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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February 14, 2010

Pros:

Few side effects. Feel more thirsty than usual, and decreased appetite resulting in weight loss, but no significant or bothersome side effects for me (compared to some other drugs like birth control).

Cons:

I don't think it's working...

I've passed the 2 month mark at taking 75 mg daily religiously. I can't really tell if it's working or not, but my doctor thinks it's having no effect on me and asked me if I wanted accutane at my last appointment. I said no for now, and so he upped me to 100 mg to see if that will do the trick (even though he was leaning toward taking me off of it completely). DID THIS MED KICK IN FOR ANYONE AFTER 2 MONTHS?? I'm really hoping that it will work because this med is very easy to be on.
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February 10, 2010

Pros:

Dramatically less oil, NO MORE ACNE NO MORE CYSTS!! WAsh my hair less, make up stays on all day, boob got slightly larger, I can eat what I want, cheap and easy solution!! increased self esteem I mean what else can I list here!!! Everything is great about it!!

Cons:

I do pee more in the middle of the night since Take this at night. in the beginning I had a terrible Initial breakout, I was lethargic and you have to make sure you drink enough water so you don't get dehydrated

Bottom line.. I was skeptical of taking spiro but I was at my witts end. I had done body cleansing, I changed my diet to take out all refined food and oil (except extra virgin coconut oil) On this diet I lost 10 lbs. I am 5 9' and NOW I weigh 122.. so I was at 112 trying to get my acne to go away..so imagine that.. Now I was taking all kinds of vitamins with the diet like handfuls..And all the while my acne got worse and worse in the course of months I mean huge painful cysts that I never had before. When I went to primary care Dr. I was convinced I had a food allergy and asked her to test me. She suggested spiro and I thought about it for a week before I agreed. I have been waiting to review this product for 3 months and 2 weeks. But I read all of these reviews daily when I first started it, and man did they keep me going.. I had a terrible Initial breakout like 6 large cysts at once and then more in a few days.. and then a month in I wasn't seeing the results I wanted to so I was upped from 50mg to 100mg.. soon my oily skin disappeared. and then my oily hair too!! And then things just got better and better SLOWLY.. but the overall quality of my skin became soft and smooth now!! uggh its fantastic!! I waited this long because I was still having some breakouts until a few weeks ago and today I got my period on schedule but You can't tell by my face!!! this is amazing.. If you are thinking about trying this and you are an adult DO IT!!! Its easy cheap and there are few side effects once you are used to it.. And my skin looks better than before I began having bad acne 4 years ago!! I have my life back and my confidence and I spend soo soo much less time on my face.. THIS IS AWSOME!!!
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January 19, 2010

Pros:

dramatically reduced oil, less acne

Cons:

i still got an occasional cyst around that time of the month

it's worth a try.
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January 18, 2010

Pros:

Dramatically less oil. Less facial/body hair growth. Near completely acne free.

Cons:

The only side effects are impaired thinking and reactions. Drowsy/lazy...

First of all, I'm a 20 year old male. I've been on 7 different oral antibiotics, with no success in the long run. I've been on this for 3 months, and my acne is only getting better. I did have an IB, but that's over with now. I started out on 25 mg, now I'm at 100 mg. I can go 2 days without washing my face and see little to no oil. I'm sooo glad I started taking it.
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January 16, 2010

Pros:

Less oil production, which means clearer skin and not needing to wash hair every day.

Considerably less acne.

Hair re-growth diminished.

Cons:

Increased thirst

More frequent urination.

Some headaches at first, maybe due to slight dehydration as this is a diuretic.

I have a testosterone sensitivity which means my skin is horrendously oily all over my body and also my hair grows back like crazy. I took spironolactone from Nov 07 - June 09 and my skin was pretty much perfect. This is the only thing that has ever worked for me, I have tried EVERYTHING!!! A move to a new Doctors meant they were hesitant to prescribe this for me due to the listed side effects so they gave me Retinol but that doesn't help the greasy hair or fast hair re-growth. In the end they have re prescribed spironolactone (thankfully!) I have been taking it for just over a week (100 mg daily) and already I notice the difference! In two months I'll take 50mg a day once my skin is under control. Basically nothing works for me like this does, it's not ideal but until they find a complete cure I'll take this! Also it is better if you take this with food and at the same time daily. If like me nothing else has made a difference just try spironolactone! I hope everyone else has as good and experience as me taking this!
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January 12, 2010

Pros:

-> Smoother skin
-> Amount of (baby) hair on my face has decreased tremendously
-> Decreased pimple size (used to be painful pimples, now the occasional whitehead)
-> No more random flareups around that time of the month.
-> If you have tried a lot of antibiotics but have been unsuccessful in managing your acne, you should definitely try Spiro. It's worth a shot!

Cons:

-> Have to go to the bathroom more often that i used to, but i'll take that any day for clear skin!
-> Increased thirst.

This medication is everything that I could possibly want. I have not encountered any problems with it. No mysterious heart palpitations, nothing. This is perfect. I had moderate acne and would get huge, painful pimples. They were nasty, red, and inflamed; often leaving remnants of red marks behind (which have also faded significantly, but still remain). I have tried numerous other medications, but this is the only one that has proved to be effective. I no longer get ANY pimples. Just a couple small ones on my temple or hairline that quickly go away. The size of my pimples has decreased significantly. My skin is also extremely smooth. This pill can be drying, so make sure to moisturize. I moisturize twice daily with Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion (w/ SPF) (also another product that I highly recommend). I use this pill in conjunction with sodium sulfacetamide lotion (aka Klaron), which is a sulfur based lotion, to dry up any big pimples. I used to use take this with Doryx, too, but I've tried not to take too many meds. I gradually weaned myself off of Doryx and have just stuck with Spiro. So far, so GREAT!!!
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January 6, 2010

Pros:

It works!!!

Cons:

I go to the bathroom a lot more.

To describe it, I would say that I woke up one day in my mid-30's and after looking in the mirror, said, "What the heck has happened to my face?" We're talking cysts, pimples on my nose, hair from here to kingdom come, grease like a bucket of chicken....I had always had a small breakout here and there, but not anything that couldn't be controlled or covered up. But this was out of control! By late last year, I had tried Pro-active (worked for a bit, slightly), SA, BP, Ortho-Lo, Ortho-Tri, and finally the dermatologist. He wanted to put me on antibiotics after I had to have treatment for cysts the size of Mars. I asked him for Spiro. He said my acne wasn't hormonal. I no longer see that dermatologist. A trip to my gynecologist resulted in a scrip for Ortho-Cyclen (monophasic) that I take DAILY (keeps my hormones at the same level - WONDERFUL) and 50mg. of Spiro. Even though my hormone levels were 'normal' in the testosterone department, I had an abnormal reaction to the testosterone in my skin. Let me tell you, within THREE weeks, my skin had improved immensly. I am now on 100 mgs. of Spiro and the OT. No more oily skin, no more pimples on my nose. I may get one or two teeny-tiny pimples on my chin every now and again, but they dry up and go away in about a day when I use Clindagel on them. I am floored by how well my body received this medicine. I am praying this new health care system that has just been passed won't take it away from me! It has given me my life and my confidence back!
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January 5, 2010

Pros:

Have been on the med about a month and two weeks, and have experienced interesting things. I suddenly have no underarm odor, my face seems to be less oily, my breakouts seem to be diminishing after what seemed like a flare up. Don't know about the body hair yet - although I would venture to say it is less course, and growing slower.

Cons:

I just got a yeast infection, and the only thing I can contribute it to is this med. Yeast infections can be caused by hormonal changes, which makes sense with the above changes I've experienced. Hopefully after my body adjusts to these hormonal changes - no more yeast beast.

So far, so good. Looking forward to even better results.
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January 5, 2010

Pros:

None

Cons:

This is truly the WORST product ever, if your wondering why Yaz is being sued so often, check out what this product does to your heart. Causes very BAD heart palpitations, no one should use this.

Dont even consider this esp if you are over 35!
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January 3, 2010

Pros:

have seen big improvements over the last few weeks of taking Spiro.
leaves my skin smoother. I actually feel like I have some control over my acne.

Cons:

dry skin, but skin is fine when I drink lots of water. some headaches, but i think they will go away.
An initial breakout that lasted a week :(

Its completely worth it!!! Im a senior in High School and i"ve had acne for a year now. my acne is hormonal, so id have clear skin for awhile, then when I got my period each month my acne would be terrible!!!!! Red blotches, white heads, black heads, cysts, you name it..what is even worse is that I have a twin sister whose skin is completely clear, all the time....not so good for my self confidence! I tried a million things it seems, including DDF scrub( which only worked momentarily for me, but if you have light acne i think this would be a good option) tanning, the pill (which actually made my acne worse!!!!!!! ) creams, scrubs. Its all been very expensive, and nothing has ever worked long term. What im using now is Spiro ( I take it in the morning) along with a thing layer of Tretinoin cream at night. SO FAR SO GOOD!!!!!! Be sure to wear sunscreen with Tretinoin!!!! I use neutrogena sport face that wont clog pores. its so nice to find a product that actually is working, i'll update this in a month or so....hopefully i'll be 100% clear!!
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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