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
November 21, 2009
Cons:
My eyes and mouth were dry so have to drink more watter. My skin has switched from oily to dryish so now I use a moisturizer / lip balm all the time.
Like so many on here, I had moderate acne for 20 years! At 33 I'm so happy to have a solution and have the disappointment and embarrassment of bad / sensitive / unpredictable skin behind me. I had a very bad initial inflammatory acne flare up for first two weeks. My oily skin cleared up right away which was great. Then slow but steady clearing over the first 8 months. After two years my skin is (and has been) reliably clear and smooth and my scars have faded. Hallelujah! I use to wear makeup and use expensive soaps and do mud masks, but now I can use any old soap and no makeup and my skin is always beautiful.
Try is and be patent.
I hope it helps!
November 18, 2009
Pros:
I absolutely love the results of taking this pill! I have tried numerous creams and been on accutane twice and did not want to go on it again!
Cons:
Haven't noticed any..
Give it a try! It takes months before you actually see results, but if you want something that is going to prevent constant breakouts, this is the way to go!
November 17, 2009
Pros:
I can see some changes, cleared up my acne.
Cons:
I walk up this morning and had a really bad muscle ache...
I don't know what to do( continue or not)
November 15, 2009
Pros:
Cleared up my skin utterly and completely after 17 years of consistent chin and jaw acne.
Cons:
It took time. 7 months of it before the true turnaround. But it's oh-so worth it.
This changed my life. For a more in depth look at Spironolactone, check out my blog I've kept whilst taking it for the past 9 months on the blog forum. But some tips: 1. Be persistent. And I mean PERSISTENT. It might take weeks. It might take months. Lots of them. 2. Take it with the pill, it works better that way. 3. Don't stop your topicals right away.Oh - and I didn't get an initial breakout, just strange ones along with the usual ones. Don't be afraid.
November 12, 2009
Pros:
Can't really say that I personally found any. I don't want to discourage you from taking this drug though if you truly do have hormonal acne. It seems to work exceptionally well for those that do.
Cons:
The following things happened to me (this may not happen to you). These things occured about 3 months into taking the drug: Hair thinning, complete loss of appetite, inability to sleep through the night, absentmindedness, horrible depression
First off I do not want to discourage anyone from trying this medicine if they do ACTUALLY have hormonal acne. As it turns out, I probably do not. To make a long story short.....when Solodyn stopped working for me my derm added 50mg Spiro into the mix because he said that I must have hormonal acne because of the location of the acne (lower face, jaw line, chin, etc....) He never drew blood to test my hormone levels or provided me any info on it. He just sent me on my way. My being naive and trusting my doctor went and got the scrip filled. Well for the first month the drug had no effect on my mild/mod acne whatsoever. My derm upped the dosage to 100 mg and the second and third month passed with no "miracles" as I had suspected. What did happen around month 3 are all of the "cons" that I listed above. I went to my gyno today who took me off both the Solodyn and the Spiro. My basic message here is that you should be tested for hormone issues prior to trying this drug.
November 9, 2009
Pros:
It has jerked me out of a deep depression. I went from sitting on the couch all day, to never sitting down at all. I feel elation again, and I never thought I would ever be happy.
Cons:
I haven't had any yet, just that if I don't take the meds on time, I get a little down in the dumps. My acne is much WORSE right now, and quite a bit worse than normal. I am waiting for it to turn around.
My doc said that this was a diuretic that would help my facial hair growth and acne on my face and scalp. I had no idea that I would feel so great. I mean it. I told my doc that I couldn't hardly move my legs during the day. After 2 days on spironolactone, I had the energy to go walking in the park, then get my heart rate up, raking leaves for 3 hours. I'm afraid now that I'm going to overdo it, and have muscle problems going from complete inactivity to lots of moving. So far, I am so ecstatic about the emotional effects, and I am TERRIFIED that the energy will somehow fade away or just disappear. I am so happy now. My breasts feel a little swollen, and I do not detect any increased urination at all. I wake up alert, and go to sleep alert, but sleep all night. The pills taste like there is mint in them. I don't know if they did that on purpose, but it's pretty pronounced flavor.
November 8, 2009
Pros:
Never had acne before children. After 35 stopped taking birth control (but not planning for any more children). Then started getting acne. Spiro cleared my skin, reduced facial hair, really started seeing a significant difference in skin
Cons:
Itchy skin, rash/hives, slight headaches
Began taking 100mg for 1 month and then began feeling significant symptoms
November 6, 2009
Pros:
Worked extremely well, however NOT WORTH the heart palpatations!!
Cons:
VERY BAD HEART PALPITATIONS after 2 months...very scary i thought my heart was going to stop and it did several times and i stopped taking. Took a 25mg pill 1 time a week later to make sure and same thing started happening. PLEASE WATCH YOUR HEART!
Not worth the risk, but did work very well the first two months before the side effects started...
November 5, 2009
Pros:
The best medicine ever!!!!
Cons:
none
It clears your skin!!!!!!!!
November 3, 2009
Pros:
My acne cleared up.
Cons:
When got off Yaz I had a period for two and a half weeks for three months in a row.
My acne cleared up. I have very little scaring. My face has remained clear. I'm off the Yaz now and just on the spironolactone
Pros:
It really has changed my life and relationship with my face, lifted depreshion, so nice to just wake up in the AM and look clear and healthy. :)