Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
54%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Oral Antibiotic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Antibiotics should be used for a maximum of 3 months, provide only moderate benefit and only to some people, and may lead to side effects and strains of resistant bacteria. Studies do show they can reduce severe acne in the short term, but approach with caution and stay your own advocate.
Oral Antibiotic
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Minocycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
May 1, 2012
Cons:
Did not improve my rosacea prone skin at all. Couldn't take dairy for a couple of hours before and after the pills. Was on it for just under 3 months when I started getting intense constant pressure headache that lasted over a week. Was highly concerned it was intracranial hypertension and went to gp in a panic. Was told to come off it and the headache stopped.
Dermatologists are not holistic and only know how to prescribe drugs. My derm upped my daily dosage by 50mg when it didn't work. He was convinced I'd need to be on antibiotics for the rest of my life and that was ok. I followed the instructions correctly and drank lots of water but it didn't work for me. In fact my skin got better when I came off it and started using aloe vera gel, the Thursday Island brand. Amazing results and I mix it with oil free Nutragena for sensitive skin. I also went on Herbalife, the ultimate program, which has an aloe vera tonic, and my skin is clear and glowing - so happy! I am now starting to think that the right nutrients are key. Taking antibiotics is not sustainable in the long term, going natural is the way for me! Good luck everyone, it's a stressful journey to find what works for you.
April 27, 2012
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Pros:
NONE!!
Cons:
TOXIC MEDICATION: I am a RN and my 17yr old daughter was prescribed this medication 115 mg/ daily for her acne (prom season). Literally within 2 days she began with throbbing migraine headaches, pain behind her right eye, nausea and lethargic...She came to me on the second day crying, something was really wrong, she wanted to go to the hospital!!! I'm a Registered Nurse and any other time she would have just asked what can she take for the headache....which was a HUGE concern for me. Went to
DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION !!
April 15, 2012
Pros:
Worked brilliant
Clears skin
Cons:
Almost killed me!
Have to have regular blood tests!
Gave me autoimmune liver disease! or made it worse anyway, don't let that put you off though, it depends on the person that probably wont happen to you, it did clear my skin however try and use a less powerful antibiotic to start with, if you do go on this make sure to keep having blood tests!
March 25, 2012
Pros:
none for me.
Cons:
upset my stomach, caused dizziness, and female gyn issues because antibiotics in this group interupt the body's pH level.
I personally would not ever take this antibiotic again because I had bad side effects from it within 7 days. It may work fine for other people though.
March 25, 2012
Pros:
maybe more effective than doxycycline, i dont know
Cons:
PHYCOLOGICAL side effects:
-laziness
-dramatically reduced endurance
-makes you prone to depression
-makes you less smart, insightful, etc
-makes you prone to fatigue
NERVOUS system side effects:
-dizziness
-lightheadedness
-shakiness (makes fine motor stuff like typing harder)
MUSCULARSKELETAL side effects:
-muscle aches and pains
-joint soreness
-general stiffness
DIGESTIVE side effects:
-mild diarrhea/softer stools
-mild nausea
-loss of appet
My doctor thought this would work better than doxycycline, but it hasnt really, and the side effects are horrible.
Just don't use this, there are so many better alternatives
March 22, 2012
Pros:
-Got rid of all my acne.
Cons:
-A reaction to the pill caused increased spinal fluid
-Migraines
-Nausea
-Temporary blindness
-An overall bad feeling
I had some kind of reaction the pills, allergic or something else, I have no idea. But I ended up having to get two spinal taps to release the pressure of increased spinal fluid pushing against my brain which resulted in losing my vision if I stood up too fast. There was nausea, vomiting, acid reflux. Basically, do not take if you desire to keep long needles away from your spine. Total waste. And now I have floating things in my eyes, acid reflux, and migraines that will never go away
March 21, 2012
Pros:
none
Cons:
itchy all over
swelling on joints
pain in joints
I only took it for a week constantly and during school I had an awful itching fit, then my joints began to swell. I can hardly walk at the moment.
March 7, 2012
Pros:
Had no effect on my skin
Cons:
Toxic if planning to have a baby
DONT USE IT WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING FOR PREGNANCY. HAD TO ABORT THE BABY AS IT IS TOXIC.
February 18, 2012
Pros:
for me, nothing. this product literally did nothing for my skin. I was really disappointed because I was excited to take it, but after the first month I saw no effects whatsoever
I guess you can try it, it's not gonna hurt but I was really disappointed.
February 17, 2012
Pros:
-Cleared cystic pimples, whiteheads
-Made skin less oily
Cons:
-Acne came back 2 months after stopping
-HORRIBLE stomach/GI side effects!
(nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, Gastritis, Esophagitis, awful cramping, heartburn, acid reflux) even after stopping Minocycline
I had acne from taking the pill, so my Derm prescribed this. It cleared up most of my acne quickly, so I stopped for 2 weeks after a month, but started up again when my acne came back. My skin was great the whole time I was on Mino, but I was constantly nauseous, sick, and dizzy. I was able to stop after 3 months and my skin stayed clear for about 2 months, before slowly getting about as bad as it was before, plus a TON of blackheads that I never had before. Even after I stopped taking it, the nausea continued and became so extreme that I ended up in all sorts of doctor's offices and had surgery before being diagnosed with Gastritis and Esophagitis from this pill. It's been over a year since I first took Mino, and I'm STILL dealing with the side effects. I was pretty healthy before this pill and spent weeks at a time completely bedridden because of the side effects and may possibly have gotten Crohn's Disease, which is a life long condition. I am 20 and unable to work because my flare ups are so severe and unpredictable. If you're going to take this pill, despite the huge correlation between Mino and Gastritis and Esophagitis, for the love of GOD, take it on a full stomach and don't take it before lying down (causes more acid erosion/heartburn and nausea) and take a probiotic every day to counteract the good bacteria that's being killed. Maybe you'll be lucky and will only experience minor nausea, but maybe THIS will happen (like it has for many) and you won't realize it until it's too late. If you start feeling sick, just stop the pill. I swear to you, it's not worth it. All of this, and my acne just came back. Please, just look at the side effects I posted and rethink it. It's like 24/7 morning sickness for a year and counting and there's nothing you can do about it. I wish I never took this pill.
Pros:
None that I experienced.