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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Sharyn

March 6, 2012

Pros:

I have NOT ONE pimple on my face...for the first time in 14 years!
Tiny pill

Cons:

Diuretic
Twice Daily

I never had any acne as a teen. I broke out during my first pregnancy, but it cleared after delivery. Broke out with baby #2 and face did not clear after delivery...he is almost 14 now. I am 40 years old and for the first time since my mid 20's I am not ashamed of my skin. I do use it in conjunction with Clindamycin (topical antibiotic). I have a slight increase in urination, but I have not noticed any other symptoms. I take my second pill with dinner vs. at bedtime to eliminate the need to use the restroom in the middle of the night. The prescription is FREE - 90 day supply via mail order through my insurance. I think it was $5 or $9 that first month at the pharmacy.

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March 2, 2012

Pros:

Clears acne
Less oily
Less facial hair
Weight loss

Cons:

None.

It works! Testosterone is the devil in women. It causes extra hair, dark and coarse, oil glands to over produce and cause acne ; as you get older, the skin pores get clogged because the dead skin cells don't easily exfoliate. Just try it, you'll know after a few weeks if it works.

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Parrot1965

March 2, 2012

Pros:

Inexpensive
Easy to take (small pills) once a day
Effective over time (8 months for me)
No discernible side effects
Dried oily skin and scalp
Lower blood pressure
Fewer breakouts and no more cysts
Seems to address high androgen levels

Cons:

Broke out severely before clearing
Patience required to see results!
Excessively dry skin
Slight salty taste in mouth, but not too bad
Risk of liver damage due to potassium sparing quality of spiro
Cannot consume alcoholic beverages
Limits on consumption of high potassium foods
Must drink a lot of water
Had to add an oral contraceptive to aid efficacy (Ovcon 35)
I take vitamin/health supplements to aid skin healing and health (A,B comp, D, E, fish oil, zinc, calcium/m

I'm an athletic (running, triathlons) 46 y.o. female who has had acne since I was 12. Over the years, the acne has been light to severe, the worst of it during the years I had my children, and over the past 1-2 years, with painful, persistent cysts, as well as black- and whiteheads, on my entire face and my chest and back. I have taken different antibiotics, used many prescribed topical lotions and creams such as clindamycin and Retin A, and bottles and bottles of OTC and natural/homeopathic skin regimens/products (including Dan's Regimen). I also tried diet modification for about 6-9 months (dairy-free and gluten-free, reducing sugar intake). Except for a period of improvement for a week or so after eliminating gluten, I continued to be severely broken out. About 18 months ago, I saw spiro mentioned a lot on Acne.org and other acne forums, so I asked my doctor about it, as she knew how desperate my struggle for clear skin had been for so many years. She put me on a 50 mg dose which I started taking in late June 2011. I didn't see any improvement at first, and then about a month later, I noticed that I broke out less in certain areas, but the acne just exploded on my cheeks and nose, although not in huge pustules. But what was there was still painful, red, and difficult if not impossible to conceal with makeup, and it would scab easily and look awful! I didn't see any real improvement until after my doctor prescribed birth control to make up a difference in the dosage of spiro (she didn't feel comfortable upping the dose), which was added in August. It's now the first of March 2012, and I'm virtually clear. I still get a couple little red bumps, usually on the right cheek, around the menstrual cycle, but they clear pretty quickly over a few days after my period. It's the clearest I've been in many years! And I'm pleased! One caveat to taking spiro is being willing to avoid alcohol. I'd rather have a healthy liver, so

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Lauren

February 29, 2012

Pros:

-Cleared up acne
-Thin blonde hair is no longer greasy!
-Weight loss, loss of water weight/bloat
-Small easy pills
-Easy to adjust perfect dose

Cons:

-Having to be on a medication for 5+ years

I recommend this product to ANYONE suffering from acne! I personally have high levels of testosterone and break out around my mouth and jaw line. While taking spironolactone my skin clears up completely and I constantly get compliments on my skin (although i know i truth)! Another major problem for me is that my hair would get extremely oily and i would take 2 showers everyday. Since using the medication I now can even skip a day of washing my hair and it still looks great without any oil. TRY THIS PRODUCT. It's affordable and easy!!

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Jennifer

February 25, 2012

Pros:

completley cleared acne
slight weight loss?
NO side effects
helps me to sleep great at night (I take it at night)
lowers blood pressure
I have my confidence back in a way I haven't in 10 years

Cons:

potential dangers due to potassium sparing

I am writing this review because I read so so many of them over the years trying to find a solution. I appreciated the encouragement and honesty. I am 33 and have suffered from adult onset acne since about age 21. Primarily cysts on the jaw and neckline. Over the years also my cheeks and my chest as well. Blackheads on my nose that never go away. I am a picker, so this worsens everything. I have tried BP, salicylic acid, AHA, BHA, proactive, differin, minocycline, tetracycline, azythromycin (worked until I had a severe allergic reaction on day 5- anaphylactic internal hives),BCP: ortho tri cyclin, yasmin, dermologica skin care lines, skin ceuticals (which I do love and still use, but didn't clear acne), pore strips, a comedone extractor, vegan diet, skin diet, zinc supplements, B vitamins, fasting, juicing, probiotics, microdermabrasion...Nothing worked long term. After having a child 3 years ago I got pretty bad melasma in addition to the acne(that did not clear nor get worse during pregnancy or a year of breastfeeding). My derm wrote me a script for retin A .25. It took about 9 mo. to almost completley clear the melasma. I noticed improvment in my skin tone and texture from the retin A but not too much effect on the acne. I do love and highly recommend Retin- A, I am still using it, still at .25 at night with great results in clarity, tone, and texture. But alas no help with the acne. A little over a month ago I went in for my yearly check up and she prescribed me spironolactone. 50 mg once a day. I take it at night because I read the reviews about sleepiness.Within 5-7 days- COMPLETLEY cleared up my acne. I have had zero side effects and now on it for a full month. I must add that I was coming down with a cold /allergies the day I went to the derm. 2 1/2 weeks later it had not gone away and I went to my pcm- had a sinus infection. She put me on sulfamexthaxalone- an antibiotic for 10 days. I just finished that. My acne had cleared before I started the

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Elizabeth

February 23, 2012

Pros:

Started working almost immediately I mean literally within 5 days of taking it!

Cons:

Your urine becomes dark yellow and you have to watch your potassium levels.

I had extremely bad acne all along my jaw line and neck area. The cysts on my neck were large swollen and hot to the touch very sore. I was very depressed my neck was unsightly to the point of me not going out of the house. My dermatologist recommended this for me after many failed attempts. I did not get my hopes up and actually did not expect it to work. I was amazed that literally within 5 days a once sore tender cyst acne filled neck and chin where clearing up I had red spots but not full cysts at the end of two weeks my neck and chin were totally clear I can not belive it. Very Very Happy

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beautyfighter56

February 20, 2012

Pros:

Dramatically reduces oil
Dries existing acne
Promotes strong hair and nails (might just be me)
Has cleared 85% of my acne in the first month

Cons:

Frequent Urination
Must drink a lot of water ( good for skin)
Must watch your potassium intake

After going off of hormonal birth control, my acne went from light to moderately severe during my TOM. After exhaustive research and trying every product known to (wo)man, I determined that my acne was hormonal and would need to be treated internally. I asked my dermatologist for Spironolactone a month ago and have already seen significant results. I also spoke with my doctor because I was concerned about the side effects of using this drug long-term. She assured me that Spironolactone is an old drug that has been on the market for many years and has shown little adverse side effects for women. Unlike using Yaz or Yasmin, which are relatively new drugs prescribed for acne and BC and are now being linked to blood clots and strokes. My advice: If you suffer from hormonal acne, give this drug a shot. It is safe and effective, so what have you got to lose? Also, though I did see results in a month, this is not always typical and I have read many posts that say women had to wait 3-5 months to see results. That being said, be patient and give this drug the time to work it's magic. A Word of Caution: Women are often prescribed this drug in conjunction with birth control to regulate periods. This is fine, but I would caution against using Yasmin or Yaz with this drug as they already contain anti-androgen medication to help your skin and this can be a bit of an overload causing potassium issues and potential blood clots.

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Liam B.28

February 14, 2012

Pros:

*it works!!
*severely lessens cystic acne/milia/pimples
*easy to take
*reduces oiliness
*minimum/no side effects
*also helped get rid of my migraines??
*gave me my confidence back!

Cons:

*must be PATIENT- this is key!!! for me it took almost 4 months to see results
*thirsty a little more often
*pee more (it's a diuretic)
*weight loss (although this may not really be a con)
*get your pottasium levels checked just in case

I have had mild/moderate acne on my face, chest, and back since high school. I had always been able to pretty much keep it under control... and then I turned 21. WOW. New blemishes every day, painful, huge, take-months-to-disappear cysts on my forehead and jawline, as well as tiny little skin-colored bumps (milia) along my cheeks and T-zone. It was miserable-- I would not be seen without makeup on, if I forgot my concealor at home I would freak out, I was terrified of pools, looking at my reflection in the car window, sweating... I know there are people out there with much more to stress about but it literally made me hate my life. I tried everything, from proactiv/tazorac/ anti-biotics/birth control/glytone/$$acid peels/microderm... NOTHING worked. Finally I took the time to research other options out there, thinking I would have to resort to Accutane. Thankfully I discovered this, went to the doctor, and got prescribed 25 mg/day (I am 5'5 105 lbs) along with retin-A gel to use at night. Over the course of a couple months, I moved up to 100 mg/day (50 at morning 50 at night). I didn't really see any significant change until about week 8. I still had massive gross cysts, but they healed quicker.. I was discouraged that it wasn't really working yet, but decided to wait it out and continued to take the spiro religiously. Well, now I am in my 4th/mo of taking it, and the difference in my face is night and day, and only getting better!! I used to have about 15-20 blemishes on any given day; now I have 2-3 at MOST. My pores are smaller, my skintone is more even, NO blemishes on my back or chest. My face still gets oily from time to time, but much much less than before- nothing face blotters can't fix. I must give some of the credit to the retin-A, which has definitely helped with the scarring and redness, but I know 90% of the change happened on the INSIDE, where spiro starts to work. PLEASE give this a chance, and be PATIENT, it won't happen over-night!

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Pirate

February 12, 2012

Pros:

-small pill
-no drying out
-clears up my skin completely
-makes me happy!

Cons:

-still get a few breakouts when I'm on my period but they are MUCH smaller and MUCH fewer. (about two or three)
-they don't really last too long when you're taking two a day

I have been getting acne since 6th grade. Nothing has worked. Finally this year I went to the dermatologist and found out that my acne was strictly hormonal and that nothing was working because I was using topical medications. When I got this, after about a month, my face had no zits on it for the first time in my life. I had the confidence of a million supermodels (though i am most definitely not one) and I LOVE this pill. I do. Try it if you've tried everything! get to that dermatologist!

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Hamishpdx

February 12, 2012

Pros:

It works. Little to no side effects. Inexpensive. Easy to take.

Cons:

After 6 months of use, my testosterone levels are slightly low.

This eradicated my severe, painful cystic acne. I had the worst acne I had ever experienced. I went of the Pill and within two months my skin became oilier and went from flawless to acne prone and worsened to full blown crippling acne. I am no stranger to acne and had taken acutane for a case much less severe than the one discussed here. It worked brilliantly while on it, but the acne came back worse a few months after stopping it and I found clear skin again while still on the pill by using Cosmedix brand facial care and seeing a Cosmedix trained esthetician. As I mentioned before, my serious problem began after stopping the pill. The spironolactone was suggested as a last ditch effort after trying antibiotics, Retin-A and when my derm found out my insurance didn't cover Rx. Within a few weeks after taking it the oiliness was markedly less and the acne was finally healing. I haven't had a pimple at all since September with this medication. I don't have Rx coverage and I signed up for the Walgreen's Rx plan, which is a $30 anual fee, and my Spiro is $10 a month, very affordable. I use no topical medications as they aren't necessary anymore. I weigh 120 lbs and am 29 5' 7" and I take 50mg in the morning and again at night. Aside from the slight drop in testosterone, which is keeping the acne away, I have had no side effects whatsoever except clear skin. If you are female and having cysts and horrible jawline/cheek acne, I urge you to try this. This has worked incredibly well for me. I wish I had found it sooner. I could've avoided some scarring. Luckily, I have very little compared to how severe my case was. As I plan on starting a family in a few years, I will need to stop this medication at some point. I am currently stepping down to a half tablet at night to slowly step down my dose and see if I stay clear. I haven't gone back to hormonal BC and chose a copper IUD instead to avoid this problem again in the future if possible. Good luck!

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