Doxycycline and Acne: What Users Say (Page 5)

• reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2019

For Acne "I started doxycycline because I got bad hormonal acne after going off of my birth control pill. However, I’m on my 3rd day of it, and my skin is so much worse than it ever has been. I’m getting dry patches, which never happened before, and tons of breakouts on my forehead. I’m also getting little bumps all over my shoulders and horrible acne on my neck. To top it all off, I threw up three times as well. I understand that it’s supposed to get worse before it gets better, but I really don’t think the side effects are worth it."

• reg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2019

For Acne "I started doxycycline because I got bad hormonal acne after going off of my birth control pill. However, I’m on my 3rd day of it, and my skin is so much worse than it ever has been. I’m getting dry patches, which never happened before, and tons of breakouts on my forehead. I’m also getting little bumps all over my shoulders and horrible acne on my neck. To top it all off, I threw up three times as well. I understand that it’s supposed to get worse before it gets better, but I really don’t think the side effects are worth it."

• Spi...
• September 1, 2018

For Acne "I have mild acne, mostly breakouts around the mouth. I was on lymecycline previously, and I felt like it improved it slightly but wasn't happy with the lack of results and have been put on this. REGRET. I understand that all things have their 'got to get worse before it gets better,' but I have about 15 active painful spots on my face, not all whiteheads, which is bad for me. I have been on doxycycline for about 3 weeks, so it is still early days, but my skin is awful compared to what it was, so I would avoid this because I don't think this stage is worth the potential results. I am gutted."

• fea...
• December 8, 2015

For Acne "I started doxycycline in December last year, and initially, it broke my skin out horrendously as it has a 'purging' effect. The spots will be red and quite painful. I found using ice soothed them down quicker. After about 3 weeks, my skin started to clear, and after almost a year, I had stopped taking them. Recently, I began again after breaking out more than usual, after about a 4-month break, and my skin has had that same purge experience. It seems that these do help, but once your skin clears, I'd avoid going back on them and find other ways to fight the light breakouts. I use it in conjunction with Isotrexin gel."

• Sab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2016

For Acne "I developed cystic acne. I'm guessing as a result of hormones, stress, and genetics. My doctor and I changed what we were using during the second visit since we were doing some trial and error (figuring out what works). Since my skin is not sensitive, we went from a combination of doxycycline, tretinoin, and clindamycin (I don't know how to spell it) to a combination of tretinoin of higher strength, erythromycin/BP gel, and minocycline. My skin has cleared up in a matter of 2 months with the occasional pimples and some acne scarring. I had to switch from doxy to mono because after my first round of doxy, my insurance would not cover any form of it for some reason, which is why I gave it a 5."

• Sab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2016

For Acne "I developed cystic acne. I'm guessing as a result of hormones, stress, and genetics. My doctor and I changed what we were using during the second visit since we were doing some trial and error (figuring out what works). Since my skin is not sensitive, we went from a combination of doxycycline, tretinoin, and clindamycin (I don't know how to spell it) to a combination of tretinoin of higher strength, erythromycin/BP gel, and minocycline. My skin has cleared up in a matter of 2 months with the occasional pimples and some acne scarring. I had to switch from doxy to mono because after my first round of doxy, my insurance would not cover any form of it for some reason, which is why I gave it a 5."

• Ste...
• February 19, 2018

For Acne "After 2-3 days of taking it, my face has gotten 10 times worse. I stopped taking it immediately, and I’m still experiencing the worst breakout I’ve ever had. I suggest if you’re going to take this, do it if you’re off from work or everyday life for 2 weeks. I would only continue to take this if I could go into hiding until it works. They say with taking this, your breakouts are supposed to worsen before it gets better, but I have to work, so no thank you. I hate my face right now."

• Hol...
• August 3, 2018

For Acne "About 5 months ago, I started developing these flesh-colored bumps on my chin. I assumed it was acne, but there was no head, and I have never ever dealt with acne in the past (thankfully). I went to see my doctor about them, and she prescribed me an 8-week trial of doxycycline. The day after I took it, my chin began to break out immensely and painfully. After about a week of it continuously getting worse, I contacted my doctor and sent pictures, and she advised me to hang in there. Frustrated, I listened, but only for another week until my whole chin was filled with painful whiteheads. I would wake up with 3-4 new whiteheads every morning!!! I decided to stop taking the pills altogether, and my chin is now scarred, and I still wake up with breakouts every morning. I am so disappointed with this medication. I am now working aimlessly to find a solution to my now acne-filled and scarred chin. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS MEDICATION."

• bor...
• December 25, 2010

Doxycycline for Acne "I have been taking Doryx for about 7 months, and it has done wonders for my face, but every time I stop taking it, within a month or even a week, my face starts getting a lot of zits and bumps. Then, when I get back on the pill, it takes at least a week or so before my face can clear up, but then I have scars from that zit, and it takes a month for the scar to fade away. But other than that, I think it's been okay, and my skin is clear with little scars."

• Ffi...
• December 19, 2016

For Acne "Not impressed with doxycycline at all. Been taking it for about four months now, and my skin has never looked worse. I've been sunburnt terribly, gained weight, bruised more, and everywhere on my face has more pimples. I'm coming off this in a few days, can't wait."

• LA ...
• October 6, 2017

For Acne "I have been taking doxy tab for about 17 days, 100 mg a day. The first week, I saw no difference, I still had mild acne on my cheek and on my chin. The second week, my acne on my chin was a little bit better. Now, I am in my 3rd week and I'm on my period, so this is why I think that it is worse."

• LA ...
• October 6, 2017

For Acne "I have been taking doxy tab for about 17 days, 100 mg a day. The first week, I saw no difference, I still had mild acne on my cheek and on my chin. The second week, my acne on my chin was a little bit better. Now, I am in my 3rd week and I'm on my period, so this is why I think that it is worse."

• Not...
• December 13, 2015

For Acne "I had little acne at the start of the year, and I was starting to worry that it would get worse later in the year.... And it did. At the beginning, I had normal skin, never had oily or dry. But then it became really oily and then on some days really dry. Before the medication, I didn't break out that much, but now???? I break out daily. Four months on this medication and it gave me a glimpse of hell. I have so many acne scars on my chin, the side of my face, and the forehead (especially) just because of this medicine. The dermatologist I went to said it was a gentle one. How was this gentle????"

• Tat...
• September 29, 2015

For Acne "My doctor prescribed me doxy yesterday. I was prescribed it because no topical treatments were working on my moderate acne. No matter what I did, the acne kept coming back! These past two months have been the worst of my acne, and I finally decided to get an oral antibiotic. It was this or Accutane, and I wasn't about to go down that crazy Accutane path. So I got this and heard some great stuff about it! Lots of people saying their skin cleared up in about a month and that they saw results in the first week. Some people say that they got an initial breakout from it... That's not true. This is an antibiotic to treat pneumonia, malaria, acne, etc. If it caused an initial breakout, then everyone would break out on it. I'm hoping I'm right! Wish me luck :)"

• Anonymous
• October 28, 2011

Doxycycline for Acne "I'm 23, and my acne has always been bad since I was a teenager. I have blemishes all over, and I'm always breaking out. I tried just about everything: soaps, creams, facial washes, etc. Recently, I asked my physician what he could give me for my acne, he prescribed me 'Tretinoin Cream, USP, 0.025%.' At first, this cream broke me out badly, so I stopped using it. So, I finally went to the dermatologist, and she prescribed me 'Differin,' 'Doryx,' and a facial wash. I take the Doryx in the morning on an empty stomach, then I use the Differin after I wash my face with Irish Spring Aloe, and at night, I mix the Differin with the Tretinoin. I've been doing this for a week now, and it is clearing up my skin pretty well. I can't wait to see the results after a month."

• Anonymous
• April 28, 2015

For Acne "While using this medication, I have seen a huge difference. My acne was so bad to where, when I changed my facial expression, it would hurt. I have been taking this pill for about four months now. My face is less oily for sure. But one thing I have noticed is that I have gotten back acne, but it's not bad, it just looks like scars. But about a month ago, my eyes were starting to get really dry. I am not sure if the pill did that or what, but I had to take eye drops. I am supposed to take the pill in the morning and at night, but since I go to school, I don't have time to eat in the morning, so I don't take the pill in the morning. During my spring break, I started to take it in the morning again, and my eyes started to get dry again. But I do recommend it."

• car...
• March 29, 2017

For Acne "I'm 19 and I had mild acne. I would see a new breakout or two almost every three days. I was told by my dermatologist that it would take about three months to work, which is true. After about three months, I really started to see an improvement. I went about three more months without any breakouts until my dermatologist told me I didn't need it anymore and I could stop it, which was a mistake. I broke out quite a bit after stopping. About a month later, I went back on it, and it's been about four weeks on it and I'm breaking out the most I have since I first ever started it! I'm very upset, and it makes me very self-conscious. I'm starting to look into Accutane."

• JB1...
• February 3, 2017

For Acne "Terrible, just terrible, and the dermatologists that prescribed it are only in it for the money! Two months on it, everything was fine. I still had minor breakouts, but much better than before. I went back for a follow-up, and they said I wasn't in the system, so I had to schedule a whole new appointment, and within this month off of it, my acne is coming back, and it looks as if it's trying to become even worse! This looks like a get-rich scheme if you ask me..."

• Lun...
• May 7, 2020

For Rosacea "Worked for about 3 months. Was on it for 5. Came off of it and am currently having the worst rebound. My skin is 100 times worse than before."

• Han...
• April 12, 2017

For Acne "This product does not work... instead I got pimples all over my chest, had terrible vivid nightmares, body ache, and dry skin and lips. Was taking it for 2 months. Not even the slightest improvement."

• Sco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 11, 2024

For Acne "I have been on doxycycline for about 2 weeks now, and my acne has gotten a little bit worse, so I am really hoping that it gets better soon!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2014

For Acne "I started this in August, it broke my face out terribly. I play college soccer and was extremely sunburned all season. It is now November, and my face hasn't improved much at all."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2018

For Acne "Don’t waste your time, you’ll be left with hyperpigmentation from the horrible initial breakout. Just go straight to Accutane."

• Joe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2017

For Acne "This medicine will hurt your stomach at first. It is the first two weeks for me, and the acne has gotten much, much worse, and I'm wondering when I will see improvement."

• per...
• August 5, 2019

For Acne "Been on this for about 3 months, and it actually made my acne worse."