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
April 14, 2008
Cons:
-turned my teeth yellow
-extreme sun sensitivity
this cleared up only some of my acne. really bad side effects though, my teeth and permanetly yellow and i had extreme sun burn all of the time
April 9, 2008
Pros:
it works, it doesnt give you perfect skin, but it is very helpful.
Cons:
feel sick all the time. Timing it around meals.
I have been on this stuff for a week and a half. I can say that it is working. I went to see a dermatologist today and she complimented me on my "beautiful" skin! It is not like a 100% cure though - i stick to a healthy diet with no sugar or dairy. The diet change alone never got rid of my acne, but togther with the pills I no longer have acne, my skin is not perfect but i just had a period and i have only been taking the pills 10 or 11 days. I had a milkshake one night before bed(sugar and dairy always make me break-out, i guess the pills dont prevent that trigger-based break-out)and woke up with spots the next day, yuck, but thanks the the pills they were basicly gone in 24 hours. So I am happy about what they have done for my skin. The downside is i feel CONSTANTLY sick and bloated, though i hope that with a healthier diet and drinking more water that will ease the side-effects. I am on a high-dose of 1000mg a day.
February 28, 2008
Pros:
Very effective, completely clear skin in 3 weeks
Cons:
Kills good bacteria as well as acne bacteria
I used a tetracycline based product for Acne, prescribed by my doctor. I had mild/moderate acne. My skin was completely clear in 2/3 weeks and has remained so. Antibacterial products screw up your immune system if you use them over the long term. Good bacteria reside in your body, that have a beneficial effect. I reccomend using a supplement of probiotic yoghurt, or something similar to replace the good bacteria. I take the supplement a few hours after using the antibiotics.
February 28, 2008
Pros:
Eliminated cystic acne on back, and mild acne on face
Cons:
nausea, dry skin on rest of body, birth control not effective
I am not sure whether the change in my skin is due solely to this product, because I started taking oral birth control at about a month before I started. I use ortho tri-cycline lo, and they have yet to study whether it effects acne. Also, i have eczema, so the dry skin is an issue. I'm not sure whether that is a common side effect though. I can no longer drink coffee and some sodas because the medicine has made my stomach so sensitive that they make me sick. Other than that, the acne on my back and face has been completely eliminated. I am nervous about going off of the medication because it sometimes comes back. And I am also nervous about the summer because sunscreen irritated my skin, but i am willing to take all of these side effects and risks because my skin is clear. bottom line.
February 27, 2008
Pros:
still waiting for my skin to clear up
Cons:
have to take on an empty stomach
took it before and it cleared up my skin
January 25, 2008
Pros:
it definately helped my skin, as it was quite bad before. massive improvement in just months.
Cons:
annoying taking the medication an hour before food and two hours after. made me feel sick so didnt each much. made me loose a stone in the 2 months of taking it, which was not good as quite petite anyway, so had to come of them.
they are really great for helping your skin, however, it has a different effect on everyone, so just expect what happened to me, to happen to you. I would recommend this antibiotic for bad skin as i found it deffinately helped.
December 7, 2007
Pros:
Clears up acne very well, and has had no side effects as of yet.
Cons:
Easy to forget; missed several dosages due to hectic schedule.
If not for it being an antibiotic, this drug is ideal for clearing up acne. Granted, I still have some, but definitely not as much as before, and even then, I can tell improvement on the acne that still exists. Insurance paid for the medication, so price was no issue. Eating habits have changes since, seeing you should not take it on empty stomach, but nothing extreme or hard to do. Excellent product, only wish I could take it for a longer period of time.
September 26, 2007
Pros:
Cheap.
Cons:
Everything else. It didn't do anything for my acne, it's a hassle to remember to take it and you have to rearrange all your meals around when you take it.
Don't bother with it. It doesn't help, and it's an antibiotic; we're not supposed to take them for too long because it's not good for our natural bacteria and may render the antibiotic useless in time as bacteria become immune to it.
July 24, 2007
Pros:
acne on back reduced substantially only get zits there during periods even after coming off the medication
Cons:
made my skin dry. i was itching REALLY badly. also eating schedule must be managed according to instructions.
pretty good for moderate acne but may not cure the problem completely after stopping the medication
July 19, 2007
Pros:
Seem to work on larger outbreaks. I just get a small zit here and there. I am African American and I noticed my complexion get a little darker. It is not from the sun cause I use sunblock. Overall it is worth a try.
Cons:
Taking pills that have restrict your eating schedule is a pain.
I will go back to the doctor once I have used it for about 2 1/2 mths and ask for an alternative to treat my acne. Taking these pills everyday is not ideal. Everyone has to be careful taking too many antibiotics because you run the risk of them not working anymore for major infections.
Pros:
cleared up smaller acne