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
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2
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1
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September 2, 2010

Pros:

Clears cystic acne!

Cons:

I felt dizzy for the first week or two of taking it. My doctor told me to take it with food. When I take it on an empty stomach, I feel slightly nauseous.

I have been on it for 8 months and it is still working great! I used to get the deep, painful, cystic acne on my chin and occasionally on my forehead. I haven't had one since I started!
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August 29, 2010

Pros:

Clears up acne and helps with scarring

Cons:

makes you itch

If you can take the severe itching then get it but if you like me and you can't don't!
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August 21, 2010

Pros:

* Helped keep cystic acne under-control
* Noticed cleared skin after 14 days (2 weeks use) ... even dark pigmentation seemed to clear! (perhaps with the help of Differin cream)
* Easy to take (pills were fairly small in size)
* Killed off bad bacteria in my body!

Cons:

*Killed off GOOD bacteria in my body!!!
* Diarrhea (entire time during the course)
* When treatment stopped, noticed few pimples re-appearing (on my back only, not face!)
* Stopped treatment due to illness and yeast infections
* Tongue became infected with bacteria/ yeast
* Random stomach pains that often accompanied by gas
* Trouble sleeping (dosage of 180mg was lowered by myself to 50-100mg and noticed improvement in sleeping habits)
* STAY OUT OF THE SUN! Will burn li

It's worth a shot, if you're a male. Antibiotics are NOT good to be used for a long period of time. They can really disrupt the PH balance in your body (hence all the yeast infections I was getting) ... And I wasn't able to have dairy while taking the pills so yogurt, cheese or milk was not an option top keep the yeast away. When taken with dairy it will be less effective. I will go back on it for a few more weeks after I give my body a rest from it all. I'm sure it was quite hard on my liver! Since it did help rid of some pimples, and I used it with Differin cream... there was noticeable results! This is something that should NOT be taken in high dosages because you will feel the effects more. Thankfully, I did not feel nauseous. I took it with food each and every time and refused not to do without it. Drink it with a FULL glass of water and eat right after it's in your system. Headaches are so9mewhat common and it did happen to me a few times. Advil was taken and cleared up my head pains over night. I was also VERY thirsty on this medication and sometimes felt dizzy. I would sit down and feel as if my head was SLOWLY spinning clockwise. DO NOT lye down 30 minutes after taking this medication or you WILL feel sick! My skin seemed to feel smooth and soft after the two weeks. It's strange because after I got off the treatment my acne seemed to still continue to clear itself. Occasionally I would break out with a new pimple on my back though. I felt REALLY tired and lazy on this medication and would spend alot of extra time in bed catching up on my missed sleep or because my body wasn't fully energized. Do not take supplements while on this medication either.
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August 20, 2010

Pros:

+works!! :o)
+saw improvement within 2 weeks
+no new pimples, and old ones have disappeared
+side effects are minimal compared to Accutane

Cons:

+been on this before and it might stop working (nooo)
+feel kind of loopy, spacey
+have to take it on an empty stomach which is kind of hard to schedule around
+bad long term effect kind of scares me

Listen, I've been through it all. Horrible break outs that made me want to call in sick and hide indoors and cry. Clear skin that strangers have complimented me on. And everything in between. I've been on Accutane. Which was tough but worth the results. After a year since I finished my treatment, breakouts were happening again! I was so frustrated and mad that I vowed I was going to try everything to get back to clear! I scheduled a derm visit and was hoping she would put me back on a second course of Accutane. She instead put me on anti-biotics. 2x a day 100mg. It seems like a lot but its friggn workn!! It took two weeks to see an improvement and my skin got worse before better. I had three new big pimples that hurt, but after like 4 days they were gone and no new ones (yay)!! Please don't give up for you're only a week in and your skin's retaliating. I don't want to jinx myself (watch me wake up tomorrow with a face full of pimples lol) but I knew I had to review since I look to this website to help me when I'm desperate. Try Minocycline. It could really improve your skin. You deserve to be happy about the way you look :)
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August 15, 2010

Pros:

While I was on it it worked 100% effective against my cystic acne on the inside of my thighs, and on my face, shoulders, and back. It even helped against ingrown hairs developing sore spots on my arms.

Cons:

I had an upset stomach from it once during the first week I took it, without food. I heard that taking food with it reduces the nausea but also reduces effectiveness.

Use it. It's cheap, and not used to treat many other syptoms. This drug is really mostly just for acne. It difficult to become resistant to it, and while I was on it, I never had one sore throat, flu, cold, etc. even when everyone else in the house were coughing all over me. I was like Private from Sydney, Austrailia. Nothing worked for me, but this did.
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August 14, 2010

Pros:

Cheap. Only $10 per month's supply.
can see a difference within first few days.
reduced redness
Only thing that has worked for me.

Cons:

Some times get bad headaches.
Got thrush from it. :( :(

I wish i tried this earlier & saved a tonne of money. I am 24 years old and have battled moderate acne since i was 14. I am a total health freak so I am against taking drugs or strong medications which is why it took me so long to finally try it. I normally get 3-5 zits on my face. I never had 1 day without a zit before so over time i got used to having a few zits on my face and didn't worry too much about it since it was not severe and i kept thinking that it would go away over time. Then at 23.. a year ago I started developing more cystic acne and i started to develop acne on my chest & neck. I have tried benzoyl peroxide, sacrylic acid, tea tree oil and have bought alot of expensive brand name products from chanel to clinique to dermatologica products in the past and none of them have worked. My advice is to Save your money. Those expensive products do not work. I finally got minocycline. Within the first 3 days i already noticed a difference in my skin. I am very pale and always have alot of redness on my face. Within the first 3 days i noticed my redness on my face has reduced alot. I am so happy that i can walk outside without needing make-up to cover my redness. I used to get people staring at me in public because my face was always pink. lol I am on my 3rd week of using it right now so it's still early days but I have not had any newly zits form on my face since i started using it. I am very happy with it. I do get strong headaches at night once every few days. I am having one right now. It seems to come randomly once every few days. I think every one should try this if you have mild to moderate acne instead of trying over the counter products and wasting your time and money trying them. I know there is some bad reviews here about the side effects but You can always stop using this if the side affects hit you. there is nothing to lose by trying this out. If you have severe acne.. i would probably suggest something stronger like accutane.
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August 12, 2010

Pros:

None personally for me.

Cons:

I got cystic acne like never before on it. Stomach issues. Nausea. Headaches. BLOODY STOOL. stomach pains.

This medicine cause me to have a bad overall experience.
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August 9, 2010

Pros:

halved my acne breakouts, less angry spots, less scarring and the last 2 years on it I was acne free 100%

Cons:

upset stomach, nausea, takes a while to start working, resistance to the drug after some time

this did help my acne, it did not clear it and I still had breakouts. I was on it for 10 years and it stopped working for me, but I would say to others to try it.
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August 6, 2010

Pros:

*does clear up skin

Cons:

*side effects outweigh benefits in my opinion
*not a long term solution

I am really torn about minocycline. I really wish I could take it forever with no side effects and no worries, but I have to say its not healthy or safe to be on antibiotics to clear acne you may have indefinitely. it does work so well, but it didn't take me long to feel the side effects - loss of appetite, stomach issues, and this will give ladies yeast infections after some time. I even dealt with all that crap bc it does work so well. But on my 3rd course of antibiotics derm put me on solodyn (slow release) within the 2nd month my mom kept commenting that my hair was falling out, not ther normal shedding. So looked it up online, and saw several ppl have had the same. So, needless to say im off them for good.
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August 5, 2010

Pros:

Not sure

Cons:

Severe allergic reaction

I started taking this and about 4 days later i woke up to my knee bring 3X's its normal size doctor told me i got drug induced lupus from it
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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