Minocycline
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Side Effects

Minocycline is an oral antibiotic that works by fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation. It should...

Minocycline 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 taken once a day with food, at the same time every day.

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4
29.3%
3
24.9%
2
15.9%
1
14.3%

Used Minocycline? Rate It:

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November 21, 2011

Pros:

cleared up skin within first few weeks
no side effects for me
completely clear skin for first few months, then it juz stopped working

Cons:

stopped working after 4 months =(
its a pill.,so u must be consistent

im 22 year old female iv been using this about 6 months now really bad whiteheads/zits all over my chin and cheeks . the first few months i took this it worked wonders! i was like OMG finally its over, my skin cleared up completely my scars even stared to fade! but now its a whole differant story, im on my 5th month and i started braking out horribly! its been a month now my skin has been braking out... im still on this. hoping itll clear up again one day... i hope..=(
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November 20, 2011

Pros:

Works to clear cystic acne

Cons:

IT COMES BACK 3 MONTHS IN

I swear I have tried everything, i get cystic acne but its not as bad as some peoples but still bad enough for me to scar my face. So for years ive been trying to clear it (from 15 to now 22) I was put on minocycline after everything else was failing me, I have been on and off this medicine for years. It does control the acne but its like my body gets immune to it and then they come back. The last time this happened I switched to accutane but was taken off due to a poor change in my bloodwork, he was going to put me back on it but now im back on minocycline to try it out again and hope that maybe this and veltrin (topical which is very helpful for cystic acne) will work for me. I hope so. I never had ill side effects with Minocycline, but DOXICYCLINE was horrible I would get so nautious and sick but def feel great on minocycline. With my insurance its only about 8 dollars.
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November 15, 2011

Pros:

It seemed to have started clearing up some of the acne during the short time I was taking it.

Cons:

Horrible vertigo and nausea.

I wasn't on this very long. I couldn't handle the side effects. I would often feel dizzy and nauseous, kinda like having motion sickness. Maybe the side effects aren't this bad for everybody, but I'll never take it again.
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November 8, 2011

Pros:

Cleared up 95% of my acne

Cons:

I started off taking 50mg 2x a day, but this made me dizzy and nauseous. I went down to 1x a day and had no more side effects.

I'm 26 years old and have been seeing a dermatologist since I first started getting acne at 12. This is the first medication that has consistently worked for me.
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October 31, 2011

Pros:

Slowly will clear up acne
Still breakout but less cystic

Cons:

Initially made acne much worse!
Depressed/ light headed for the first day or two
Made skin very sensitive
Had to change diet because of the dairy

On a 2 x 50mg Akamin (Minocycline)Working for the moment but it took a very rough patch to get here... Wouldn't recommend unless you're willing to brave the first BAD period of time! I was never sure it was going to work when it made my cystic acne come out like crazy, not sure if it was purging my skin like accutane does but it made it so bad at about week 2.5, I never had acne like this before so I was a little annoyed!!! I'm at about a month now and my skin is clearing up, just bad scarring left from the initial breakout period on the drug. Experienced a spout of depression during the first couple of days but eventually the body adjusts to it.... I'm also experiencing a bit of millia, not sure if this is from the drug but if anyone else experienced this please tell me. You may have to buy more sensitive, skin products... It will help your acne anyway!
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October 27, 2011

Pros:

Prevents Breakouts

Cons:

Expensive if you don't have insurance
Hard to schedule diet around

I was prescribed Minocycline 100mg once a day to use with Retin-A .05%. I was very hesitant to start taking this medication at first because of all of the negative reviews on this website that referenced side-effects. I also didn't want to take this medication because it made me feel worse about my acne, that i had passed a certain point and was no longer controllable. However, taking this medication was probably one of the best decisions i've made for my acne. The first couple weeks i saw small improvements; smaller cysts and breakouts not lasting long. After about a month my breakouts slowed considerably. Now four months in i break out maybe once a week, very minimally. This medication definitely helped my skin to heal from the consistent breakouts i faced in my freshman year of college. I take this medication around the same time each day, and use it with Retin A .05% and Cetaphil. Cetaphil is a perfect face wash to use with retin a as its very gentle, and Minocycline helps to minimize breakouts so my hyper pigmentation could begin to fade. All in all i highly recommend this medication. I've never felt nauseous or sick, or suffered any side-effects with this medication. Just make sure you drink a full glass of water when taking it. Also for guys, its a little tough taking this medication while trying to bulk up because you really aren't supposed to eat within a three hour window. And its effectiveness is limited if its ingested with calcium, so milk is out of the question two hours before and after taking this pill. Finally, as far as drinking alcohol while on this medication. My pharmacist said its alright to drink, just not in excess. Being in college this was a little difficult to fathom, but as for me, i'll go out on the weekends and drink and not have any problems as far as its reaction with the medication. Keep in mind though it might help to make you get drunk a little faster, thats all though. Good Luck
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October 15, 2011

Pros:

cleared up cystic acne

Cons:

cystic acne came back worse after I stopped taking minocycline

skin breaks out more now

I used to get 1 pimple (cystic acne) a month. Sometimes it scarred which is why I went to a dermatologist. I took the medication for 3 months. I did not get a single cystic zit until I stopped. After I was off Minocycline, I started get 4-5 cystic acne and then I started breaking out in regular zits too! I have never had a problem with regular zits! I went back to my dermatologist and he prescribed more mino. I was hesitant to take it again but the cystic acne was getting worse and the regular zits were multiplying so I gave in and took it for a month. It didn't work at all the second time around. As a matter of fact, my skin has gotten worse! I am living a nightmare now! My skin is terrible. It has never been this bad! EVER! I am so depressed because of this mess on my face. Please do not take this junk! It works the first time but once you stop taking it, it comes back worse! And when you get back on it, it doesn't work at all! At least that has been my experience.
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October 13, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

My acne bacame worst
Headaches
Feeling sick if not taken with lots of food

It did not help my acne at all, even made it worst.
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October 5, 2011

Pros:

- cysts were slightly less severe

Cons:

- gastrointestinal issues during AND after treatment...not pleasant
- constant headaches!! basically daily while taking it
- barely helped my acne so it wasn't worth it
- took 3 months to see results at all
- improvement of acne only lasted 3 months and then these effects stopped even though i was still taking it.

used this for just over a year in combination with Differin. my acne was never completely cleared up in that time. i had a bad initial break out and did not see any results for about 3 months. when i did see results, there was only a slight improvement in my acne; my pimples became smaller, less inflamed and less painful. i WAS still breaking out constantly. i had these results for about 3 months and after this period, my cystic acne went back to being just as bad as it was before beginning treatment. i stopped taking the Mino eventually when i realized my skin was back to it's prior condition. i regret taking it at all, because i suffered from gastrointestinal issues for the entire time i was taking it. i have now been off of it for about 3 months and these symptoms are persisting. i get horrible stomach cramps and gas pains frequently, i have to watch what i eat to avoid upsetting my stomach even more, and there are some other unfortunate effects i won't mention.... antibiotics do mess with the bacterial balance in your GI tract which tends to lead to these problems. after taking Mino for over a year i fear these effects may be permanent since they have persisted after I stopped taking it. i also experienced frequent headaches while taking it...i would get one practically EVERY DAY. it causes increased pressure to the head that results in headaches as well as some dizziness. these constant headaches disappeared as soon as i stopped taking it. Mino can also cause other side effects like liver damage and even lupus, which i am lucky to have not experienced. bottom line: stay away. the very slight improvement of your acne is not worth it.
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September 22, 2011

Pros:

Fewer pimples that are A LOT smaller and less painful

Cons:

Had extremely bad period cramps a couple days after I started taking it

My doctor prescribed me this two months ago to use with a 0.05% tretinoin cream. My acne has cleared up a lot! It took a while, but I am finally seeing results. I have a couple pimples right now, but they are dried up and fading more each day. I mostly have a lot of red spots where there were pimples before. The thing I love about this is that the pimples that I do get are small and not super painful like before! They go away a lot faster! I think the only side effect that I had (and I'm not even positive it was because of the medication) was extremely, extremely bad menstrual cramps a few days after I started taking it. I've always had very, very bad cramps, but these were so bad that I almost fainted and could hardly breathe. I was throwing up and sweating and shaking, and my skin turned gray until the pain went away. It was terrible, but I haven't had them like that since then, so I'm glad!! I would definitely recommend this! It has helped me so much!!
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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