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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Andrea J

July 6, 2008

Pros:

Cheap with insurance. Only $7. Probably cheap without insurance as it is generic. IT WORKS! It doesn't cause all the irritation of topical ointments I have tried such as: differen, erythromycin, proactive, retin a, ziana, duac...

Cons:

Has screwed up my menstrual cycle and has caused some intense spotting. Also takes about a month to work. Only works for women. Can cause some trouble with potassium.

IT WORKS! It doesn't cause irritation. It is cheap! I'm pretty upset no one prescribed this for me in the past 10+ years I have had acne

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leicagirl

July 4, 2008

Pros:

inexpensive, helped my acne, less oily

Cons:

took a long time to be effective, should be paired with birth control

My acne was always moderate and my sophomore year of college, it calmed down. During my junior year it suddenly flared up and I started on 50mg 2x a day and I'm not sure if it was the medication or just my body, but my face was totally covered in tiny pimples for several months. Now about 6 months later and after starting Femcon birth control, my skin is very smooth but still get a few pimples here and there. The only stress factor is that those little pimples have heavily scarred my skin so even though it's smooth, I have tons of dark spots which I'm now getting treated with PDT. I never experienced any of the side effects (ie: peeing frequently, getting lightheaded) so I would recommend this to friends.

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Ms Kitty

July 1, 2008

Pros:

Cleared up cystic rosacea/acne; skin much less oily.

Cons:

One or two trips to bathroom at night. Have tested at high-end-of-normal potassium level.

This stuff is incredible!!! I'm a 57 year-old female (and you thought 46 was pathethic...hah!). I've been on every topical and oral med for zits since early teens. I recently developed cystic rosacea, of all things. It's a little different from regular cystic acne -- but I was walking around with a face full of cysts that would burst open on their own thoughout the day, and run down my face. (These cannot be "coaxed out" like regular acne.) It was so horrible that I left the house only for MD appointments. People thought I had some hideous, contageous disease. My derm gave me this because monocycline was turning my skin grey (geez!). This is so much better than I ever dreamed, since I wasn't expecting the reduction of oilyness as well. Now, with a little loose powder on my lower face to cover residual discoloration from the cysts, I look like a normal person. Wow!!! I never thought I'd live to see it.

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Lisa Ullom

June 28, 2008

Pros:

I am 38. First time since i was 12 that I have clear skin.

Cons:

Don't take at night as it works as a diuretic!

Ashley from Naperville.... try Dr. Julianne Moore in Lombard. She is the dermatologist that I go to. She is in practice with Dr. Nancy Lichon. Hope that helps!

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Chickybeading

June 26, 2008

Pros:

Love it, have used it for about 2 years on and off. You have to stay consistent, just upped my does to 200mg and its better already-I have ADULT cystic acne....related to hormones I am told...it minimizes any skin irritations

Cons:

just worry about long term side effects if any....had my potassium checked once....have to keep up with regular blood tests!

Use it, it works, it makes you feel confident!

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KIM

June 26, 2008

Pros:

cleared my skin

Cons:

none

Suffered with acne since I was 13, I am now 36 and my skin is finally clear. I have been on EVERYTHING; pills, topicals.. you name it! I also take orthotricyclen. Ther two combined is fantastic!

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Liz

June 24, 2008

Pros:

Skin is clear and free of cystic acne (apart from the very occasional blemish). Water weight loss during the first few weeks. Continued breast enlargement (I suppose this could be a con for some women...).

Cons:

Increased fatigue during first few weeks, continued irregular periods (though I hear that's supposed to stop, too).

As an accutane vet, I'd recommend Spiro over Accutane. Even though Accutane has more pronounced and sudden effects, Spiro is safer and gets to the root of the problem (the androgen sensitivity that effects many women). It took some playing around with dosages to hit the sweet spot (I'm at 150 mg/day - at 115 lbs, I suppose that's a relatively high dose), but it was worth the wait. Don't be alarmed when skin gets worse before it gets better. Stick with it.

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Ashley

June 21, 2008

Pros:

Amazing to hormonal acne. My derm prescribed this when I lived in San Antonio but since I've lived in IL, no doc has wanted to prescribe it. I used it for about a year and then moved, and then ran out. It works! Be patient.

Cons:

Urination, skipped periods.

This was the only medication that worked for me (and I tried many tetracycline products). I never broke out. It took about six months to really work but after that, even before my period, my skin was clear. I also used topical lotions (Klaron, a sulfur based gel) and Tazorac. These three items worked great. Tazorac did make me peel and then I used it every other day and mixed a pea size with my moisturizer (Peter Thomas Roth).

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Pebs

June 17, 2008

Pros:

Works!

Cons:

None

Hi Help-Please. Yes, my derm prescribed it for me. He said that my acne was hormonal, but that spironolactone was good for that. I don't have PCOS--just jacked up hormones :>). I've heard that some derms are reluctant to prescribe it, because prescribing it for acne is off-label. Don't know how long you've been going to your derm, but you may want to try to find one that will prescribe it. For the clear skin that I've gotten, I can take irregular cycles. Right now mine is about every two weeks, but it's nothing more that spotting. I'll take that any day over the acne I've suffered with.

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Tracy

June 9, 2008

Pros:

Elimination of oily skin and scalp, water weight loss, reduction of nightly leg/calf cramps

I am a 31 yr old female that has dealtith acne along my jaw and occasional cystic acne on my cheeks and forehead. By the 2nd day of my 100 mg dose I woke up to find my skin wasn't oily! 3 weeks in, my skin is completly clear, just working to get rid of the exsisting stubborn blackheads on my nose. Also lost 4 lbs likely due to water loss and decreased appetite as I believe it has helped to restore normal potassium serum levels. I also no longer experience painful calf cramps at night, which again can be contributed to normal potassium levels.

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