Tetracycline
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Side Effects

Tetracycline is an oral antibiotic that works by systemically fighting bacteria in the body, including in the skin, and also reduces inflammation.

It is normally prescribed at a dose of 300 mg once or twice a day. The dose is often reduced once acne is notably improved.

3.3
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Compare To Other Treatments
5
16.3%
4
33.3%
3
23.6%
2
15.3%
1
11.4%

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December 10, 2009

Pros:

used this for lke 2 weeks.saw results immediately..my back cleared up well and now i dont look like a major pizza face

Cons:

idk any yet...didnt know u werent suppose to drink milk with it

it works better then over the counter medication....dduuuuuhhhh
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June 11, 2010

Pros:

+clear my acne within weeks

Cons:

-sun sensitivity
-i became immune i guess

i have had moderate/mederately severve ance since 6th grade. My mom told me that when she was my age everybody took this drug for their acne. I went on it and within a few weeks my skin was looking better and was healing. This was in Septemer. By the time June came, my doctor wanted to take me off because I'm still in high school and "irresponsible" with sunblock. My skin kept on looking fabulous until mid-August (maybe i got stressed because I didn't do my summer reading), but I broke out again. I decided to go back on this "miracle drug" for the winter but it had no effect anymore : ( I have tried a few other antibiotics since and none have worked like Tetracycline
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March 18, 2010

Pros:

Cleared me up IMMEDIATELY! The type of acne I get comes in dozens and dozens of tiny pustules; I knew topical medications were doing nothing for me. I think it was mostly inflammation that was affecting me, because within days of a huge breakout, I took it for the first time, and I woke up with my skin still slightly inflamed, but smooth and irritation-free!

Cons:

Fitting it in; you have to take it 2 hours after eating or an hour before. And you can't lie down within a half hour of taking it.

Awesome stuff! Try it just to see if it works for you. This is the ONLY stuff that works for me.
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August 16, 2010

Pros:

NONE

Cons:

Did absolutely nothing. Waste of time. Still get spots and no improvement in redness.

I was on sebomin when I was put on this. Sebomin is much better and doesn't need to be on an empty stomach
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November 19, 2009

Pros:

Helped improve acne condition the first time I took it. I saw results after about week 3. It really helped my skin. I was on it for about 9 months.

Cons:

My doctor thought I was done with acne so she took me off of it. I broke out again within a month and haven't stopped breaking out since. I recently went back on it and have seen no results after week 5.

I also started Yaz a week ago and today I will be stopping tetracycline and switching to doxycycline. I hope that helps and I dont have a resistance to the -cycline family of drugs. Good luck everyone! Remember each body will react differently to each medication or treatment. So try be patient and take other peoples reviews and feedback with a grain of salt. :)
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January 8, 2011

Pros:

none what so ever

Cons:

colours teeth yellow.
gives you a sore head if you miss a pill.
Causes redness.
Causes itchiness.

This is the second time I've been on these antibiotics and they DO NOT WORK ON SPOTS! They don't even work in the long term - and I've been on them for a year!
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June 7, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up my acne almost completely within 2-3 weeks. Also seems to have helped the skin regenerate so the scarring has gone away slightly.

Cons:

When I first started I had to take it twice a day and it would mess with my eating schedule a bit. Also sometimes if I went off it for a few days-a week accidently I sometimes got a minor yeast infection upon going back on it.

I'd definitely recommend it. However, as with all antibiotics, don't stay on it for very long. I started out taking it twice a day and have, over the past 3 months, worked myself down to taking it every other night with the same results. I've also used it with topical creams, so I can attribute some of my success to those, but all in all, my acne (which has been plaguing me for years) has finally become history.
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March 12, 2010

Pros:

Worked quickly, inexpensive

Cons:

planning meals around it

I have been on tetracycline for about three weeks now. Within the first week my acne was gone. I wake up everyday with clear skin... acne usually flares during pre- menstrual cycle, luckily i only had a couple pimples that cleared overnight. Body acne cleared as well. I take 250 mg 2x a day. Hoping i dont become immune to it. Be careful mixing it with other antibiotics, can cause severe GI issues.
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October 18, 2009

Pros:

After week 2 I started see some affects.

Cons:

Only worked for about a week and then stopped. Couldnt eat 3 hours before or after I took it.

This stuff didnt work too well for me. Now Im on minocycline (cousin to tetracycline) and its a one a day medication that I like.
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November 5, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up the MRSA I was diagnosed with after a boil appeared in my armpit and spread.

Cons:

After 2 months of using was forced to quit for excessive stomach upset. The stomach upset has NOT gone away since my last dosage on June 20, 2010 and it's now Nov!

I'm terrified that this medication has caused severe IBS or possibly IBD or even Crohn's in my system. I had IBS before taking the medication but now it's 10x worse. I was put on Prilosec believing it was stress or other issues, but that medicine doesn't even work. I have had severe diahrrea since starting the regiment in May. It has never gone away. I've seen my doctor, had a full physical and every test known to man. I truly believe this medicine messes up your stomach and in fear it's permanent. I eat healthy and at a very healthy weight. If anyone has experienced this because of MRSA (do not have severe acne whatsoever), please contact me. I'd like to know if I'm alone in this. I was diagnosed with MRSA and was given this by my derm. I didn't want to wind up in the hospital fighting for my life because MRSA can be deadly. The MRSA is gone, but the stomach problems continue and continue and continue..... Thank you for reading my review and my rant. :)
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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.
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