Doxycycline
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Side Effects

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

Used Doxycycline? Rate It:

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February 10, 2015
Miracle Worker
I'm 20 year old female that one month ago, had terrible hormonal cystic acne. Acne has always been something I have battled with for years, but recently it had become worse than I had ever experienced. I decided it was time to get a prescription of an effective antibiotic and was prescibed Doxycycline (100mg 2x a day) due to the fact that my skin wasn't responding to any of the cleansers/topicals/or regimens that i had tried over the years. The first few weeks definitely had a negative effect on my skin, since my skin was at the purging stage. However, STAY WITH IT. It has only been about 5 weeks now, and i kid you not, my acne is completely gone. I haven't got a single pimple since the purging stage and I couldn't be happier. Yes, many complain about the nausea that accompanies the antibiotic, but i don't find it unbearable. As long it is taken in the morning right before breakfast, and at night right before dinner, there shouldn't be any issues. Although it has only been a month since i started, I cannot see how doxycycline could possibly have adverse effects. Im so very pleased with my results, and I cannot wait to see what it does for my skin long term! Highly recommend!
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Amjiamna
February 23, 2016
How is your face now after a year
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ashleybauchert
December 19, 2017
where was your hormonal acne located? Mines getting a little bit worse as well in the end of first week
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February 9, 2015
CLEARED up my face BUT BROKE OUT MONTHS LATER!
Okay, so I never write reviews but this prescription really cleared my face! My break outs got so bad by December of last year that it started affected my life In a negative way. I decided I've had enough so I decided to go to my school doctor and she prescribed me this. I took 100 mg twice daily for two months. The first month I didn't notice much improvement in fact I broke out a bit more ! However, I just finished my second month and I literally only have four pimples left! Of course, I do have some scarring but they are very faint. I would post pictures here but I don't think I can? Anyways I would recommend ! The only side effect I had was that if I took it without food I would get very nauseous, so I had to take it with food. She recently changed me to minocycline for my 3rd month, so I will keep this updated! UPDATE: My face had cleared up and I was elated! So I gradually started to decrease my doses (per my doctor) and everything went smoothly for about three months. However, on the third month after stopping the medication, I started to break out mildly. At first it was a pimple or two there, then about a week later my face started to break out BAD! I broke out on my forehead, cheeks, and chin! I couldn't believe it was happening again. I was horrified! At this point, I started to see at non-prescription treatments and decided to give the acne.org products a try (I will write my review shortly on those products as well). In the end, I am sad to say that it was only a temporary fix. I stopped the products all together (after decreasing the amount of course) but it all came back. Maybe you're supposed to stay on these pills for a longer period of time? I am not too sure. I hope you guys' experience is better than mine.
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February 6, 2015
Works decent for a while, mild stomach upset
Took this as a 23 year old female with moderate acne - took 100mg/day for 3 months, and then 200mg/day for 9 months. For me, this product started working quickly, and my moderate acne became mild for the first 8 months I took it. After that, the effectiveness slowly dwindled, as my acne became resistant to the antibiotic (as it always does eventually). I have heard that applying topical benzoyl peroxide can delay this resistance, but I did not try it personally. I think it's worth noting that while I have taken 5 different oral antibiotics for acne, this is the only one that seemed to upset my stomach. I experienced intermittent nausea on the higher dose. It was a pain, but not enough of a pain for me to give up my clear-er skin, so I persisted.
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January 8, 2015
3 years already
Ive taking doxycycline for 3 years already. Best thing you can try for your acne. It clear my acne in a week or so. Control my back and chest acne too. The only bad thing is you have to tape it and mostly you will get alot of pimples but its only a month. This is what i do. Take it for 5 months then one month off. And repet. I will start using retin a for better results but im pretty content with doxy. I would recomend to anyone
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January 1, 2015
Gave up during the second round.
After i tried everything that it's on the market and everything failed to give any results, the dermatologist put me on a 3 month doxycycline prescription. This happened in Europe. It cleared everything in two weeks , no more breakouts, no side effects. I was happy. After i finished the entire 3 months treatment, after only two weeks, the plague called acne came back. I went back to the dermatologist ( this time in US ) and i asked for doxy again thinking that maybe my body needs more antibiotics to kill the bacteria. I've seen no results after two weeks and our doxy is so different from the European one. It gives me some serious stomachache , kills my appetite and zero results. So i would not recommend you this.
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December 31, 2014
Meh
Took it for six months. Cleared comes ones on forehead. Did nothing for black heads. Helped my back and chest acne but my cheeks stayed the same, probably 5+ pimples all the time. I have ibs and it screwed with my gut. I had a raging yeast infection for like 3 weeks. Overall not worth it
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December 18, 2014
hopeful
to day starts day two of being on doxy. Its to early to note any changes but reading the reviews, i'm hopeful this will push my treatment faster to get clear skin. I'm getting married in september, at this point my skin is making me second guess my date. around the same time every month, my skin breaks out and i get 1-3 cystic pimples on my face... unfortunately without thinking, i booked my wedding date around the time of month my break outs happen. I'll be updating my review as i go along. I'm also on two other treatments with this; Morning: aczone Night: adapalene cream 1%.
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ashleybauchert
December 19, 2017
howd it go?
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December 1, 2014
Not for me
Ughh.... these were such a pain! Did nothing but give me stomach pains - skin didn't clear at all
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November 7, 2014
Not good
I just couldn't get past day three. The nausea and headaches are what kept me off these meds. Opted for mino..much better!
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October 3, 2014
Review for Doxy
Doxycyline like most antibiotics gets rid of the bacteria associated with acne, so you definitely see some sort of improvement in your acne with Doxy. For me I definitely saw an improvement in my skin, and it seemed to stop any new blemishes from forming as well it dried any spots that were currently hanging out on my face. I still would get a few spots here and there but not deep painful ones. Out of all antibiotics I prefer Bactrim, it works best for me in total clearing of my skin. You most likely will see some improvement in your skin with Doxy though! Be sure to use sun screen though with any antibiotic... you don't want to have to deal with brown spots too. I would give Doxy a 3.5/4 stars.
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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