from all the harsh chemicals. A year after trying different products, my doctor prescribed me doxycycline. After one month i noticed a difference, and was put on it it for another 3 months. My acne totally cleared up! however, a year after being acne free, my acne has come back and i've been put on doxycycline again. While i love what this is doing for my skin, I don't think its a long term solution. Being an antibiotic, it clears out ALL bacteria in your body making an individual much more susceptible for other infections (especially vag). It has been clinically recommended that a person should not be on and member of the 'cycline' family for more than 3 months. So while it can work wonders- its not a longterm solution unfortunately.
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September 15, 2012

Pros:

Clears up your acne

Cons:

Nausea if you don't take with food

I should probably start by saying I never had acne as a teenager and it wasn't until I turned 21 I started to experience moderate, cystic breakouts. It was horrible and I didn't understand why I had to get it now. I Just wanted it gone.I was prescribed doxycycline, 100mg a day. At first I didn't notice a difference, only till about 5 weeks in did my breakouts dramatically decrease. At 8 weeks in my acne is pretty much gone, only a bit of scarring which I'm treating with vitamin e cream. I also made a few lifestyle changes; stopped eating junk food, drank lots of water, increased how much exercise I was doing, switched to oil free makeup and face wash and also started to sanitize all my makeup. If you want a radical change in your skin, you can't solely rely on the medication, I think it's important to asses your daily routine. Doxycycline worked really well for me, it just takes time to work. I hope it works for you, defiantly try it!
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December 9, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up acne fast
Started working right away, within a week

Cons:

nauseous when taken on an empty stomach
sun sensitvity
occasional yeast infections

Doxy works really great! I am worried about antibiotic resistance, but don't want to get off this drug, and my Dr. says I can stay on it for years. Hopefully that isn't the case. You must take this with food, and I've found I can take it within 1 - 1.5 hours of eating as well. But you must have something in your stomach or you will feel sick. Stay away from diary for the meal you're taking it with. I have moderate adult acne with sensitive skin, mainly around my chin. I've tried minocycline (took awhile to work). It cleared up my skin, but then I foolishly went off it, and thought I could maintain healthy skin with just chemical peels, and my acne came back full force 3 months later. I went on Doxy last June and love it. It seems to be the only thing that works for me. Now I wash every night with Obagi cleanser, use bp about once every two weeks, and apply Alyria Step 2 exfoliating cream right before bed. Alyria is a light glycolic acid exfoliant that is awesome for getting rid of acne scarring. Now I don't even need to go for regular light chemical peels - only about every 6 months. I have also tried laser treatment, but after one $$$ (!) treatment, I had recurring cold sores that I couldn't get rid of without a long course of Zovirax. (lasers stimulate the herpes virus - so beware!!). For those of you out there with acne, be patient! There are things that work. Doxy + exfoliating is one of them that worked really well for me. Cheers
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July 16, 2011

Pros:

- cleared my acne
- easy to take, just 1 small pill

Cons:

- nausea if not taken with food
- can't be on them forever

This is the best medicine that I've taken for my acne. It immediately kicked in the first 2 weeks. I've had a few little setbacks but after 2 months I was happy with my skin and about 98% clear. The main thing that it did for me, I figure, was killing the inflammation of acne. I still got microscopically small acne, but it never developed into real lesions. This antibiotic is good to clear up a flare-up of acne but it's probably good to get on a topical (like a retinoid) at the same time. Doxycycline may help with the initial breakout that you may have while going on a topical. I got used to taking it in the middle of the day, 3pm-ish, with some fruit, so it would be at least 2hrs before/past any dinners. Not sure if that helped but better be sure.
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July 12, 2011

Pros:

-Cleared my skin

Cons:

-Sensitive to the sun

I had only moderate acne and bad scaring and this pill definitely cleared my skin up. It looks amazing now compared to how it used to. I've only been taking it since April and it took maybe 2 months to get my face completely clear. I have never gotten sick from taking this medicine. I got my prescription from my pediatrician not my dermatologist and my pediatrician told me to take it once a night after I eat and drink it with a full glass of water and to watch out for dairy products. I followed her rules for the first month but now I just take it at night with whatever and on an empty stomach and I'm still fine. The only bad thing I have to say about doxycycline is that I can't get lay out for hours and hours anymore without literally turning bright red. I love it other than that!!
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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.

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.