Acne.org Products
Antiandrogen
Acne.org’s Real World Take
“Spiro” has been shown to work in a real and noticeable way most of the time. However, messing with hormones is messing with hormones and it’s best to proceed with caution.
Antiandrogen
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 Spironolactone? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
November 19, 2011
Cons:
need to drink a lot of water to avoid negative side effects from diuretic (dizziness, dehydration, etc)
can cause irregular periods
effectiveness may wane over time (may need to combine with other treatments)
If you're a woman who gets nasty, gnarly, painful cystic acne around the time of ovulation and menstruation, THIS IS THE DRUG FOR YOU. During my teen years, Accutane was magical. Thennnnn I hit my mid 20s. BIG, knotty, painful cysts erupted on my cheeks, jawline and temples. They took FOREVER to die down and heal -- like, a month! And for the first time, my skin scarred. You think acne is bad in high school? Try it in the workplace... mortifying. My former derm gave me antibiotics, gels, creams. I finally tried Accutane again -- the magic was gone. I stopped taking birth control pills a few years after going off Accutane. The 25 lbs I had been struggling to lose for years just fell off. There was no way I was going on the pill again, but my old derm insisted it was the only solution to my acne. I found a new derm, who educated me about hormonal acne and the wonders of spironolactone! I've been on it for years -- so long that I don't remember the early days, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't a big initial breakout. I recall it working very quickly and wishing I'd known about it sooner. I can't say enough good things about spiro. It wiped out my hormonal acne, made my skin a lot less oily and even made me lose another 3-5 lbs - sweet! Yes, there are side effects and drawbacks. You have to drink a ton of water or risk lots of dizzy spells and super dry/flaky skin. It may also affect your period if you're not on the pill (I got my period every 2 weeks at one point, but my cycle corrected itself after 2 months or so). Still, I'll take those over having my face look like a war zone. It's a personal call. Over the years, spiro's effects have somewhat waned. I now pair it w/a low dose of doxycycline and 0.1% tretinoin cream, and still get the occasional breakout/cyst, but it's manageable. I could up my spiro dose, but my derm says it'll make my period more wonky. I'm willing to deal with a small breakout once a month
October 24, 2011
Pros:
it works and i had no side effects
Cons:
none for me
i have had a worsening in my acne in my 30s for some reason. my dermatologist put me on this a month ago along with retin a micro. love it! totally clearnow.
October 10, 2011
Pros:
-Skin less oily
-Scalp less oily (also a con)
-No noticeable new breakouts
Cons:
-Dry scalp (itchy/flaky)
-lower libido
-frequent urination
-dizzy if I don't drink enough water
-Dreams (not bad)
It's not a miracle pill. It has greatly reduced the oiliness of my skin, which I love. I wore makeup for the first time in months a couple days ago and it was wonderful. It didn't melt off or look like I was all greased up. I still have breakouts that were there when I started but I expect that. It's not a cure for the old is a remedy for the new. I've worked in pharmacy for almost 8 years and it took me researching and trying many treatments to come across this. My derm kept insisting I go on accutane. After the last 3 appointments and consistently refusing I went to my regular doctor with research in hand. (It also has been studied for hirsutism, Insulin resistance and NAFLD [non-alcoholic fatty liver disease] all of which I have.) It's always good to be educated when wanting to try a new medication.
September 8, 2011
Pros:
- Cleared up cystic acne!!!
- Small, easy to take pill
- Inexpensive with insurance
- No side effects (so far)
Cons:
None yet...
I've had mild to moderate acne since I was a teen. I began birth control and ProActiv in my early 20s and stop doing both when I turned 30. Within the past year (I'm now 31), my acne got consistently worse - especially with cystic acne, the scars from which would not fade for months. I tried every OTC treatment/cleanser you can imagine to no avail. After reading about Spironolactone, I thought it was exactly what I needed. My dermatologist said Spiro was her "last resort" so she prescribed Doxycycline and Differin. My gynecologist prescribed Spiro and Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (which I decided not to take). So here's my routine: - AM: take Doxy and 50mg of Spiro, wash with Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser for Sensitive Skin, apply Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturizer, and I use Mary Kay TimeWise Matte Foundation (great make-up!! I'm always nervous to try new make-up but this is oil-free and works wonderfully!!) - PM: take Doxy and 50mg of Spiro, wash with Neutrogena, use ProActiv toner, apply Differin, and use ProActiv Refining Mask for spot treatment (clears up any small blemishes overnight!) I'm so incredibly happy to say that after 5 weeks of this routine, I am about 95% clear!!! Before this routine, I had about 5 large cystic spots that would just not heal. Slowly, my face began clearing and I haven't had one cyst or large pimple since. The extremely small ones I do get seem to clear very quickly. I know my results may not be typical and it may take several weeks longer for others to see results but my advice is to at least try it if advised by your doctor. It can change your life...it's amazing how your skin can affect the way you live it :) Good luck!
June 5, 2009
Pros:
My skin is perfectly clear, skin & hair is less oily then it's ever been, less body & facial hair, weight loss (no belly bloat), hair & nails growing faster, breasts are larger & firmer!
Cons:
Urinating more often, leg cramps from dehydration (went away when I started drinking more water), shorter time between periods & fatigue (also went away when I started drinking more water).
This is the best thing I have ever used for acne. I am 40 years old with cystic acne and extremely oily skin & hair & I have tried EVERYTHING! I started taking Spirnolactone over a year ago. I noticed a difference within 2 months & I have been acne free every since - with the occasional (1) I might get the week before my period which now I take Bactrim the week before and that keeps me from getting any. I drink a lot of water and it keeps me from being fatigued & I don't get leg cramps. As for urinating more - it isn't bad enough that I have to get up in the middle of the night but I can tell a difference. I can also tell a huge difference in the amount of water weight - I no longer have the the belly bloat & my breast are definitely more tender but this is a positive thing since they are also firmer and larger. I try to tell every woman I meet that has acne about this drug because it is the best thing out there! I wish I would have know about this 20 years ago!! :) Good Luck :)
October 7, 2008
Pros:
Small pill.
No side effects yet.
Cons:
They say be patient with this!
I have just started taking Spiro yesterday and I have agreed to be very patient with it. I have tried the antibiotics and several creams and have found nothing to work. I do have pimples near my chin, cheecks, and some on my forehead. My derm said it could be a hormonal thing, since I am 25 and just started to get pimples. Positive thinking is key also in the healing process. I am trying to not to be too obsessed because I know that will only increase my pimples....Power of Attraction. Soo...Good luck to everyone else out there!! Remember also, beauty isn't always on the outside.
September 17, 2008
Pros:
Very cheap! Small pill! Helps with cystic acne!
Cons:
Takes along time to work! Gets worse before it gets better. (at least for me it did)
I have been taking Spiro and Metformin for PCOS for the last 50 days.. so about 7 weeks and some odd days.I take 50mg in the morning and 50mg at night. I read alot about Spiro on the internet and all the positive responces that it got from acne suffers. I have had acne since I was 12yrs old. I have tried almost everything including tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, tazorac, diffren, clydimicine (spell), ortho tri cycline, acne free, proactive....just about everything except accutane. The derm said that my skin was not acne was not severe enough for all the side effects of accutane. For the last seven weeks my face has been HORRIABLE!!! It broke out so BAD!! Especially with cysts all on the lower part of my face. I was so devistated I wanted to die. I didnt leave the house for a month almost. Finally in the last week or so my face has calmed down and I have one cysts left but still some red marks. It is starting to get better. Just stick with it!
March 19, 2008
Pros:
Softer, smoother and clearer skin. Less oiliness all over.
Cons:
Tired.
I have been using Spiro for almost 5 weeks now. I started with 50mg/day for the first 2 weeks and had a terrible breakout at the end of the 2 weeks. Went up to 100mg/day and since then my skin has slowly gotten better. The oiliness has reduced and all my acne has almost cleared. I have suffered from very bad cystic acne since 18 years (now 36) and tried everything from antibiotics, glycolic/chemical peels, green peels, roacctutane and Diane 35. I was on Diane 35 for over 10 years and this was effective until a few years ago. I also tried Acnease for 5 weeks previous to trying Spiro but that didnt work at all for me but gave me gas and stomach problems. Hopefully my skin will heal now and will get better. I also had my androgen/hormone levels tested and they were all normal. Despite this my endoc put me on spiro because he said that my body was just sensitive to androgens.
July 1, 2007
Pros:
Great for adult acne. I started to breakout when I hit 45 (hormones?. Started taking it a week ago and I have had no new breakouts. Skin is looking back to normal!
Cons:
If you don't have health insurance, it's a bit pricey. Am I going to have to this forever now?
I'm 45 years old so I suspect my sudden "breakout" was due to hormones. Tried retin A, over-the-counter products and nothing worked. My dermatologist put me on Spiro and an antibiotic. Since I can't go on birth control pills, Spiro was the best choice. I am gaining my self-confidence back. Having acne made me late for work (having to cover them takes forever) and I was even afraid to even look at my face in the morning. Now the question, will I have to be on this forever, or will my hormones balance themselves out?
June 11, 2007
Pros:
spironolactone was the only thing that worked for me
Cons:
you gotta maintain taking it
i had been on every topical, antibiotic, and even accutane. in 2002, i convinced my derm to put me on spironolactone after doing research on the internet. back then, it was rarely prescribed for acne. i had been tested for out-of-whack hormones, but the lab results always came out okay. however, i only ever got pimples along my jawline, lower cheeks, and onto my neck right on the sides of the the windpipe. the derm put me on 25 mgs/day, and i had to push to get it up to 50mgs/day. it took a while, but my skin cleared up. i lost my health insurance and went off spironolactone and within 3-4 months, acne was back on. i've since ordered spironolactone off the internet and started 100mgs/day about a week ago. so far, oiliness is decreasing. i'm confident things will get a lot better within the next couple months. i STRONGLY recommended for women, probably even before any antibiotics.
Pros:
annihilates hormonal acne
taking the pill becomes routine
diuretic made me lose ~3-5 lbs (woohoo)
worked when nothing else would