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
February 3, 2013
Cons:
Takes forever to work completely
You have to remember to take the pills EVERY DAY!
I have never written a review before but I want to help other girls who are cursed with acne like me. I have had horrible acne since I was 12. When I was 17, after I had tried every product (name a product, I have tried it) I finally gave in and did Accutane. Accutane works miracles and I was clear for 5 years. I maybe got three zits a year. Then when I turned 25 I decided I was going to get laser hair removal on my face. It wrecked my face. I started breaking out like I did was I was a teenager :( it was the worse decision I have ever made. I decided to take spironolactone before I did Accutane again because Accutane is so bad for you. I am glad I did but just to warn you, it does take a while and it will get worse before it gets better. It took me four months. I also use jojoba oil on my face which is amazing. I recommend that too.
January 28, 2013
Pros:
No more cysts, less oil, taken together with OCPs works great
Cons:
Felt very dizzy at the beginning, but went away with time, increased urination
I'm 27 and started having acne at the age of 12; since then I have tried almost everything except for Accutane (Retin-A, topical and oral antibiotics, birth control and every possible OTC product you can think of). I have been on Ortho Tricyclen low for about 5 years and while at the beginning it kept my acne under control it stopped fully working after a couple of years. So I went to see my dermatologist who prescribed Spironolactone in addition to the BCP. It took a couple of months to work but the results were phenomenal! My acne completely disappeared and my skin was not oily at all. Last month, however, I stopped the birth control to give a break to my system and I have been noticing that my skin has gotten more oily than usual and I am also breaking out a bit more. If anyone has any experience using spironolactone alone without birth control, or after stopping birth control, it would be great if you could share your experience too!
November 10, 2012
Pros:
Cheap
Decreases oil production
Cons:
Side effects
Frequent Urination
Slight headache
Joint tenderness
This is my second attemp using this drug. I first tried it 3 months ago. My dose was 75 mg, two pills in the am and 1 in the pm. After the second day I was suffering from a headache and literally had to pee every 20 mins. I could not sleep. So after the 3rd day, I gave up.
My derm talked me into trying it one more time. This time I started taking half of a 25mg pill for the first 3 days. No problems with that except some more urination. Can feel a headache coming on if I don't drink enough water. Then I went to a full pill. No problems with this except some tenderness behind my knees. Tomorrow I will be going to 1.5 pills.
As far as my skin goes, I do see less oil production, my eye makeup is staying in place longer. I am having a breakout in places I don't normally get pimples like my upper lip and forehead. They are slightly nodular. My hair is slightly more dry. Over all I do see a slightly healthier appearance of my skin that I cannot explain. I also use 302 skincare. It is all natural. I will review this drug again in about 1 month or so. Hopefully I will be at 75 mg and getting some real improvement. I'm 33 years old and have been dealing with this acne for three years. It is time for this acne to go away.
September 5, 2012
Pros:
Improvement beyond belief!
Cons:
Initial breasted tenderness; frequent bathroom breaks after taking.
This has changed my life! Have tried everything else nothing has worked. Hoping no long term side effects. I have clear skin for the first time in 11 years.
July 28, 2012
Pros:
cleared acne
reduced oily face and hair
small pill
Cons:
have to take at the same time everyday (twice a day for me)
loss of period
I've been on spiro for about 8 months (75ml X2) with no side effects. I have an over active bladder so I was nervous to start taking a water pill. I'm very happy to see it did not effect my urination at all. After about 6-8 weeks I noticed a HUGE improvement in my acne with minor break out only around my period (1 or 2 zits). Then the PMS breakout went away after about 6 month of using. It also reduced oil in my hair which is a huge plus for me considering I could barely make it a whole 24 hours before needing to wash my hair again. I was very happy using spiro until this past month when I did not get my period- at all! I mean of course its great to not deal with my period but I prefer to not interrupt my body's natural cycles. I have an appointment to discuss this with my doctor and I'm hoping to start weaning off the medication.
January 25, 2012
Pros:
stunts body hair growth
makes skin smooth
Cons:
can make u emotional
unwanted weight loss
loss of appetite
nausea
My dermatologist prescribed this for me as I have developed unsightly adult acne. I will get huge red bumps along my cheek/chin area out of the blue that last for a few weeks and then leave. They also leave scars. He said this drug was like a vitamin and prescribed 100 mg a day. Due to the side effects I read about, I take it at night before bed. However, I have dropped two dress sizes due to being so nauseated, I can barely eat. My acne has not seen much improvement, i have been spotting (i have a mirena and should not be bleeding). My energy is down and I am extra emotional. Reading other post makes me think this drug is best for those with oily skin (mine is rather dry) and more continual breakouts. I went from a 6 to a 2 so I really didnt need to lose the weight and now feel I look sickly. Or maybe I just need to lower the dose. However, my skin does feel softer and the peach fuzz on face seems minimal. My regime also includes using the Clean and Clear advantage kit.
December 25, 2011
Pros:
Reduced cystic breakouts
less whiteheads
less redness
Cons:
works as long as u take it
potassium levels
could mess with period
I've been taking Spiro (75mg) for 5 months. It's improved my skin a lot. I used to get painful cystic breakouts right before my period, now I get little ones. Not everyone will see results with 75mg tho, some pple need to take more than 100mg. This drug could be a miracle drug for many women ( especially with premenstrual acne). It's definitely worth a try.
October 10, 2011
Pros:
Stopped my cystic/hormonal acne completely!
Cons:
Dry skin
Dry mouth
Always thirsty
Frequent urination
Moodiness
Weight gain
This product stopped my chin/hormonal acne within a week, but also made me gain 5 lbs. I've read a lot of reviews and side effects seem to vary from person to person, so I recommend at least giving it a try if you struggle with hormonal acne. This product worked great but I'll have to find something else because I won't tolerate weight gain.
August 5, 2011
Pros:
slowly clears up skin
Cons:
takes months
many stomach problems
heart burn
extremely gassy after eating
fatigue
I have been taking this for 14 months now. I can say it has improved my acne, but I definitely would not recommend this to anyone. I have had horrible stomach issues, heart burn, and extreme upper stomach gas after I eat. It SUCKS! I hate feeling gassy all the time after I eat anything.
March 25, 2011
Pros:
none
Cons:
made acne worse!
mood swings
dehydration
I have been dealing with adult acne since for 10+ years! I have been on accutane, antibiotics, laser treatments, dermabraisions and etc to control my acne. Accutane did wonders but after a year, it came back but not as bad. I didnt want to go back on it because of the side affects. So anyway... I have recently been struggling with moderate acne which becomes worse during the spring and summer months. So after being on 5 different medications since last Sept, I became fed up and decided to go the hormonal route. Well, after the first week I noticed that I was getting acne in places I've never had pimples (forehead, temple, nose, upper lip and chin). Then the usual spots that I normally get acne is on my cheeks and jaw line which exploded with nodule type of acne. I have never seen my skin dry, yet severely clogged in all my life. After 3 weeks, I simply stopped taking it and couldnt bare going in public looking like a pizza. Now I am back on benzaclin, epiduo, and triluma. Its been a week and its starting to control my acne much more than spiro. I guess its not for everyone. Food for thought. I have tried Ortho Tri. in the past which helped manage my acne when I was in my early 20's but after 4 months into it, it started breaking out pretty bad. Much like my experience with Spiro. I also tried Yaz and got the same results. So maybe its just my body that doesnt do well with hormonal treatments. I am glad for those whose body does accept the treatment. Congrats! It just sucked for me.
Pros:
Clear Skin!!!
Less harsh than Accutane