Minocycline
Results
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.

 [more]
3.2
1394
Read All About Minocycline
Compare To Other Treatments
5
15.6%
4
29.3%
3
24.9%
2
15.9%
1
14.3%

Used Minocycline? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
Sort by: Most Helpful
Order:
June 17, 2011

Pros:

Clears up red, inflamed acne

Cons:

Acne came back worse after discontinued use
Makes hair extremely greasy
Dairy consumption limited
Takes WAY too long to even start working

I've been taking these damn pills since late April and only saw minimum results until late May. It did manage to clear some of my big zits and small bumps, but after finishing my 2 1/2 month cycle, a week later, my acne came back with a VENGEANCE. I started breaking out in places I haven't broke out before. The Retin-A I was taking with the Minocycline also seemed to lose it's effectiveness after a month. And to top it all off, it left my hair EXTREMELY greasy, like I could squeeze all the grease out of my hair and use it to fry up some french fries... That greasy. So daily-washing is a must. Plus, I'm a growing boy, I NEED MY CHEESE AND MY MILK, waiting two hours before and after taking the pill to eat dairy products is too much of a hassle for me. It may clear your acne, but if I were you, and my dermatologist told me I was going to be taking these pills, I'd ask for something different.
This Was Helpful

29 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 8, 2011

Pros:

Helped clear large inflammatory acne.
No overall side effects.

Cons:

Broke my skin out horribly for the first three months.

Minocycline did not work for me sadly. It broke my skin out all over my face for the first three months I was on it. My skin became smoother but the acne marks were still there. I visited a naturopathic doctor and with help of diet change, vitamins including zinc and fish oil, among other natural remedies I am seeing great improvement.
This Was Helpful

22 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 6, 2011

Pros:

clearer skin after a while...no real negative side affects at all ( at least for me, everyone is different obviously)

Cons:

not a miracle...(it takes forever to start working)

so after about 5-6 years of dealing with acne i finally was talked into going to a dermatologist...people said "ooohh within a week or 2 your skin will be super clear" well this is not the case at all...i have been takin minocycline for about 3 months and my skin STILL is not clear... its not as bad but its not clear... hopefully my dermatologist will give me accutane...i just want to be done with this acne poop
This Was Helpful

14 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 6, 2011

Pros:

Cleared acne somewhat after 3 months
Small pills

Cons:

Horrible mood swings
Broke out in odd new places
worked slowly
annoying to take due to dairy limitations

I have had acne for years and my new dermatologist prescribed me minocyline at three pills a day. I was scared of taking the 3 due to the issues with lupus and other that I heard about. I took two for 3 months. My skin cleared up, but I was irritable all the time and felt a bit foggy. I had a particularly bad breakout and started to take three. Biggest mistake ever. I had the worst mood swings ever, and I was so angry all the time that I scared myself and my friends and family. I would say and do things that were not me. Don't take minocycline. it's not worth your time at ALL. I hate my dermatologist for ever putting me on this horrible medicine.
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 5, 2011

Pros:

- none

Cons:

- could not drink alcohol, would get wasted from one drink
- skin broke out in places never before
- yeast infections
- skin got much worse

Was on this for four months and saw zero results, my light acne turned into moderate acne, now I'm going to try accutane. Do not try this antibiotic it is not a solution, but a waste of time
This Was Helpful

4 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 1, 2011

Pros:

Cleared skin
:)

Cons:

Clear skin is only temporary
--
I threw up a couple times ( Not a big deal to me)
--

My doctor prescribed me this, and I started with one pill a day. Within the first week I had clear skin, but it all came back. So over a month after starting it, I upped my dosage to two pills a day. My skin drastically improved within a month and, by the next month I was clear ( except for the occasional cyst thing that didn't take long to go away) My skin was awesome for about 3 months, which totaled me being on the pill for about 6 months, when I noticed my firsts bacne spot come up, and I think I got a couple on my face.. so I assumed that my body was becoming immune, I weaned myself off. My acne never really became severe, I went on birth control, for about 3 months.. well my acne is pretty much severe again at the moment, I'm still on birth control, and I'm on a new antibiotic. I highly recommend this stuff for a temporary clear. Though it may last longer for other people, or even keep them clear :)
This Was Helpful

Report
June 1, 2011

Pros:

temporarily cleared up acne

Cons:

Fainting spells
Internal Bleeding
Blood in Urine
Cancer-like-symptoms

After taking minocycline for months, my moderate acne began to clear. I started seeing blood in my urine, and the doctors ran hundreds of test. Then I started passing out, and had a huge tumor like bulge in my stomach. After nearly 2 months of tests, 2 hospital visits, visits to every specialist known to man....the doctors finally took me off the medicine and all symptoms went away within 2 months. The medicine is very powerful, and should not be used by everyone. Always use caution, especially when using antibiotics for long periods of time.
This Was Helpful

8 user(s) found this helpful

Report
May 31, 2011

Pros:

Clears up acne
Easy to take
No side affects (for me, at least)

Cons:

Haven't encountered any

My dermatologist put me on this about two weeks ago and I can already see a bit of difference. I take one pill everyday and then I apply Clindoxyl Gel (also recommended by my dermatologist), a topical gel. My skin is smoother and there is less acne. It says that there may be side effects (headaches, dizziness) but I didn't encounter any. I think it's worth a shot.
This Was Helpful

Report
May 28, 2011

Cons:

Our son used Minocycline for 9 months and developed toxic drug induced acute hepatitis and an arthritic like disease. After 6 weeks his liver enzymes are decreasing but his arthritis symptoms are still with him as is his acne.

Not worth the risks
This Was Helpful

Report
May 25, 2011

Pros:

Not Many
It limited my Acne a little
Kept my Acne under control

Cons:

Even though it limited my acne and kept it under control, I still broke out.

Time to take it. Without milk and such. Hated it

could not lay down

Very expensive. Priced ranges $36-$60

Hardly worked!

I was on this pill since December 2009. It did however, kept my acne under control but it never cleared it. I still broke out a lot. My other problem was taking it without milk since I am a cereal person in the mornings. It was hard but I pulled through. My third problem was that it was very expensive. There is no real main price for this. I used Wal-Mart pharmacy for this pill. The highest I had paid for this pill was $60 something dollars. One time, for some reaosn, I got it for like $37 dollars. I don't know why but the price had changed a lot. Once it was $47, $50, $56, $60, $40. I decided to stop taking it since it was making me broke and hardly cleared my skin. It's not very healthy on it. I have been on it for a year and still I kept getting acne like crazy so it never worked and I followed the directions on the label exactly.
This Was Helpful

17 user(s) found this helpful

Report
Previous
1 … 23 24 25 26 27 … 106
Next

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

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