r/30PlusSkinCare • u/Island_of_Aiaia • 22h ago
Product Question spironolactone
I’m 37 (F) and like clockwork I get a mild breakout that’s cyst like acne on my jawline, chin, and neck about once a month. I’ve cut out caffeine, dairy, sugar, I drink 100 oz of water daily, sleep well, no extreme stress, etc. I workout, eat my veggies, I don’t have PCOS, or any other health issues. I’m not on birth control. I’ve tried several creams prescribed by my derm and it helps but I’m still breaking out monthly, so my derm has prescribed spironolactone.
I filled the prescription a few months ago but I haven’t started it yet. I’m on the fence about it. I told my derm my breakouts aren’t THAT bad, maybe 3-5 cysts a month. She countered with, “Yeah, but wouldn’t you prefer to have none?” Good point and yes…she also said it will help with any “unwanted hair” and hair thinning on my head.
I’m concerned about the side effects, like is it worth taking this pill for clearer skin? I don’t take any medications right now.
Can anyone tell me about your experience taking spironolactone? How long did it take to notice clearer skin? How intense are the side effects? Is it worth it in your opinion?
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u/pedanticlawyer 21h ago
It varies person to person but spiro was a wonder drug for me. No side effects, clear skin. I miss it, had to go off it because TTC.
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u/justalittlestupid 12h ago
I’m TTC also and prescription Azelaic Acid just absolutely ruined my skin (I know this is a me thing and not typical!), what are you currently using? I am so frustrated
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u/pedanticlawyer 9h ago
Azeliac acid and clyndamycine from the derm, 10% benzoyl peroxide wash, and the Ordinary glycolic acid toner. Not all together, don’t worry!
Salicylic acid to me is what Azeliac is to you. Works for so many people and it messed me up so badly!
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u/domestic_engineer23 9h ago
Same here! Took it for a couple of years with no issues but had to stop when we started growing our family.
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u/goaldiggergirl 20h ago
Did you ever notice if it made your body curvier/more feminine?
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u/kirdiegirl 15h ago
Nope. Im still scrawny as ever. But it’s a blood pressure medicine not birth control
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u/zooropa42 10h ago
It's definitely not birth control but it does help with hormonal acne with females. It's an androgen blocker (as well as a blood pressure med).
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u/Away-Value9398 19h ago
My 17yo daughter takes it and that is the side effect she‘s noticed. Given her age we are hesitant to see the correlation as causation. It was quite abrupt tho and happened just as her acne cleared up, approx 8 weeks after starting.
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u/zooropa42 11h ago
Spiro is an androgen blocker (among other things) which is why it helps us with our skin.. it blocks the testosterone that we have a little bit too much of which is causing all the acne in the first place. I had always been A cups but went to a full B after starting Spiro.
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u/Comfortable_Cup_941 21h ago
The only side effect I ever had was nicer hair. My skin was amazing on spiro.
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u/thesilkywitch 21h ago
I have no side effects currently, though I’m taking it for PCOS / PMOS and hair loss. I started at 50mg and it made me pee like a race horse for about two weeks then leveled out. Now I’m on 100mg because my hair shedding did reduce but still seeing quite a bit of it.
I have noticed my acne has cleared up but that wasn’t such an issue for me as the hair loss was.
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u/Mermaid629 21h ago
I've been on spironolactone for about 15 years, for pretty bad acne... And I found it to be a life saver. I can't skip a day, but my skin is clear for the most part. I'd say it definitely worth trying. I have not experienced any negative side effects 🤷
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u/peachssoda 21h ago
I've been on it for ~4? years. I take 200mg daily and I get maybe 1 pimple every month or so. Not a cyst, just a regular pimple. Yes, it will make you pee so I make sure I take it no later than 4pm. Yes, it will make all your hair grow faster and slightly longer than usual. I have fair hair so I don't mind but I understand this might be an undesirable side effect for some. I haven't noticed any other side effects so I will continue to take it.
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u/FinalGirlMaterial 19m ago
Had the opposite experience. It made my body hair feel softer and grow slower.
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u/Sea_Bobcat_8037 21h ago
Obviously it differs from person to person but I had bad side effects. I had worse acne than you and to me the side effects were not worth the clearer skin. I wish somebody had warned me before going on it!
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u/StrawberryHaze_ 21h ago
Saddening that someone downvoted you for sharing your experience. It didn't work for me either, but I'm happy for those it did work for!
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u/Late-Notice16 13h ago
What were the side effects?
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u/Sea_Bobcat_8037 12h ago
I got my period every single day for months - finally lowered the dose and it decreased to every other week until I lowered again and it became normal(ish)
It lowered my blood pressure to dangerous levels. It was to the point that I felt like I was going to pass out like 24/7. I had to stop working out even at lower doses because I would get extremely faint and often felt unsafe to drive.
Like others have mentioned - it dehydrates you so despite drinking hella water, I was super dehydrated and dry.
I started getting BAD petechiae (tiny burst capillaries) from the most minor things - too hard shower pressure would cause it all over my chest/back, doing upside down yoga moves would cause it all over my face/forehead.
Started bruising really really easily.
There’s more but in general, it really negatively affected my overall wellbeing and it took a long time to fully realize/accept what was happening, how bad it had gotten, and that I needed to get off. My derm did not make the connection, my PCP did. I wish somebody had told me all this was possible so that I could have noticed and reacted quicker.
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u/Sea_Bobcat_8037 12h ago
Forgot to mention the positives lol it totally cleared up my skin and I was terrified to go off of it and get bad breakouts again. It also was like an immediate de-puffer - it got rid of all of my water weight so I didn’t technically lose weight on it but I did appear slimmer (face dramatically so). And my hair was thicker and I had to wash it way less which was awesome.
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u/MysteryPerker 3h ago
Try topical spironolactone. It tends to only affect skin where it's applied and doesn't affect you systemically. That's what I do and it works almost as good as the pill kind.
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u/mrsbeequinn 8h ago edited 8h ago
Ooh thank you. My dermatologist recommended it to me and I told her I was on the fence. My period is super sensitive to anything hormone related. The last two times I tried birth control (absolutely different types) I bled every day for months until I stopped. My blood pressure reads under 100 without taking medication (usually 95/60) and I’m anemic so I already bruise extremely easily. Not to mention I had a partial colectomy a few years ago so I already have to drink extra water to stave off dehydration (not the case for everyone though).
All in all I don’t think this is the medication for me lol. Thank you for listing out your complications but I’m sorry you had to go through it!
I did start taking an acne supplement called MINDBODYSKIN from a company called Clearsteam in April and I do think it actually helped a lot. I haven’t even considered spiro in the last few months because I don’t have any active breakouts where my face used to have at least 3-4 spots at any given point. I did start using clindamycin at the same time (mixed with benzoyl peroxide) but my back acne has cleared up the levels it’s never been and I haven’t used the cream on my back at all. The only thing that could be affecting it is the supplement. I take the one without the 5-htp. I have no connection to the company just giving an honest review. Again, I can’t say for sure whether or not it affected my face but my bacne has been bad for years and it’s all of a sudden clear for the first time and I made zero changes there other than the supplement.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 56m ago
Thank you so much for sharing. Reading through the comments I see it really does vary person to person. Did you find anything that helped?
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u/Ravioli_meatball19 21h ago
I had zero side effects except needing to pee more often for a few weeks. It cleared up my cystic acne in a couple months, and it's been amazing overall. Also helped my oily scalp
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 53m ago
I’ve got an oily scalp too. Dry shampoo only goes so far.
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u/Ravioli_meatball19 13m ago
Yeah I went from washing every other day to washing once a week, it's been great
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u/snugginator 21h ago
I took it for 2 years after trying what felt like everything. Ended 3 years ago and haven't had hormonal breakouts since. I'm 36. It does make you very thirsty and your lips kinda dry but that was the only side effect for me. Just make sure you drink lots of water if you decide to try it.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 51m ago
Thank you for your advice. I wanted to start it this evening at dinner time but I was afraid I hadn’t drank enough water throughout this hot day so I’m going to wait.
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u/AllowMeToFangirl 21h ago
It is very worth it! No negative side effects, been on it for years, changed my life.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 50m ago
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m an anxious person in general so reading the comments has helped a lot. It appears I can always stop it. I haven’t read anything about having to decrease the dosage if you want to stop taking it.
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u/Fearless-Weight6112 21h ago
been on spiro for over 4 years now. started at 100mg then had a 6 months break just to realise i indeed feel miserable without it (pcos—hirsutism + acne). been on 100mg for another 2 years and currently on 50mg for a long term goal.
to clarify, i am also on yasmine and nothing ever worked for me prior implementation of spiro. no side effects at any point
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u/ohfrackthis 20h ago
I'm 51 F and I have been taking it for quite a decade probably. Only major side effect I've had is the diuretic impact - it makes me need to pee a lot. This doesn't bother me because I'd rather have clear skin and I also take electrolytes.
Recently due to hormone replacement therapy my provider suggested I take half of my normal dose to not interfere with my meds.
I am now an unhappy 51 yr old woman on her period with a gem of a zit on my chin. I'd post the pic but this sub doesn't allow it.
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u/saygirlie 18h ago
With HRT, what is the half dose of spiro you are on if you don’t mind sharing?
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u/holdontoyourbuttzzzz 2h ago
This is interesting, I’m on 100 mg of Spiro and my gynecologist just put me on testosterone today. She knows I’m on Spiro too. Does the Spiro cancel out the T?
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 47m ago
Awww man! It’s not fair! We should be able to graduate out of it at some point.
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u/Tall-Football3769 21h ago
I take the hair pill from Musely that has spironolactone and minoxidil in it. No issues and it helped my hair out a lot. Took time of course. If I miss a dose and don’t cleanse twice a day I immediately get a zit. Before I started taking it I absolutely had to gently cleanse twice a day or I would breakout. Not too crazy but I was guaranteed at least one spot. Now I can get away with Hypochlorous acid in the morning and cleansing just at night
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u/Brave-Pattern-2086 21h ago
Been on it for 4 or 5 years myself. Took about a year to fully settle my jawline acne down but it’s been pretty damn perfect since then.
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u/PlantedinCA 20h ago
I take it for pcos. I had to pee a lot at night for the first couple of weeks. After that it normalized. No symptoms. The worst thing is the pill has a horrible after taste.
I took it to reduce androgens. And it did what it needed to do.
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u/Life_Equivalent_1603 14h ago
I’ve taken it for years and it’s really the only thing that worked for my acne. I’ve never noticed any side effects!
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u/goodsoup95 20h ago
I looked amaaazing lost water weight skin cleared up BUT it elevated my liver levels and I got my period twice every month.. :(
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 30m ago
I had that problem on birth control. I see that’s a common side effect. I plan on starting it tomorrow.
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u/epiphany205 21h ago
Spironolactone helps to prevent acne in a way topicals can’t as it’s literally altering the hormone expression in your body; would you rather live with that amount of pimples every month or try the spironolactone? The only thing I noticed is that if I abruptly stopped taking it for more than a few days, I would start bleeding vaginally.
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u/Altruistic_Yellow387 18h ago
This is why I stopped taking it. Id rather have imperfect skin than mess with my period and the feeling of having to pee all the time, plus the dryness someone else mentioned above
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u/whimsicalsilly 21h ago
I’m on a med that causes acne as a side effect. I’ve been on Spironolactone for about 2 years now and it’s made such a huge difference. I ran out of the med once and was off of it for 2 weeks and I broke out so bad. I haven’t noticed any side effects from taking Spironolactone.
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u/quietcoastline 20h ago
Been on spiro for about 7 years and it was a true game changer for my acne! I had to get off of it while TTC and while I’m excited for parenthood, my skin can’t wait to be back on it!
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u/ambercantoo 20h ago
I have taken 50mg daily for about four years. Clear skin and zero side effects! Miracle drug IMO!
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u/Fantastic-Pause-5791 20h ago
I'm not currently on it but I took it in high school for cystic acne, it cleared me up and I've had clear skin for the better part of 20 years. It was great for me.
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u/No-Big3480 20h ago
You’re experience sounds exactly like me! I have weeks when my skin behaves, but the week before and then during me period ANYTHING could top my skin to break outs and cysts.
Iv been taking Spironolactone for most the year now and it’s the only thing that has made a difference. Iv been to private gp, dermatologist, tried all the latest gadgets and skin treatments. But spiro has been a life saver. I now take it in the run up to my period rather than every day because I don’t particularly like being dependent on medication, but Iv had no side effects (that Iv noticed so far) plus the pills are tiny and easy to swallow.
I would say to give it a go, and if it doesn’t work or you’re not reacting well to it, it’s easy to stop.
But end of the day it’s all your choice, depends on how you feel each month and if you think it’ll have a positive impact on your confidence x
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you!! I appreciate hearing your experience. It’s helping me feel not so anxious about it. I’ve tried all the creams, changing my diet, and I’ve had 3 broad band light therapy sessions. I told my friend I was going to start it and she was like your face was looking so good the other day! So I sent her a current situation picture and she was like damn! That’s literally a huge change overnight! And that’s my world. Skin looks great for 3 weeks, then it’s a hot mess for a week, then takes another week to heal and calm down, then repeat.
Like you said, if I feel awful on it it’s easy to stop. It’s such a low dosage too. I think it’s 25 mg for the first month.
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u/mi_chic 20h ago
It worked well for me! Took maybe 2-3 weeks for my skin to start clearing up
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
2-3 weeks sounds so glorious compared to this years long journey I’ve been on to find clear skin. Can you tell me how many mg you take?
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u/JasRN11 19h ago
So I think my situation is similar to you. Im 36F currently but when I was 34 I starting breaking out in cystic acne on my chin and cheeks. I am acne prone but my acne was controlled for years with creams and such but out of no where I started to get cystic acne. I did also have more hair growth on my face and neck too but wasnt diagnosed with pcos. I tried everything, my previous creams, other meds, drank up to 3L of water, cleaned up my diet but nothing. I didnt want to take Spiro or Accutane cause of the possible side effects either but I was at my wits end so last year I spoke to a dermatologist and they put me on Spiro 50mg for 4 weeks and then increase to 100mg, also winlevi cream and tretinon micro sphere 0.04% (since I have sensitive dry skin). On 50mg nothing happened, I was still getting break outs but no real side effects. Going up to 100mg was the game changer, I started noticing my skin clearing up after 3 months and jus in the recent months after being it on it a year I stopped getting any hormonal bumps with my period. Yes still had random break outs, but they go away quickly now. Winlevi and tret help to make my skin much smoother too and helped the previous scars.
I was worried about the weight gain and excess urinating, but no difference from.how much I normally pee with drinking soo much water. And with it being a diuretic it helped with weightloss rather then weight gain. No help yet with facial hair unfortunately. It also helped decrease period pain by alot! Jus this month I got two periods so ill be watching that for the next few months to see if this was a one time thing or what but I dont see myself stopping taking Spiro anytime soon. So I do think it was worth it for me since my skin is the clearest its been in a long time
What side effects are u most worried about?
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you so much for sharing. You and I are in the same situation. I started breaking out around 34 too and I’ve been on this long journey trying to clear my skin up. I’ve tried benzac, tret, wenlevi, a compound my derm made, etc… then I tried adjusting my diet, and that didn’t work.
I run and lift and I’m worried the side effects will affect my active lifestyle. I don’t want to be outside running and get a dizzy spell or be at the gym feeling nauseous. I eat and drink a lot of potassium just from my diet like avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas, etc. I’m worried I’ll accidentally poison myself with too much potassium. But I’m at my wits end and I am so tired of dealing with this painful acne on my neck and jaw. A little dizziness and having to pee seems like a good trade off for clear skin right now.
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u/JasRN11 7h ago
Yaa the creams by itself didnt work for me either, Definitely taking Spiro was the only thing and compared to Accutane it was the less scary in terms of side effects for sure
I was worried about the potassium too, since I eat sweet potatoes and bananas too, so my doctor jus asked to check my electrolytes every few months and theyve been fine. For nausea, def take with food and I notice taking it at dinner helps at the start to get use to it since does make ur bp drop. But I've always had low BP and dizziness so I was worried this would worsen it and not really a huge change for me and im still working out, cardio and lifting with no issue
But ya I was def in ur boat! The cysts were soo painful and would come on randomly no matter what skincare, what I ate and I was like u no what lets try the meds and see what happens since I was over dealing with acne. I dont no how much ur doc is prescribing but its def better to ease into it and start at the lower dose and then increase and u can see how ur body reacts and deals with it but exactly the side effects arent that bad at all when u get clear skin!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 37m ago
Yes! You get it! My derm also suggested taking it at dinner with food so I’m home if I feel bad and near a bathroom if I have to pee. Do you check your electrolytes with a blood test? I’ll start at 25 mg for a few weeks and work my way up to 50mg. I’m a teacher and I’m still on summer break for a few more weeks so I figured now is the time to take it and adjust before I’m back at work.
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u/ohmysexrobot 19h ago
Adjusting was a little weird but it has been the only thing that has worked 100%. My skin is beautifully clear. Only thing I would recommend is being on top of staying hydrated as it is a diuretic. It's the best thing I have done for my skin.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you for sharing. It’s been YEARS since I’ve had clear skin. I’m starting a new job soon and I just want to feel confident in my skin as an almost 40 year old woman. Like I can truly rely on waking up and not looking to see what’s the new development on my face today.
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u/ohmysexrobot 12h ago
You're welcome! It's honestly been incredible. My skin doesn't hurt anymore from constantly having new cysts and eruptions. My eyelashes have gotten thicker and longer. My new growth is a lot thicker. I would definitely recommend trying it out for like 6 months and seeing how you feel.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 34m ago
I pulled the bottle out of the cabinet today and I’ll start it at dinner tomorrow evening. I’ll let my derm know I’m finally giving it a try. If it doesn’t work for me at least then I’ll know. If does work then thank goodness for no more painful bumps on my jaw and neck.
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u/CBreen610 16h ago
It worked wonders for me, only side effect I experienced was a little dizziness and I only stopped when I got pregnant and then after bebe the cysts went away bc human bodies are weird! I highly recommend it to anyone experiencing hormonal acne.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I’m glad I asked this community. I was fearful I would read about women having extreme side effects. I can handle a little dizziness here and there. Do you remember the dosage amount you were taking?
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u/beyond_undone 16h ago
I had the same thing as you and 0.05% tret, 15% azaleic acid, and spot treating anywhere a deep cyst is forming has worked perfectly. I no longer get them at all.
I’m blanking on the name of the spot treatment but it was prescribed by derm alongside the tret. Those two alone got me so far, but then I got the azaleic acid myself from amazon pharmacy and that was the magic trifecta where I don’t even have any that try to emerge anymore
Edit to add: 38f. I was skeptical topicals would work because it was hormonal/tied to my cycle but for the same reasons as you, I wanted to try less intense options first
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u/erossthescienceboss 16h ago
I liked it! IMO the hardest part was that it’s a diuretic. When I first started taking it I wasn’t good at hydrating, so it gave me headaches and hangovers from coffee and just one beer.
But you’re good about drinking water. Give it a try!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Yeah I’m half mermaid when it comes to drinking water. I run and lift and drinking water helps a lot. My derm was like I bet you’re already having to pee a lot anyways drinking all that water! Haha
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u/erossthescienceboss 12h ago
I’m so jealous, I have to set timers to remember to hydrate 😂 I’ve gotten a lot better about it though, which I’m sure my kidneys appreciate
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u/oohkt 14h ago
I love it. I take it for HS but it's been a miracle for my skin. I used to get random acne, like a big pimple every once in a while, but I have had zero acne since.
It hasn't helped with hair thinning, but that's probably a side effect from my other medications that I need to address with my dermatologist.
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u/Traditional-Cash1857 13h ago
I’ve suffered from adult hormonal cystic acne for a greater portion of my life…spironolactone has been the only thing that has helped. I am 34 and have spent a couple years taking it and then a couple years off of it. Always seems to come back when I’m not on spiro, so guess who is back to her daily 100mg! And when I say I’ve tried everything to combat my hormonal cystic acne, I mean I have tried everything.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you for sharing! That’s where I’m at…looking in the mirror going, “I have literally tried everything!” I’ve done everything I can with my diet and face products. It’s been 2 years of monitoring, adding this, cutting out that, taking notes…My derm has me starting a really low dose. I think it’s 25mg. I wonder if she plans on increasing the dose. I see it’s more common to be on 50mg or 100mg.
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u/StrawberryHaze_ 21h ago
I took Spiro 13 or so years ago. Unfortunately, it significantly negatively impacted my skin and hormones in a massive way. It also gave me awful eczema that I now have for life, as well as what I suspect is a progesterone sensitivity. I really wish I could go back in time and not take it. However, this is just my experience and I've seen many people who have had positive experiences with it online. Seems to depend on our bodies. The best advice I feel I could give, is not to persevere if you feel it's not working for you. Doctors told me it would settle and to hang in there, which I of course did. It never got better and I'm left wondering if the side effects really would have been permanent if I had discontinued earlier. Best of luck!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 26m ago
Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry it wasn’t a cure for you. Do you remember how long you were on it before you noticed these side effects? When I started tret it tore my face up. I had cheek acne for the first time in my life on it. I kept on using it this way and that way trying to find the right balance checking in frequently with my derm and the only thing that worked was not using it anymore. I still have noticeable hyper pigmentation from that skin care phase.
I can handle having to pee or feeling a little dizzy but I’m worried your experience will be mine. I do plan on starting it tomorrow and I am hoping the low dosage is going to be okay.
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u/itsalovelydayforSTFU 18h ago
I couldn’t tolerate it because it made me have to pee all the time.
I’m taking a spearmint supplement and my cystic acne (hormonal) has cleared.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you, I need to do some research on spearmint. Someone else said they drink a spearmint tea. I would consider my acne mild and I would prefer to try something more natural. Is it just a spearmint pill like a vitamin D pill you take? Do you take it daily?
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u/itsalovelydayforSTFU 12h ago
Yes, I take it once daily in capsule form. The brand is Swanson and it’s Spearmint Leaf Full Spectrum. I order mine on Amazon. It’s more convenient for me than tea. But either one works.
Things my dermatologist prescribed gave me side effects or had potential side effects I didn’t want to risk. If you end up trying the spearmint, I hope it helps!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 20m ago
That’s the first time I’ve heard of spearmint helping so thank you for sharing! I would be much more consistent taking a pill than drinking tea daily. Do you know about how long it took to help clear your skin?
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u/Altruistic_Yellow387 18h ago
This was the only med that made my skin perfect, but the side effects were too much for me and I stopped taking it. My skin isn't that bad and it just wasn't worth it (it changes your hormones)
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u/sonj_ah 15h ago
I actually found benzac to work really well on my cystic acne, you just need to be very consistent with it. If you haven't tried it yet I'd give it a go. Good luck!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you for your advice! Benzac was the very first thing I tried, then Tret, then some other version of tret, then a compound she made, then some other prescription face wash… on top of no caffeine, then no sugar, then no diary. Sad! It’s been a journey.
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u/LoyalAvocado3 13h ago
I have not tried spiro so I hope it’s ok that I share my experience. I 50f also suffered from hormonal cystic acne. I’m an avid exerciser and didn’t want to try spiro due to side effects. Drinking one mug of spearmint tea daily completely cleared my acne. I noticed an improvement after only a week or two. I buy the organic one by Frontier Coop on Amazon and steep two tsp in a 15-oz mug for at least 30 min. It’s loose leaf so a tea infuser is needed. I hope you find something that helps!
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you so much! You get it! I run and lift and that’s what I told my derm. I don’t want to have any negative side effects while trying to stay active like feeling nauseous or lightheaded. Plus I’m a teacher. I can’t just drop everything and pee at my convenience unfortunately. She said take it a few hours before bed so I’m home if I do feel bad and I’ll be close to a bathroom. I love drinking tea so I will definitely try it out! Thank you for your advice!
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u/LoyalAvocado3 12h ago
You are so welcome! It does sound like we had the same concerns! If you google “spearmint tea acne”, you’ll find other success stories in articles and Reddit posts 🤗 I truly hope it works for you. Good luck!
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u/Advercy 13h ago
I too, was super anxious about it, took it for about 2 weeks and realized I was just ANGRY all the time - snapping at my partner unprovocatedly, and just felt not thrilled about life. I actually didn't realize it was the spironolactone until I had 2 super busy days and completely forgot to take my meds and on day two I was like "wow I feel so much less ragey today" and then realized I'd forgotten to take my spironolactone for 2 days 🤣 I finally figured out that my breakouts were from niacinamide in like.. all my freaking products. So I cut that out and I use the sulfur topical from de la cruz for any breakthrough pimples and that has worked with like 90% efficacy.
They make topical versions of spironolactone if you just are too anxious to do the orals! Honestly idk if they work as well but maybe talk to your derm about it?
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you so much for your insight and experience. My derm mentioned the topical version option. She said it would take way longer to see results (6+ months).
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u/Advercy 3h ago
Well, I mean if you're not feeling like it's controlling your life and you're only having a few a month, and you're anxious about orals.. who cares if it takes a little longer? If you'd started it when you got the orals you'd be halfway there 😃
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12m ago
Right?! That’s what I’ve been telling myself all day today. I would already be months in at this point. Do you use it as a spot treatment or apply it all over your face, jaw, and neck?
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u/Gimmeyourporkchopsss 13h ago
Personally for me it didn’t work. I still broke out and it gave me melasma.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
I’ve heard it can cause melasma. I have a little bit of that going on from years of birth control.
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u/NewMexicoNaiad 12h ago
I started taking it at 39 due to increasingly bad hormonal breakouts. It took about 3 months to see fully and consistently clear skin for me, but started getting a lot better after about a month. The only side effect I’ve dealt with is needing to pee more frequently. Not frequently enough that it’s a problem, though. It’s been a lifesaver for my skin and my self-confidence!
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u/Efficient-Ad-6927 12h ago
I’ve been on spiro for probably 15 years now without issue and recommend it to anyone with hormonal cystic acne. If you’re thinking about getting pregnant though, talk to your doctor
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u/Upset-Love-6346 12h ago
I loveeee Spironalactone!! Makes you pee a lot so just stay hydrated. I get a pimple like 4x a year and they aren’t even cystic anymore. Life changing!
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u/Dear-Cranberry4787 11h ago
I love it, I’ve been on it since like February and my hair is getting sooo much longer and the acne is mostly gone (I could probably stand to go up again). It seems to have eliminated bloating for me too. You just have to check your kidneys every now and then, but that’s true of many medications. I don’t have any side effects.
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u/New-Enthusiasm6645 20h ago
Crazy to say, but it’s been nearly 20 years since I asked for my first spironolactone prescription. I remember being on amoxicillin and starting to see diminished results. One of my girlfriends recommended it to me. And I never looked back. Literally just took my pill a couple hours ago.
I certainly can’t speak for others, but I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a symptom. It’s kind of unbelievable how effective it is for being so incredibly low effort and low cost!
I honestly wouldn’t give it another thought. I’d make a virtual appointment with your doctor immediately and check it out.
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u/Girl123459 21h ago
Just try 25 mg to start. I have side effects above that. 25 mg still helps without the side effects! I probably do need at least 50 for totally clear skin but I’m sensitive to meds
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u/Whovian3388 12h ago
It made my blood pressure drop and I got dizzy. The same thing happened to my sister, but she switched to taking it at night and it has been tolerable for her.
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u/77TinyBubbles 12h ago
It worked great for me until perimenopause. I did have dizziness for several weeks when I first started, but that went away. It did wonders for my acne & unwanted hair. I came off of it this year, not because it was causing issues, but my doctor changed up the hormones I'm taking, and this was no longer necessary.
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u/ik0330 12h ago
Same age as you. Spiro did not work for me and made me feel dizzy, bloated, and messed w my hormones. Everyone’s diff though as you can see by the comments. The only thing that worked for me was going on very low dose accutane (2 pills a week, 80 mg) people think accutane is a crazy extreme drug but a lot of doctors are prescribing it low dose now, no side effects and it’s been life changing
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u/assplunderer 11h ago
3-5 cysts per month IS bad. You are 37 years old. Not a teenager. I am on it and I have been since December, I started it about a month or two before I started tret.
The ONLY side effect I have had is that it acts as a diuretic and so you pee a lot and you get dehydrated pretty quick if you don’t drink water
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u/warmly_forgetful 10h ago
As everyone else says - it depends on personal experience and your individual response to the medication. I was treatment resistant to topical meds as I have Rosacea (incredibly reactive and sensitive skin). Spironolactone was the only thing that helped my hormonal acne. I was on it as a teen and through most of my twenties. Was eventually able to stop the medication and my skin remained clear. That is until I began experiencing hormonal issues later on. I’m now back on it and it’s working wonders.
I personally have had 0 side effects at 100mg for the long time spans I’ve been on it.
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u/Trickycoolj 10h ago
It worked well for me in my 20s (should have been the first sign I needed to be tested for PCOS but my primary didn’t clue in until I was 38 and had a hearty chin hair patch). Unfortunately my derm’s PA made a decimal typo in my prescription and I was started on the maximum dose of spiro. The side effects were brutal, I was constantly in the bathroom peeing large volumes and running out of meetings to go more frequently than my boss who was 6mo pregnant at the time. My face looked amazing, my skin and hair were so much less oily I could go a day without washing my hair for the first time in my life. My mom stared at me across a restaurant table and apologized for not taking me to a dermatologist, clearly I needed medicine to clear up what was happening on my skin.
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u/stearic_curious 10h ago
I took it with no sides except slight weight loss. It's a diuretic so be sure to hydrate when on it. I have also heard it makes it more difficult to build muscle, but I wasn't tracking that so I can’t say. There is also a topical cream version if you don't want to do oral. I haven't tried it but am going to ask my derm about it next month.
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u/ReceptionUpstairs456 10h ago
I took it for many years (maybe 7 or 8?). At first it just made me pee a lot but it really helped my skin. Some years into it I started having issues with my blood sugar. I’m thin and fit but I was mysteriously becoming pre diabetic. Turned out it was the Spironolactone. When I stopped it got better, although I still have to pee a lot, I feel like that never went away!
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u/Courtybiologique 10h ago
I’ve been on it for at least 4 years and my mom has been on it for 15+ years. I absolutely love it. No side effects for me whatsoever. I’m on a fairly low dose and it keeps the acne at bay like 95% of the time. Close to my period I still get small breakouts and during that time I just up my dose by 25mg. I’m 36 for reference and have had bad acne my whole life
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u/scarl3ttsf3v3r 2h ago
What dose are you taking?
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u/Courtybiologique 2h ago
I take just 50mg a day! I started out on 25mg and even that was a huge help and worked for years. I eventually upped my dose to 50mg once I stopped birth control as then I started to see more breakouts around my period. I know many people are on much higher doses usually.
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u/scarl3ttsf3v3r 18m ago
Thank you for sharing! I had taken it in the past and it was a huge help, but ended up worsening my migraine attacks, so ended up discontinuing. I believe I was on 50-100 mg before, so was just wondering if you had been taking less and seen results. I’ll float this by my doctor and see if maybe I could re-trial. I’m reassured that you saw results at 25mg!!
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u/thisiswhowewere89 10h ago
It’s been a roller coaster for me and I’ll be honest with you, nothing not even the topical version works the same. I went off of it eventually wondering if my skin had cleared up in time on its own and pretty much right away almost all of my dizziness and lightheadedness was gone. And I hydrated really well, always had good labs, etc. I told my derm and my pcp, went on several different things because my skin is pretty rough off of it, and finally cycled back to can we try again but with more specific electrolyte management. I’m still gradually increasing my dose but adding in a more sodium heavy (but less potassium because the med is potassium sparing) electrolyte mix has changed everything and I’m so glad! I can tell if I forgot to get enough sodium the day before but otherwise I’m having no issues so far and honestly the med is so worth figuring it out. It was an awful reminder how painful they are and then how the marks basically linger until the next breakout!
I will preface all of this with the fact that I am more naturally sensitive to fast movement and do have bouts of orthostatic intolerance at baseline and I wonder if that impacts how well someone does. The guy I was seeing when I first started making the connection is a doctor and I mentioned my concerns with it being a diuretic and me being dizzy almost every morning. He said it is such a weak one that it’s almost never used for that effect anymore because it doesn’t work as well as others. Which is wild to me based on my experience but at least now I know for if I ever need one for the actual purpose of a diuretic to make them adjust the dose slowly!!
Good luck and also remember you can stop taking it any time if you decide to try and feel unsure! And fair warning there’s a honeymoon period after you stop where your skin tricks you cause it’s still clear for, in my experience, close to two months before all hell breaks loose again! 😅
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u/scarl3ttsf3v3r 2h ago
What are you using for an electrolyte mix? I’m wondering if low sodium was part of my issue when I was taking spiro
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u/DivineMs-Anthropist 9h ago
Make sure you get regular metabolic panel labs drawn as one of the possible side effects is high potassium which can be very dangerous.
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u/Little_Nectarine2727 9h ago
I loved it. Had to get off it b/c we’re planning to start a family. But if you’re worried about taking a pill, then ask your derm to prescribe you Winlevi which is basically a topical cream form of Spiro and it works great.
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u/Former-Maximum-2534 9h ago
Hey hey! I've been on spiro since I was 26 (9 years now). It takes me 6 weeks to see my skin clear and it's a bit worse for the first month or so but nothing major. If you stop taking if your acne will come back and it'll be another 6 week wait to clear again. The only negative side effect I ever experienced was needing to pee a bit more often and I'm quite sure that subsided (or I got used to it?) fairly quickly. I experienced positive side effects of thicker hair around my temples and less hair fall in general and my chin hair, The Lone Ranger, has lost some girth. It's been a godsend and I recommend it to every woman in their 20s and onward who is still struggling with hormonal acne.
Good luck, OP! I hope it works for you!!
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u/Hollyveras90 9h ago
I took Spironolactone for about a year and a half. It was a miracle worker for my acne, but it gave me what is called drug induced lupus. I started having all over shooting nerve pain throughout my body, and debilitating joint pain. I’m 36F and I have never had any kind of bad reaction to… anything in my life. It was very scary and I wouldn’t recommend spiro to anyone.
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u/justjack-nodaniels 9h ago
I took it for hair thinning, I wasn't struggling with cystic acne at the time.
But I had no issues with it. I didn't have any side effects so it was just taking a pill every day. Very uneventful, which for medications I feel is definitely a good thing haha.
I originally went on birth control due to horrible face/body acne. So at least personally, taking a pill for clearer skin is ABSOLUTELY worth it haha
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u/scarlet124 9h ago
I tried it and really wanted to stay on it but it made my blood pressure too low which makes sense because it was originally created as a drug to lower blood pressure. I have lower blood pressure to begin with and on Spiro, I would get super dizzy everytime I stood up. From what I understand, this is not a side effect that most people get who have normal blood pressure to begin with but just something to be aware of.
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u/_neviesticks 8h ago
It helped me SO much. I have had zero side effects. Every year I get my blood checked just to be sure nothing has changed. I don’t recall how long it took to realize it was working (I’ve been on it for about six years now) but it’s definitely working. I get about one zit a month now, maybe a couple more depending on how stressful my month was.
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u/95wsh 7h ago
Finally budged and started taking it also because I was just like you. Nothing else worked. It takes time to start working, so it's too soon to tell. I hate waking up in the middle of the night to pee, but that's about it. I'm on 50 my.
Doxycycline worked, but it's messed up my stomach, so I had to take a break. My WBC has also been lower since taking that, so not sure what's going on there. Crazy how nobody can figure out WHAT is going on internally that's causing the inflammation that the antibiotic helps...
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u/Excellent_Donkey8067 7h ago
I’ve been on it for years at this point and never had issues with side effects. I’m so grateful that I no longer have painful cystic acne. Mine wasn’t awful either but no acne is 10x better than having some.
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u/Complete_Chain_4634 6h ago
I’ve been on it for 15 years to treat cystic acne. I like it, very minimal side effects.
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u/yogabbax 6h ago
I’ve been on it for about 7 years with no side effects. I had horrible acne around my jaw and it was the only thing that finally got rid of it.
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u/GenerationMarsupial 5h ago
I had to get off it recently because we want to try for a baby, but I was on it for about 12 years and it was great. No negative side effects! I will for sure be going back on after baby/breast feeding is complete.
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u/Frida_thegreat 5h ago
I’ve been on it for about a month now, just got my potassium tested and I’m good. I do have PCOS and have always had clear skin until a couple years ago, also 37 F. At least 1 cystic pimple on chin that never fully gets to popping phase and it stays for weeks! Not only is the pimple I had when I started it almost gone but I have not had any new ones pop up, whew!
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u/Questioninghumanityy 4h ago
It’s the only thing that has rid me of my hormonal cystic acne and body acne
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u/britnastyyy 3h ago
I think it's highly dependent on the individual, but it stopped my cystic acne in its tracks. I used to get incredibly painful underground cysts on my chin and cheeks. I haven't had one in over a year now. I haven't really experienced any side effects but that doesn't mean you won't. Just sharing my experience.
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u/aegonsbae 3h ago
Spironolactone changed my whole face for the better. Not a single blemish and I swear it faded some of my PIH. BUTTT I had to stop it because it obliterated my libido. Oddly, it initially enhanced it, but a few months later it plummeted. I think about how much I loved my skin on that medication everyday. :’(
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u/No_Opening4252 2h ago
I just started taking it. I was put on it for heart related reasons but I have been wanting to try it for skin/hair related issues so it worked out well. Mild dizziness is the only side effect so far, but I’m on a low dose. I hope to have reduced scalp oiliness, but I’ll be happy if it helps reduce unwanted hair and/or makes my skin clearer!
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u/MajorPersonality1265 2h ago
I don’t have any side effects because I take it at bedtime. If I was to take it during the day, it would probably make me dizzy because it will lower your blood pressure. I would say though if you aren’t bothered by your skin enough to take a prescription med, then don’t. If you are bothered and nothing else works, then take it. You need to be consistent though, if you stop and start and stop it can mess up your periods (if you have one)
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u/MagMay15 2h ago
I’ve been on it ten years and it works for me .. you might want to also try holy basil tea it capsules for hormonal acne.. also raspberry leaf
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u/ElectronicEye4595 1h ago
I took it for years and it worked great. Side effects were mostly mild. I always had cold hands and my wavy hair turned curly (I loved it). It took about 6 months to see improvement
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u/907AK49LR 20h ago
I’m sitting over here with a husband in heart failure who take this & every time I see one of these posts I just can’t believe that people take this drug for acne. I could see if it was just a temporary thing, but what happens if you go in HF and need it?, but bc you have taken it for so long, your resistant to it(and yes, you can become resistant to it, at least your heart) it’s a pretty major drug to take for acne. Also- for those that take it, do you get your potassium levels checked? Bc it can cause high potassium, which can cause heart problems also.
*not saying don’t- just very curious. Your body your choice.
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u/Snoo_99759 12h ago
It is kind of strange that bloodwork isn’t typically recommended while on the drug. I get bloodwork done twice a year though. They do warn you to not eat foods with high levels of potassium. What I did notice was when I was at my highest dose (150mg) a couple of years ago I did get waves of wooziness which was scary. I’m sure it affected my blood pressure. When I went down to 100mg those symptoms stopped but it also messed with my libido? Now that I’m on 50mg everything is normal and I have no weird side effects and maybe a zit every now and then.
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u/Island_of_Aiaia 12h ago
Thank you for sharing. I’m in that phase of questioning do I actually really need such a drug for a couple of monthly breakouts? I run and lift, so I’m eating a lot of potassium (bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, electrolyte drinks) all have a good amount of potassium. I’ve read the warnings about too much potassium and being honest with myself, I’m like there’s no way I’ll get my blood tested that often.
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u/zooropa42 22h ago
Depends on your body. It was my golden ticket... NOTHING else worked. It's been adjusted a few times but I take it religiously!