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%

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February 13, 2017
Inactive ingredients matter
Warning: long but worth it!!! I like many others here have tried and been on everything under the sun. Tried topicals, tried natural, tried prescription. After doing accutane for years and miraculously getting 'clear', I went off of it, My skin stayed clear for a while and I was honestly just super happy to not have drugs in my system. When I hit 33, something in my body went haywire and my acne flared up worse than ever before. I was devastated. Not to mention, I was recently married, started thinking about a family etc. But I was just incredibly embarrassed, most of all in front of my new hubby. Of course, I went to dr, explained that I had been on accutane before and although I was happy with the result, I was nervous about it and its side effects now. He prescribed me 25 mg. of Spiro, saying that likely this was a bout of hormonal acne at its worse, we could get on this and clear me up quick. Hindsight - I wish I had not just accepted what he said as truth and done some homework because if I had, I would have realized that there are even more potential side effects with spiro than even accutane! So fast forward a couple of months, I was up to 75mg daily and my entire outlook on life has changed' for the worse. My acne was still terrible and in addition I now had daily stomach cramps so severe I had had to stay home from work, I was nauseous nearly every day (nope! not pregnant!) and on top of it all, my sex drive was near to nothing when before I couldn't get enough of my husband. It was unbearable. Desperate for answers, I started looking up side effects for this drug and sure enough! After doing my research I was just so upset with myself for allowing someone to convince me to put something so vile into my system. Chemicals have side effects and most likely, if you start a prescription YOU WILL BE ON IT FOR LIFE. There is no 'cure' for acne so even if people here say it worked for them, it will only work if they take it. And by taking it, they are allowing some pretty terrible stuff into their bodies. Now I am no hippy and I absolutely know from experience that the natural route for acne doesn't work. But I have now drawn the line in the sand when it comes to prescriptions. No more! In my newfound vigor and pissed-off-ness, I dug in deeper to solutions. From all testimonials, benzoyl peroxide is the best bet BUT you want to find a company that doesn't have to add a lot of oils and preservatives which makes the benzoyl less effective. Once I read that, a light went off in my head. Why proactive had never worked for me, why Rodan and Fields hadn't worked, Mario Badescu, Cetaphil, Neutrogena'. you name it, I have tried it and nothing worked. But they are all HUGE and obviously their products have to have a lot of preservatives. Try getting a list of all the INactive ingredients in most big names brands. Pretty tough to find! But look out for stuff like DimethiconeAcrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate cross polymer, isopropyl myristate, stearic acid and well loads of other ones. The names themselves are a mouthful and that is why people ignore them. But once you know what to look for, everything starts to make more sense. I got more into researching. Finding companies that don't use preserving oils is hard to find, let me tell you! I encountered a couple and called them. Exposed nearly convinced me but the one that impressed me the most was one you probably have never heard of, Ninja Skincare. The care they took with me to fully explain what was going on with me, my body, my face was truly unreal. Based on that alone, and some pretty impressive reviews, I gave them a shot. Now, 3 months later, after 2 full years of searching, my face is clear!!!! Any time I have questions, I literally text them and get a response within an hour. I have never bought products from a company like this before and would recommend them to absolutely anyone!!! Give them a shout, you won't be disappointed!
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September 6, 2012

Pros:

CURED my acne!
Skin & hair are less oily.
No more scalp acne.
No initial breakout.
Vivid dreams (most would see this as a Con, but I love it).

Cons:

Frequent need to urinate.
Headaches at first.
Watch potassium intake.
Hair loss (not sure that it is related though).

I have had moderate to severe acne since I was 12 (I'm 30 now). I haven't left my house without foundation makeup since I was 15. I've also experienced some scalp issues/acne in the last year. I'll be honest; I didn't have very high expectations for Spiro since nothing has ever worked on my acne. I also feared the initial "horrible breakout" that so many reviewers have reported as a side effect of this medication. I decided to just go for it and I am very glad I did. I have been on Spiro (100mg once a day) for a little over 3 months and my acne is GONE. All of it. I've left the house without foundation makeup on for the first time in 15 years! I was even able to switch to a tinted moisturizer (for the SPF). My life and self-esteem are greatly improved, and I can now use products that are not specific to treating acne. I take the medication at night because it can cause dizziness, so I've never experienced that particular side effect. I do have to get up at night to urinate on occasion and I experience VERY vivid dreams. I don't see either of these side effects as a huge issue since the results outweigh a little lost sleep due to getting up on occasion. This medication has also prompted me to stay hydrated and consume more water, which I see as a good thing. Try it. I did and I am very pleased with the results.
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June 11, 2011

Pros:

Controls oil production
Cleared my skin/acne
No harsh side effects

Cons:

A higher dose was required to achieve the clearest results
Still need to be very careful not to get pregnant, studies have been shown that it may alter a male fetus

This drug is wonderful. My skin is 100% clear right now as I'm writing this. My derm started me at 25mg about 2 months ago, I was also taking Loestrin 24 fe at the time. The 25mg did nothing for me whatsoever. He bumped it up to 100mg a day about a month ago, I had a very bad initial breakout. 2 weeks ago I decided to pair the 100mg of spiro with Ortho Tri Cyclen birth control and my skin has been absolutely beautiful. A brief overview of myself, I've had moderate persistant acne since I was 12 and have been on accutane 3 times, (along with everything else on the planet) I never knew a drug could keep me as clear as accutane without the harsh side effects. After my accutane courses my acne would reappear on my cheeks/chin/jawline. Instead of trying ANOTHER hopeless accutane course, we decided to give the spiro a shot. SO happy I did.
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May 3, 2011

Pros:

-Clear skin
-Less oil
-Decrease hair
-Lose water weight

Cons:

-Initial Breakout
-Dizziness
-Mild Cramping from dehydration

I have recently suffered from a huge hormonal change. Excess hair and acne began to progress. I tried many different topicals and minocycline. I went to several doctors, hormone results were normal and PCOS came back negative. I got laser treatments done on the hair and photo facials on the acne and nothing seemed to help. The hair just kept coming back. My acne began to worsen..cystic acne on my chin, jawline, and cheeks. Everyday was a new breakout. My Dr. put me on Lo-estrin 24 Fe to help regulate my periods and 2 weeks later I asked to prescribe spironolactone. He started at 25mg, and hardly saw results. Then I bumped up to 50mg once per day and it slightly got better. Finally after 2 months I asked to increase. I've been on 50mg twice a day. After just 2 weeks my acne has almost completely gone away, and the hair is growing in much slower. I did get an initial breakout after each dosage increase but you just have to stick it out. The only side effects for me is dizziness when you get up to fast, and cramping in my legs if I'm dehydrated. This medicine is amazing and life changing. I didn't think my face would ever clear. Just give it time.
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January 9, 2011

Pros:

Amazing skin after 3 months (50 mg twice daily)
Makes my hair and face significantly less oily
My boobs have gotten larger (about 1/2 size...may be a con for some people though)

Cons:

Always thirsty
Frequent spotting but no actual period (during second month got two huge cysts right before my "period", which I never get...but now completely clear with NO acne at all before, during or after spotting)
Took a few months before seeing results

This pill is AMAZING! I had light to moderate acne, but now that it's gone I realize how much it affected my confidence before. I can finally wash my face with normal wash and moisturizer, not worry about if I forget to wash my face before bed, or have to worry about eating certain foods, or even have to bother with wearing any sort of facial makeup! My skin is oil-free all day too no matter how stressed I get. I wish someone would have told me about this sooner. For the benefits that I get from a simple pill twice daily, I can live with spotting throughout the month (esp. since it makes me cramp less overall now) and drinking a little more water daily.
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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 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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July 26, 2010

Pros:

-greatly reduces oily skin and hair
-reduces acne (for me, acne was eliminated)
-reduce cysts (for me, cysts were eliminated)
-pores look smaller, less noticable
-reduces body hair
-unlike Accutane, you can take it long term
-with health insurance, it can be very cheap

Cons:

-not for pregnant women (it can feminize male fetuses)
-not for men (sorry guys!)
-tastes bad
-it might be hard for some woen to swallow the 100 mg pills as they're about the size of a dime (the 25,50 mg pills are smaller)

I had severe acne compounded with rosacea for several years, (it started out mild in junior high and became progressively worse over the years). I went on Accutane twice to clear my skin (it also helped with my rosacea) but I knew my oily, inflamed skin would return as it always did. I also had moderate hirsuitism and had done a few electrolysis sessions to get rid of the hair that bothered me most, but even that didn't work to get rid of the hairs. Although my hormone levels were normal (I had them checked), my endocronologist told me that I was most likely sensitive to androgens, and that was why I had such oily skin and hirsuitism. I was prescribed 200 mg Spironolactone 8 months ago and it cleared up my skin within a few months after taking it regularly. It reduced my oil production tremendously, and gave me back my self-esteem. My hair is beautiful now and I only need to shampoo it every three days instead of every day like I used to. I have more of a problem with my skin being too dry now than being too oily. Spironolactone has also reduced my body hair by about half - the hairs grow back slower, are less thick, and are not as dark. You don't have to get it proscribed by a derm-you can also get it prescribed by your OBGYN or endocronologist if you have one. For me, it's only $5 every month because I have health insurance (I'm not sure how muh it woud be without it). I would definately reccomend this drug to women who have a hormonal inbalance or have had trouble clearing their skin with Accutane or antibiotics. Good luck!
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May 19, 2010

Pros:

Lost some weight

Cons:

Makes me lightheaded and pee A LOT!

I've used this for about 3-1/2 months now. It kind of sort of cleared my acne. I guess about 50% It did nothing for the acne on my arms and I'm still getting the cystic acne, which sucks. I drink a lot of water with this so of course I have to pee a sh*t ton. Also the lightheartedness is a killer. If I'm bending down to pick something up I get lightheaded. If I'm sitting down and get up I'm lightheaded. Heck if I get out of the car I'm lightheaded. That really sucks! Now on to the important one. Sexual side effects. All the other ones I can handle but me losing my Mojo is not cool! This stuff has made me not horney at all! I know TMI but no other reviews I read said anything about that part ugh. So If you don't care about being horney and lightheaded then this is the stuff for you. As for me I think I'm going to move on from this stuff.
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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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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.