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.

 [more]
3.2
1394
Read All About Minocycline
Compare To Other Treatments
5
15.6%
4
29.3%
3
24.9%
2
15.9%
1
14.3%

Used Minocycline? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
Sort by: Most Helpful
Order:
December 22, 2014
Staying hopeful
I was prescribed this drug about a year and a half ago along with an oral birth control pill and it cleared up my acne COMPLETELY! It got much worse before it got better, I would go out for the day and come home with over 20 new pimples on my face...I was very close to giving up but after about the second month on these pills it started to clear up. I am still on the birth control pill today, but only took minocycline for about 6 months. About 5 months ago my acne started to get bad again so I went back on this pill. It is my 4th week and I only see minimal changes. I was wondering if anyone else experienced extreme itchy-ness?! My whole upper body is SO itchy no matter what I do! My neck, back, hands, and scalp are red and dry. I take this pill twice a day with food. I want to stick with it otherwise I will be trying accutane. I also do not like the fact that minocycline can interfere with your birth control pill. Be very careful and use a backup form of birth control!
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
December 4, 2014
Nothing really has changed
I have been on this medication for a little over a month now and nothing really has changed. I am 16 years old and I have had moderate acne for about a year now. My doctor prescribed me Minocycline (50 mg a day) along with Epiduo to test it out and see if it works on me. So far the acne on my forehead has reduced a bit although I have not seen any substantial changes yet. Maybe I have not been on the medication long enough to see results or maybe it just doesn't suffice with my skin, but if by January it still does not work my doctor is going to prescribe me Acutane.
This Was Helpful

Report
November 7, 2014
Works
Used it for a month and it worked!! Just avoid over-exposure to sunlight.
This Was Helpful

4 user(s) found this helpful

Report
October 22, 2014
Works wonders if you use Properly
This is the best Antibiotic on the market hands down. Will clear you up if you use properly. Taking a Probiotic is a must while taking any antibiotic. Most negative reviews on here are from people who likely used this medication not the way it is intended and suffered the side effects. I am on week 4 and almost all existing acne is gone, now I just have to deal with the hell that is red acne scarring, but Minocycline has kicked acne's a$$ for me! Just remember to take a probiotic to keep the good bacteria in you, and the bad bacteria OUT!
This Was Helpful

10 user(s) found this helpful

Report
September 25, 2014
So far, so good
I'm 28 years old and have had pretty good skin my whole life until about a year and a half ago. I started with a couple pimples here and there on my cheeks and forehead then it started getting worse. I decided to get it checked out and the Doctor started me on 100mg of Minocycline capsules, one per day.. I didn't start to see a difference until 3 weeks into the treatment. My skin is starting to clear up especially the redness. The only thing that seems to be sticking around are these pesky closed comedones (whiteheads). But I'm also not seeing any new ones either so I guess that's a good thing. I haven't experienced any negative side effects such as the ones I've been reading about. Today for the first time immediately after taking it, I did get a little dizzy but went away quickly.. Hopefully this medicine continues to work but also nervous that I'm going to start experiencing negative side effects now that I've been on it for almost a month.
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
September 2, 2014
Minocycline 100mg
This stuff was just awful. I took it for 3 weeks and all of a sudden every joint in my body started hurting and started swelling up. My hips looked like I had baseballs under my skin. Not to mention my knees were so swollen I could hardly stand up without being in agonizing pain. I contacted my dermatologist and she informed me that I had just had a bad reaction to the medicine and to quit taking it. It's been about 4 days since I started swelling and it still is pretty painful. She wants to see me when the swelling goes down to try and prescribe me something else, but I don't know what she will prescribe me. This was supposed to be helping my red marks but it honestly did NOTHING for my face.
This Was Helpful

2 user(s) found this helpful

Report
August 17, 2014
Caused more acne and red inflammation
I started taking MInocycline 4 months ago and It helped a little with my moderate acne but then i broke out in hives all over my body and my face became inflamed with red spots. I was told by numerous docs that there was no correlation between the reaction and the MInocyline. I was off it up until last week when i had a severe breakout. However I noticed that it was only making it worse and now my forehead is filled with red spots and my acne is not cleared. Very disappointed in this antibiotic and its adverse and side effects. Side effects that I had were headaches, nausea, dizzyness, and of course the reaction. I
This Was Helpful

4 user(s) found this helpful

Report
August 8, 2014
Did nothing for me, don't drink with this
This did nothing at all for me, except one time I grabbed a couple of drinks after work with friends and ended up with the world spinning around me because it makes you so dizzy. Don't drink with this. It can also cause your teeth, nails, and skin to become permanently stained, and can also cause lupus...not worth it for a drug that can only work short-term. Doxy worked better for me with less risk of side effects and no dizziness.
This Was Helpful

5 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 26, 2014
Just wow
I have had acne since I was 12 (I am 17 now), and nothing I have ever used has worked. Until this. I have a medium ammount of acne, and I usually get it around my jaw, my cheeks, around my eyebrows and around my lips. I got this prescribed at 100mg (1 pill) per day. It has only been 2 weeks and I can see some changes. My pimples have stopped growing for the most part, and all the redness of them has gone down a lot. I use it with prescribed topical once every night, and now my face just feels so soft and smooth. I do get minor side effects, such as some disiness, nausea and head aches, but I feel that they are very minor and tolerable, especially seeing how good it has done on my skin.
This Was Helpful

19 user(s) found this helpful

Report
June 14, 2014
Ineffective
I was on this for a little while, and was later switched to Solodyn by my derm (supposed to be the same as minocycline except a bit stronger) and neither did much for my skin. I have severe cystic acne and am also on epiduo gel. While I was on minocycline I did notice the pimples that were on top of my cysts cleared up a lot, but I think that was mostly the epiduo gel. If your acne is not severe or cystic, I would suggest giving this, or preferably Solodyn, a try. If it is, you'll probably need something stronger. This did not give me an allergic reaction, but it did make me feel tired, nauseous, and gave me headaches. I did not experience these side effects on Solodyn.
This Was Helpful

3 user(s) found this helpful

Report
Previous
1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 106
Next

Relevant Article(s):

Relevant Review(s):

Relevant Forum(s):

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