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
July 20, 2007
Cons:
Hyperpigmentation, chest pains, took a long time to work
I never had the first pimple until I turned 28. Then my face went crazy. I tried over the counter topical agents and antibiotics. I tried differen, but it dried out my skin to bad. Then my derm put me on spiro 100mg. It took 4 months to work, but I love it. My face doesn't get any more cystic acne, but I still get pimples before my period. I have been taking it for 7 months and have started getting chest pain and hyperpigmentation on my upper lip and forehead. I had to get cream for that, but I am going to stay on the spiro b/c it works so well. I guess to side effects are a small price to pay.
July 6, 2007
Pros:
Inexpensive with my insurance. Less oil production.
Cons:
I'm breaking out more than I was prior to taking Spiro. Almost constant feeling of needing to go to the bathroom.
I started breaking out around 16 and was put on minocycline. Worked wonderfully, but stopped working in my early 20s. Tried all kinds of other things, but had no success until trying Accutane. Accutane gave me absolutely gorgeous skin--even strangers gave me compliments--but my skin eventually started breaking out again a few years later. Tried it again, but really felt uncomfortable with the side effects and what it might be doing to my liver. Had given up hope until my doctor suggested Spiro again (which I previously decided not to take). I am encouraged by other posts that the drug may take some time to take effect. Each morning I seem to be waking up to a new cystic zit and have lots of "bumps" on my face. The oil has definitely diminished though. At 39, I am totally fed up with having to deal with a "teen-age" problem. This has to work!
July 3, 2007
Pros:
Gorgeous skin the first time around...
Cons:
No such luck the second time.
Please believe that I am another girl that has tried everything. Back in the day, my 100 mg Spiro with Minocycline and Retin A worked wonders. Now, after being off of it because the Spiro caused me to quit having my periods for a year and a half, I have had to return to it as the only thing short of Accutane that will clear me up. BUT... the second time around, it is doing nothing. Excellent..
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.
May 12, 2007
Pros:
Clears up, just slowly. The pills even have a little bit of a minty taste. They also make you go to the bathroom a lot, which made me lose weight, so I am not complaining.
Cons:
A little lethargic, especially in the morning for me.
Talk to your derm and see what he/she says. I have had very little side effects, and if I did have some, I didn't mind them. Yes, it did make me break out worse at first, but be patient. Just make sure and drink plenty of water. Basically, I have battled awful complexion for years now, done all of it (accutane, antibiotics, and everything else), I have only been on this for about 6 weeks, I am still not clear, but I am seeing a glimmer of hope that I will be (my face and scalp are so much less oily). I am sticking in there and seeing this pill through, I have seen improvments, patience is the key! I will post again in a few weeks.
April 11, 2007
Pros:
Affordably, no side effects
Cons:
Much worse breakouts
Jenna, (and others) I have been on Spiro for almost 3 weeks, I am having the same problem. I have no fatigue, headaches, etc, but my skin has gotten WORSE, almost as bad as ever. Bad, painful cysts, and many along my jaw and chin. I feel desperate too. Maybe it is normal? But no one mentioned it. I will review again when I have been on this for longer.
April 11, 2007
Pros:
Don't know as yet, just start like 2 weeks ago
Cons:
Frequent urination and lethargy that when away. about second week in treatment.
During the first week my face break out worse than before. Frequent urination and lethargy during the first week; then in the second week of continued treatment the tiredness went away. My skin is not clear as yet, but I notice a little bit of oil reduction on my face. So, for anyone who's out there and taking sipro to treat acne and you experience any form of break out during the first weeks, it can be a normal sign that your body is adjusting to sipro and your skin is getting rid of all the excess hormone in the skin that causes your skin to break out in the first. Hormone such as DHT which causes some of us to have acne in the first place or androgen sensitivity; meaning that your skin is sensitive to normal level of testosterone in the system. Also remember acne can cause from a lot of deferent things such as: 1. Adrenal problem
2. Toxin in the body
3. Hormonal imbalance
4. PCOS
5. Yeast
6. Parasite
7. Androgen sensitivity
April 9, 2007
Pros:
Affordable
Cons:
Headache, fatigue
I feel so desperate writing this. After reading this site and trying different things, I finally went on Spiro and have been taking it for 2 weeks. I know it hasn't been long enough to get better, but my face got so much worse. Could someone please tell me whether this is normal? I am getting really painful, deep, huge cysts I haven't gotten before along my chin. My derm didn't mention the possibility of my acne getting worse at first, and so many of you never mentioned it, so I don't know what to think... I would really appreciate some advice.
April 4, 2007
Pros:
This cleared my skin like anything else. I 've had acne since age 14 (now I am 36) and excess body hair. I have DHEA excess (adrenal problem). Before I tried everything else without results. I am a doctor and prescribed myself 200mg/ day.
Cons:
Before this my periods were regular. Now I am bleeding for 10 days and get bleeding again on day 17. I am lowering the dose to 100mg/ day. Besides on hot weather I sweat like a sailor. Salt craving. Slight nausea. Less energy than I'm used to.
I love to see my face clear for the first time in years. Too bad I am dyslipidemic too (concerns about using oral contraceptives to stop the bleeding)
Pros:
No more cystic acne!!!