For the past two weeks, my skin has been pretty amazing. I hate to even type that because it’s like asking for my skin to go on strike, but it’s true. I started to take my minocycline antibiotics twice daily, as prescribed (for the first two weeks I was only taking them once daily) and my acne pretty much completely cleared up. My skin is back to the way it was when I was on the pill.
I still have some pigmentation issues, especially on my back, but overall my skin is looking good, especially on my face.
So what I’ve been doing has been working—but I am going to stop taking the antibiotics in a couple of weeks because I don’t want to be on them long term.
The one thing I did change was I stopped using the foam antibiotic on my back because it was doing nothing. I occasionally use a Benzoyl Peroxide cream to treat select areas of my back, at night time only, but lately I haven’t even had to do that.
If you don’t remember from my last post, here is what cleared up my skin:
applied topically, once per day (at night only)
to my chin and jaw area only (the only area I break out)
to my chin and jaw area only (the only area I break out)
Taken twice per day, morning and night
Used to cleanse skin at night—sometimes in the morning if skin is very flaky—
used primarily on chin/jaw area—but also on my nose and cheeks and forehead.
Still using the Proactiv Refining Mask as an overnight spot treatment—
preventatively , since there haven’t really been many spots to treat.
preventatively , since there haven’t really been many spots to treat.
Obviously I’m thrilled that my skin looks good—and that I’m not dealing with painful cysts…but it’s going to be interesting to see what happens when I stop taking the antibiotics.
This acne regimen worked—and I was actually quite surprised that all it took was antibiotics (both oral and topical). I truly thought that I’d need Benzoyl Peroxide or Salicylic Acid to get rid of the acne on my face.
Have oral and topical antibiotics worked for your acne? My plan is to continue to use the topical antibiotic when I stop taking the oral antibiotics. I’ll continue to do skincare updates as I discontinue take the oral meds.
Thank you for reading and hope you has a great weekend!…and before I go, a cute pic of Lulu and I, just because…
Erin says
Very happy to hear you've had good luck with the anti-biotics have worked, though I am curious as to whether you've experienced any negative side effects – or if you're concerned about them in the future? More specifically, I'm thinking about the effect on your digestive tract, as I know that's something you've had issues with before.
Just curious, as I'm always really wary of taking antibiotics because I'm freaked out about messing up my gut!
[email protected] says
@erin- thanks for asking, I've had no stomach issues since being on this drug—and am only taking it short term so I am not too worried.
Carolina Belle says
I was prescribed oral antibiotics when I was struggling with acne. They didn't work for me and it always weirded me out that my doctor made me feel that I'd be on them indefinitely. I was only told to take one each day though. I was also on Retin-A and 10% benzyl peroxide. The combo helped but my acne didn't clear up completely.
I've recently started using my Mia more too. And I've switched to Murad products. I was having some really strange flakiness for several weeks along with small acne bumps on my jawline and a friend encouraged me to try a cleanser with glycolic acid. I'm hoping it was the heat / humidity causing my skin to freak.
bmwalsh says
Thank you for this! I have recently gone off of hormonal birth control piles and love it, BUT my skin has had a rough time adjusting. The acne has been pretty bad. I've tried experimenting with new cleansers and creams, and I've seen some improvement. Thanks again for these great options!
Becky says
I was on oral antibiotics for acne too, but once I stopped taking them, the acne came back. Granted, it took awhile, but it did eventually come back. The pill seems to be the only thing that helps me long term.
[email protected] says
@becky- I am hoping maybe I'll get pregnant this year and my skin will be good? haha wishful thinking!
squirthas4bubs says
I suffered for a long time with cystic acne …. and then I found spriolactone (for hormonal acne) and also mario bodescu buffing lotion as well as sulfur soap. Another thing is I cut chardonnay out of my diet. I switched over to red wine and it has helped. The derm told me that perhaps since certain grapes affect rosacea it could have affected me that way with acne. Anyway, my morning routine is such: wash w/ proactice and sulfur soap in shower. Every other day I only use clarins (green) face wash. After shower, I use green clarins toner w/ mario bodescu buffing lotion and murad sulfur acne spot treatment. I also moisturize with estee lauder luminese (hides the dark spots eventually) At night I use DDF foaming wash and apply my rx topical lotion if I need to spot treat. 🙂 Been dealing with it all my life and honestly not sure what has worked but it has been at least 9 months with out a breakout and I used to need cortisone shots in them. (((hugs))) it isn't easy xo
[email protected] says
@squirt- thank you for sharing your routine 🙂 appreciate it! glad you found products that work for you
Angela G. Sena says
So glad this regimen is working out for you! I also dealt with bacne for a little while and long after the break outs stopped I was left with some discoloration. I ended up getting chemical peels on my back and it really worked!!
[email protected] says
@angela— I am going to look into the chemical peels, thank you!
Ella Pretty Blog says
Yay I'm so glad the antibiotics worked for you! I hope they cleared up your acne and that it never returns 🙂
I'm a bit disillusioned by clindamycin and minocycline though – I took them in 2010 and they cleared up my acne. My derm told me to stop the minocycline but keep using the topical antibiotic. Well, a year later my acne came back, and even though I went back on minocycline , it didn't work this time. My derm gave me paperwork for accutane but i wanted to try dietary changes first – because I think that medicating without seeking ou the underlying cause would just result in the acne reAppearig once I got off the meds (this has happened to some other bloggers i know who went on accutane).
Ella Pretty Blog says
Sorry for the 2 part comment – iPhone issues lol!
Anyway, it's been 2 months since I saw the derm and tried my own things, and my skin is a lot better. My main help has been avoiding benzoyl peroxide products, spot treating with salcyluc acid and avoidin dairy – so far so good!
For the record, I don't think dairy always breaks me out, but I think I'm going through a period where I am more sensitive to it.
Meg O. says
I'm glad it's working out for you, Veronika! You look beautiful. I know that it's a really tough battle to fight. I have a tooooooon of hyperpigmentation I would like to be rid of, along with my occasional cyst, so I started on my Retin-A again. I was using it before I got pregnant but had to stop (too much vitamin A for a pregnant lady) but now I picked up my prescription again and I have been loving what it's doing for me. And so far, I haven't flaked! I think it's the way I'm applying it, though. I wait at least a half hour after washing until I apply. I'm also still taking my prenatals and an extra vitamin A&D supplement. I know that being pregnant also did nothing for my skin. It was terrible. Haha. Keep us posted!
REESHELL says
good your acne has cleared up! I've recently just started getting some again -__- don't really know why, but hopefully it'll just disappear :p thank god for makeup!
May says
I read a few of your skin treatment posts and I remember one where you said the pill was one of your most important skin products. I didn't realize you had stopped taking it. I discontinued taking the pill about 6 months ago and ever since my facial skin has been horrible. I didn't even have acne during my teens before I went on the pill, but somehow it changed my body so much after 8 years non-stop taking it that I now have to deal with spots and breakouts in my mid twenties instead of finally enjoying grown-up skin! I have now gone back onto the pill and hope my skin'll go back to normal but I am reading your posts with great interest to be prepared for the day when I stop again. Thanks so much for sharing xx
Rosie says
I'm so happy for you!! I've never had really bad acne, but I can imagine it does take a toll on your confidence =X I'm happy it has all cleared up and hope it stays that way once you're off the meds =D
xoRosie
https://teacupsanddresses.blogspot.com/
Ashley {AshesMcG} says
I know this is random, but Clinique can an AMAZING acne mask that I actually prefer over the Proactiv Mask. It says to only use it 5 min, but I sleep in it. It is called the Oil Control Cleansing Mask. I have a lot of problems with my skin and this really helps!
Canadian Beauty says
oral antibiotics totally cleared my skin up, but as soon as I stopped taking them it came back as worse as ever. They're not meant as a long term solution so I just stopped bothering with them. I now take cod liver oil and zinc daily and its helped tremendously.
Snowwhitey says
Hi Veronika, I have had acne as well but then I read somewhere that primrose oil and omega3 tablets are good for skin so I started taking both (before going to bed) and no sign of acne ever since. Everyone is asking me what I do for my skin as it is thankfully flawless 😉
Karen says
I took Minocycline and I really saw great results for the first week. The second week I broke out in terrible hives. Never had hives before or after. SO sad.
Adelaide says
How's your KP been? Have you found any products that help? I remember you mentioning once that you have some dark spots/scarring on the backs of your arms. Do you ever wear makeup to cover it? If so, what do you use? I have the same issue, and I'm so self-conscious about it! I'd appreciate any recommendations! 🙂
Amelia says
Every time i use my acne treatment, my skin is always dry, red, and warm. So i put on the toner and lotion, and that seems to help the dryness. However,better acne treatment it still remains blotchy red around the bridge of my face, and kind of warm. The treatment, toner, etc. works for my acne extremely well, compared to anything else i've used in the past. Even later in the day, my skin is still red. Why is this happening? It never happened before, just when I wash it.Help.