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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15.6%
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15.9%
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14.3%

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November 7, 2014
Works
Used it for a month and it worked!! Just avoid over-exposure to sunlight.
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September 25, 2014
So far, so good
I'm 28 years old and have had pretty good skin my whole life until about a year and a half ago. I started with a couple pimples here and there on my cheeks and forehead then it started getting worse. I decided to get it checked out and the Doctor started me on 100mg of Minocycline capsules, one per day.. I didn't start to see a difference until 3 weeks into the treatment. My skin is starting to clear up especially the redness. The only thing that seems to be sticking around are these pesky closed comedones (whiteheads). But I'm also not seeing any new ones either so I guess that's a good thing. I haven't experienced any negative side effects such as the ones I've been reading about. Today for the first time immediately after taking it, I did get a little dizzy but went away quickly.. Hopefully this medicine continues to work but also nervous that I'm going to start experiencing negative side effects now that I've been on it for almost a month.
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November 12, 2013
BEST

Pros:

clear skin
no stomach irritation
no dry skin

Cons:

allergy
acne came back worse
sun sensitivity

This is the best acne product I had ever used by far. I could leave the house without makeup for the first time in 15 years after only a couple of weeks. I also didn't have the gastric side effects many people complain about. I never burn due to my skin colour, but I did receive a mild sunburn while on this medication. Unfortunately, after three and a half weeks I developed an allergy to the medication and had severe hives and swelling. I had to discontinue use and my skin became worse than before I took it.
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October 12, 2013
Keeps cysts away!

Pros:

Gets rid of cystic acne
Keeps cysts from coming back

Cons:

Doesn't help normal acne
Makes your normal acne worse if you sunbathe a lot

I used to always get bad cysts on my nose, back and on my chest in the same place. I used to deal with it even though the one on my chest never went away. One day I decided to try to get rid of it by hot packing it. It got super infected and was the worse pain I have ever felt (don't do that). I went to the doctor and it was so bad he had to cut into it and drain it. After a couple of months, it came back. He prescribed me minocycline because I was allergic to everything else and after about a month all of my cysts were completely gone! I don't get cysts at all anymore thanks to this medicine. However, this doesn't really do anything for normal hormonal acne. If you have cysts ask your doctor for this, it is a miracle worker.
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September 27, 2013
Works very well, but harsh side effects

Pros:

Works very fast, cleared acne 98% in 2 weeks.
Kept its effect for about 3.5 years after I stopped it

Cons:

Horrible side effects, migraine, nausea, period, thrush...
Messes up hormonal birth control
Limits your diet (you're not allowed to have dairy/calcium with it)

I always had severe cystic acne since I was about 12 years old. My first MC course I started when I was 15 and took it for about a year with breaks. It cleared the teenage acne drastically, about up to 60%. When I got on the antibabypill age 16 I stopped MC as it can interfere with birth control. I was acne free until about 19.5 years, when I started to have first major breakouts again. They all cleared up by themselves again though, just slower and slower with time, but didn't yet require MC treatment. Over the years my skin got gradually worse and at the age of 22 I had worse cystic acne then when I was 12, especially around my nose and chin area. My skin is generally not oily, but went even drier, bright red and patchy all over my face. Unlike my teenage acne this one NEVER spread onto my body - not even onto my neck, only my face was a cystic mess. I was diagnosed with genetic acne (not teenage, hormonal acne) and got on MC again two weeks ago and as of today all the cysts have disappeared, my skin is clear, not dry anymore, a bit oilier than usual but no more acne, not even blackheads. I'd say it's 98% clear after 2 weeks. I had severe side effects the first few days of taking MC, including migraine attacks so strong that I would vomit, general nausea and a premature and very strong and long (2 weeks) period. Due to the long period (and the moisture it comes with) I eventually also got a thrush, which was hard to treat as I could not take pro-biotics because you're not allowed to have dairy with MC as the calcium makes it useless. After overcoming those first 2 weeks I'm starting to feel better and can finally enjoy the clear face I now have. I take 1x 50mg a day. I was prescribed 2x 50mg a day, but I wasn't able to function due to the migraine attacks after taking MC, hence I can only take it at night before sleeping. I'm very thin (58kg at 175cm), so that might be why 1x 50mg is working well in my metabolism.
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August 23, 2013
Works Wonderfully Short term

Pros:

Cleared me up completely
Made my skin feel like a baby's tushy

Cons:

Can cause minor stomach aches
Acne bacteria grows resistant quickly

I was on this for about...a year, I think? Which is actually very dangerous as it can cause very serious liver problems if it's used long term. Anyways, after around month 2 my skin was completely clear aside from blackheads (which aren't related to bacteria anyways; this drug is not meant to treat them). It stayed that way for about 4 months afterward, and I felt amazing. However, I developed a resistance to it and it eventually stopped working.
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August 14, 2013
Minocycline: Short-term fix

Pros:

Breakouts clear faster
Pimples are less inflammed
Almost completely clear skin!

Cons:

Acne returned after treatment

I took Minocycline a few months ago. My acne is moderately severe and persistent. I'm 21 now and ever since I was 14, I have had at least 10 pimples (some cystic) on my face every day of these past 7 years. I've tried lots of topical creams and other antibiotics and this is the only thing that really cleared me up. I had almost no acne and even if a pimple did pop up, it was far less inflamed and cleared up much faster. It started working for me within the first few days of taking the pills. Definitely try this drug if nothing else has worked for you! I had no side affects whatsoever. My acne returned pretty much right after I stopped taking the pills though. Good luck! :)
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July 10, 2013
Great, few side effects

Pros:

Easy to use
Cleared skin completely
Lasting effects

Cons:

No dairy hour within taking meds
Lightheadedness
Dryness?

At first, I started taking minocycline (antibiotics) in the morning, and found that it made me lightheaded, also you cannot eat dairy within one hour of taking it because it reduces the effectiveness of the antibiotics. I recommend taking it before bed. I had pretty moderate acne, which became a lot worse in the past year. Within four months of using the antibiotic (combined with clindoxyl cream and Retinol A gel) my skin cleared up COMPLETELY. I did experience extreme dryness (red, burning, flaking and peeling skin) with the use of these three medications, but after a while my skin adjusted and dryness went away. After around 4 months of antibiotics, I haven't had a noticeable pimple for a very long time. My skin is very clear, except for a few red marks from scarring, and continues to stay completely clear although I stopped minocycline a month ago. Overall, worked amazingly for me, consider this before trying Isotretinoin (Accutane). I can't remember the last time my skin was this clear!
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May 31, 2013
Great treatment but not permanent

Pros:

Cleared skin completely
Covered by my insurance
No Sideeffects

Cons:

Not Permanent

I took Minocyclin until about a year ago and it worked amazingly. Cleared me up completely within about 4 months and then I stayed on it for another year until i reached my maximum treatment period. Did not have any sideeffects. About 10 months after treatment my acne came back, however not as bad.
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April 29, 2013

Pros:

Works quickly
Affordable

Cons:

Bad headahces
Dizziness

I'm 28 with adult onset acne. I've taken doxycycline before (also in the tetracycline family), but minocycline has been much more effective. I realize it's not a long term solution, but it has worked to minimize the cystic acne that was flaring up. Unfortunately, I had pretty bad side effects. I started out with 100mg tabs twice daily and got horrible headaches, dizziness, eye pain, etc. The dose was adjusted to 100mg once daily and I still get headaches, but the dizziness is gone. Overall, I think it's a decent product to kick start a remission of acne before starting something like spirnolactone or accutane. It's affordable relatively easy to take.
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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