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.

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March 2, 2010

Pros:

In combination with birth control pill, it temporarily kept my skin clear

Cons:

The side effects caused me to have severe gastro-intestinal problems. I would also get yeast infections occasionally.

I used antibiotics off and on for 2 years. It worked really well when I used them in combination with birth control pills. When I started experiencing terrible GI problems (my stomach hurt all the time, I had diarrhea, terrible gas), a new doctor told me this is not the most effective treatment for acne. My current dermatologist also reccomends against using them. In the long run, you will become immune to antibiotics and they will most likely become less effective. The last 6-9 months I was using antibiotics, it did not decrease my break outs at all. It has been over two years and I am still working on improving the damage done to my GI systems from being on antibiotics for so long. I strongly urge caution for those considering this treatment.
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March 2, 2010

Pros:

Clear Face

Not so oily

More Confidence now i have a clear face!! lol

Cons:

Getting random headaches

(might not be related to antibiotic)

the thing is with all antibiotics your body starts to get used to them so after a while they all stop working.. i was on oxytetracycline previously and my spots cleared up completely for like 6months, but after about 7-8months i noticed they where coming back slowly, so i just went to my doctors and he prescribed me mincycline and they have been workin perfectly..
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March 2, 2010

Pros:

clears up acne pretty well, but if you have anything worse than moderate, you probably need something stronger, or a combination

Cons:

dries skin out a little; not as effective as i wanted it to be

good for moderate acne to keep under control, best if used in a combination with other products
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March 2, 2010

Pros:

- Significantly reduced my acne
- Helps control flare-ups

Cons:

- Causes my skin to flush easily
- Taking it 2x/day
- Reduces effectiveness of oral birth control pills
- For women- high risk of yeast infections which means you have to stop taking this until infection is treated

Have been taking minocycline for 10 months. Began taking this because my light/moderate acne worsened and I developed moderate and embarrassing (large papules) back and chest acne at age 21. After a year of benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid OTC treatments, I went to a dermatologist who put me on this. I began noticing results after 2 months, and by month 5 my back acne reduced to maybe 5 zits a week and face acne was back to light/moderate. Then (at 5 months) I began taking Differin too (avoided it bc without insurance it's expensive!). Now, at 10 months my face has light acne (no big papules any more; still have small bumps a few times a week and blackheads on nose and forehead) and maybe only one or two zits a month on my back. The scarring is starting to clear up a bit too from the Differin. I'm happy with my results and may actually be able to wear tank tops this summer, but my acne has not entirely disappeared. Also, I am tired of taking an antibiotic 2x/day and my face/neck/chest flushing so easily (especially from just one drink at the bar).
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March 1, 2010

Pros:

- moderate improvement
- inexpensive, if you have insurance

Cons:

- long term use will seriously affect your immune system
- does not work as well as Accutane

I took minocycline and many other antibiotic medications for acne during junior high and high school. A few years later, I got many yeast infections, one of which would not go away and lead to a systemic yeast infection that lasted for around 7 months. Some doctors don't believe in systemic yeast but essentially, the yeast seems to permeate your system and can cause a wide array of bad things to happen; i knew I had it when i realized that what I ate affected how i felt "down there." I strongly believe that my immune system was affected by taking oral antibiotics for acne for many years. I don't get colds or things a lot, but I really learned from my systemic yeast experience that taking oral antibiotics is dangerous, don't help acne if you scratch for emotional reasons or if you have hormonal acne, and messes up your immune system so that it can't fight off diseases and things on your own. Sometimes, taking that 7-day acne antibiotic treatment can be a lifesaver if you've got a really bad breakout... but daily oral antibiotics for months, maybe years, is not a good choice for your overall health. Acne sucks (had it for 13 years) but you have to think about the health of your whole system, not just your face, when you consider oral antibiotics! For me, it wasn't worth it.
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February 27, 2010

Pros:

Does clear huge pimples, slightly reduced oily skin

Cons:

Dizzy, nausea, I THINK it might stop working over time

I used this antibiotic back in late 2007 through 2008. I had moderate acne and this made my skin look amazing, well I still had the scars of course but with make up, it looked like it was almost flawless. Around summer of 2008, I got kind of lazy and use it on and off, and it kind of stopped working to an extent, I believe. I used this with Differin and I loved the results it gave me. I remember getting compliments from people at school on my skin. It did work for me, but only for a while. After I stopped using it permanently, my acne came back with revenge! But there are other personal factors which I believe might have contributed to my horrible break out. Another thing that frightened me about using this, was the scary side effects I remember reading. Haha. Hypochondriacs, beware!
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February 27, 2010

Pros:

it clears skin somewhat

Cons:

if you take it for a long periods of time you can get bad side affects

i started taking minocycline about 3 years ago and i keep taking it cuz it was keeping my skin a little clear, but after a while i noticed that my joints in my hands and feet were in terrible pain in the mornings especially. I had never had it before and didnt know what was causing it, but after about a month or two after stopping the pill my joints started to hurt less but four months later I still have some of the pain still left. so all in all i would not recommend this product it is not worth!!!
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February 27, 2010

Pros:

Gets rid of the big pimples.

Cons:

Doesn't help with oily skin/blackheads/blocked pores. Gave me headaches, made me feel dizzy. It stops working after a while. I'm starting accutane tomorrow.

Try it if you have very mild acne and you don't have oily skin.
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February 26, 2010

Pros:

cleared up my acne quick

Cons:

i do get a little dizzy and i cant eat when taking it

it worked for me. i would advise you to try it. the cons are nothing compared to the end result
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February 18, 2010

Pros:

Nothing :/

Cons:

Diziness, Fatigue, Exhaustion, Illness, hives, rashes.

I was prescribed this medicine after a visit to the MD. The first day I took it I threw up vigurously. I continued to stick it out and the next week or so i continued to feel sick. After I took it for two weeks i grew deathly allergic to it. My whole body swelled up and I had hives everywhere ! It swelled up my throat, eyes to the point i couldnt see, i had a horrible rash throughout my whole body. I was rushed to the ER, and was put on steriods for a week. I am a very healthy person and rarely get ill. This medicine made me to the point of exhaustion and such. I would not recommend this to anyone, :/. Now im off and i am starting on accutane this week. Hopefully that works for the time. !
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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.
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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:

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