Antiandrogen
Reviews
4.1
1330 Reviews
Antiandrogen
Efficacy
68%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Antiandrogen
Side Effects
High
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.
Read All About Spironolactone
Compare To Other Treatments
5
51%
4
28%
3
10.1%
2
4.9%
1
6.1%

Used Spironolactone? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
October 23, 2007

Pros:

It was the only thing that cleared up my skin. I tried everything all through my teens and early 20s. It also helped reduce some dark hairs in my upper lip and around my nipples. It helped prevent hair loss in my temples. The generic works fine.

Cons:

I feel as if I get real dried out sometimes and worry a bit about my potassium. I have low blood pressure naturally.

The cons aren't enough to make me stop taking it. I tried a couple of time to stop and my acne came roaring back. I also had some associated underarm sweatiness and smell and sensitivity on my temples for several months. I eventually got tired of this as none of the symptoms improved after almost a year, so I went back on it. I have been taking it for about 15 years now. I am 46 and will likely try going off of it again in a few years to see if I have outgrown the acne yet.
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October 12, 2007

Pros:

Affordalbe without insurance

Cons:

It took 3 months to work

I noticed a decrease in oil in just a few days but I didn't see a difference in acne until month 3, then it just stopped. I was getting depressed because I didn't think it was working for me, I didn't have a gradual decrease in spots; they just stopped altogether after 3 months. I developed acne (cystic & nodule) in my late 20's and continued to get worse over time (I am 35). Nothing over the counter worked and I didn't want to use antibiotics or BCP's so when I heard of Spironolactone I knew I had to try it. Acne on a woman over 30 is just not right; we should be concerned about keeping wrinkles at bay, not acne! I am so happy to have found something that works and is affordable, I do not have insurance so cost was a big concern for me. I was pleasantly surprise to find that Spironolactone is a $4 prescription at Giant Eagle Pharmacy (a local grocery chain). I take 150mgs per day so the cost is $24 per month. Spironolactone has been an answer to my prayers!!!
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January 27, 2007

Pros:

is clearing up my face quite nicely, my hair is much less oily too!! the body hair grows more slowly and lighter too.

Cons:

i feel lethargic and with very low energy, i hope it will go away as my body gets accustomed to the drug.

Highly recommend it for adult/hormonal acne over Accutane and Diane 35/Androcur. Try it before the others drugs. Studies show it is pretty safe in terms of side effects.
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January 15, 2007

Pros:

Definitely works. Also one of the side effects happened to be breast enlargement, which is something I didn't expect but am very happy about!

Cons:

Can be expensive if you don't have insurance. A 100 mg twice a day costs about $20 for a week's supply. Also try not to take later at night because I found it kept me up at night.

I'm 34 and went to a dermatologist to have a beta peel done to kill the bacteria in my skin and to eliminate scarring caused by my acne. While I was there I mentioned I never had acne as a teenager, but when I entered my 30's my skin broke out horribly. I tried everything from minocycline to Retin A. As soon as I started taking the spiro the itchiness and red bumps that start beneath the skin surface as the acne begins- it all went away. Within a couple of days I really could feel a difference. After two weeks, my face has completely cleared up and now all I have to do is wait for the scars to go away. Today was the first day I was able to walk around without makeup on- in five years. One of the tell-tale signs of acne caused by hormones is it developing on your cheeks and jawline and neck. My acne has completely resolved and I don't have those bumps that develop deep under the skin and hurt. Highly recommend this because nothing else worked!!
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January 1, 2007

Pros:

Really works to prevent cystic acne. Amazing stuff!

Cons:

Diuretic effect. Lethargy on higher doses - 200 mg.

I suffered with extremely oily skin, clogged pores, and cyctic acne from ages 15 to 40. I had tried Acutane, as well as every prescription acne treatment available, to no avail. At age 40, I finally resolved to end this problem once and for all. I read about Spironolactone and how it works to reduce oil production and acne. I started on 200 mg. My skin became completely clear for the first time, and stayed that way. After two years, I had cut down to 100 mg which worked fine, but then I quit taking it to see whether I would still get acne, and it came right back. I continue now at 100mg. I also recommend switching to pure glycerine soap rather than harsh acne soaps - as it turned out, the harsh acne products, and even regular soaps, were irritating my skin, making it red and flakey. This simple switch helped a great deal. I also did a glycolic peel at the time I first started taking the Spironolactone, and my pores have been clear ever since. I wish I had discovered this sooner.
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December 18, 2006

Pros:

I have been on spiro for 2 years 100mg a day and i love it, i had tried minocycline which helped but the side effects made me stop.You have to take it for about 3 months to see a difference. My skin has cleared and my self confidence is up.

Cons:

Bleeding btw periods sometimes.

While spiro may not cure my acne 100% it makes it easier to live with it, my skin looks so much better and i am not as depressed as i used to be. I get a few breakouts here and there but its not the severe kind that lasts for days. For those that are scared to take it, i would encourage you to get a prescription and try it for at least 3 months and see if it works.I take it with food in the morning and i honestly dont feel any side effect the rest of the day. I have been on minocycline, doxycycline, differin and retin-a and this beats them all hands down. Remember to drink alot of water and avoid foods high in pottasium.
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April 20, 2018
DONT GIVE UP, IT WILL GET BETTER
okay, so this is going to be a fairly long review because i want to give details for anyone feeling discouraged or about to start. I was on birth control for 2 and a half years and i suffered with minor acne prior to going on, like very minimal would get the odd cystic spot but i was in the sun a lot so my spots kept at bay, i went on birth control and my skin cleared up completely, then after 2 and a half years when i was on birth control i started to get minor acne again, so i came off and for a good year my skin was on and off, minor acne, annoying but nothing too crazy! and then all of a sudden BAM it just hit me outta nowhere and i started getting really bad cystic acne all over my chin and they started to move up my face, id get a few on my cheek and a few on my forehead like horrible sore red cystic lumps. and i dont know why i didnt go to the dermo then and there but i tried acupuncture, had an amazing diet already but went all in and tried an alkaline diet and nothing worked. So i went to the dermo and she put me on 100mg of spironolactone a day and told me to apply retin A cream every evening and Zindaclin every morning. First month was horrendous, the retin A cream made my skin purge, i was literally shredding like a snake, so sore and red i cried nearly every day, couldnt wear makeup, didnt leave the house, and the spiro made me exhausted, felt so down and weak and my skin purged so i broke out so badly in cystic spots it was awful. Second month was slow, my spots were at bay, and the side affects lifted after 6 weeks and i felt normal again, but my skin was at a standstill, spots had gone down a hell of a lot and because of the retin a cream my scars started fading and my skin got used to the cream so i stopped shredding hallelujah!! but kept getting the odd breakout and didnt really move. Now i am at the end of my third month and thank god, i have finally only just stopped getting breakouts, my face has cleared up 90% and its happened in the last few weeks really quickly! and the cream has taken the scars away like a dream, i have about 5% of scars left on my face, i feel like a new woman. So girls please stick with it, they say around the 3 month mark youll start seeing a difference, and everyones bodies are different but stick with it because i drove myself mad with reading constant review thinking why isnt my face getting clearer, but one day youll wake up and start noticing a change and itll happen quick!!
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May 13, 2018
I’m on spiro right now and your review has given me hope, thank you!
May 14, 2018
What kind of skincare routine did you do while using Spiro?
May 18, 2018
I am so glad your skin has cleared! I am on month 2 of spiro and haven't seen much improvement at all:( I began taking an antibiotic (minocycline) today to help keep my break outs at bay until the spiro really kicks in. im so scared the minocycline will cause another initial breakout, I can't fathom the thought of my skin getting any worse. Thank you for posting this review, im going to give spiro another month or 2 and hope it'll start clearing my skin too
May 29, 2018
I am so glad it has Marina, honestly i know it is hard but you have to persevere! I was told to just stick to Cetaphil morning and night and thats exactly what i have stuck to! which is ideal because i was spending a fortune on skin care products that didnt actually work! cetaphil is so gentle so it has worked perfectly for me! and AVA persevere!!! at month 2 i was still disheartened but one day it just started getting better, i am 4 months into spiro and my skin is so clear .. honestly havent had a breakout for over a month now officially! and i am at my time of the month, i would say it really has taken up until now to work 110% so persevere girlies as you have got this far, dont give up! a little tip too .. i have stopped using foundation on my face every day because apparently it has oil in it that can slow down the process .. now i use bare minerals tinted moisturiser every day and again i have had no spots! Still working on getting rid of some of the dark marks on my face due to the initial breakout but im getting there!! using ketrel for this!
September 28, 2017
After 11 years, I've finally found my cure!
28 year old, female. I suffered from acne from the age of 15 and tried everything but nothing touched it. My acne would be mainly on my lower half of my face/jawline and it would be bright red painful cysts and spots. 2 years ago I started taking Spiro as a last attempt to clear my skin before my wedding day and I was amazed when it worked. It also worked fast and within the first few weeks I had no new spots forming. I am still taking it now and have completely clear skin which is less greasy. I recently took a few weeks break to see if I still needed it and my acne came straight back so I will be still taking it for a while yet. I am taking 50mg a day and have no bad side effects Definitely worth a try!
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January 22, 2017
Awful Experience
As we can all see the incredible 5 star reviews obviously means this works for some women. But for myself it wasn't even close to being a pleasant experience. Im not exaggerating , I had to pee ALL the time. I drank a ton of water because I had a terribly dry mouth . I also had no appetite ( I normally LOVE food) . My cycle this month was the worst I had in my entire life, I had a migraine , vomited and cramps like no other. I went back to my dermatologist and she said this is clearly not the drug for me. I am already feeling better and only been off of it for 3 days. ( for those of you wondering about more detail as to what dosage and how long I was on it : I was on 25mg for 2 weeks, 50mg for 2 weeks and then 75mg for a week before stopping it.) I wouldn't recommend this because #1 my experience and #2 you'll have to be on this for life if it does end up working for you, at first i didn't really think that far ahead as I really just want my skin to be clearer but I really would prefer not to be on a pill for the rest of my life that messes with my body the way it did. But its worked for so many women so its always worth a try if you want to.
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January 18, 2017
Spiro
Hi. I am a 21 year old female with hormonal acne. All throughout college I have dealt with non stop acne on my chin and mouth area. After trying many different birth controls and topicals I was beginning to feel like I couldn't do it on my own. I have been on 100 mg for a month and my skin has transformed. It definetly got worse before it started getting better. Please understand that this pill is no joke I have lost 7 pounds and my appetite. I am hoping that after 6 months I can start to slwoly go off of it. For the time being tho the results are great.
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December 11, 2017
Hey I also have this issue with my chin and mouth area!! Would you say the purge was extreme and in random spots or bringing up spots you already knew were coming? Could you also explain the severity of your acne?

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.

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.