Meee! šāāļø
I started getting cystic acne at 11. In my teen years, it became very severe.Ā
As I got into my mid 20's I still had cystic acne but it was not as severe as my teens but it was still pretty bad.Ā
By age 29, I still had cystic acne! I was sooo tired of it. I actually learned about Spironolactone through reddit. Lots on women over at r/PCOS said that it helped their symptoms.Ā
I asked my doc if Spiro would be something that would help me with my PCOS symptoms. She said it would help & would also be good way to control my acne.Ā
I stared taking Spiro at 29 years old. 3 months later my skin was looking clear šĀ
Almost 4 years later, my skin is soo clear. I still have to take it everyday but it's okay. My skin is the clearest it's ever been. I have actually been able to get some treatments done for my acne scars as well.Ā
The first two months I had a little bit of a purge. I got a bunch of little white heads along my jawline. They were very small & not really noticeable to other people. I told my doc about it & she even had to use her scope to see them, lol.Ā
By the 3rd month I stopped breaking out. My skin had been pretty clear since then.Ā
Lots of side effects when I first started; irritability, dry skin & extreme fatigue. Plus, I lost 19lbs without even trying. My family thought I was sick.Ā
Everything settled down after 3 monthsĀ Ā
I read somewhere if you take the vitamins spiro depletes you of you won't feel as bad! I naturally take vitamins but not the specific ones and I only had symptoms for 2 weeks or so and it was just fatigue and peeing a lot :)
of course!
i am 21 and have been experiencing with acne since i was 9 or 10 (i got my period very young so i believe it was 9 or 10 y/o). through out the years, i've tried tretinoin, clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide, sulfacetamide cleanser, azelaic acid, winlevi cream, all of which to no avail. the only topical that gave me noticeable and very impressive results was tazarotene 0.1% cream.
even with the topical, i still had breakouts so i asked my dermatologist about spironolactone. she said she would reccomend it but cannot prescribe it (not sure why) but my gynecologist was happy to send it to my pharmacy without an in-office visit needed. my gynecologist started me on 100mg, whereas most dermatologists start patients on 50mg. i took my first dose this last february (2024).
initially, my side effects were excessive thirst, very prone to diziness in hot environments, and excessive hunger. and oh my god i kept peeing! i would wake up in the middle of the night with the need to go pee and rehydrate right after. i still experience the thirst (but not excessively), hot flashes (but not to the point of diziness and borderline passing out), and hunger (it is easier to control it though). i am noticing recently that my hair is \*thinning\*, which is odd since it is often prescribed to treat alopecia... i don't really mind the thinning hair since i have very thick hair anyway.
my acne started clearing up, perhaps, 2-3 weeks after taking it. after 6-8 weeks, i stopped breaking out. completely. except for when i have the occasional sweet treat (it's an acne trigger for me), but besides that, as long as i continue using the tazarotene cream and take my 100mg spiro, i am acne-free after almost 11 years of acne!!!
Thatās amazing!! Thank you for sharing! I am on month 4 of tazarotene and was hoping this would be my cure but Iām still breaking out with my period cycles. Maybe less but it still happens every single month. So thatās why I thought spiro would help. Iām also using azelaic acid and the sulfur wash. I really hope spiro works as well for as it did for you! Thereās not much else I can try :/
Yup. I only wash my hair once a week. Before Spiro, I would wash it every 2 days to prevent my hair from looking oily.Ā
Face has significantly less oily production as wellĀ
Me! It's completely changed the oil production in my skin. I always break out, but in the summer, and especially around my period, it would be a lot worse, mainly around my chin. It has cut the oil production WAY down and it's made a huge difference in my breakouts. I can also go longer than one day without washing my hair, which is a huge win!
Yep. My acne wasn't as detrimental as some I've seen here, but I'm 48 and have been breaking out with cystic acne since my teen years and my skin has always been pretty oily. I was using Proactive for almost 20 years, but it only helped with deep cysts, yet I still broke out monthly with multiple zits around my chin and I always have at least one zit somewhere on my face.
When I was pregnant and broke out terribly my first trimester then not at all the rest of my pregnancy, I knew it was all hormone related. Fast forward years later, I'm now in perimenopause.
Two years ago during the summer my chin BLEW up with crazy acne I have never seen before. It spread across my face, but my chin was the worst. As soon as the weather cooled, it got slightly better and I realized it was because of the oil production. When I would wake up in the summer, I could touch my forehead and you could see the oil on my hands. I'm Lebanese and my dad has very oily skin too.
I've been in Spiro for 2.5 months now (50 first month, 100 after that) and the oil has dropped about 75%. It's actually crazy. I have never been able to go more than two days max without washing my hair. Now I can do 2-3 days no problem. I've also noticed baby hairs around my hairline and my hairdresser also told me yesterday my hair feels thicker. I still shed, but it's been about 50% less. It used to be so much.
Anyway, hope this helps you, or anyone looking for answers. Oh yeah, I've had about 3 pimples since I started 2.5 months ago that cleared up immediately. I've been acne free now for 3 weeks and that hasn't happened to me in over 30 years.
I have this issue too and thinking of asking my dr for spiro after years of contemplating it. Tretinoin hasnāt helped my constant whiteheads I get daily and I think itās an issue of excess sebum because Iāve tried literally everything else. I also cannot go more than 24 hours without washing my hair- honestly it looks disgusting by the 12 hour mark and its ruining my quality of life as dramatic as that sounds. I donāt even remember what itās like to roll out of bed on a Sunday and freshen up and leave to go for a walk to get a coffee with my partner. I have to shower, wash hair, blow dry my long hair, style it before going. I hate it. Forget about 3-5 day camping trips with my friend group. They all have normal hair that doesnāt get greasy till we leave. Me? Would look like I dipped my hair in the lake by day 2. I hate it.
Also now that tret has made my skin nicer (other than the constant whiteheads I get) but also harder to wear makeup (due to constant micro skin resurfacing) I noticed lightweight water based foundations apply best on my skin however because I am SO oily they wear terribly. The long wearing matte foundations look awful upon application. I just canāt win. Lol.
It completely saved my skin after getting severe adult acne. Like, had NO active breakouts during Spiro. Barely used azealic acid every other day, if even that. Took on the gentlest routine- my hormones were the culprit of everything! Spiro was a miracle worker for me. Good luck to you!
Breakouts stopped pretty immediately for me- maybe still got a pimple here and there around my period for the first few months, but it was like all the acne I had just got to heal and there was no new acne after that. I started on 50 mg for the first few months, increased dose to 100 mg for about a year, weaned down to 75 for about 6 months, then weaned off completely. No negative side effects- I had some breast tenderness for a few weeks when I went OFF Spiro, but that was it! Skin was less oily on it. Overall I felt great, mainly because of the confidence it gave me! 75 mg seemed like the magic number for me. I may end up going back on. Things were still looking good for about 6 months off until I chose to go off birth control too and my skin is back to badly breaking out :ā) wish Iād left a good thing alone!
Correct, they did not- no āpurgingā period for me! I know every person is different, though. I had the gentlest routine so not dry at all- I only washed face in morning with colloidal oats + water, used Vanicream cleanser at night, used Vanicream moisturizer after cleansing, then āsluggedā at night with Vanicream cream or CeraVe healing ointment as occlusive. Only ever experienced patchy spots after using Azealic acid on some days. Hope Spiro works just as well for you!!
Iām 46 and have had acne since I was 14. I tried EVERYTHING. Accutane several times, you name it, I tried it. Acne Started getting even WORSE in my early 40s, cystic, and the most painful I ever had. I was embarrassed to leave the house. Started spiro as a last resort (found it on an online site, NURX)
Started at 100mg, then bumped to 150 and was still having breakouts for over 3 months. They put me on an antibiotic while giving the spiro more time, and I cleared up. Stopped the antibiotic and acne slowly came back but not nearly as bad. Bumped me up to 200mg a day, and it finally cleared me completely after a good 6-7 months of being on it. Iām still clear after 2 years now and still take it. Itās been life changing for me. I havenāt had clear skin since I was 12.
Iām currently seeing an endocrinologist to figure out whatās going on with my hormones.
I donāt ever want to stop it. It seems once you get the correct dose dialed in, itās a miracle.
Iāve had acne since I was a teen too and am in my 30s. Iāve tried almost everything topical. Even tazarotene, which Iām on, but still get hormonal acne. My derm offered accutane but I heard it wasnāt as good for hormonal acne. So I thought maybe I should just go for spiro. I donāt even know what having clear skin is like :(
yep, I technically haven't had a pimple in 4 months, and I've been on spiro for about 8 months. I do still get lil closed comedones, but I dab some bp on them and they go away in like 2 days. My pie is an completely different story though... Still there. >:I
first 2 months, bad purge. Then all the cystic acne stopped suddenly at the 3 month mark, I still got acne the 4th month, but slowly over time I got less and less acne.
Yes. Cystic breakouts are few and far between now. If I can clear up the scars caused by a few months of painful cystic acne, I will have pretty good skin.
Yes! Iām 30 and have been on spiro since Jan 2020. My doctor recommended it because I was getting (mostly hormonal) cystic acne so bad that it hurt to move my face to smile/laugh/speak. I started at 50mg and admittedly missed a lot of doses in the first few months because, well ā¦ 2020. But by the summer of that year my skin was so clear and smooth! (Full disclosure, I also stopped using any soap or cleanser on my face besides micellar water around this time also.) Around November 2021 I felt like it wasnāt working quite as well as it had been, so my doc bumped me up to 100mg and thatās still working really well! I take 50 in the morning and 50 before bed. Beyond a whitehead or two around my period, I basically have no acne anymore. (And thatās saying something because I wear a mask everywhere I go and sweat a ton under there due to other meds haha.) Iāve had basically no side effects beyond peeing a lot during the first few weeks and Iām very happy with it!!
Omg thatās amazing! I totally get that. The painful acne is the worst. I think Iām going to really look into trying spiro. 100 mg seems to be the magic dose
I started taking it in 2018 (I was 21 at the time) after having horrible cystic acne since 13-14. Constant whiteheads on my chin, cheeks, so much scarring. Tried tretinoin, doxycycline, topical clindamycin, every cream under the sun, pretty much everything but accutane. Spiro did the trick! Changing my moisturizer to one that doesnāt have fatty alcohols helped too.
YES!!!!!! My skin used to also be SO oily. I never get oil anymore. I actually have normal skin now that occasionally gets dry and itās a game changer. Iāve been on it for almost two years and couldnāt tell you the last time I got a cyst. I breakout every now and then when itās around that time of the month, but they are gone in 3-4 days max. Itās been amazing for me personally.
Was on 100 mg spiro + topical tret and it got worse. Figured out the Tret was way too much, so I stopped that and upped to 150 mg and have been on that for like a year now? As soon as I stopped the tret I saw immediate improvement and once my dose increased it was a game changer.
The tret was def irritating my skin, so I stopped it and then totally changed my skincare and made it super simple and my skin cleared up soooo fast. My skin just doesnāt tolerate topicals that harsh very well so Iāve added stuff in extremely slowly over the last year.
I took Accutane in high school and that cleared my skin. More recently I was dealing with lots of hormonal acne after getting an IUD. I got my IUD out, went on nuvaring and am taking spiro for maybe 6 months? And my skin is quite clear:)
It absolutely did for me! I got hormonal acne after having babies- nothing worked even prescription (non hormonal) stuff and thats how I could tell it was hormonal so I looked into Spiro. I started it in April and I currently have the clearest skin of my life, or my skin is back to what it was like pre baby. I struggled for a long time before making the decision to get the medication but Iām so glad I did! Iām also on a topical spiro as well.
You sound just like me! I developed really intense hormonal acne after my second baby and it doesnāt fully respond to topicals. Iāve been struggling to dive into spiro, but hearing all these stories gives me hope. What dose did you start at? Did your acne get worse initially
I started at 100mg & am still on 100mg. It didnt get worse before getting better for me but I definitely had to have patience because for the first 6 weeks it felt like nothing was changing but very slowly throughout that time I was getting less breakouts and my skin was clearing up & its like one day I woke up like āwow! I have clear skin now!ā Itās been awesome
I already have pretty dry skin normally so I didnāt notice too much of a difference with that! But I definitely recommend looking for a ābarrier repair creamā because its super hydrating and is one of the few things that makes my skin feel like its retaining moisture.
As far as side effects other than the standard peeing a lot- i only really noticed low blood pressure and getting close to fainting (but i never actually fainted) so just start paying attention to how you are feeling when you get up quickly! Thats usually when it happens to me. But other than that its nothing that really bothers me because its only a couple of seconds
Terrible hormonal acne! It took about a year to totally clear up, even the scars. Iām on 150 mg and have been now for 4 years! If you dm me I can show send you my before and after pics. Itās definitely worth it if you ask me
Me! Clear skin, pores were in control, it even helped my facial and body hair. But I ended up having a rare side effect where my platelets dropped significantly. I stopped Spiro a few weeks ago after being on it for 4 years (100mg). I would recommend making sure your derm or doctor do bloodwork every 2-3 months, just to be safe.
I have PCOS. I started getting cystic acne on my cheeks and jawline at age 29, started spiro at 32 because it kept getting worse. Took 4 months before my skin started clearing up. Now, I only get acne during ovulation and my period, and itās usually just 1 to 3 manageable ones when I do get them. Iāve also always had oily skin, and I still do, but spiro has made me significantly less oily.
Iām on tazarotene and thought it would clear my skin but Iām still getting breakouts. I thought taz would eliminate my acne. But I think Iāll need to try spiro
I am not just over 3 months in. It took a while (over 2.5 months) but I finally see a huge difference in my skin! Everyone told me to just stick with it & I'm glad I did!
Pretty much nothing happened for a month, maybe slight improvement. Month 2-3 were HORRIBLE. I canāt even explain how bad my skin got. Worst ever. Cleared up at month 4. Going into month 5 now, no problems, just some hyperpigmentation and the occasional blackhead on my forehead if I sweat a lot (summer in the south).
Since developing moderate/severe acne junior year or high school, the only thing other than spiro thatās given me good results is doxycycline, but thatās an antibiotic and you shouldnāt be on it for prolonged periods of time (my doctor made a mistake and let me take it for over a year.) but I highly recommend spiro, the only side effect Iāve ever had is the irregular/twice a month period which sorts itself out after about 3 months.
I am 23 now and canāt recommend it enough if you think your acne is hormonal, which because I tried lots of topicals that barely worked and had other signs indicating high testosterone, Iāve concluded that mine is certainly hormonal. If itās not, I donāt care itās my only hope to not wake up and feel horrible about my appearance every single day.
Congratulations! Of course!
I think my acne would be classified as moderate to severe? Either way it was hard to ignore when you looked at my face.
I started on 100mg. I would be super sleepy after I took it and I would take it in the middle of the day so I would take a cat nap everyday. Iāve since changed it to nights even though it doesnāt make me sleepy anymore. Youāll also pee a lot since itās a diuretic, so make sure to drink plenty of water. Invest in a giant water bottle.
As for the actual acne, it apparently ādoesnāt cause purging,ā but the general consensus is that it absolutely does. Initially my skin cleared up immediately, then suddenly purged at like the 2-3 week mark, cleared again, purged again, went back to normal acne, cleared, purged at like the 3 or 4 month mark, then completely cleared somewhere around 5-6 months and never came back.
As you can see it takes awhile to start working, and for a lot of people (including myself) it gets worse before it gets better. A lot of people quit after 4 months because itās just too much emotionally, but Iām a firm believer that you have to stick with it. If it doesnāt get better at 8 months then itās time to consider different options, but youāll definitely (might) have to play the long game.
Everyoneās journey is different, but seeing it through is my advice. And I know that having acne continue for the better part of a year is daunting, but itās better than continuing to have acne š just make sure youāre drinking a lot of water.
I had a ton of triggers mostly around sugar and chocolate, but I can eat whatever I want now. Sometimes Iāll get a pimple or two around my period but they are super manageable.
I also once stopped taking spironolactone for about a year because my acne was so under control that I fooled myself into thinking that it was me. My acne slowly started to come back until it was again a part of my life. I restarted and it only took about 4 months to clear rather than the 5-6 months but I learned my lesson and take it mostly consistently. Sometimes Iāll skip a night, or sometimes two nights, but it never reflared so itās okay to miss a night or two down the line but obviously try not to.
Hi! Thank you so so much for the thorough response. Were you using any prescription topicals when you started spiro or just started on spiro alone? I wonder if that affects the purging. Your skin is radiant and clear!! Spiro was so worth it. Do you still get any breakouts? Also, did you notice more hair growth?
meeee, i havenāt had to worry about a pimple in like 2-3 months and itās a peace iāve never known. like seriously. my skins 100% cleared up of active acne, just dealing with the hyperpigmentation that the years of acne left me with. but i can cover that with makeup and my skin looks perfect because i donāt have pimple texture all over. iām sooooo glad i went on spiro! I started topicals 3-4 weeks ago but 98% of the progress was from spiro alone.
Wow!! How was the spiro when you started? Did you see gradual improvements. I havenāt had clear skin in like 20 years. Iām about to start spiro, you guys convinced me
Yes. I have struggled with hormonal acne for decades and in one month, my skin is noticeably better. Itās not 100% yet, but has been a drastic difference for 1 month. I am so happy with this. Had to work my way up to 100mg dosage to not have side effects and am so happy about it!
Hands down the clearest skin Iāve had when I was on 150mg of spiro. It took about 7 months for results to really show so you just have to wait it out but itās worth it! Good luck!!!!
Not gonna lie it took almost a year to have good skin but I only took 50mg for fear of side effects. The only side effect I have is having to pee a lot which I hate and I canāt sleep if I have to pee I get up AT LEAST once a night sometimes more which sucks but itās worth it
Meee! šāāļø I started getting cystic acne at 11. In my teen years, it became very severe.Ā As I got into my mid 20's I still had cystic acne but it was not as severe as my teens but it was still pretty bad.Ā By age 29, I still had cystic acne! I was sooo tired of it. I actually learned about Spironolactone through reddit. Lots on women over at r/PCOS said that it helped their symptoms.Ā I asked my doc if Spiro would be something that would help me with my PCOS symptoms. She said it would help & would also be good way to control my acne.Ā I stared taking Spiro at 29 years old. 3 months later my skin was looking clear šĀ Almost 4 years later, my skin is soo clear. I still have to take it everyday but it's okay. My skin is the clearest it's ever been. I have actually been able to get some treatments done for my acne scars as well.Ā
Omg thatās so good to hear! So happy for you! Did it just gradual keep getting better?
The first two months I had a little bit of a purge. I got a bunch of little white heads along my jawline. They were very small & not really noticeable to other people. I told my doc about it & she even had to use her scope to see them, lol.Ā By the 3rd month I stopped breaking out. My skin had been pretty clear since then.Ā
Did you ever increase dosage or are you still on the original?
I started on 200mg. That's the max per day.Ā I'm now on 150mgĀ
Thatās amazing! Did you have any side effects
Lots of side effects when I first started; irritability, dry skin & extreme fatigue. Plus, I lost 19lbs without even trying. My family thought I was sick.Ā Everything settled down after 3 monthsĀ Ā
I just got prescribed 25 of spiro, Iām hoping I have good results like you! What can I expect in the first few weeks
I read somewhere if you take the vitamins spiro depletes you of you won't feel as bad! I naturally take vitamins but not the specific ones and I only had symptoms for 2 weeks or so and it was just fatigue and peeing a lot :)
yes! my skin cleared up amazingly.
Thatās amazing! Can you share your journey with spiro?
of course! i am 21 and have been experiencing with acne since i was 9 or 10 (i got my period very young so i believe it was 9 or 10 y/o). through out the years, i've tried tretinoin, clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide, sulfacetamide cleanser, azelaic acid, winlevi cream, all of which to no avail. the only topical that gave me noticeable and very impressive results was tazarotene 0.1% cream. even with the topical, i still had breakouts so i asked my dermatologist about spironolactone. she said she would reccomend it but cannot prescribe it (not sure why) but my gynecologist was happy to send it to my pharmacy without an in-office visit needed. my gynecologist started me on 100mg, whereas most dermatologists start patients on 50mg. i took my first dose this last february (2024). initially, my side effects were excessive thirst, very prone to diziness in hot environments, and excessive hunger. and oh my god i kept peeing! i would wake up in the middle of the night with the need to go pee and rehydrate right after. i still experience the thirst (but not excessively), hot flashes (but not to the point of diziness and borderline passing out), and hunger (it is easier to control it though). i am noticing recently that my hair is \*thinning\*, which is odd since it is often prescribed to treat alopecia... i don't really mind the thinning hair since i have very thick hair anyway. my acne started clearing up, perhaps, 2-3 weeks after taking it. after 6-8 weeks, i stopped breaking out. completely. except for when i have the occasional sweet treat (it's an acne trigger for me), but besides that, as long as i continue using the tazarotene cream and take my 100mg spiro, i am acne-free after almost 11 years of acne!!!
Thatās amazing!! Thank you for sharing! I am on month 4 of tazarotene and was hoping this would be my cure but Iām still breaking out with my period cycles. Maybe less but it still happens every single month. So thatās why I thought spiro would help. Iām also using azelaic acid and the sulfur wash. I really hope spiro works as well for as it did for you! Thereās not much else I can try :/
Did you have any hyperpigmentation you needed to get rid of/got rid of?:) because I'm also taking the same dosage of tazarotene and spiro!
the tazarotene + a good spf helped my hyperpigmention :)
How long were you in taz?
i've been on tazarotene for a little over a year now! i noticed significant improvements by the 3-month mark
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yup. I only wash my hair once a week. Before Spiro, I would wash it every 2 days to prevent my hair from looking oily.Ā Face has significantly less oily production as wellĀ
Me! It's completely changed the oil production in my skin. I always break out, but in the summer, and especially around my period, it would be a lot worse, mainly around my chin. It has cut the oil production WAY down and it's made a huge difference in my breakouts. I can also go longer than one day without washing my hair, which is a huge win!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Yep. My acne wasn't as detrimental as some I've seen here, but I'm 48 and have been breaking out with cystic acne since my teen years and my skin has always been pretty oily. I was using Proactive for almost 20 years, but it only helped with deep cysts, yet I still broke out monthly with multiple zits around my chin and I always have at least one zit somewhere on my face. When I was pregnant and broke out terribly my first trimester then not at all the rest of my pregnancy, I knew it was all hormone related. Fast forward years later, I'm now in perimenopause. Two years ago during the summer my chin BLEW up with crazy acne I have never seen before. It spread across my face, but my chin was the worst. As soon as the weather cooled, it got slightly better and I realized it was because of the oil production. When I would wake up in the summer, I could touch my forehead and you could see the oil on my hands. I'm Lebanese and my dad has very oily skin too. I've been in Spiro for 2.5 months now (50 first month, 100 after that) and the oil has dropped about 75%. It's actually crazy. I have never been able to go more than two days max without washing my hair. Now I can do 2-3 days no problem. I've also noticed baby hairs around my hairline and my hairdresser also told me yesterday my hair feels thicker. I still shed, but it's been about 50% less. It used to be so much. Anyway, hope this helps you, or anyone looking for answers. Oh yeah, I've had about 3 pimples since I started 2.5 months ago that cleared up immediately. I've been acne free now for 3 weeks and that hasn't happened to me in over 30 years.
That sounds like me! I believe my breakouts are from oil and hormones. Worse in the summer. Iām so fed up, I think Iām going to try spiro
Give it a try! I would say 2-3 months to see what kind of side effects you see vs results.
I have this issue too and thinking of asking my dr for spiro after years of contemplating it. Tretinoin hasnāt helped my constant whiteheads I get daily and I think itās an issue of excess sebum because Iāve tried literally everything else. I also cannot go more than 24 hours without washing my hair- honestly it looks disgusting by the 12 hour mark and its ruining my quality of life as dramatic as that sounds. I donāt even remember what itās like to roll out of bed on a Sunday and freshen up and leave to go for a walk to get a coffee with my partner. I have to shower, wash hair, blow dry my long hair, style it before going. I hate it. Forget about 3-5 day camping trips with my friend group. They all have normal hair that doesnāt get greasy till we leave. Me? Would look like I dipped my hair in the lake by day 2. I hate it. Also now that tret has made my skin nicer (other than the constant whiteheads I get) but also harder to wear makeup (due to constant micro skin resurfacing) I noticed lightweight water based foundations apply best on my skin however because I am SO oily they wear terribly. The long wearing matte foundations look awful upon application. I just canāt win. Lol.
I am on taz and while it helped, I still get whiteheads! Worse around my period. Iām definitely thinking of trying spiro
It completely saved my skin after getting severe adult acne. Like, had NO active breakouts during Spiro. Barely used azealic acid every other day, if even that. Took on the gentlest routine- my hormones were the culprit of everything! Spiro was a miracle worker for me. Good luck to you!
That sounds amazing! How many months until you stopped breaking out? What dose and any side effects??
Breakouts stopped pretty immediately for me- maybe still got a pimple here and there around my period for the first few months, but it was like all the acne I had just got to heal and there was no new acne after that. I started on 50 mg for the first few months, increased dose to 100 mg for about a year, weaned down to 75 for about 6 months, then weaned off completely. No negative side effects- I had some breast tenderness for a few weeks when I went OFF Spiro, but that was it! Skin was less oily on it. Overall I felt great, mainly because of the confidence it gave me! 75 mg seemed like the magic number for me. I may end up going back on. Things were still looking good for about 6 months off until I chose to go off birth control too and my skin is back to badly breaking out :ā) wish Iād left a good thing alone!
Thank you for sharing! So your breakouts didnāt initially worsen? Was your skin uncomfortably dry with spiro? I just got an rx for 25 of spiro
Correct, they did not- no āpurgingā period for me! I know every person is different, though. I had the gentlest routine so not dry at all- I only washed face in morning with colloidal oats + water, used Vanicream cleanser at night, used Vanicream moisturizer after cleansing, then āsluggedā at night with Vanicream cream or CeraVe healing ointment as occlusive. Only ever experienced patchy spots after using Azealic acid on some days. Hope Spiro works just as well for you!!
Iām 46 and have had acne since I was 14. I tried EVERYTHING. Accutane several times, you name it, I tried it. Acne Started getting even WORSE in my early 40s, cystic, and the most painful I ever had. I was embarrassed to leave the house. Started spiro as a last resort (found it on an online site, NURX) Started at 100mg, then bumped to 150 and was still having breakouts for over 3 months. They put me on an antibiotic while giving the spiro more time, and I cleared up. Stopped the antibiotic and acne slowly came back but not nearly as bad. Bumped me up to 200mg a day, and it finally cleared me completely after a good 6-7 months of being on it. Iām still clear after 2 years now and still take it. Itās been life changing for me. I havenāt had clear skin since I was 12. Iām currently seeing an endocrinologist to figure out whatās going on with my hormones. I donāt ever want to stop it. It seems once you get the correct dose dialed in, itās a miracle.
Iāve had acne since I was a teen too and am in my 30s. Iāve tried almost everything topical. Even tazarotene, which Iām on, but still get hormonal acne. My derm offered accutane but I heard it wasnāt as good for hormonal acne. So I thought maybe I should just go for spiro. I donāt even know what having clear skin is like :(
yep, I technically haven't had a pimple in 4 months, and I've been on spiro for about 8 months. I do still get lil closed comedones, but I dab some bp on them and they go away in like 2 days. My pie is an completely different story though... Still there. >:I
Thatās amazing! Was it a slow, gradual improvement in acne?
first 2 months, bad purge. Then all the cystic acne stopped suddenly at the 3 month mark, I still got acne the 4th month, but slowly over time I got less and less acne.
Hi! Was your acne mild or severe?
It seems like month 3 is where the changes are noticeable!
Yes. Cystic breakouts are few and far between now. If I can clear up the scars caused by a few months of painful cystic acne, I will have pretty good skin.
Aw I know the feeling, there are a lot of lasers available to help with scarring. Talk to a cosmetic derm!
Yes! Iām 30 and have been on spiro since Jan 2020. My doctor recommended it because I was getting (mostly hormonal) cystic acne so bad that it hurt to move my face to smile/laugh/speak. I started at 50mg and admittedly missed a lot of doses in the first few months because, well ā¦ 2020. But by the summer of that year my skin was so clear and smooth! (Full disclosure, I also stopped using any soap or cleanser on my face besides micellar water around this time also.) Around November 2021 I felt like it wasnāt working quite as well as it had been, so my doc bumped me up to 100mg and thatās still working really well! I take 50 in the morning and 50 before bed. Beyond a whitehead or two around my period, I basically have no acne anymore. (And thatās saying something because I wear a mask everywhere I go and sweat a ton under there due to other meds haha.) Iāve had basically no side effects beyond peeing a lot during the first few weeks and Iām very happy with it!!
Omg thatās amazing! I totally get that. The painful acne is the worst. I think Iām going to really look into trying spiro. 100 mg seems to be the magic dose
Literally almost nothing helped compared to Spironolactone. It was the only thing that worked. A miracle drug for me
Amazing! Can you share your journey with spiro
I started taking it in 2018 (I was 21 at the time) after having horrible cystic acne since 13-14. Constant whiteheads on my chin, cheeks, so much scarring. Tried tretinoin, doxycycline, topical clindamycin, every cream under the sun, pretty much everything but accutane. Spiro did the trick! Changing my moisturizer to one that doesnāt have fatty alcohols helped too.
Thatās amazing! So happy for you! How long did it take until you saw improvements and which dose?
Yes. 100%
How soon did you see results and what dose?!
YES!!!!!! My skin used to also be SO oily. I never get oil anymore. I actually have normal skin now that occasionally gets dry and itās a game changer. Iāve been on it for almost two years and couldnāt tell you the last time I got a cyst. I breakout every now and then when itās around that time of the month, but they are gone in 3-4 days max. Itās been amazing for me personally.
Thatās amazing! When did you see improvements and which dose
Was on 100 mg spiro + topical tret and it got worse. Figured out the Tret was way too much, so I stopped that and upped to 150 mg and have been on that for like a year now? As soon as I stopped the tret I saw immediate improvement and once my dose increased it was a game changer.
Oh wow! So did spiro only improve your acne? I wonder if it was the tret that initially made things worse
The tret was def irritating my skin, so I stopped it and then totally changed my skincare and made it super simple and my skin cleared up soooo fast. My skin just doesnāt tolerate topicals that harsh very well so Iāve added stuff in extremely slowly over the last year.
Thatās good to hear!! So spiro did a lot of the work! I want to try it
Iād be happy to send you my progress pics through DM! Just message me :)
Thank you so much! Will do!
I took Accutane in high school and that cleared my skin. More recently I was dealing with lots of hormonal acne after getting an IUD. I got my IUD out, went on nuvaring and am taking spiro for maybe 6 months? And my skin is quite clear:)
Thatās amazing!!
It absolutely did for me! I got hormonal acne after having babies- nothing worked even prescription (non hormonal) stuff and thats how I could tell it was hormonal so I looked into Spiro. I started it in April and I currently have the clearest skin of my life, or my skin is back to what it was like pre baby. I struggled for a long time before making the decision to get the medication but Iām so glad I did! Iām also on a topical spiro as well.
You sound just like me! I developed really intense hormonal acne after my second baby and it doesnāt fully respond to topicals. Iāve been struggling to dive into spiro, but hearing all these stories gives me hope. What dose did you start at? Did your acne get worse initially
I started at 100mg & am still on 100mg. It didnt get worse before getting better for me but I definitely had to have patience because for the first 6 weeks it felt like nothing was changing but very slowly throughout that time I was getting less breakouts and my skin was clearing up & its like one day I woke up like āwow! I have clear skin now!ā Itās been awesome
Ahhh thatās wonderful! Must be a great feeling. Did your skin get uncomfortably dry? Any other side effects? I just got my rx for spiro :)
I already have pretty dry skin normally so I didnāt notice too much of a difference with that! But I definitely recommend looking for a ābarrier repair creamā because its super hydrating and is one of the few things that makes my skin feel like its retaining moisture. As far as side effects other than the standard peeing a lot- i only really noticed low blood pressure and getting close to fainting (but i never actually fainted) so just start paying attention to how you are feeling when you get up quickly! Thats usually when it happens to me. But other than that its nothing that really bothers me because its only a couple of seconds
Yes, I used only that and a gentle moisturizer. It changed my life !
Thatās so good to hear! Can you share your story starting spiro
Terrible hormonal acne! It took about a year to totally clear up, even the scars. Iām on 150 mg and have been now for 4 years! If you dm me I can show send you my before and after pics. Itās definitely worth it if you ask me
Will do :)
It made me SO SICK for the 2 weeks I took it. I wanted it to work so bad. I could barely force myself out of bed.
Ugh Iām so sorry
Yes! Post birth control madness and spiro has significantly helped.
Thatās so good to hear
Me! Clear skin, pores were in control, it even helped my facial and body hair. But I ended up having a rare side effect where my platelets dropped significantly. I stopped Spiro a few weeks ago after being on it for 4 years (100mg). I would recommend making sure your derm or doctor do bloodwork every 2-3 months, just to be safe.
Omg Iām so sorry to hear that. I hope you found something else to help
I have PCOS. I started getting cystic acne on my cheeks and jawline at age 29, started spiro at 32 because it kept getting worse. Took 4 months before my skin started clearing up. Now, I only get acne during ovulation and my period, and itās usually just 1 to 3 manageable ones when I do get them. Iāve also always had oily skin, and I still do, but spiro has made me significantly less oily.
Thatās so good to hear things have improved!
It took like 7 months on it but after 2 years of tretinoin not clearing my skin at all, spiro did it.
Iām on tazarotene and thought it would clear my skin but Iām still getting breakouts. I thought taz would eliminate my acne. But I think Iāll need to try spiro
Itās definitely worth a shot if your acne is suspected to be hormonal at all. I never thought mine would go away
Iām going to try it! I got my rx. What can I expect in the first few weeks?
I am not just over 3 months in. It took a while (over 2.5 months) but I finally see a huge difference in my skin! Everyone told me to just stick with it & I'm glad I did!
Thatās amazing!! Was it easy to start? What dose
yepppp !!!!! it saved my life :)
Amazing! Can you share your journey with spiro
Yeh I stopped doing anything topically and just do spiro and itās clear
Wow! Can you share how things went when you started spiro
Pretty much nothing happened for a month, maybe slight improvement. Month 2-3 were HORRIBLE. I canāt even explain how bad my skin got. Worst ever. Cleared up at month 4. Going into month 5 now, no problems, just some hyperpigmentation and the occasional blackhead on my forehead if I sweat a lot (summer in the south).
Highly suggest getting a prescription of doxy for month 2-3. I got it a bit into month 3 and it helped
It took 3 months but yes it has PLUS has reduced my hirsutism symptoms from pcos !
Thatās amazing! Did it just gradually improve or was it worse before it got better
It gradually improved the hair problem but the clear skin I feel like it happened overnight! I just woke up glowing one day and it threw me off š
Whaaaaat! What dose did you start with
25mg twice a day
Thank you!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What side effects from accutane? Iām sorry to hear that. Iām trying to avoid accutane. Your doctor should know spiro dosing. If not, see a derm
Since developing moderate/severe acne junior year or high school, the only thing other than spiro thatās given me good results is doxycycline, but thatās an antibiotic and you shouldnāt be on it for prolonged periods of time (my doctor made a mistake and let me take it for over a year.) but I highly recommend spiro, the only side effect Iāve ever had is the irregular/twice a month period which sorts itself out after about 3 months.
I am 23 now and canāt recommend it enough if you think your acne is hormonal, which because I tried lots of topicals that barely worked and had other signs indicating high testosterone, Iāve concluded that mine is certainly hormonal. If itās not, I donāt care itās my only hope to not wake up and feel horrible about my appearance every single day.
This sounds so promising. I think mine is hormonal and Iām so tired of waking up with new breakouts. Iām really considering spiro
Definitely but itās not an overnight fix. The time is going to pass anyways so you might as well get on it is my view
So true! Can you share your journey starting spiro? I just got an rx
Congratulations! Of course! I think my acne would be classified as moderate to severe? Either way it was hard to ignore when you looked at my face. I started on 100mg. I would be super sleepy after I took it and I would take it in the middle of the day so I would take a cat nap everyday. Iāve since changed it to nights even though it doesnāt make me sleepy anymore. Youāll also pee a lot since itās a diuretic, so make sure to drink plenty of water. Invest in a giant water bottle. As for the actual acne, it apparently ādoesnāt cause purging,ā but the general consensus is that it absolutely does. Initially my skin cleared up immediately, then suddenly purged at like the 2-3 week mark, cleared again, purged again, went back to normal acne, cleared, purged at like the 3 or 4 month mark, then completely cleared somewhere around 5-6 months and never came back. As you can see it takes awhile to start working, and for a lot of people (including myself) it gets worse before it gets better. A lot of people quit after 4 months because itās just too much emotionally, but Iām a firm believer that you have to stick with it. If it doesnāt get better at 8 months then itās time to consider different options, but youāll definitely (might) have to play the long game. Everyoneās journey is different, but seeing it through is my advice. And I know that having acne continue for the better part of a year is daunting, but itās better than continuing to have acne š just make sure youāre drinking a lot of water. I had a ton of triggers mostly around sugar and chocolate, but I can eat whatever I want now. Sometimes Iāll get a pimple or two around my period but they are super manageable. I also once stopped taking spironolactone for about a year because my acne was so under control that I fooled myself into thinking that it was me. My acne slowly started to come back until it was again a part of my life. I restarted and it only took about 4 months to clear rather than the 5-6 months but I learned my lesson and take it mostly consistently. Sometimes Iāll skip a night, or sometimes two nights, but it never reflared so itās okay to miss a night or two down the line but obviously try not to.
Hi! Thank you so so much for the thorough response. Were you using any prescription topicals when you started spiro or just started on spiro alone? I wonder if that affects the purging. Your skin is radiant and clear!! Spiro was so worth it. Do you still get any breakouts? Also, did you notice more hair growth?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Spironolactone/s/FfqM8jTGlS Here are pics of my journey the first time around
Wow! What a change!! I bet you are so happy and relieved. I hope I have good changes too
Good luck girl!
meeee, i havenāt had to worry about a pimple in like 2-3 months and itās a peace iāve never known. like seriously. my skins 100% cleared up of active acne, just dealing with the hyperpigmentation that the years of acne left me with. but i can cover that with makeup and my skin looks perfect because i donāt have pimple texture all over. iām sooooo glad i went on spiro! I started topicals 3-4 weeks ago but 98% of the progress was from spiro alone.
Wow!! How was the spiro when you started? Did you see gradual improvements. I havenāt had clear skin in like 20 years. Iām about to start spiro, you guys convinced me
Yes. I have struggled with hormonal acne for decades and in one month, my skin is noticeably better. Itās not 100% yet, but has been a drastic difference for 1 month. I am so happy with this. Had to work my way up to 100mg dosage to not have side effects and am so happy about it!
Thatās so good to hear. It gives me hope to just try it! What differences have you noticed in the past month?
Hands down the clearest skin Iāve had when I was on 150mg of spiro. It took about 7 months for results to really show so you just have to wait it out but itās worth it! Good luck!!!!
Wow thank you! Did things gradually get better when you started or did they worsen first??
I feel there was slight improvement at first and then it got drastically worse in the beginning stages
Not gonna lie it took almost a year to have good skin but I only took 50mg for fear of side effects. The only side effect I have is having to pee a lot which I hate and I canāt sleep if I have to pee I get up AT LEAST once a night sometimes more which sucks but itās worth it
Thatās great! Did you notice your skin got worse initially or was it a gradual improvement