Spironolactone
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Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present...

Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both males and females that lead to more acne, and spironolactone helps reduce androgens.

It is usually taken once or twice a day, around the same time(s), preferably with a meal.

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4
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3
9.8%
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4.6%
1
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June 24, 2012

Pros:

Stopped most of my breakouts

Cons:

Causes sensitivity to sunlight which can result to terrible sunburn, I had to take Solodyn with the Spironolactone to completely clear my acne, does not help with scarring or red marks

I've been on many acne medications over the years and the Spironolactone has definitely made a difference. I'm a 20 year old female that had been struggling with acne since age 12. This medication has also helped with my blackheads and has cleared up my skin.
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June 22, 2012

Pros:

Really helped with cystic acne,
Skin less oily

Cons:

Huge breakouts the first 6 weeks. Developed white bumps on skin, had to watch the potassium intake (bananas, tomatoes,potatoes), periods became longer and more frequent( like..every other week), headaches if you don't drink enough water continuously, which in turn sends you to the bathroom ALOT! A little pricey depending on insurance.

I'm a 40 year old woman who has struggled with cystic acne periodically over the years. Mostly on the chin area. My dermatologist hailed this as the wonder drug I would never want to stop taking. Well, it did help after about 6 weeks BUT for me... having to eliminate healthy foods I love, drinking water like a camel and the almost constant periods were not worth the clear skin. Since I've stopped taking the drug I have eliminated sugar and dairy and my skin has been behaving beautifully. The white bumps went away and the headaches have stopped. I just feel better not taking medication. If I had really severe acne I would probably have stuck with it but I would urge people to address their diet first and possibly scale their skin care regime down to basics. I currently use Purpose skin wash and Clinique dramatically different gel 2x a day.
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June 20, 2012

Pros:

cleared cystic acne on face and back

Cons:

none

I hardly ever write reviews but had to share my success with this medication, I have had cystic acne since age 14, I am 46, been on every antibiotic, Accutane, prescription topical creams etc.. My Derm prescribed this about 7 months ago, I have never looked this good without the help of antibiotics, I now have drier skin and have not had 1 flair up since after the 3 month mark, this stuff is amazing, the key is to be patient, don't lose hope, I have been through this silly game of acne for way to long and am finally feeling some hope. I use Duac in the AM and Gly derm at night, take 100 MG of Spironolactone once daily. Good luck to you all.
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June 18, 2012

Pros:

- left my skin smooth and clear, no oilyness and cleared up my back

Cons:

- i had a horrible initial breakout
- need to pee constantly

this medication works! i first started using it and my face cleared a little bit, then one month into the medication i had the worst breakout of my entire life. i didnt want to go to work, i didnt want to see anyone. makeup did not cover the horrible breakout. however i stuck it through and now im a little past 3 months and my skin is finally improving so much. all i have is the redness leftover. no actual bumps or pimples or cysts. it also cured me of the acne on my back. i can wear makeup for 8+ hours without reapplying powder from oilyness. it took a long time for this med to work but it WORKED and im so happy i stuck it thru. please be patient it will work for u. btw im 19 yrs old and my acne started at 18 so i thought this med was for older women but it worked for me!!
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June 15, 2012

Pros:

Sort of worked--clears me up somewhat w/PMS-time acne

Cons:

-Worry about side effects such as potassium levels and interactions with other meds
-Takes too long to work
-Constantly taking medication
-Expensive
-Requires continuing visits to derm
-Suspected it affected my moods and weight

This helped a little bit, but I just don't like taking medication that seems to be quite powerful. I've continued my quest and I am starting to get enthusiastic about GREEN TEA. It worked faster and better than this stuff.
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June 14, 2012

Pros:

Skin totally clear after 10 years of battling acne.

Cons:

It is a daily pill to remember to take (but I will say I have forgotten it with no consequence) and a diuretic

Takes a while a few months to work its magic but I like this a LOT. I have a lot of scaring but no active zits after using this for a ~8 months and it is a little shocking since I am used to having more zits than I can count. Won't burn like antibiotics and no risk of raising the super bug. Doesn't dry out your face. I use with epiduo as well but I have been on retinoids forever and feel that I can safely say that the difference is spirolactone. Just moisturize with spf in the morning and removing the evening application of epiduo which can be a little drying. I used tazorac for a long time but the milder epiduo with/ benzoyl peroxide is nice.
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June 13, 2012

Pros:

Clear skin, more confidence

Cons:

none

I started taking spiro at the end of january/beginning of february. My dermatologist started me at 100 mg a day (50 in the am and 50 at night). She also had me start off with an antibiotic that I am weaning off of, down to once every other day. My skin is finally clear, maybe one pimple every month that goes away quikcly. I definitely think that the antibiotic helped with the initial break out that many people get and helped my skin at first, because it can take up to four months for spiro to really kick in. I started the antibiotic at 2x a day and am now down to once every other day without an issue. I think the spiro has been in my system long enough to do its job, so I will be off the antibiotics all together very soon. My skin has never looked this good, I have no problem being seen without make up and the woman that threaded my eyebrows the other day told me that I had beautiful skin, thats something that never happened before!
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June 1, 2012

Pros:

No more oily skin, no more pimples and breakouts. My skin cleared up, didn't take long to start working. Inexpensive.

Cons:

None

I had tried everything, nothing worked for me, the doctor thought spiro would wrk for me. After taking this medication for about 4 days I saw a huge difference. I've been on it for almost 2 yrs. my skin is totally clear and not oily.
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May 28, 2012

Pros:

Cheap

Cons:

Not sure yet, though the birth defects make me nervous for the future

I am 32 years old and have been dealing with acne for 20 years. I have mainly cystic acne but also very oily skin and large pores that are always clogged. I haven't left my house without makeup on for as long as I can remember. In college, my skin was its worst, I spent many days crying and not wanting to leave the house. I worked at a dry cleaners and remember a littlr girl asking her mom what was wrong with my face. It's much more under control now, but I still get cysts especially before my period and I have a lot of scarring. Its awful not being able to let people see your skin when you wake up and have to run to the bathroom to put makeup on. Though, I have become a pro, and a lot of my friends claim to not notice my blemishes. I've tried pretty much everything. Retin-a and antibiotics in high school, accutane in college (worked but came back in a few months), tazorac, more antibiotics, birth control, numerous washes and creams, pro activ, just about every over the counter product and home remedy. Nothing has really worked. I gave up on going to the dermatologist, they never seem to be able to help. They always recommend benzoyl peroxide washes, etc no matter that I tell them they irritate my skin and make it worse. My OBGYN recommended spiro at my annual a few weeks ago when I asked her about it. Been taking it for a month now. Haven't really noticed a difference so far, though I have had a few more cysts on my back, jawline and neck in the past couple of weeks. I'm definitely going to give it some time. We will see.
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May 25, 2012

Pros:

There was a good 2 week period where my skin was clearer than it's been in years!

Also seem to have lost some weight (probably water weight), which is kind of nice :)

Cons:

Still getting pimples, but the majority of them are under the skin now.. Also I've started breaking out on my forehead which has never happened before in my life.

Acne lesions are refusing to heal. And the cysts under the skin get smaller but never go away. So strange!

My testosterone levels are all over the place according to blood tests, which is why I'm assuming I have persistent acne. Anyway, I've been taking 100mg every day for 2.5 months. I had about 2 weeks of really clear skin around the 1.5 month mark, and since then it's been downhill again. I'm not going to give up on this medication, though. My endocrinologist told me I can double my dosage (to 200mg every day) but I might try increasing it to 150mg first. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty disappointed this hasn't worked wonders for me the way it has for other people. I guess I just have to stay hopeful.
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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.
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