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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December 22, 2011

Pros:

Cleared Acne
Improved complexion
Didn't irritate or over dry skin

Cons:

Causes break out at first

Bottom line is that I am 25 years old & have had acne since I was 13. I have tried everything you can think of! Over time my acne has changed from teenage acne (mostly in the T-zone) to adult acne (along my chin, jawline & neck). My new dermatologist told me "all acne is treatable, we just need to find what works for you" this was the best news I have ever heard. I have a love-hate relationship with dermatologists. But finally this one got it right! I have been taking it a little over a month now & at first I was skeptical because I was still breaking out pretty badly, but then I read reviews that people normally do break out badly at first. A month later & my skin is flawless! I have had no new pimples & I didn't even break out during my periods! Other than old scars my skin looks & feels fantastic! I cannot believe how much this has changed my skin!
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December 21, 2011

Pros:

-Cleared up majority of my acne in Only 11 DAYS!
-Pills are small and easy to swallow.
-Hair became A LOT less oily.

Cons:

-Urinate more frequently.
-Minor hives on body that come and go.

I've been on Spironolactone for exactly 17 days (2 weeks, 3 days) and WOW I am amazed at how fast this product cleared up my skin. So, the first week I took 50 MG a day. Which really didn't do much for my skin, and actually made it break out more. I was disappointed. Then, the second week, I switched to 75 MG a day, and WOW it worked wonders! My acne decreased significantly within 3 days after switching from 50 MG to 75 MG. I only break out on my cheeks, my left side cleared up completely already. I have like a couple little pimples on my right side, but no big deal. I am honestly so happy that this product has worked so wonderful so far. Hope this continues then eventually clears up everything. BUT. During the ending of my 2nd week, I started to develop very small hives on my body that would appear, then disappear every day. I googled it, and site said it's a very serious allergic reaction. This may sound bad, but I really don't care, I'm still going to continue to take it. Because the impact this pill has had on my mood and self-confidence, it's worth it. Note, I'm a 20-year-old female, and I've tried EVERYTHING. Even Accutane right before taking Spironolactone (but I was on a VERY low dose, so that was probably why it wasn't effective.) Retin-A, over the counter creams, Minocycline, Doxicycline, BP, EVERYTHING! Please give this a try. I was skeptical at first because it statistics show it only works fo about 65 % of females with hormonal acne, and it would take up to 4 months to see results. Well I saw results on my 11th day. Please give this a try :)
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December 19, 2011

Pros:

Acne 95% gone
Skin has smooth texture
Less Oil
Pores much smaller

Cons:

None

I am 38 y/o and have been suffering from acne since I was 14. I have literally tried just about everything over the years including dietary changes, etc. For the past two years my moderate acne, became severe. I would cry when I looked in the mirror. I visited the dermatologist at least every other month almost in tears begging for help. I had asked for spiro but the last two dermatologists I went to refused to prescribe it. I finally found a dermatologist who prescribed it. It has been a God send!!!! My oily, red, irritated, cystic skin is now clear, even, less oily and smooth. TRY IT but be patient. I suffered from some of the side effects the first few weeks but drinking more water helps. I no longer feel any side effects at all. I am on 100mg 1 x day. I seemed to break out more for the first couple weeks. I still broke out almost like usual until about the 2nd to 3rd month but now I am going on about four months and my skin is beautiful!!! I am confident again. The new man I am dating can't stop complimenting me on my skin. It's that good! I am also using a topical retinoid at night and Aczone twice a day along with a benzo wash in the AM and a glycolic acid wash in the PM. I also just feel better in general. I don't know if it's because of spiro's effects on my hormones or the confidence that comes with having clear skin but either way, I am not stopping this drug!!!!!
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December 19, 2011

Pros:

no longer have oily skin
acne has gone from terrible to manageable
weight loss
softer skin
Less anxiety

Cons:

none so far

I have struggled with acne since I was 16 on my face, neck, chect, and upper back/shoulder area. I was on Tetracycline for 2 years which helped at the time. I then started taking Yaz birth control and that completely got rid of my acne but gave me Malazma (darkening of skin). After 10 years on Yaz I decided to go off birth control to get rid of the darkening skin issue and got an IUD instead. Almost immediately my acne came back and it ws worse than before. My derm suggested Acutane so I gave it a try. It was a pain but I had amazing results, my skin had never looked so good. My skin was clear for 1 1/2 years but the acne then came back. About 2 months ago my derm suggested Spiro after the Tetracycline she gave me didn't work and the results have been amazing. My skin is almost clear. I am taking 75mg per day but I think I need to up it to 100mg b/c my acne is not completely gone. I have not had any bad side affects. The first week I felt a little medicated (kind of like when you take cold medicine) but it wasn't disruptive to my daily rutine. I have lost 10lbs, I have less anxiety (due to it lowering your blood pressure), my acne is almost gone, I have little to no oil, and my skin is softer. Overall this has been the best acne treatment over all that I have had. You can't beat the price and there are very few side affects.
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December 18, 2011

Pros:

Normalize your skin!!
Not carrying my concealer around anymore!!

Cons:

None so far

I had written earlier after having my initial breakout but really had to update because I wish I had taken spiro YEARS ago! I finally have normal skin...not greasy, pores are small, no pimples on the horizon!!! I swear I always had a new one popping up. I take 100 mgs and just got my labwork back & it was normal. I was so afraid I would have to stop taking it. If you try it, be patient..
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December 8, 2011

Pros:

Increased Energy
Increased libido
Weight loss
Improved texture of skin
Soft silky hair

Cons:

Some lightheadedness
Some side pain that I will review with my doctor
Initial breakout

I am hoping to submit a review weekly along this treatment as is seems to take a while to work but so far after one week this is what I have. I was started on 100mg tablets twice a day which seems quite a lot more than everyone else here, this morning I scaled it back to 50mg because of some side pain I had last night. So I was prescribed this to help with arm and buttocks acne, I have never had much of a problem with my face except for blackhead and an occasional surface pimple. I also have to note that I have naturally dry skin. Day 1-2 - light nausea after first dose, better after I ate. Some lighteheadedness, immediate increase in energy and mood elevation and yes a lot of peeing. Dropped 2 lbs in these 2 days Days 3-4 - feeling great, peppy and energetic, tried to have a beer, not a good idea it was almost like taking a benadryl and then drinking. By days 3-4, my hair has become smooth, soft and silky shiney. Years of having terrible frizzy funky hair, I can finally wear it down! Dropped another lb in these 2 days Days 5-6 - Day 6 terrible break outs on my body the morning of day 6 but by the time I got home from work, showered and everything, they had dried out. I have noticed that my skin actually feels very soft despite the initial breakout. I have notice a striking improvement in the blackheads and pores around my nose. And yesterday, people actually were telling me I looked really good! For those getting the headaches - drink more water! Like I said last night I was a little disturbed by the pain in my side, but it has gone away and I have lowered my dose. After researching this medication, I am a little scared of some of the side effects that it can have, so I would recommend that anyone considering it really speak with your doctor and weigh your options. Stay tuned for week TWO!
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December 3, 2011

Pros:

Clears acne
Clears blackhead
Skin smoother

Cons:

Thirsty thirsty thirsty

I have suffered with acne for the past five years since my son was born. I have tried three courses of accutane benzaclin birth control pills facials peels nothing worked. I was very hesitant to start taking the medication because accutane gave me such a bad Inital breakout .. I had no initial breakout thank god. My skin has been doing so good since I started the best feeling is my mom saying what are you doing different. In conjunction with spiro I use cosmedix facial cleanser and haven been getting a chemical peel and facial both once a month to help clear the blackheads. I am so happy this has changed my life I would reccomend this to any female who thinks shr has hormonal acne . The accutane did nothing but caused pain . So glad I changed dermatologists.
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November 22, 2011

Pros:

Clear skin
Less oily skin

Cons:

Frequent urination

When I was in high school I was one of the kids that was very lucky to only rarely have any sort of pimples. I have always had large pores and moderately oily skin though. In my early 20's I started to develop acne that only seemed to be getting worse with time. I am now 26 and was very recently diagnosed with PCOS which can cause acne. My doctor put me on it to also help with facial hair, but I am immediately noticing no new acne, reduced pore size, less oil and an evened out complexion. Amazing.
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November 20, 2011

Pros:

Noting yet :(

Cons:

My face is breaking out :(
Taking a pill 2x a day.

I have been on this medicine for 2 weeks and my face has never looked so bad. My acne is hormonal therefore I only break out right before my period. My derm recommend this medicine. I take 50mg a day. After reading some of the reviews it sounds like my face will get worse before it gets better. But how long do I have to wait? I am very tempted to stop taking this medication. I am 36 years old and having "this much" acne is embarrassing.
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November 19, 2011

Pros:

annihilates hormonal acne
taking the pill becomes routine
diuretic made me lose ~3-5 lbs (woohoo)
worked when nothing else would

Cons:

need to drink a lot of water to avoid negative side effects from diuretic (dizziness, dehydration, etc)
can cause irregular periods
effectiveness may wane over time (may need to combine with other treatments)

If you're a woman who gets nasty, gnarly, painful cystic acne around the time of ovulation and menstruation, THIS IS THE DRUG FOR YOU. During my teen years, Accutane was magical. Thennnnn I hit my mid 20s. BIG, knotty, painful cysts erupted on my cheeks, jawline and temples. They took FOREVER to die down and heal -- like, a month! And for the first time, my skin scarred. You think acne is bad in high school? Try it in the workplace... mortifying. My former derm gave me antibiotics, gels, creams. I finally tried Accutane again -- the magic was gone. I stopped taking birth control pills a few years after going off Accutane. The 25 lbs I had been struggling to lose for years just fell off. There was no way I was going on the pill again, but my old derm insisted it was the only solution to my acne. I found a new derm, who educated me about hormonal acne and the wonders of spironolactone! I've been on it for years -- so long that I don't remember the early days, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't a big initial breakout. I recall it working very quickly and wishing I'd known about it sooner. I can't say enough good things about spiro. It wiped out my hormonal acne, made my skin a lot less oily and even made me lose another 3-5 lbs - sweet! Yes, there are side effects and drawbacks. You have to drink a ton of water or risk lots of dizzy spells and super dry/flaky skin. It may also affect your period if you're not on the pill (I got my period every 2 weeks at one point, but my cycle corrected itself after 2 months or so). Still, I'll take those over having my face look like a war zone. It's a personal call. Over the years, spiro's effects have somewhat waned. I now pair it w/a low dose of doxycycline and 0.1% tretinoin cream, and still get the occasional breakout/cyst, but it's manageable. I could up my spiro dose, but my derm says it'll make my period more wonky. I'm willing to deal with a small breakout once a month
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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