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
January 8, 2007
Cons:
The only side effect I experienced was irregular menstrual cycles for the first month and slight dizziness shortly after taking it. Also, the cost for me was pricey, but only because I don't have insurance. If you do have insurance, it's cheap.
I have had mild acne since I was 12 years old, but it was never as bad as it became last summer. All of a sudden out of nowhere, I broke out severely. At my worst I had at least 20 pustules on my face. I tried EVERY topical gel, and minocycline/doxycycline. NOTHING WORKED. After going to a new dermatologist I was desperate to find a solution. I was certain my problem was hormonal, not bacterial. He prescribed me 100mg of Spiro (2 50mg pills per day) in conjunction with .005% Tazorac gel. Within a week, I noticed that fewer breakouts had popped up. After a month I was only getting about one or two per week. And now, after almost three months of use the only breakouts I ever get are around my period, and even then they are TINY and managable. If you have tried everything for your acne and NOTHING has worked, urge your derm to prescribe you Spiro. I pray this continues to work for me. So far the results speak for themselves.
January 4, 2007
Pros:
no severe side effects, quite effective in conjunction with Tazorac
Cons:
some bleeding b/w periods, no irregular periods as of yet; no really expensive but a significant expense to add per month for ME
Great product and only a few things to watch: no pregnancy while on it and get K levels checked
December 27, 2006
I'm 42, all of a sudden I was having cyst acne due to hormonal changes. My doctor prescribed Antibiotics and Retin A micro, it did nothing and the Retin A was too harsh. I started taking spironolactone and haven't had a single break out since. Also, with the hormonal change came water weight gain and the spironolactone helped with that as well. I love it!
October 17, 2006
Pros:
It' scheap and easy to use.
Cons:
I've been on it for almost 3 months with no change in sight... :(
How long does this take to work???
Pros:
Saw results almost after only a few days of taking Spiro. After almost three months of use, the results have been dramatic. I can't ever remember a time my face was this perfectly clear.