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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July 22, 2015
HATE IT!
Spiro literally dried my whole body out! Sure it helps the cystic acne, but at what cost? In 4 months, I gained wrinkles, weight, cellulite, dry eyes, acid reflux and my stomach is constantly bloated. I play soccer constantly and was starting to feel weak....BAM ....muscle loss. I was randomly sweating, I was literally red all the time. I already had sufficient breasts, now they are huge, painful, and annoying! I have been off of this evil drug for 2 weeks and feel a ton better, but still have the bloating, cellulite, and dry eyes. Also, I have issues with anxiety, and this stuff made it WORSE!!!! My skin has NOT gotten worse since I stopped taking it, it has gotten BETTER. How long until all the side effects go away!!?!?!?!?! Anyone else hate their Dr for putting them on this????? I only gave this 1 star because it made me. Should have negative stars!!!!
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1976SJG
July 23, 2015
How many mg did the doc put you on??
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Meredithdemp
August 12, 2015
When did u notice cellulite
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July 2, 2015
Too soon to tell but hopeful..
I am a 22 year old female and have had pimples here and there for most of my teen years. December 2014 my skin was gorgeous, clearer than it has ever been and then came January.. All the sudden the skin around my mouth erupted in rash like bumps and then progressed to acne -looking bumps as well as cysts that moved down to my chin/ jaw and up along the sides of my nose & even under my eye ( which swelled shut at one point and turned black & blue due to a cyst). I was told by 4 different doctors that I had perioral dermatitis & was put on antivirals, antibiotics, topicals and had blood work and cultures taken of my skin. No luck. I finally saw a dermatologist who put me on more antibiotics (100mg) for 2 months which did nothing but give me UTIs. After a second visit with him last week, and zero improvement (despite trying every holistic treatment under the sun, including going sodium laurel sulfate -free) he put me on spironolactone. It has been 1 week and my skin is nightmare-ish right now. I have multiple cysts and my chin is covered in painful spots. I feel so depressed, my confidence is shot and most days I can't bring myself to leave the house. I hope and pray my skin starts to improve soon. After 6 months of this constant physical & emotional pain, I don't know how much more I can take. Anyone have a similar experience? Or advice?
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sbeanie82
July 4, 2015
I had a terrible cystic breakout a couple weeks after I first started spironolactone (way worse than my usual cystic acne), but about a month in my skin started clearing up. My skin has been almost completely clear for months now!! I've heard it's common to have an initial breakout on spiro, so I'd recommend sticking with it. don't lose hope!
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ko12345
August 3, 2015
Sbeanie82 -- what dosage were you on?
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March 2, 2015
Hormonal acne?
Growing up I did not have major break outs. I did suffer from awful periods which then lead me to be on birth control from 14-21 with absolutely no issues. I used othro tri lo and it was great for me. Never had breakouts, normal periods and even helped maintain my weight. I got married at 22 and right away we wanted to TTC. After a year of struggling TTC both me and my husband were tested and it was determined my husband could not have children. I have not been on birth control since, im now 29 and have again struggled with the awful periods and now get these deep down cystic acne. By no means it Is awful but I always have atleast one on my chin and cheek. I always struggle with super oily skin and scalp. I wash my hair at night and by morning im already having to use a dry shampoo. Within the past year are so my face has gotten so hairy. I literally have to use a little razor and shave my face every couple of days and have these these course black hairs that im plucking out seriously every morning. I would prefer not to go back on birthcontrol just due to the fact that my husband cant have kids and I don't want to prevent a some miracle happening (weird I know, as well as I know you should not be on spiro when pregnant). A couple of years ago I was put on minocycline and that did not work for me, took it a couple of months but stopped due to almost feeling like I was drunk, could not concentrate and had bad anxiety. Have also tried aczone but did not find that it really did anything for the cystic acne just the occasional pimple. I have been tested for thyroid issues and those have came back normal. I am going to the derm in 2 weeks and think I want to bring up spiro. I definitely feel like my issues are hormonal. Anyone with similar issues have success? I do worry about potential weight gain as I struggle with my weight as it is, 175lbs and 5'5.
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January 23, 2015
Glad it worked for others, but it is not for me
My skin became so much worse after taking 100mg a day of this medicine. I was hoping it was just the initial breakout I kept reading about, but after about 3 months on the drug my acne became disfiguring with multiple huge cysts and whiteheads, and I also developed some sort of strange facial rash in conjunction with the acne. I also had horrible leg cramps and felt thirsty all the time despite drinking up to 10 glasses of water a day, So I guess next up is Accutane.
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December 30, 2014
not sure
48bf skeptical about taking spiro long term went 8 months using trin/1% anyone taken this at this age
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December 25, 2014
Initial Breakout: Not Worth It
Started taking 50 mg about a week ago. At first, nothing happened. Then I missed one dose and BOOM: my skin went nuts. I'm not sure if it's because I missed one dose or if this was the initial breakout kicking in. I've been taking for four days since and my skin's still bad. If this is the initial breakout, I'm not sure it's worth it.
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December 20, 2014
Have Yet to Try
Like a reviewer below, I was on the Implanon for the full 3 years until August 2014. After having the implant removed, within a week, I had a breakout that consisted on 5 inflamed cystic-like pimples on the left side of my face starting from my jaw line and moving upward towards my cheekbone. Before the implant removal, I had some mild acne, nothing near what it is today. I wake up with new inflamed pustules and cysts almost daily. I currently use Doxy 100mg daily since October and Epiduo topical nightly with minimal, and I mean MINIMAL (if any) improvement. My derm also prescribed me Spiro, which I literally just filled today, I am over this and over all the medication. My skin is definitely marked with hyper-pigmentation and some scarring. It sucks. My gyno said she has never seen or heard of this kind of change after the implant removal, but I have my doubts since nothing else could have wrecked havoc on my skin to this extent. I am going to try spiro and risk the side effects because I feel awful so anything that MAY help me is worth it at this point. I am concerned about period irregularities and refuse to take any oral contraceptive and go through this again in the future. I am 25 years old btw and have not experienced anything like this until now.
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December 14, 2014
7 months and I still have acne :(
I started spironolactone 7 months ago and I still have acne. I started taking it in May 2014 50mg a day. I have NOT seen any improvement, my acne just stayed the same. Big red and inflamed, all over my neck and chin really bad (that is normal for me). Last month my doctor upped my dosage to 100mg a day still no improvement. He said I need to come back and see him in February. I can't believe that is medicine isn't working for me. All the other reviews I've read are so positive and people are so happy. Should I keep taking it for another two months and just keep my fingers crossed or should I just give up and face the fact that this medicine just isn't for me? I'm so disappointed I had the highest hopes for this to work for me. I am a 32 year old woman with acne and I feel like I just wasted 7 months on this medicine. I am really sad but I'm am glad that others are seeing the results I wished I could of had.
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tessie
March 1, 2016
It won't help if your acne isn't hormonal. This drug works by acting as an androgen blocker(testosterone) which builds excessive sebum (oil) causing clogged pores. If your acne is caused otherwise then it won't help you.
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TaneBabe
March 3, 2016
I agree with the last comment the most. My dermatologist is extremely wise, and simply states that if by 3 months you don't see at least some improvement, then your acne is not hormonal! That seems to be what is going on with you. I would sign up for accutane, start an oral antibiotic to combat your current breakouts while waiting a month for the 'tane, and then do a round of accutane and call it a day! That's what I'm doing :) 1 month off spiro and wow. I actually look like myself again!
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November 28, 2014
seeking answers
Im posting this, much less as a review and more so for answers and support. I have been on spironolactone for 3 months in total. For the first 6 weeks i was on 50mg, and since january 8th, I have been on 100mg. And continuously throughout this entire 3 months I have been breaking out worse than ever. I keep sticking it out because I kept hoping that the next month would bring clear skin, but as I hit exactly 3 months on this medicine, I am extremely depressed because three months ago I got myself through the hard times by saying "middle of february and I'll be clear" and here I am sobbing every few hours over the tragedy on my face (I had to go get 8 lesions injected today, and have had 2 more pop up in the 12 hours since). I'm just wondering if this is still a result of an IB from upping my dosage to 100mg (although that was over a month ago) and if so, is it only once I've been on this final dose for a full 3 months that I might see results? And I was also wondering if people saw gradual improvements over time, or if pimples just stopped appearing all at once at a certain point. Any tips/advice/your own stories would be so appreciated. I need some hope
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November 2, 2014
works only if you have pcos, hormonal acne. no permanent fix
I was diagnosed pcos 2 years ago and they put me on this drug. Worst mistake of my life. I've recently discovered( change doctor)I don't have any pcos( weight 110 lbs, height 175cm, no hirsutism, perfect blood exams,no insulin issues, perfect testosterone and dhea levels even before this cure, no issues with menstrual cycle)and the previous doctor was totally wrong and gave a wrong diagnose. My acne was never completely cured while on this drug despite being on 100 mg per day and despite my acne was mild, never more than 5 pimples/ papules per time. Beware of the side effects which aren't mentioned like drying of the skin and scarring. My skin became superdry in the last few months but my acne is still there. I'm weaning off of it but it's still dry. Scarring, which I never experienced before, is caused by dry skin and the fact that skin wounds take more time to heal if the skin is dry. Acne is not only caused by oily skin but it has to do with the oil and the pores of your skin. That's why you don't cure acne just by suppressing oil, because even the smallest part of oil can get stuck in your pores if they don't work properly. Moreover this drug is not a cure for your acne, because even if it works when you stop it your acne will come back. You'd better give accutane or exfoliators a try, this is just a waste of time and no permanent Fix. My skin has scars now Thanks to a wrong diagnose, a wrong cure and a stupid doctor who told me to stick with it for almost 2 years. I'm considering a lawyer and will start accutane in a few weeks. Even my periods went totally crazy,came every two weeks, and I needed a progestinic 4 days a month to fix it. Stay away unless you have real pcos or you are looking for troubles.
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Witknee2
September 23, 2015
I would never in my life so accutane. That drug messed up everything. I lost my hair and it messed up my digestive system . I have not been able to have proper bowel movement since that poisonous drug. I don't know why that have that crap on the market . Also after getting off k broke out terribly again
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Finding a Doctor

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.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
Find a Doctor Using the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Website