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
January 3, 2012
Cons:
My 12 year old was spotting after a couple of weeks on this medication, so the doctor took her off it right away.
Be careful and be in communication with your doctor while taking any medication.
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.
November 17, 2011
Pros:
Started to work quickly
Cons:
Side Effects not tolerable:
cramping
diarrhea
dizziness
increased aggression
sleeplessness
Not worth it!! And I'm on a small dosage.
November 4, 2011
Pros:
NONE
Cons:
HORRIBLE CYSTIC ACNE, HAIR LOSS
This drug is absolutely, positively the absolute worse drug i have ever taken. I was completely clear before starting this medicine. Almost immediately I started to breakout in massive cysts. Every two weeks a new one would sprout. I stuck it out for two months, but i just couldn't take it anymore and stopped completely 21 days ago. I am now left with many hyperpigmented areas, a scar, a huge crator, and a hypertropic scar. This drug ruined my skin. I had to give a rating, but i would rate this minus one hundred, its disgusting what it did to my skin.
September 27, 2011
Pros:
None
Cons:
Very dry skin.
Weight gain.
Dehydration.
No improvement in acne.
This medication caused me to be thristy all the time, I could not drink enough water, and I had to urinate every 30 - 40 minutes. gained 10 pounds, with no change in diet or exercise. This medication did not help my acne at all.
June 11, 2011
Pros:
Works really quickly
Cons:
Caused melasma, headaches, and fatigue
This medication works really fast, but this medication gave me a tan-stache!!! I'm going back to accutane.
April 23, 2011
Pros:
Weight loss (possibly from diuretic effect of med).
Cons:
Side effects included dizziness, excessive thirst, irregular periods, and sensitivity to caffeine. Don't take this med if you have low blood pressure already.
I've been on this med exactly 3 months now, and my skin is worse than ever, with cysts along my jawline and around my ears. My dose has been low--50 mg--because of side effects (most notably dizziness due to low blood pressure). Med may be more effective for those who can take higher dose.
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.
February 24, 2011
Pros:
Did nothing
Cons:
None
Didn't work for me
January 19, 2011
Pros:
Unable to use it long enough to get any benefits!
Cons:
Heart palpitations within the first several days of use. Had to immediately discontinue. I also had severely high blood pressure which I've never had.
There are side effects but not as common. Really bummed because my doctor said it would take away all my bumps! Now I'm stuck with acne for who knows how long. 30's suck!
Pros:
Supposed to be good for hormonal acne.