Acne.org Products
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
June 17, 2016
It changed the color of my gums
I was on minocycline for about three years because my family doc refused to prescribe me anything else and refused to write me a referral for the dermatologist for the longest time. Minocycline worked kind of, but it wasn't any kind of miracle worker. I still had plenty of acne when I took it, but just a bit less. It also changed the color of my gums. It's not enough for me to notice, but it was enough for my dentist to notice the first time I visited him. I didn't notice any other major side effects. Overall it really isn't worth the time.
April 2, 2016
Will clear your cystic bumps
This cleared my acne cystic the moment I began taking it. However after about four weeks I started experiencing side effects- throbbing in my brain, when I yawned. I din't like that. My upper lip started twitching off and on. My right shoulder started experiencing some joint pain. Also, I felt that something was also happening with my gums. I went back to Doxycycline after this. The side affects weren't worth it to me. Since I've been back, I got a new cystic bump, but hope that's it.
November 14, 2013
Good but doesn't last
Cons:
Body builds immunity to it
Gets worse before it gets better
I got a prescription for this in 2012, for four months. This initial phase worked really well. I used clindamycin solution as well as BP with this medication. They all seem to complement each other. After this phase, however, there was a period of really nice skin then the acne started coming back even worse. I was put on it again and it didn't have the same effects. My skin seemed to be really sensitive and the BP, clindamycin and this medication combo was too much for my skin. I would recommend if you have really sensitive skin to use this medication with a gentle wash. I also experienced dry lips with this, but nothing major. Overall, take the medication for about 3-4 months and it will work well but it will not cure your acne problems completely.
November 12, 2013
Didn't work:(
Cons:
Wasn't effective
Was given a 3 month prescription with high hopes, did nothing the entire 3 months, if anything made my skin worse!
October 24, 2013
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Question about Solodyn
Pros:
clears skin
Cons:
possibly counteracts birth control
Solodyn works great for my skin and I take it along with my birth control but there is a possibility that it can counteract my birth control I was wondering on here if anyone has had that experience? I'm not sure if continuing solodyn would be for me if i knew there was an increased possibility of getting pregnant while using this product
March 14, 2013
Pros:
Cleared Skin
No side effects
I have had issues with acne forever. I've been on a bunch of different antibiotics. This seems to work the best. I took it first month and my acne did not flare up during that special time of month like it normally does. I was perscribed birth control to help with acne too but I think the bc caused my skin to flare up worse. Now I'm sticking just to this antibiotic hoping it clears up quickly. Know that everyone is different so don't go off all reviews
November 27, 2012
Pros:
-Cleared up quickly (5 days)
-Cheap and effective
Cons:
-Hair began to thin out
It works for me. I have mild to moderate acne, but it will always come back when you're done taking it because of the nature of the drug. Recommend for short-term use.
October 3, 2012
Pros:
Clears up my skin quickly.
Very cheap in Aus
Cons:
Feel a bit dizzy for the first few days of taking it.
I had fairly mild acne, breakouts mainly around my jawline. I was prescribed Minocycline by my doctor and it made my skin slightly worse before it got better. After a few weeks I didn't get any break outs at all. I stayed on the medication for about 3months in total, but about 2months after stopping my skin has gone back to how it was in the beginning. I have just started taking it again and I am hoping that I have the same results that I had the first time.
August 20, 2012
Pros:
Cleared up most of my acne
Cons:
Was only effective temporarily
Increases chance of yeast infections
Kills Bacteria in stomach- weaker digestion
For me personally, I don't think it's worth it. My skin started to clear up for a month or two, but then broke out shortly afterwards. I may have grown a resistance to it. If you have mild acne it would probably have stronger results. I don't know how much it cost since my parents paid for it.
August 6, 2012
Product used: Solodyn (Oral Antibiotic)
Pros:
Acne gets better
Cons:
At first, acne gets worse
Must take with food
I have only been taking this for like 2 weeks, but I think I like it. It made my acne worse at first, but I think it's just speeding up my existing acne. It is clearing now though. the first day I took it I got a stomach ache, but I realized you should take it half way through dinner. The pill will be surrounded by food. I also use Veltin Gel. I have been using it for 7 months and it recently stopped working, not that it did much anyway.
Pros:
Works well with a range of topicals
Works well if taken responsibiy