Acne.org Products
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
56%
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 and only to some people, and may lead to side effects and strains of resistant bacteria. Studies do show doxycycline can reduce severe acne in the short term, and as far as oral antibiotics are concerned, it’s usually the go-to, 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 Doxycycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
August 16, 2008
Cons:
if i take it on an empty stomach i throw up, but if i take it with food it seems to be less effective...
I find the best way to take it is with 3-4 saltine crackers and a big glass of water. I also use PanOxyl foaming acne wash
August 14, 2008
Pros:
Improvement began to show within the first two weeks, positive effects lasted for about 10 months, drastically reduced the follicular hyperkeratinization that causes my acne
Cons:
sun sensitivity, horrendous nausea if not taken with meals, loses effectiveness eventually
Because this is an antibiotic, I had anticipated that it would stop working so well after a while...and I was correct (my acne is back in full swing as of one month ago), but for the near year that it worked, I was very impressed. I still had regular breakouts, but the difference it made was vital in restoring my confidence. If only I could count on it to work continuously. I believe I have had my success, but it's time to move on to Accutane! Good luck to doxy-goers; I hope for the best of results and it undoubtedly improved my condition.
June 1, 2017
great but WARNING!!
so i was on doxy for about a month and a half with retina cream and it was great my acne was going away and my acne scars were fading. but suddenly i started having upper stomach pains and trouble swallowing- feeling almost like acid reflex. i thought to myself that it couldn't possibly be the medicine. but i went to my derm and she proved me wrong- apparently you aren't supposed to be taking this medicine at night- it will mess up your stomach big time!! I now have to wait a week for my stomach to heal in order to take it again- but now I know that you're supposed to take it while you're up and moving so it can digest properly! I hope this helps a lot of y'all! I can't wait to get back on this pill, though. Ever since i've been off it- my face has broken out big time :( but please be careful taking this pill!
February 3, 2017
Truly works!
I've been on doxy for over a year, and my face has NEVER (I repeat, NEVER!) been this clear since before I can remember. At age 23 I stopped tanning and that's when my acne got REALLY bad. I've used every kind of benzyl peroxide wash and basically any remedy I could find on the internet. Here is what I use now for 100% flawless skin at age 26: -200mg/day doxycycline (though I've began to ween myself off in recent weeks, reducing it to 100mg/day) -Wash face twice a day with Murad AHA/BHA exfoliating cleanser (suggested by derm). -Retin-A 0.1% after washing face at night (I still get a little dried out by this and had to work myself up to this potency, also suggested by derm.) *Note: Retin-A did NOT help on its own; it wasn't until I began doxy that the topical cream could actually do its job. *Side note: Also reduces fine lines and wrinkles ;) BONUS -Dramatically Different Clinique moisturizing gel in the morning (I did not start this until my acne was clear for at least a couple months to reduce the chance of clogging pores). -Lastly, I use Bare Minerals foundation (it doesn't clog pores and allows your skin to breathe!) and ensure my make up tools are cleaned regularly. I get prescriptions for Retin-A and doxy from my doctor and pay $10 co-pay for each (a zillion times cheaper than everything else everyone is trying to sell you to clear up a problem that cannot be fixed through a topical cream alone). My hope is that someone struggling with acne will take my advice. I used to genuinely feel like less of a person because of my acne, like everyone judged me and would only notice what was on my face. I am so HAPPY I found this resolution, I hope you do too!
February 13, 2017
Hi Sarah, I've been where you are now but please be aware of the side effects long-term antibiotic use. I never thought anything negative could happen to ME from using antibiotics but it did and changed me for the rest of my life. Look up "pityrosporum folliculitis" and please take a probiotic to attempt to replenish the good bacteria that has been wiped out by the antibiotics.
March 3, 2017
Being on an antibiotic for a long period of time was a concern for me, so my doctor did suggest I take a probiotic. I only take one or two a week. I also eat greek yogurt daily with live cultures for this reason as well. I'm sorry you had a poor experience, how long were you on Doxy?
May 10, 2017
Hi Sarah.. how long did it take for your skin to start clearing? What kind of acne did you have? .. appreciate any advice I have been on doxy 50mg a day now for 2 weeks and haven't noticed a difference and am breaking out more then before starting
December 19, 2017
@Lisa10 Im about to start my second week and mines worse as well lol.... it sucks... lets stick through it. Hpefully this is a purge and will go away.
January 8, 2015
3 years already
Ive taking doxycycline for 3 years already. Best thing you can try for your acne. It clear my acne in a week or so. Control my back and chest acne too.
The only bad thing is you have to tape it and mostly you will get alot of pimples but its only a month. This is what i do.
Take it for 5 months then one month off. And repet. I will start using retin a for better results but im pretty content with doxy. I would recomend to anyone
September 22, 2012
Pros:
Cleared all cystic acne
easy to take
cheap
didn't experience any form of sickness
Cons:
does take some time for it to work
3-6 months
i suffered from severe acne for 2 years. i tried every reigime, product, natural remides and diet however nothing worked. i finally got the courage to go to the doctors. i was prescribed 50mg of doxycycline a day along with washing my face with benzol peroxide. i was told it would take 3 months to work, literally by the end of the 3rd month all of my large cystic acne stopped. it did take another 3 months to clear the others and scareing up. however it has now been over a year i have been on doxycycline and my skin is perfect. you need to understand no one product will work you need to attack the bacteria from the inside (doxy) and the outside ( benzol)
please try this, i know how upsetting acne can be and it may take some time but trust me its worth it to have the confidence and your life back
February 23, 2012
Pros:
Cleared up my skin within a couple days, all types of acne were gone
Cons:
no cons
I really recommend this. its amazing
December 9, 2011
Pros:
-Improved complexion
-Decrease of acne
Cons:
-Chest pain if not enough water is drank
-Stomachache if taken without food
I was prescribed 100mg twice daily of Doxycycline for an infection. At the time I didn't know it was also an alternative use towards acne prevention until I looked in the mirror and noticed a lot of my pimples (that usually took ages to disappear) were gone within 3 days of treatment. There are signs of dry skin, so I apply a moisturizer before bed. Also maintaining a water-diet while on the treatment will also aid in dry skin. A lot has been spoken about stomach problems; I took as many precautionary steps towards preventing it, and one of the key tips is to buy a probiotic (live cultured yogurt or supplements) that have vital bacteria(s)--Bifdobacterium & Lactobacillus. If you're absolutely adamant on pursuing long-term treatment then I press for you to get a probiotic and take alternatively twice a day, 2 hrs before and after. This will replenish your digestion and help prevent diarrhea, stomach upset (which is induced by good bacteria deterioration caused by the antibiotics), and yeast infections. It will also help stabilize your body during the treatment so you don't suffer more serious problems after wards! That said, I'm not a doctor, so please seek advice before taking anything. Also, *eat with food*! If you're vomiting consistently or suffering pain without food, please listen to your body. It's giving you a clear message.
August 22, 2011
Pros:
Cleared up acne
Cons:
Nausea
Stomach Ache
I never really broke out in high school, until my senior year. 2 months after winter break I began to break out (c/o 09) I went from having nothing to moderate-sever acne. I used over the counter products for a year and some seemed to work and then going into my sophomore year of college I decided (Fall 2010) I decided to use pro-active. It worked wonders, but then I decided to stop using it and my skin went from mild acne to moderately sever. My mom took me to a dermatologist, and prescribed doxycycline 100mg and clindamycin topical gel. I recently began in mid June and I've been happy with the results. I feel that doxycycline has worked for me, I finally have hope again! I'm very social again and my acne has gone away. I do that occasional pimple because I do stress out. But It has stopped my breakouts and my scars are fading away. My face looks clear again and I have confidence again. Despite the nausea it causes due to the side-effects. So anyone out there with acne, give it a try it works! It's worth a shot. :)
April 3, 2011
Pros:
Clears acne
Clears pretty quickly (3 weeks)
Does its job well
Cons:
Extreme Sun Sensitivity
Can't take with Calcium
I am a first-timer to acne prescriptions and have to say I am very satisfied with my experience so far. I am on Doxy along with Atralin at night and Acanya in the morning. It has worked great for my moderate acne and I started seeing visible results within 3 weeks. My skin is now clearer than it has ever been and only breaks out slightly (1-2 pimples) around that time of the month. For me, the downside of doxy was my increased sun sensitivity. My light skin never had problems with sunburn before and has always tanned well. I went to Florida for Spring Break and was fine the first day, but then got SLAMMED with sunburn the next day. I was still applying sunscreen, but got a horrible burn on my hands, feet, and face. This wasn't like a normal sunburn, it was extremely painful and itchy. Aloe didn't help much, I mainly used black tea bags to relive the pain. It's starting to heal now (after 2 weeks) but still looks pretty bad. My feet have also formed blisters. Now I will be extremely careful in the sun, because I cannot go through the burning pain again! The only other downside is that you cannot take this with Calcium - so sometimes it was annoying to find foods without Calcium. Calcium makes it harder for your body to absorb the medicine. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to people with light to moderate acne! It really worked and did what it said it would do. Just make sure you stay out of the sun! Hope this helped someone!
Pros:
gets rid of most of my acne