Acne.org Products
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
54%
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 they can reduce severe acne in the short term, 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 Minocycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
July 27, 2015
Quick Fix
Minocycline worked well for my cystic acne, but it's not a good long term solution. I DO recommend it because it does help you get your acne under control while you're waiting on your topicals to start doing their job- but don't expect to take this for more than a 3-6 month cycle. I can't imagine it's very healthy to take longer than a short time period plus eventually it will lose its ability to work as well once your body adapts.
July 17, 2015
Long term effects not worth it
This was the first Rx my derm started me on. It worked for the first couple years I was taking it, but after about about year 3 it was no longer effective for me. The previous reviews are right. Although you can get good results with this Rx, it comes at a cost. Taking antibiotics over a long period of time can wreak havoc on your body all the way from your immune system to your respiratory system. This webMD article does a nice job of summarizing. [link removed] Hope this helps!
June 16, 2015
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Finally acne free!
I felt the need to register here again cause acne really was troublesome for me. I cannot say that I have tried "everything" before, but I did try a lot of things: differin, acne.org regimen (for more than a year), salicylic acid, peels, dieting, exercising, drinking more water, tea tree oil, even going without make up. None of those helped me of course. I did go to dermatologists, one didn`t even glance at my skin and prescribed me his expensive regimen (which of course never helped me). After that was very skeptical about going to dermatologist again. I though she would put me on Accutane (which I was afraid of), but she prescribed me this paired with topical cream that didn't do a thing to my skin. This saved my skin! I have been on it for a bit more than 2 months and I NEVER get red pimples again! I do have a bit of whitehead action going on on my chin, but it`s getting better with AHA+ glycolic acid thing that I bought here. I am happy with the skin I see in the mirror for the first time on last 1,5 years and I wish everyone the same thing! Hope this thing will work magic on y'all too!
August 15, 2015
Does it only work for red inflamed acne?
March 2, 2013
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Cons:
Takes time
Few break outs early on
Expensive
Suffered with acne since 14 and it has never gotten better till I was put on Solodyn. Truly a blessing from God! I can now not worry about my acne, and continue life with my new gained confidence.
February 8, 2013
Pros:
Improved moderately-severe full-body cystic acne 90% within 2 months.
Cons:
Took dosage of 50 mg twice daily for 4 months, within 2 weeks of ending the prescription, acne returned to previous severity all over.
Minocycline is not a long-term cure for acne. I was told I would have clear skin for 6 months after stopping. I am 30 years old and have suffered from acne my entire life. I have used pretty much every topical medication available with varying results. If I don't use topical medications consistently, acne worsens. Topical medications alone do not improve acne very much at all.
March 17, 2012
Pros:
Works fast
Can take with food
I'm 14 and i've been suffering from acne for the past 3 years. I never really had cystic horrible acne but ever since The beginning of 7th grade I have not gone a day without at least 10 -20 small bumps on my forehead and chin as well as the occasional huge painful pimples I get on my cheekbones when I'm stressed. With the addition of my rosacea my self confidence plummeted and it got to a point where I didn't want to hang out with my friends anymore and I would beg my parents to let me stay home from school. I couldn't understand why all my friends could be so confident without makeup, and why I had to cake it on every morning. After literally trying EVERY acne treatment out there I got fed up with my skin only becoming more irritated from the benzoyl peroxide and salacylic acid so i switched my skin care regimen to using neutrogenas extra gentle cleanser, with burst bees after sun soother as my moisturiser, and no acne products. With the addition of minocycline my skin has changed drastically and I'm slowly starting to regain my confidence. I've only been taking it for about 6 days but the amount of bumps on my face has decreased to about 5 tiny bumps and my redness is also starting to get better. I take it every morning when I wake up with a full glass of water. This is a life saver, and if you are having the same problem as me with your skin, you should definitely ask your doctor about this. The only thing I'm scared about is that people say they have relapses. :/
January 12, 2012
Pros:
had clear skin for the first time since i was 12!
Cons:
effects didnt last long, have to limit dairy intake
we have a high insurance deductible that we never meet, so thats why it was so expensive for me. cleared up my skin! NO acne whatsoever, even on half the dose! didnt last long though, after a few months i started breaking out again, so naturally i went back to the prescribed dose of 2 pills a day... it's been a month now with no improvement. also, eating anything rich in calcium 2 hours before and after taking the pill reduces the effectiveness.... thats 8 hours a day that i cant eat milk, cheese,, yogurt etc.
July 12, 2011
Pros:
it cleared my face up slowly but it did its job in about 3 months i had really bad acne
Cons:
Face sensetive to light
have to eat non dairy foods with the pill and wait two hours to eat dairy products.
It worked for me. It all depends on what your dermatologists tells you he put me on it with acuzone its a gel to wash your face and now i just got scarring but im happier now. All the side effects were for me were that i would get dizzy and my face was sensitive to light any type.
June 29, 2011
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Pros:
cleared up acne
great skin
Cons:
bad side effects
yeast infections
once i went off it, acne got 10x worse!
if you dont have bad side effects, this medicine is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. but if you do have side effects, then this medicine is horrible. i had the worst yeast infections and after i stopped, my acne got even worse than before. Now, i am dealing with the worst acne of my life all because i stopped this medication. For me, the cons definitely outweigh the pros.
June 23, 2011
Pros:
Clears up body acne
Cons:
Made my acne MUCH worse before it got better. Side effects such as tiredness, headache, dizziness, etc.
About a week into taking this medicine, my acne was 100 times worse than it had ever been. It was like every pore in my body decided to break out in a whitehead. I called my Dr. because he didn't tell me to expect it to get worse before it got better. He said it should NOT get worse and wondered if I possibly had a yeast infection in my skin and prescribed me Diflucan (1-pill, works systemically) and in about 3 days my acne started clearing up. I've been on this medication for 2.5 weeks and the acne on my chest and back is mostly gone, but I feel TERRIBLE. I am so tired - I can't work for more than 2 hours before I have to lay down and rest. I have zero energy. I have a constant low-grade headache that Excedrin/Advil/Tylenol won't touch. It works, but not sure if the side effects are worth it. I'm going to try to stick with it for a few more days and see if the side effects start to subside. Otherwise, I'm going to call my doctor and talk about lowering my dose or alternative treatments.
Pros:
Works very good