Acne.org Products
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
September 12, 2011
Cons:
Had severe gastritis (stomach gnawing) for years from this - took 6 months to go away.
I'm writing this because it may help someone else out there. Sprionolactone took several months to work for me, but dramatically decreased my breakouts/oiliness. After taking it for about 2 years, I started to have gnawing pain in my stomach. I went to 4 different GI doctors over a 2 1/2 year period who insisted that it couldn't be this medication causing it. They tried many different medications (which never helped AT ALL), ran countless tests (ooh - even a colonoscopy - not fun!), took my gallbladder out and gave up on me. My pain was so severe that I didn't think I could continue to live like this the rest of my life (I'm 37). I stopped taking this drug on my own and now, after 6 months, the pain is 100% gone. Nothing else has changed. I actually recommend this drug because not everyone will react the way that I did, but if anyone starts having stomach issues, please suspect this drug as the culprit right away. I hope this will save someone the years of suffering that I went through.
January 20, 2011
Pros:
Skin/hair less oily
Clear skin (after prolonged use)
Inexpensive
Cons:
Food Intolerance
Dry skin
Weight loss
Thirst/FREQUENT urination
Initial breakout HORRIBLE!
Took over a year to see results
I've waited 18 months to write my review because I know this medication takes time to work. The initial breakout was the worst I'd ever experienced (see gallery pics). Though after about six months, the cysts subsided and my skin remains cyst free. I do struggle with hives on my face due to the food intolerances caused by Spiro - though I'm keeping a food journal to better target/avoid my triggers (wheat, soy, tomatoes seem to be biggest triggers). Skin is oil free, though becoming drier and drier - nothing a good moisturizer can't remedy. Overall, yes, women, try this medication, but go into it for the long haul. The benefits come after a good 9 months.
May 28, 2010
Pros:
Cleared my skin w/in a month
Cheap ($8/month)
Few negative side affects
Some positive side affects
Cons:
Slight diuretic
Doctors want to take you off after a year
Only women can use
I have tried over the counter face washes and spot treatments, proactive, birth control pills, doxycycline, minocycline, retin-a, and accutane. Though I would see slight improvements nothing cleared my skin.
After college and about a year after finishing with Accutane I was depressed by the state of my skin. I couldn't figure out why all these treatments didn't work. A friend I met had gorgeous skin and when I commented on it said it was all b/c her Spiro.
I rushed to see her derm who put me on Yaz and Spiro. At first it was awful, I would have severe mood swings. My PMS was so bad I felt like I was going crazy. I rightly attributed this to the Yaz and after 4 months the derm took me off it.
Smooth sailing after that. Within a month my skin was completely clear on the Spiro. I take the minimum dose of 50 mg/day (25 mg 2x day), which is only $8 a month at Wal-Mart. It took some time for the scars to fade. About a year in I visited my parents and they couldn't stop talking about it. My dad said it was like they were looking at me through a soft filter, my skin was so perfect.
Occasionally right before my period I still get one or two pimples, but they don't last weeks like they used to. Within a week they're gone.
The downside is that doctors never like to leave you on medication, which meant that after a year he began urging me to try going off the Spiro. I knew this was a bad idea (my hormones haven't changed so why would my acne disappear?). Within 3 months I started breaking out like crazy. The majority are red nodules on the lower half of my face that can take weeks to reach a white heads or just fade away. Back on the Spiro and my skin is clear again.
Side affects: periods are lighter, need to drink more water, urinate more, less aggression/sex drive, hair grows slower after shaving and plucking (don't see a diff for hair on my head)
Conclusion: Less side affects than Retin-A or Accutane, but works so much better. Worth it!
March 2, 2010
Pros:
Try it if you haven't. Jawline cysts have just about disappeared.
Cons:
Thirsty a lot and I have to pee all the time. Heart palpitations.
Unfortunately I didn't get the breast enlargement or body hair reduction like other women, but oh well. I've had acne since age 11 (when I had my first period), took every antibiotic, used every cream, ended up on accutane at age 15 which was effective for a few years. Do to liver problems I couldn't do accutane again, and went on spiro at age 20ish. This stuff really works, my jawline cysts have disappeared, I still get one or two pimples right before my period but they are superficial. I am also on the pill and use differin .3% every night as well as moisturizer day and night. I wish I had started using this in my teens, as now I have lots of scarring which dramatically affects my self esteem. Please try spironolactone if you haven't yet. I'd take being thirsty, peeing a lot, and heart palpitations any day over stupid acne.
February 21, 2010
Pros:
This stuff really works.
eliminates oil production
firmer breasts
soft skin
Cons:
getting up frequently to the bathroom at night
initial breakout
I've been using this for 6 weeks and I love this product. I have tried everything and nothing worked for like spiro. I've always had hormonal acne on the chin and jawline cysts large and painful. I did initially break out bad in the first 3-4 weeks. But after week 4 I'm seeing extreme improvement..Started with 6 large cysts per week to nothing...This product does work you have to give it some time for it to kick in your body. It does make your skin dry so keep a good water based moisterizer. I'm so glad my derm perscribed me this..I refuse to take accutane due to all the severe side effects..This is much better.
July 15, 2011
Pros:
-I'm 100% clear!
-Nice minty taste, very easy to swallow
-Before I was totally clear, any pimples I did get cleared up within days rather than weeks
-Very cheap ($5 for a 30 day supply)
-Don't have to feel guilty if I forget to wash my face every now and then
-Don't need to use any other topical treatments
Cons:
-Did take a long time (almost 4 months) but is seriously worth it
-In the first month or so I did find I had to pee very often, but thats is very mild considering the benefits of it
-You have to remember to take it EVERY day
When my dermatologist first suggested I use spiro I was a bit sceptical because I wasn't convinced that my acne was hormonal. It did take a while before I noticed results but after 2.5-3 months I noticed I was getting pimples MUCH less frequently and the ones I did cleared up within days. As of now, almost 4 months into spiro, I havn't had any pimples in weeks (except 1 I got a little over a week ago from not taking my pills everyday as I forgot them when I went on vaca..but its already gone!) I wish I had discovered spiro years ago but am greatful I did and couldn't be happier with the results. I can't remember the last time I felt my skin and it was completly smooth. I would DEFINATLY recomend this to anyone who thinks their acne could be hormonal! Now I just need to fix my PIH and pitted scars and I'll have the skin of my dreams :)
June 21, 2011
Pros:
clear hormonal acne, less oil
Cons:
thirsty, can cause hypersensitivity quite badly
I am 41 and have been suffering moderate adult acne for some years, it goes on and off. I have tried almost everything, accutane 3 times (first 2 times worked well but failed in the 3rd time), AHA peeling (worsen) and BHA peeling (helped but not 100% cleared). The past 2 years the condition got worse and I started to have cyst nearly everyday. So I asked my GP to prescribe me Spiro, I started on 25/05, 50mg per day. I saw results in 2 weeks, no new cyst nor pimple! I was so happy until the 3rd week, I had developed urticaria or hives all over my body, even my scalp was itchy, then I went to the doctor to get an injection but continued taking spiro. 4 days later the injection the condition got worse and I noticed that I am those 1 to 10 out of 100 whom may experience hypersensitivity to spiro. Now I have to stop and seek for another source. May try chelated Zinc and Omega 3 combination, heard it helps with hormonal acne too. Good luck eveyone.
January 26, 2011
Pros:
Effective
Cons:
Could raise potassium levels
My skin is clearing up! Nothing else worked. I have not really noticed any side effects because I get thirsty a lot and pee a lot anyway. I have not gone in for blood tests to see if it has affected my potassium levels. Hopefully everything will be normal so I can keep taking this amazing medicine! My skin feels smoother than it has in years! Not only did it begin to heal but a lot of the inflammation went down pretty quickly. Yay!
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.
June 16, 2011
Pros:
Cleared acne
Slightly fuller breasts
Life changing
Cons:
A little bit more thirsty
I had clear skin my entire life until I hit the age of 21. Suddenly I had horrible acne all over my cheeks, jawline and around the sides of my mouth (at all times, not just during period). It was so bad that I rarely left my room, and I wouldn't even let my boyfriend see me unless the lighting in the room was extremely dim. Suddenly, I stopped hanging out with friends and couldn't even bare going into the grocery store. My face itched constantly because of the severity of my acne and the irritation it caused. I literally felt that if this condition continued, life wasn't worth living. I felt like a monster. I dealt with this for a year, accumulating pitted scars and hyperpigmentation, until I decided I needed to take something orally. After reading many reviews I took the leap and asked my dermatologist for spiro. I was afraid of the side effects I'd read about, but I personally didn't have to deal with them. The only side effect I've noticed is a slight breast enlargement (I was a medium A cup, and now i'm a B cup..so it was nothing too drastic). It also makes me a little bit more thirsty, so i keep a bottle of water on my night stand. It took about 2 months of taking 100 mg at night for me to begin to see results. My skin began to clear and the size of my acne decreased. At 3 months, things were looking much much better. I've now been on 100 mg for 5 months and my skin is 90% better. I still get an occasional pimple, but i'm not complaining. I can now live my life without obsessing over my skin in the mirror for hours each day. If I had known about this medication earlier in my case of acne so I wouldn't have to deal with the ice pick and boxcar scars I now have acquired. I hope my review is helpful to someone out there who may be experiencing a loss of confidence due to acne. It may not work for everyone, but It worked amazingly for my type of acne (adult onset, more acne each day). I will continue to take spironolactone.
Pros:
Very effective for oiliness/acne