Spironolactone
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Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present...

Spironolactone is a type of oral medication called an anti-androgen that is sometimes prescribed to females. Androgens are male hormones that are present in both males and females that lead to more acne, and spironolactone helps reduce androgens.

It is usually taken once or twice a day, around the same time(s), preferably with a meal.

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July 31, 2009

Pros:

Alternative to Accuane when nothing else is working

Cons:

You will need to urinate constantly. Been on it for 3 weeks and I think it is making me tired also.

If it works, it is better than dealing with all the requirements and pregnancy testing of accutane. Was on accutane 3 times and the acne is back again so now I am trying this. So far, I like it better and it seems to work.
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July 30, 2009

Pros:

Works amazingly well- been on 100 mg once a day for a year, suffered with acne for 12 years, accutane four times, and this is the first thing to clear me. My skin has been prefect since about 3 weeks after I started it- TRY IT! It might work wonders!

Cons:

None for me

It is so inexpensive and works better then anything else!
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July 29, 2009

Pros:

a miracle, inexpensive, side effects are minimal/tolerable

Cons:

none at this time

50mg of Spiro a day has done wonders for me and my skin! I've been on Spiro since May 26, 2009 and my face has done a 180 degree turn! I'm so happy with the results! I've been diagnosed w/PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and my sudden outbreak was hormone related. I tried everything from antibiotics and retin a to all the OTC products. To make a long story short- if you have acne, excessive oil and are female more than likely it's your hormones. I can not stress enough how much Spiro has helped my face. I NEVER had acne before, not even as a teenager, and now at the age of 27 my face erupted in a peroiod of 5 months- awful cysts, pustules, blackheads, whiteheads ALL OVER my face, jaw line, chin and neck. Once it was treated from the inside it started to heal. I'm still on spiro, I came off of it (to see what would happen) for approx 7 days and my face started to get a heavy 'film' of dead skin (almost like dandruff) that would not come off. Started sprio angain and it went aw
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July 27, 2009

Pros:

Cleared my skin up within a few months. A year and a half later, I haven't had a breakout in months :)

Cons:

Side effects when I first started... frequent urination, headache.

This stuff is amazing! Once my body got used to the medicine, it started working amazingly. My skin started to get almost dry so now i only take it once a day and its still working great. My skin feels smooth and my hair is less oily. Finally don't have to shower every day or twice a day.
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July 27, 2009

Pros:

Prevents hormonal acne around the chin. Decreases appetite.

Cons:

Increases frequency of periods. Some dizziness. Sore, dry eyes.

I love what this does for my skin. It is the ONLY medication that has had a significant, continuous impact on my acne. I am 34 and have had breakouts since I was about 11. I have taken spiro (100mg/day) off and on over the past 5 years outside of times I have been pregnant or breastfeeding with my 2 children. My biggest problem now is that I am getting my period about every two weeks!! I have about 6-7 days of bleeding and then about a week before the next one hits. As you might imagine, this is NOT ideal. Has anyone else had this problem? Does adding birth control pills help? I do not want to give up this miracle for my face, but I can't imagine going on like this either.
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July 24, 2009

Pros:

Feel Fantastic!!!!!

Cons:

None so far

I have only used this for a week, but by the third day I felt the best I have since I was about 16, and I'm now 36. I just feel so Light and active. My greasy Dairy sensitive dermatitis scalp has cleared up completely - I can eat cheese again!!!! YAY!!!! My itchy skin has gone, my oedema and morning fluid-filled head has cleared completely. My sinuses are clear for the first time since I was about 12. For me this is a silver bullet so far, no side effects yet, I will kiss my endocrinologist next time I see him. ( he might not like that! ), haha. Hopefully the good effects will continue. Have lost half a kilo, Probably just fluid. Not going to the loo much more than usual, either. Loving it, haven't used long enough to judge about skin or anything else, but I just feel so good that I don't care if it doesn't clear my acne!
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July 23, 2009

Pros:

This stuff works great for me. I've been taking it for a month and a half now and my skin is the clearest it's been in years. It's fantastic. One positive side effect: less appetite.

Cons:

I had initial side effects such as drowsiness, fatigue, and thirst to the point where I almost quit, but persevered anyway. The side effects went away after about 3-4 weeks as my body adjusted to the medication.

I'd recommend this drug to anyone, as it's the only thing that's really worked for me. It works way better for me than antibiotics or topicals like Clinicin or Retin-A. I still use a toner and benzoyl peroxide 10 twice a day, but my skin has dried out to the point where I wonder if that's too harsh (LOL, never thought I'd be saying that!) I'm a little concerned about long-term effects and/or what will happen when I go off of it--I feel like Cinderella whose face will turn back into the pumpkin if I quit taking it.:>) I plan on discussing these concerns with my doctor. This medication is supposedly safe for long-term use. I could do without the minty flavor, I'm not sure why they manufactured it like that. Otherwise, it's easy to take.
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July 21, 2009

Pros:

Clears skin, and reduces oil production. Weight loss. Encourages you to drink more water. Any spots you do get are much smaller and easier to manage.

Cons:

My GP says I will need blood tests every 3-6 months. Frequent urination.

I haven't had any dizziness/low BP but I'm only on 50mg a day so maybe that's why. My chin/jaw acne has cleared totally, at the time of writing this I haven't had a single cyst since starting Spiro. The rest of my face has always been clear but the difference around my chin is quite amazing. Worth a try if you have chin/jawline acne. Also I have lost about 6 pounds in weight.
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July 20, 2009

Pros:

Less Oil Production, Weight Loss, and Helped with Migrains

Cons:

Depression, Bad Initial Break Out, and Irregular Periods

I tried spiro for two and half months and just recently had to get off of it due to the emotional upheaval it was causing me to go through. I had three periods in the last month of taking it and was still continueing to get breakout after breakout. I have always had fairly decent skin except for the monthly cysts around my period, but experienced an etreme breakout back in March. I have been seeing a medical eastitician monthly since then and was having success, but was still getting a lot of hormonaly charged breakouts. My doctor put me on spiro because I can not be on birth control, thinking this would help. Maybe the spiro would have eventually helped if it wasn't causing me to be an emotional reck. I have only been off of it for a week and already feel a million times better. Hope that you guys have better luck than I did with this. It is a very serious drug.
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July 19, 2009

Pros:

Cleared up acne, cut way back on oil production, makes me feel great. Less body hair is a plus, too!

Cons:

My cholesterol spiked, but maybe that is just a coincidence. Mildly worried about long-term implications (I'm 48), but no way am I stopping this.

I've had acne since I was 12. After four runs of accutane (I was one of the first to use it), I discovered my acne could be completely controlled with the right birth control pills. After I had my ovaries removed a few years ago, I foolishly thought all my skin problems would be over. Wrong. Two years after the surgery, I looked so terrible, I couldn't go to work. Plus, I was having to wash my face every 30 minutes, that's how oily my skin was. I found out about Spironolactone, and within two weeks, I looked like a new person. In retrospect, I wish I had known about this medicine decades earlier. I've done a lot of reading, and suspect I have some sort of congenital adrenal problem that makes me produce too much testosterone. Thank goodness this medicine works, is all I can say. Oh, and I tried getting by on 50 mg, but it wasn't enough. At least for me, I need the whole 100 mg to gain effect.
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