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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4
29.3%
3
24.9%
2
15.9%
1
14.3%

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October 18, 2013
great

Pros:

small pimples
less pimples
less red

Cons:

gel makes face dry

i been on menocylone for about 2 months . and i have seen great improvment . pimples got alot smaller and face got less red on my cheecks . for the first week or two it would make my body numb but nothing that bad . but theres a benadryl proxide gel that has really dried my face out in the past week out of eight weeks ive been on it though
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October 12, 2013
Keeps cysts away!

Pros:

Gets rid of cystic acne
Keeps cysts from coming back

Cons:

Doesn't help normal acne
Makes your normal acne worse if you sunbathe a lot

I used to always get bad cysts on my nose, back and on my chest in the same place. I used to deal with it even though the one on my chest never went away. One day I decided to try to get rid of it by hot packing it. It got super infected and was the worse pain I have ever felt (don't do that). I went to the doctor and it was so bad he had to cut into it and drain it. After a couple of months, it came back. He prescribed me minocycline because I was allergic to everything else and after about a month all of my cysts were completely gone! I don't get cysts at all anymore thanks to this medicine. However, this doesn't really do anything for normal hormonal acne. If you have cysts ask your doctor for this, it is a miracle worker.
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October 11, 2013
Worked in some way, bad allergic reaction

Pros:

Skin clears up

Cons:

gave hives
light headed

i was prescribed this medication about 3 weeks ago, my skin completely cleared up , but i would always get light headed and would always feel tired i took this medication 2 times a day one in the morning and one in the night but after the third week i got hives on my elbows and knees , so i stopped talking it.
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September 27, 2013
Works very well, but harsh side effects

Pros:

Works very fast, cleared acne 98% in 2 weeks.
Kept its effect for about 3.5 years after I stopped it

Cons:

Horrible side effects, migraine, nausea, period, thrush...
Messes up hormonal birth control
Limits your diet (you're not allowed to have dairy/calcium with it)

I always had severe cystic acne since I was about 12 years old. My first MC course I started when I was 15 and took it for about a year with breaks. It cleared the teenage acne drastically, about up to 60%. When I got on the antibabypill age 16 I stopped MC as it can interfere with birth control. I was acne free until about 19.5 years, when I started to have first major breakouts again. They all cleared up by themselves again though, just slower and slower with time, but didn't yet require MC treatment. Over the years my skin got gradually worse and at the age of 22 I had worse cystic acne then when I was 12, especially around my nose and chin area. My skin is generally not oily, but went even drier, bright red and patchy all over my face. Unlike my teenage acne this one NEVER spread onto my body - not even onto my neck, only my face was a cystic mess. I was diagnosed with genetic acne (not teenage, hormonal acne) and got on MC again two weeks ago and as of today all the cysts have disappeared, my skin is clear, not dry anymore, a bit oilier than usual but no more acne, not even blackheads. I'd say it's 98% clear after 2 weeks. I had severe side effects the first few days of taking MC, including migraine attacks so strong that I would vomit, general nausea and a premature and very strong and long (2 weeks) period. Due to the long period (and the moisture it comes with) I eventually also got a thrush, which was hard to treat as I could not take pro-biotics because you're not allowed to have dairy with MC as the calcium makes it useless. After overcoming those first 2 weeks I'm starting to feel better and can finally enjoy the clear face I now have. I take 1x 50mg a day. I was prescribed 2x 50mg a day, but I wasn't able to function due to the migraine attacks after taking MC, hence I can only take it at night before sleeping. I'm very thin (58kg at 175cm), so that might be why 1x 50mg is working well in my metabolism.
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September 7, 2013
Works, but is slow.

Pros:

decreases pimple size
if you have oily skin, it wont be as oily

Cons:

makes you feel sick for a week or two when first starting
may not always work
more susceptible to getting sick

I was prescribed this and the first two ish weeks it made me feel really sick, but i stuck with it and I still use it now after 5 months. It does help with the size of your pimples and what not, but it never cleared me completely, so I'm using it in conjunction with other topicals. I noticed a lot within the first 2 months with how my big pimples became a tad smaller and right now I still break out about 3 spots each time, but they're not big and are almost gone after 4 days of getting them.
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September 4, 2013
Short term and barely works

Cons:

Barely works
May cause depression

I had been prescribed minocycline about a year ago and used it for about two months and it barely worked. I gave up but my acne somehow cleared up over the winter. Enter spring: another breakout, so I got another prescription of minocycline. It barely worked and even made me depressed and nearly suicidal, which would subside a few hours after usage. I stopped immediately and have been fine ever since.
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September 1, 2013
Side effects were bad

Cons:

Bad side effects
Had to stop taking
Stomach hurt

My stomach hurt bad when I took this. I felt like I had a constant stomach ache. Pretty horrible. Stopped taking it after a few days so not sure if it actually helps with acne.
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August 26, 2013
Does the job

Pros:

Eliminates all whiteheads and mild cysts
Results are seen fairly quickly
Controls oily skin

Cons:

Acne may return after treatment
Can cause digestional issues and yeast infections
Sun exposure while on medication can be harmful

Minocycline worked much better than any of the topical treatments I tried and cleared up my skin completely! I used it for a year before I weaned off of it. I stopped in the winter and my skin stayed clear until the hot months provoked my oily skin. Unfortunately, after using this medication, my acne came back even worse than before, as there is more of it and it is cystic. I recommend this anti-biotic for those with very mild acne- very few whiteheads and normal skin type.
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August 23, 2013
Works Wonderfully Short term

Pros:

Cleared me up completely
Made my skin feel like a baby's tushy

Cons:

Can cause minor stomach aches
Acne bacteria grows resistant quickly

I was on this for about...a year, I think? Which is actually very dangerous as it can cause very serious liver problems if it's used long term. Anyways, after around month 2 my skin was completely clear aside from blackheads (which aren't related to bacteria anyways; this drug is not meant to treat them). It stayed that way for about 4 months afterward, and I felt amazing. However, I developed a resistance to it and it eventually stopped working.
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August 22, 2013
Such a great thing

Pros:

Cheap
Clears skin

Cons:

Dryness

I just started this about three weeks ago! It has worked incredibly well. I also use Proactiv. The medicine has dried out my face a lot though, seems to be going away. I recommend this. My friend also uses it and she has told me nothing but great things.
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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