Tetracycline
Read All About Tetracycline
Compare To Other Treatments
5
15.2%
4
34.1%
3
23.4%
2
15.9%
1
11.4%

Used Tetracycline? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
February 14, 2011

Pros:

None

Cons:

It's an antibiotic, and it's generally not healthy to be on antibiotics for extended periods of time.
Slight nausea and headache.

This product had very little to no effect of me.
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January 29, 2011

Pros:

Got rid of all my acne whilst taking it.

Cons:

Acne came back at the same level pretty much immediately when i stopped.

After taking this prescription continuously for about 9 months I feel I can finally write a decent review for acne.org. I would like to point out I followed the empty stomach instrctions religiously so this review would be accurate. After having suffered with acne for about 5 years I finally decided to man up and go to the doctor. He classed the acne on my face as moderately severe and that on my chest as severe. I was given a 3 month course of tetracycline which was eventually extended to 9 months after visiting each time I ran out. Now the good stuff, after about 2 weeks of starting taking this medicine I never saw a zit again for the rest of the 9 months. It took about 2 months for those red painful bumps (anyone with bad acne knows what I'm talking about, the ones that hurt to touch) to stop appearing. After 5 months all the red marks had faded and I had perfect skin apart from some pretty heavy scarring. As you can imagine I was over the moon and could finally experience all that good stuff we acne sufferers dream about; massive boast in self confidence and finally some interest from girls. So why have I only given a two star review I hear you ask, well because it is not a permanent cure :( As soon as I stopped taking this my skin went back to its old ways. It took only a few days for zits to start appearing again and after about a month I started to get those painful red bumps all over my face again. Now 3 months after I stopped taking I'm back to pretty much where I was a year before. I wake up with 4 new zits every morning and at least one of those painful deep bumps. This is made all the more cruel by the fact that I have experienced an acne free life and my self confidence has plummeted. I'm embarrassed to be seen in the street again and it is sorely tempting to skip uni so my friends won't see me. So in conclusion tetracycline is amazing when you are on it but after you stop the acne comes straight back and it is all the more depressing when
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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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January 5, 2011

Pros:

I took a 600 mg dosage, which is pretty high - thus, it completely cleared my skin in three weeks. Works really well and doesn't cause redness. Makes your skin look better as a whole. Used it with Epiduo.

Cons:

It is extremely upsetting to the stomach, and may cause nausea and vomitting. I took it with pantoprazole 40 mg, because I have gastritis.

It works, especially if you take higher doses.
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December 31, 2010

Pros:

May improve skin.

Cons:

Must take an hour before meals or wait 2 to 3 hours after to take medicine. This doesn't help when your stomach is empty... Nausea can occur.

Tetracycline might clear up skin for certain individuals. I have been taking this medication for the past 4 years on and off. When my acne cleared up I would stop taking it, my skin was clear for a couple of months then I would have to go back to taking them. It did take a while to see results on my skin, but it worked.
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November 30, 2010

Pros:

Helped with acne a little bit.
while on it.

Cons:

It took months to see some minor improvement and it all came back as soon as I stoped taking it.Had to plan meals.yellow teeth.

Can help while on it, but no cure since it comes back (sometimes worse than before).
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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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November 2, 2010

Pros:

I could see how my entire back and face cleared up in just 15 days. (only temporary)
It's a surprise attack to the acne bacteria.
It's cheap.

Cons:

When u stopped using it, IT BACKS WORSE or WIT OTHER BONUS DISEASE.
I ended up with PUSTULAR ROSACEA. (It will make your face red and sensitive to ALL).
Gastrointestinal problems. (that in fact makes acne worse)

I had moderate acne in back and face. My derm told me about Tetralysal (a tetracycline derivative) and i took it in hopes to "kill" the acne bacteria in my body for 3 months (june, august and september). I stopped using it just for 5 days in the beggining of august because i had fever. (i dont know if it was because of the medicine) Since that i continued using it consistently. In just 15 days after starting it i saw my back cleared and just a few spots on my face. It was amazing !. But after that day the acne bacteria in my body slowly becomes more resistant. The antibiotic "try" to keep acne at bay but u will still getting pimples and stomach problems (GI Issues) And when u stopped using IT. OMG ! IT COMES BACK WORSE AND RESISTANT ! I ended my treatment with a bonus disease :S ROSACEA (Ur face looks red all the time and get flushes BAD when u take a hot shower or the cold wind just touch your face) I would recommend it for u if u have a party or something like that and u want to be clear in a short period of time. But then... i think ITS NOT WORTH IT for ur general health and for acne itself because it make it WORSE and an ANTIBIOTIC CANT CURE ACNE. I hope this helps someone. Plz, search for an alternative treatment (i know it's hard to find a solution but this is NOT).
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October 9, 2010

Pros:

Let me think...none!

Cons:

Upset stomach, nausea, constipation

Tetracycline is either a hit or miss. For some people it works, and for others it's just useless. I was on Tetracycline for about two months, and it did absolutely nothing to improve my acne. After my treatment cycle, I also experienced weird constipation and almost like an irritable bowel thing going on. I wouldn't recommend it.
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October 7, 2010

Pros:

I took tetracycline treatment twice. No help.

Cons:

Colors teeth yellow

--
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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.