Minocycline
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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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October 27, 2010

Pros:

Effective, with no side effects whatsoever

Cons:

I've become fairly dependent

I'm 20 years old and I've had horrible acne for the past 3-4 years. It gets so bad it hurts to open my mouth just to speak. And the embarrassment and depression I get is unbearable. When I finally took to seeing a Dr about it I was prescribed minocin and it worked very well. I actually began to have attractive skin for once and my existing scars had a chance to heal a little. However, if I ever go more than a single day without taking this drug I start to breakout. More than 3 days without taking it and I am right back to square one. Painful cysts, depression, etc. For this reason it is very annoying to have to carry my pills with me on vacation, camping, sleepovers, etc. And I'd also like to specify that I lift weights on a regular basis and take lots of protein, creatine, and some occasional caffeine supplements with no ill side effects. I would definitely recommend this drug, I'd just really really love to have a long term solution.
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October 24, 2010

Pros:

Cons outweigh the Pros

Cons:

Dangerous!

Please think very carefully before taking antibiotics for acne. I was using Retin-A along with Minocycline to treat my moderate acne for about a year when I became very sick. I was terribly fatigued and my joints began to ache. The fatigue and joint pain eventually became so bad that I was not able to function--I had to drop out of college and was not able to work (I was 24 years old and needed help walking!). I started to loose weight and looked very sickly (many of my peers speculated that I was anorexic because I became so thin). My doctor did many tests and it was determined that I had lupus and I was referred to a specialist. The specialist suspected that the lupus may have been induced by the Minocycline and I stopped taking it immediately. It took over a year for body to return to normal and the lupus symptoms to go away. This medication stole over a year of my life and caused me a great deal of pain (both physically and emotionally). It was also very costly financially--since I was not able to go to school (and therefore no longer covered by my parents insurance) or work I had no insurance and accrued thousands in medical bills. Please be very careful and do your research before taking any medication, I wish I would have!
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October 12, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up SOME acne.

Cons:

Left me with greenish-blue bruises that haven't gone away for months, (I found out recently that this is due to the high concentration of the drug in my body, and have since stopped taking it)

Take it if you wish, but be really, really careful. If you notice anything odd at all, go to the doctor. (And ask if it could be from the drug, I actually went to the doctor specifically for the bruises, and the doctor had no clue what was wrong, and sent me for some blood tests that came back normal. A few days ago I found out that the bruising was from the minocycline via a 3 second Google search...*fail*)
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October 11, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up my skin extremely well.

Cons:

I am still on it and it causes me insomnia and "backne" (back acne)

Overall it works. It got rid of my acne. I stopped taking if for about a week and my acne came back, so I went back on it. I just hope I don't get lupus or hyperpigmentation from this product.
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October 5, 2010

Pros:

Got rid of all my acne
Works quickly

Cons:

Upset stomach
Trouble sleeping in the beginning

This was my miracle worker. Got rid of it all and I've never been so confident about my skin. I love this medication haha. I was on it for 2 months. And that's how long for it took for all of it to go away (actually less then that). I took just one everyday combined with salicylic acid which is also a great acne fighter. The beginning stage was the only difficult part of this. Stomach was hurting so I couldn't sleep and sometimes I would feel drowsy. But it wears off quickly and soon you'll feel like ur not on anything. This pill works differently on everyone but it worked wonders with me and I'm so freakin happy it did =)
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14 user(s) found this helpful

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October 4, 2010

Pros:

Works better than anything I've ever taken (and I've gone the whole nine yards, except Accutane).
Cheap, if you have insurance.

Cons:

Nausea.
Headache.
Dizziness (don't go on roller-coasters ;)

I started taking this about a year ago with two other topical medications my doctor prescribed. At first, my acne got way worse and started peeling. It took about a month and half for it to get better. But when it did, it really did. I didn't have a single breakout! Then I got off my insurance and couldn't afford it anymore. About a month later, my acne was breaking out like crazy. Got back on Minocycline and it took longer this time to clear up but I'm a hell of a lot clearer. Frankly, it's the only thing that works for me. :) So try it. Yeah, I get a little dizzy but it's worth it. I'm still not on insurance so it's still expensive though :/
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21 user(s) found this helpful

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September 30, 2010

Pros:

The cons outweigh any pros

Cons:

loss sense of taste. Everything just tasted bad. Not being able to eat led to depression. NOT a good experience!

I would not recommend this drug to anyone experiencing similar side effects. For me, the symptoms showed up with in three days. HOWEVER, the brand name form (solodyn) worked much better for me (no side effects, take only once daily). It isn't covered by insurance though so I had to use rebate cards that only works for three months.
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September 28, 2010

Pros:

None

Cons:

Hyperpigmentation and darkening of scars in black skin, bluish lips,nausea, drunk feeling,cracked lips, worsening of acne, increase in appetite, moodiness

I started taking this 3 weeks ago along with ziana at night and benzaclin in the morning, both of which I have used before. I still have blackheads on my chin and I now have scarring on my cheeks from where the acne was. I have never had any bad scarring like this before. Hopefully, once this drug leaves my system the scars will too. Ziana and benzaclin have worked for me before. I will never use this again. It's not worth it! I gave one star because you can't leave the stars blank!
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September 22, 2010

Pros:

Cleared skin

Cons:

None spring to mind....No noticeable side effects

Its been over a month, and have had only one or 2 major spots. Which is rare as in the last 5-7 years I havent gone longer than a few days without some sort of a spot, and never longer than a fortnight without a breakout. Being black, I have some hyperpigmentation so Im now including some glycolic acid into my routine to hopefully clear that up and in due time im hopeful this combinatino will enable me to restore my skin to what it was many moons ago I've already recommended to my sister, hopefully she sees some results in the near future too. But definitely give it a go, all of us with bad skin know it can really destroy your confidence, its a joke how vanity can do that, but it is what is.... Hope this helps
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September 3, 2010

Pros:

clears cystic acne in as little as a week

Cons:

occasional headaches, must take on empty stomach

I take 100 mL, in one pill, daily, before eating. I call this, "my wonder drug". I SWEAR by Minocin! I don't know why I began to develop cystic acne, but Minocin was/is the only thing that has helped/worked! Within one week, my cysts (which were severe) were gone! I had over 15 cysts all over my face, and Minocin cleared them up. Unfortunately, I was still left with hyperpigmentation (which I get treated with microdermabrasion session), as I am Jamaican and Black skin tends to pigment easily. I've been using this since January and it is now September. I know I can not take this forever, and as there are many other antibiotics out there, I'm not TOO worried. I have also found that refraining from eating yogurt helped, as I stopped in January, before I began Minocin. While doing this did not reduce the number of cysts present, I did see that it stopped the growth of new ones, to an extent.
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16 user(s) found this helpful

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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.
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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:

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  • 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.
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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.
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