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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3.2
1600
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Compare To Other Treatments
5
15.8%
4
28.7%
3
25.1%
2
15.9%
1
14.6%

Used Minocycline? Rate It:

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May 2, 2011

Pros:

Clears skin!
Cheap with my insurance

Cons:

Took about a month to notice results

My acne was severe. I had a very bad flare up that consisted of painful, under the skin, acne. My dermatologist gave me this and it cleared my skin in a month. Now just waiting for red marks to fade.
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April 8, 2010

Pros:

Clears up acne almost overnight when 1st using.

Cons:

Only worked for me about the first month, The dizziness is hard at first.
Acne starts to come back in a few months with each period. Felt tired.

I dont think this worked for me well over the long term, my Dr. switched me to Zithromax, I hope this will work better.
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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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January 21, 2010

Pros:

It cleared up my acne!

Cons:

Made me nauseas on an empty stomach.

I love this antibiotic. I have not experienced any bad side effects except the occasional nauseas feeling if taken on an empty stomach. It cleared up my cysts and has drastically changed the appearance of my acne. I've been taking it for 3 weeks now, and I'm sure it will just get better from here. I'm so thankful to find something that works for me.
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August 31, 2015
Caused Pseudo Tumor Cerebri
I took this when I was 17 for my acne. After being on it for only two weeks I started to notice neck pain, headaches, and nausea. After awhile moving and eating just made me vomit. My mom had taken me to the family doctor and the emergency room two times because I could not keep anything down and my head hurt so bad. One of my eyes actually stopped tracking. We finally went to another hospital where I had a spinal tap and a neurologist diagnosed me with Pseudo Tumor Cerebri which was determined to be caused by the Minocycline. I then had to take medicine for several months to reduce the pressure of spinal fluid in my brain and spinal column. Scary stuff!!
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Surubi
January 4, 2016
Wow, I was diagnosed with the same thing from the same medicine. However, I got the vision and dizziness side effects. Vision problems for someone with near 20/20 vision was an alarm trigger for my family. I got put into a hospital for 3 lumbar punctures and a medicine called Diamox, I just kept getting worse. So one day I stopped taking everything. I've cleared up, no more swelling :D, but I have some back nerve damage and the vision blackout and dizziness come back on rare occasions. I wish they had told me when they handed me the Minocycline that this crap was permanent and scary XD, I would've said screw it, I'll keep my blackheads. Now I'm happy with my acne :D
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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.
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March 22, 2011

Pros:

Works for some.
Pretty safe compared to stuff like accutane...Bleh.

Cons:

Stomach burns a little and changed eating schedule, but just man up.

Alot of the problems people post on here are Probably not caused by minocycline. How can an antibiotic mess up your emotions? Yellowing teeth should only happen to kids under 14 who's teeth haven't even developed yet. Yes its a temporary fix, what do you expect? One magic pill wont cure acney forever...without messing up your whole body. Many people here have other problems besides acney. Eat yogurt during the day to help with any side effects. If you take it with other topical creams it works really well, please dont expect one pill to fix up acney. Shouldn't effect oil since its purpose is to kill acney bacteria.
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July 16, 2010

Pros:

Completely clears cystic acne in about 1 month, Can take with food so is very easy to use on a daily regimen

Cons:

Dizziness, Stomach Pains, Nausea, You might develop a resistance to it

In the beginning, Minocycline was the answer to my acne problem. It completely cleared up my acne in less than 1 month. I was overjoyed and couldn't believe that I had worried about acne in the first place. My doctor made the mistake of changing my antibiotics, and having proven unsuccessful one after the other, my Doctor put me back on Minocycline. It no longer works for me, since I have developed a resistance to it. There was a recent study stating that nearly 25% of people will develop a resistance to a particular antibiotic they are prescribed over time. It was great while it lasted, but in the end it did not prove to have long-term benefits.
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June 30, 2010

Pros:

-Makes your acne fade away
-Works AMAZINGLY AWESOME!
-Insurance will pay for it (most likely)

Cons:

-Use a lotion..skin will get very dry!
-Be consistant...or it won't work

I have BAD acne-first of all. And I needed my acne to leave...NOW! I spent thousandsof dollars at trhe dermatoligists, paying for new treatments every month. But then...-I learned a VERY important lesson. BE PATIENT! Give your medicine at LEAST a month before changing it. Out of ALL treatments, this one works the BEST. I didn't sat the FASTEST, but the BESTEST! Go to your dermatoligist today, and get it! You'll feel, look, and be happier and healthier once again. Love you all! Bye for now!
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December 21, 2009

Pros:

some improvement in day3 .my skin cleared some what.i will take only when my acne is worse...

Cons:

blurred vision,nausea,illness,body pain, feel ver very sick,always to be to take rest.

i have taken this antibiotic before two months no use. i only take it when i have lots of acne.now i am taking this for my bacne.my acne is due to dandruff daily i should wash my hair with anti dandruff shamp otherwise my shoulders full of acne.when i use head & shoulders shampoo my acne will mild on my shoulders,just four days i have stopped using shampoo because of dryness,now i have lot of acne on my shoulders.If i use anti dandurff shampoo(H&S) my face full of pigmentation,dryness,scary but no acne on shoulders.i dnt know what to do.I am sure acne is mainly because of dandruff especially acne on shoulder and back.Use daily antidandruff shampoo on ur hair u wil see difference within a week.Now i am taking mino it make me very very sick like patient came from hospital. God only can help me. now my acne is fading mino make it into small acne.But my eyes are paining blurred vision, i dnt know whether i can take this tablet.i will take mino only for a week then i stop.Lot of medicines available for acne without these serious side effects.I know my acne is mainly due to dandruff i try to slove dandruff problem then my acne automatically fade.I tell to every one If ur Scalp is clean ur face also clear.Mino is ruining ur health keep it in mind.Take it for short not for long term.
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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