Acne.org Products
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
69%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Oral Antibiotic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Antibiotics should be used for a maximum of 3 months, provide only moderate benefit to only some people, and may lead to side effects and strains of resistant bacteria. Studies do show they can sometimes reduce severe acne in the short term, but approach with caution and stay your own advocate.
Oral Antibiotic
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 Tetracycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
July 1, 2008
Cons:
Acne came back when I stopped using it.
My perscription is for twice a day, but after the first six months I started using it once a day and then a few times a week. I have been using it for 3 years now. My acne completely cleared up within the first few months of use. However if I wait more that 4 days to take a pill I do start to break out again. So I'm pretty dependent on it for clear skin as I haven't found anything else that does what it does.
April 29, 2008
Pros:
my skin is PERFECT after finally adjusting my dosage!!
Cons:
i'm begininng to think my feeling sick all the time might be related to the medication. possible side effects: fever, fatigue, lowered immune system (trying to counter by taking aProbiotic)and just a gerneral malaise.
i had been on tetracycline for 2yrs with moderate success. it controlled my breakouts but didn't eliminate them. initially, it didn't work at all but my dermatologist stressed how important it was to take on an empty stomach. after adhering to the empty stomach rule, i saw a major improvement in it's effectiveness. i take first thing when i wake up in the morning and wait and hour to eat. make sure you do not take with milk or even juice that may have calcium in it - it counters the effectiveness of the antibiotic. i do find i need to take it with some kind of flavored liquid because it takes like sh*t. also, i had been taking 750mg once a day with only moderate improvement for about two years. after a mistake in filling my prescription i was bumped up to 1000mg and let me tell ya that did the trick. my skin is now PERFECT!!! i've stayed on the 1000mg for about 6months now and it's the best my skin has looked since before i hit puberty.
April 7, 2008
Pros:
Cleared up my acne within a few weeks of using it.
Cons:
Still got breakouts during my menstrual cycle, and acne came back much worse after about 7 months
Use it short term to clear up acne, but you will probably have to move on to something stronger after a while.
March 27, 2008
Pros:
it cleared my face completely after about 2 months and stayed clear for about 3 months
Cons:
my body somehow became immune to the antiniotic and after about 3 months of clear skin, my acne came back worse than before
worked great for few months, but then i became immune and it came back worse than ever.. medicaton no longer worked or made a difference... derm said this is rare but happens... put me on doxycycline well see how it goes
March 26, 2008
Pros:
Fairly Cheap, Fairly Effective, Got rid of all acne on back and chest
Cons:
Doesn't work completely, side effects, planning around meals, must be consistent, heightened sensitivity to the sun
I've been using this, along with Differin, for about a year. Right off the bat, I noticed a great reduction in chest and back acne, and now I have none. However, I haven't really seen a great improvement in my face. While it has slightly improved it, I still have more than enough zits--and not just minor blackheads and whiteneads. Also, for awhile I stopped taking a pill in the morning because it made me nauseous, and I'm sure that didn't help either. I think mainly it depends on your body and your acne. Some will be more fortunate than others.
March 21, 2008
Pros:
Works when you are on it.
started slowly however. I had no side effects whatsoever.
Cons:
acne will come back worse after time.
is an antibiotic, these over time are no good for your body.
on my second time around using it... first time it worked really fast, cleared it up, got off it rather soon, shortly after it got worse, tried out accutane, cleared it up really REALLY well, and fast.. then it stayed clear for a while longer.. but now i went back to tetracycline, because its side effects were far more desireable for me than the accutane.
overall, it seems that most medications will never keep you clear after you are off them. stievamycin (contains tretinoin) is probably your best bet tho as it is topical, it works, and its not an antibiotic, and its undesirable side effects last a week at most.. i will likely go to this, after i get off the tetracycline. Focus on taking this, and then afterwards, have a VERY regimented diet.
February 24, 2008
Pros:
not sure
Cons:
have to get a doctor's prescription, smelled/tasted horrible, made me sick!!
I got a prescription from my doctor for these pills. They smelled and tasted really bad! And I hated having to not eat before and after taking them. I had taken them for about a week, and they would make me really nautious every time I took them, and after about a week, I started throwing up!! So I quit taking them. So needless to say, I'm not really sure if these do work in the long run, but I don't think it's worth the price of being sick all the time!!
February 5, 2008
Pros:
NOTHING
I've had somewhat severe acne for years now, and a dermatologist prescribed this for me. i was on it for a bout 3 months, and saw NO improvement whatsoever. i didn't experience any physical side effects, but i definitely saw that my skin got worse as time went on. eventually it was useless and i went off it.
January 24, 2008
Pros:
Nice packaging, easy small pill to take, to be fair have noticed it has given my skin a slight suntanned look - which is nice esp this time of year when everyones skin is so pale!
Cons:
have to take on an empty stomach, bitter after taste atfer taken, no signs of clearing yet...has made my skin and mouth area break out in itchy red looking whiteheads..still waiting to see if it is helping to clear - will give it another month to see
try it, it maybe for you but if no results after 2mths go back to ur dr or derm and tell them its not doing the job. Give it a try with bp 5% and differin - give it a good 2 months if no positive results - accutane should be the next step!
I have a clear forehead and the side of my cheeks are crystal clear but the top of my mouth and chin and jawline is a mess with tiny pusfilled red and bumpy acne spots...its depressing as the toilets at my work really show them up and they look horrible and it looks like i have a bade case of teenage pimples or look like i dont bother cleaning my skin - when its the opposite i take good care of my skin and avoid all bad foods and drink lots of water.
Its a constant battle and i have struggled with this since the summer last year and its just not clearing and not to mention the greasy feel of my skin after a couple of hours after washing.
seeing my derm in a few weeks time, joping my next step is accuntane!!
As nothing else is doing the
January 24, 2008
Pros:
Its very affordable, but there is something wrong with it. My spots after 2 weeks of using it, are much more more evident and red.
Cons:
In addition i was using adapaline gel and even that did not help.
Miconicin is an other antibiotic that i took in the past and it worked in two days in a week i had not even one spot.
Tetralysal is propably slower but i cant accept that make
If i had lets say 5 spots when i went to the doctor for help, now i have 20 very big aggressive spots.
not recommended.
Pros:
Cleared up my skin completely