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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5
15.8%
4
28.7%
3
25.1%
2
15.9%
1
14.6%

Used Minocycline? Rate It:

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April 5, 2011

Pros:

maybe slightly smaller pimples

Cons:

redder skin, photosensitivity

It didn't help my acne more than slightly. It made all my skin redder so pimples were less noticeable and it might have made them a little smaller but that was it. I quit taking it after a few months. But at least I didn't experience the side effects some here did!
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February 13, 2011

Pros:

-Reduces Redness
-Stops breakouts
-Not a mircale drug, stops redness but thats about it, still have acne
-Cheap, mine was free

Cons:

Side effects outweigh the benefits
-Diziness
-Lightheaded
-Vision problems (scary!!)
-Takes a long time to see improvements
-Dont feel/act like my regular self

Hey everyone its me again. So i have been on minocycline for 2 weeks now and today i have decided to stop taking the pills. I was taking 2 capsules of 100mg daily. Bottom line is that it makes me feel terrible. My diziness subsided slightly but now im having vision problems which i am extremely concerned about. In general i feel spaced out all the time, and the only way i can describe how i feel is like im in a 3rd person version of myself watching my life through a television. So about 5 minutes ago i just decided that its not worth it, and am now writing this review. Im not gonna say dont take it because everyones different, what i will say is give it about 2 weeks and if you are experiencing side effects, consider alternative methods. I have ultimately decided to try Accutane as a last resort and will be on that next week when i go to the doctors, fingers are crossed hoping that it works and il let you know how i do on te acfutane review page. Above all im just excited to get back to reality and feel like my regular self. like many of you i got this product and was extremely excited about it, but like everything i have tried it did not work and I am now back to square one. But hey im not gonna let it get me down, confidence is key, try not to get to worried about your acne and it will make your life a whole lot easier, Good luck with minocycline and acne, it just did not work out with me. Thanks
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November 9, 2010

Pros:

cleared up inflammation on forehead

Cons:

slowly seeing results
lightheadedness
migraines

I have never before had acne. I'm 22 years old and after months of stressing over financial issues, family problems, having a poor diet that included little to no intake of water i broke out with bad acne. I went from having one or two random ones that went away within a matter of days, to having papules all over my forehead, cheeks, chin, jaw, chest... everywhere. I skipped periods. All in all, I feel like my lifestyle caused this to happen. I went to my doctor and she prescribed me ortho tri cyclen birth control. I had an adverse reaction from it after taking 1 pill. Severe nausea, dry heaving, blood clots all over my calves. It was bad. I got off of that and finally went to see a dermatologist. Its been a week since I've taken minocycline. The marks on my forehead have reduced significantly. I have scars on my forehead left and on my left cheek. It'll take time but I still have acne on my right cheek/jawline. Strange but I'm hoping for all of this to subside. Its taken an emotional toll on me. Never thought I would be one to suffer from acne and here I am, frantically searching for solutions online. I'm hopeful about this pill. I'm not a drug person (prefer to stay away from these kind of things). So I'm hoping I won't have to take this for long. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading.
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October 24, 2010

Pros:

Cons outweigh the Pros

Cons:

Dangerous!

Please think very carefully before taking antibiotics for acne. I was using Retin-A along with Minocycline to treat my moderate acne for about a year when I became very sick. I was terribly fatigued and my joints began to ache. The fatigue and joint pain eventually became so bad that I was not able to function--I had to drop out of college and was not able to work (I was 24 years old and needed help walking!). I started to loose weight and looked very sickly (many of my peers speculated that I was anorexic because I became so thin). My doctor did many tests and it was determined that I had lupus and I was referred to a specialist. The specialist suspected that the lupus may have been induced by the Minocycline and I stopped taking it immediately. It took over a year for body to return to normal and the lupus symptoms to go away. This medication stole over a year of my life and caused me a great deal of pain (both physically and emotionally). It was also very costly financially--since I was not able to go to school (and therefore no longer covered by my parents insurance) or work I had no insurance and accrued thousands in medical bills. Please be very careful and do your research before taking any medication, I wish I would have!
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October 5, 2010

Pros:

Got rid of all my acne
Works quickly

Cons:

Upset stomach
Trouble sleeping in the beginning

This was my miracle worker. Got rid of it all and I've never been so confident about my skin. I love this medication haha. I was on it for 2 months. And that's how long for it took for all of it to go away (actually less then that). I took just one everyday combined with salicylic acid which is also a great acne fighter. The beginning stage was the only difficult part of this. Stomach was hurting so I couldn't sleep and sometimes I would feel drowsy. But it wears off quickly and soon you'll feel like ur not on anything. This pill works differently on everyone but it worked wonders with me and I'm so freakin happy it did =)
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May 2, 2010

Pros:

Worked amazingly well for me for EIGHTEEN MONTHS!!!!

Cons:

Turned my teeth yellow
Stopped working after 18 months

I had severe acne so I was prescribed this when I was 14. It worked so so so so well, I had perfect skin. It stopped working after a long while but it was my fault as I missed weeks at a time without it :( BUT my acne has never returned as severe as it used to be! it turned my teeth slightly yellow but nothing major. This drug is quite potent but I loved it.
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April 5, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up my acne immediately. Literally looked in the mirror the next day and was shocked at what I saw.

Cons:

Not a permanent solution. Acne comes back so I have to take it roughly 3 months of every year. Further, you cannot stay on it indefinitely b/c it will accumulate in your cells leaving a purple discoloration. Lastly, like all antibiotics, backup birth control must be used as it may diminish efficacy of oral contraceptives.

Highly recommended.
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August 29, 2009

Pros:

I'm on 100mg doses twice daily and it cleared up my cystic acne within a month. Breakouts are minimal and my skin looks great!

Cons:

It can possibly upset your stomach at first, but my main problem is that all my skin has become sensitive to even tiny scratches. Irritated skin becomes red quickly and easily.

The side effects are minimal so this product is well worth it for me.
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April 27, 2011

Pros:

Prevents skin from new breakouts
works almost inmediately

Cons:

Terrible side effects at the begining (dizziness, headache, blurred vision)
but after a couple of weeks they all disappear (at least in my particular case)

It works against acne but does not clear up the previous scars so you'll probably have to use a cream for the scars
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November 27, 2010

Pros:

Is effective for a while.
Takes a long time to kick in.

Cons:

Nausea.
Depression.
Anxiety.
Listlessness.

When I took this, at first I was on a low dose. It took about a month to two months to work. But i worked great along with some topical medication I was taking. I had to get off it after about five months because of insurance/cost. Got back on about two months later. It took even longer to do anything almost half a year. I noticed some other effects the medication was having on my body/mind this time around that were only minimal the first time (it may have been because I got on a higher dose the second time). I felt like I was in a fog, watching my life subliminally. I became extremely depressed and suicidal. I never did anything that had interested me before. It was hard to think or care and it took me a while to realize it was the medication. I do hate acne very, very much. I'm sick of living with it for about half my life now. But not being myself, not caring about things and people that I love, is not worth it. I'm going off the medication. I'll try other things. I would maybe recommend this on the low dose. It didn't seem to psychologically effect me as much on a lower dosage obviously.
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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