If you’ve been to the doctor or dermatologist about your acne, they’ve probably tried to bully you into taking antibiotics for it. I certainly know they tried that with me!
Unfortunately, antibiotics can wreak havoc on your intestines and make it even easier for acne to take hold after you’ve gone off them.
Check out the video to find out why taking antibiotics for any reason, acne or otherwise, is bad news and what to do if you’re already on them or have been in the past. All hope is not lost!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URNcEBNBD0
*NOTE*: I forgot to mention this in the video. If you’re on a long course of antibiotics for acne, try not to go cold turkey off of them. Going off them in one go will make it more likely for you to experience a bad breakout afterward.
Wean yourself off of them by lowering your dosage (ex. take one a day if you’re currently taking two). After a week or two of that, start taking them every other day, and start taking probiotics on your off days. After a week or so of that, start spacing out the days, and adding in more probiotics until you’re completely off the antis and on the pros.
Have you been on antibiotics for acne, or other infections in the past?
55 Responses
Thank you for this video Tracy! As I’ve mentioned before I’m already on antibiotics for acne and have been for a month and half. I’ll be going off of them soon, (within the next day or so). I’m nervous that my acne will come back worse than before once I stop, but I have high hopes for an easy transition since I’ve already switched to a healthy, acne free diet, and I’ve also started exercising and taking care of my mental and spiritual health. I look forward to your next video on probiotics and how to take them, I’ll be needing to get on the probiotic train soon!
Quick question, when going off my antibiotics, should I stop taking them cold turkey or should I ween myself off of them, for instance take one a day instead of two and then gradually cut back even more? Thank you again!
-Chelsea
Hi Chelsea….
actually yes, that is something I forgot to say…. you should wean yourself off. I think it would help prevent a bad breakout. Try alternating days of antibiotics, maybe for a couple weeks, then add some probiotics and less antibiotics, etc etc, until you’re off the antibiotics for good.
Thanks, I’ll add this to a note below the video!
Hi Tracey!
Thank you for posting this video! This topic is SO important. I starting breaking out pretty young and think I was put on antibiotics by age 12. I WISH I would’ve known better at the time but I was so young and when a doctor gives you something, you assume that it is for your benefit. I was kept on antibiocs for about TEN years, maybe even a bit longer. The dermatologists literally kept me on various antibiotics, most often tetracycline, for THAT LONG, NEVER advising of any long term effects or dangers. In my early 20’s, I was actually on antibiotics and birth control at the SAME time!!! Ugh….thinking about my ignorance, the doctor’s irresponsibility, and my parent’s lack of knowledge at the time makes me literally feel sick. As you can imagine, I was left with NUMEROUS health problems as a result of this long-term antibiotic use. The first was the obvious eventual immunity to antibiotics. If, God forbid, I ever REALLY needed to go on antibiotics in the future (as a LAST resort), I would be completely immune to them. Others are horrible digestion problems, countless food allergies and intolerances, worse acne than before, major candida overgrowth, no immune system………..the list goes on. I am now in the process of trying to regain my health. I am on a strict anti-candida diet that includes anti-fungals, pro-biotics, and numerous other homeopathic remedies. It is frustrating to me that I now have to deal with all of these problems as a result of something I was put on and KEPT on when I was so young. You are so lucky to have enough knowledge about them to refuse antibiotics. This is absolutely what I would recommend to anyone even considering them. Like you said, doctors will not think twice before putting you on them, that is their “solution” to the problem. Looking back, I’m sure that my adolescent acne would have gone away on its own. Because of the antibiotics, my body has had absolutely no good bacteria to combat the bad and my acne has been able to simply get worse and worse. Phew…..sorry this is so long but this is a topic that everyone, especially those who are younger, need to be informed about. Thank you agan for posting it!!!! 😉
Wow, Bridget… ten years! I’m so happy you’ve finally started to regain your health after all that. The medical system is so messed up, it drives me crazy. I feel especially bad for children at the mercy of doctors, uninformed parents… society. What chance do they have? I’ve been on plenty of short rounds of antibiotics in the past, but I feel really blessed that when it came to acne, I was armed with the knowledge to resist.
Thanks for the post, Bridget!
Hey Tracy I been on antibiotics for 4 years now and I am concern about my health. I don’t know if I should take some probiotics. Will it make it worse.
wat would your thoughts be on opening pores and wat not with a steam (:
I’ll do a video about that, Laura!
I remember the first time I was prescribed antibiotics (Doxycycline I think) from my derm. I knew it wasn’t good for me, but I felt like I had to take it.
It literally made me feel so sick and horrid, I lost about 15 pounds within 2 months. I went down from like around 120 to 105 because I was throwing up whenever I took the pill. After a while I would have to take it on an empty stomach, because if I took it with food I would just throw it up. And frankly it didn’t even clear my skin up much. I think it got less oily, but that’s about it. My doctor (not my derm) was really worried about my side effects so he pulled me off the antibiotics right away. Never looked back.
Hey Sampson!
Do you feel like you’ve had any lingering problems due to the long round of antibiotics? Poor digestion? Or were you not on them very long?
I was only on them for about 2 months, so I think I avoided many of the major problems. However, when I took it I was experiencing digestion on a daily basis. When I went off that pursued for a while, but I took some probiotic supplements afterwards and everything is in order now. I’m not sure if this was related to antibiotics, but after I went off them I got a wart on my finger. I never had any wart before and it didn’t go away until I actually put meat back into my diet. Maybe it was another part of that whole vegetarianism roller coaster I went through, or maybe it was a weakened immune system due to the antibiotics that caused the wart. Not sure.
However, when I took it I was experiencing *indigestion* on a daily basis.
😛
Doxycycline is horrible…when my derm put my on it I had the worst stomach aches of my life…I couldn’t eat without feeling like I had to throw up. I feel your pain!
[..YouTube..] you are a cutie! 🙂
[..YouTube..] I’ve been on Doxycycline for over a year. I recently had a horrible break out w/cysts on my face, neck, chest, back, & shoulders along with sores on my scalp. I’m convinced it’s a candida infection. Since quitting antibiotics & taking probiotics I’ve noticed an amazing improvement in my skin. Antibiotics may be OK for short term use, but they seem to cause more harm than good after a while.
Yeah, they can be useful in acute bacterial infections, but I think they are mostly pointless for acne. Drugs only ever manage symptoms of acne, and antibiotics really mess up your body the longer you’re on them… so eventually you’re going to have to stop using them, and you’ll be worse off than before. I’m glad to hear probiotics have been helping you!
Oh this frightens me, i,ve been on antibiotics for a year and am getting ready to ween myself off! I also took them for a year in my teens. I was scarring so bad so out of desperation, i took them. I eat pretty healthy and love that there’s so much great info such as your blog out there however i can’t manage to keep clear. I bought the acne no more e book and was wondering i you or any of your readers have any thoughts on it!? Keep up the good work, your great!
Hi Kimberly!
If you are about to come off antibiotics, concentrate as hard as you can on getting as much fermented foods – homemade kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, etc – and strong probiotic supplements into you as possible – before and for a long time after! It’s your best bet to combat the effects of all those antibiotics.
As for my opinion on Acne No More – I bought it a long time ago and was turned off by how complicated he makes it and the immense amount of supplements he expects you to take – it’s gotta be at least 2 grand worth!! I think there are more down to earth ways – and cheaper ways.
I was just wondering if all this applies for cosmetic acne as well? Or do you think that the antibiotics may possibly get rid of it once and for all? I just recently have been breaking out for the past few years and tried everything including a better diet but nothing seemed to be working for me and so I kept the antibiotics as a last resort. I’m just wondering if cosmetic acne is maybe a little easier at curing? I work with all sorts of makeup and let myself get out of hand with them. :p I know I’ll never ever do that or take my skin for granted ever again!
Hi Michelle,
I don’t know what affect antibiotics have on cosmetic acne.. but I don’t see why you would take antibiotics for that …. if you know it’s cosmetic acne, why don’t you just stop using the external products that are causing the problem?
Yes, i have tried not wearing any makeup and it seemed to get better a d then I would have flare ups again. So I went to the doctor and they prescribed me the doxycycline. Can cosmetic acne progress into just regular acne? Lol I’m very frustrated with this whole thing. Any info may help. I noticed it was after I became more into the makeup business that this has happened but I’m not 100% if it is the cause. I just assumed so since it started happening after I started working with it more.
Well, I’m not sure… it might be a combination of cosmetic acne and internal causes. What kind of products do you use to wash/moisturize etc?
Hey tracey. Ive feel like i wanna giveu sometimes. Ive been eatin well, doing masks, and exercising. Im even takin supplements nd using jojoba oi but im still breakung out. It makes me want to go to a derm and fix it…is this a bad idea? I try my best to heal it holistically but it seems like it will never go away. Will a derm be a bad idea?
Thanks for the help<3
Hi there – I’m sorry the holistic route isn’t proving to be too easy for you. Whether going to a derm is a bad idea or not is up to you – maybe they will give you something that will give you some short term relief and that will be beneficial (although please don’t take antibiotics, they will only make your problem worse in the long run). I’d still not advise giving up on treating the root cause though because a derm is never truly going to make your problem go away in the long run.
Thanks for the reply! I know you cant answer questions like hiw long will i have it for…but do you think i should do anythin else? I ve followed u for almost a year now and i really do see you as a person i can come to whenever im down. Im going to see a psycologist again soon. At first it was to see if i had depression. But now i want to be able to not let acne affect the rest of my teen years and enjoy life!
The next step I’d recommend is doing a candida cleanse if you haven’t, or looking into doing the GAPS diet if you could handle it
Ive decided to give in and see a derm because they have worked for me in the past…not proud of myself but i need somewhat sort of relief. My qestion is since ive been eating healthy and doing everything else will there be an initial breakout? If so why?
What do you mean exactly? An initial breakout from what?
Ohh my bad. Wasnt very specific. With antibiotics ive heard/experienced that you can get initial breakouts once you start using it. Any idea why? Btw nice video on vitamin L. Thought that was cool!
Hi Aj – yeah I think it’s because bacteria release toxins and stuff when they die, and then your body has to process that and it can come out through your skin. I seriously would not recommend antibiotics though – honestly. Your good gut bacteria are integral to healthy skin, antibiotics kill everything, and make it more likely that you’ll have even more persistant acne in the future. Even if you’re going to get SOMETHING at the derm, don’t get antiobiotics
Hi Tracy,
I am considering weaning off of the antibiotics I have been on (have to do it sometime). I saw your post about weaning off of birth control by cutting the pills. Would you recommend this method over taking every other day for antibiotics now as well?
-I have been taking probiotics every day for the last 4 months, and taking the antibiotics this round for a couple of years-
what amount of period do u take probiotics…
Would you be able to suggest what to take to get rid of acne. Any other remedies??
Thank you so much for this! Applies to me so much..
So I am in the process of weaning my self off minocycline.. I use to take 2 a day and now I’m taking only one a day..
Meanwhile ( thanks to all your advice) I have been taking pro biotics.. since I started taking the antibiotic.. so that is good.. but only one a day.. I was wondering if now that I’m taking less of the antabiotic should I increase my pro biotic.. what is the max pro biotic you recommend? Is it bad to take a lot? Is it ok if I continue taking it long after.. What is it good for? Does it also help my acne.. I was taking it cause I heard the antabiotic gets rid of your good bacteria so I need to take this to replace that.. but I feel like maybe its also helping my skin..
Along side with this I have been taking evening primrose oil capsules twice a day ( I THINK THIS HAS BEEN THE MIRACLE WORKER) .. and also manuka honey masks.. as well as skin detox tea ( which I wanted to ask you about.. if you know anything about joji skin detox… not sure if this is one of the main reasons my skin has become amazing or the primrose oil or maybe everything all together)
Is there anything else I should add being that I’m coming off minoclyn.. I saw in your other articles you mentioning vitex? should I add that? My skin has been INCREDIBLE!! Everything is gone just scars are left which I’m working on making disappear. .I get like maybe one pimple a week but then it dies internally i feel like its the primrose capsules that make it die.. it doesn’t even grow or come out the next day I see it has just died internally .. it is incredible!!!!! I am so happy..
Just if you can please give me advice and feedback on the probiotics.. my weaning off… as well as if you recommend I take any other vitamins or anything else at all.. ?
Thank you so much. you are a life savior. I am obsessed with natural stuff now and MANUKA HONEY my mom cant get enough!! you are an angel to all of us
Hi Leora!
So happy for you that your skin is looking great! Yes, I would increase your probiotics… you can’t really take too much (the more the merrier), although I’d increase the amount you take slowly. And yes, good bacteria and probiotics are super important to your gut health… they help you digest your food, get nutrients, and fight off bad guys in the gut that could affect your health and skin. That’s why antibiotics that kill the good bacteria can lead to some unpleasant health problems.
As for vitex… if your skin is good and your periods are regular and not painful and you don’t suffer from bad PMS, then I wouldn’t bother!
Thank you so much for your response Tracy!
I have heard that taking too much supplements and vitamins could be toxic.. on the probiotic bottle it says to take one daily.. So are you saying its not bad to take a few probiotics a day? How many do you suggest… 2 or perhaps 3? Do you have an article that explains what probiotic is exactly and what it does.. I originally started taking it because I was on acne antibiotics and they said you need it to keep your “ good bacteria”.. but is it also helpful for the skin? What does it do exactly and how is it helpful to the skin?
I feel like I’m a bit lost in the sea of vitamins and supplements.. You mention so many different vitamin and supplements in all your articles but how are we supposed to know which to take..? I asked you about vitex cause I read in your article its good for hormonal acne but I guess its more just to control hormonal pms.. etc. ?
Is there any vitamin/ supplement you specifically recommend that I should take (in addition to evening primrose oil capsules and pro biotics and daily vitamin that I’m currently taking) ?
Do you happen to have an article that has every supplement and vitamin you recommend and explains what they are each good for so that we can see if it applies to us.. its just so confusing and hard to figure out what we need to take… If you have an article like that it would be amazing.. or if you could write one ; )!!!! Please let me know if you have any advice on anything else you think I should take??
Also I was just wondering.. are we supposed to take these vitamins and supplements our whole life? Like do we ever stop.. perhaps once our skin becomes acne free? or we just continue taking them forever… ?
I mentioned to you in my previous post JOJI Skin Detox Tea.. I got it from whole foods but they also sell it on amazon.. I am not sure if this has been one of the things that has been helping.. I wanted to ask if you know anything about it … Do you think it has an effect? Or is it more just a waste of money? Do you recommend it? Do you have an article on the tea’s… ?
Also I wanted to tell you about Evening Primrose Oil capsules.. im sure you know about it but I haven’t seen you mention it in your articles.. I really feel like its a miracle worker and has been the reason my acne is clearing.. Even when a pimple is coming the next day I wake up and it has internally died, it literally kills everything.. I am not sure what it does exactly but the girl at whole foods recommended I take it after i told her going off birth control is the cause of my acne and it has been the answers to all my prayers… I really think you should talk more about it!!! Do you know about it? Do you have any articles on it?
Sorry for all my questions.. as you can see I’m just trying to figure this whole thing out.. I appreciate all your help and everything, you are amazing.
Hi Leora,
I explained in the above comment what probiotics do and why they are helpful! It’s true that too much of many vitamins and supplements aren’t good for you, but it’s not really the case with probiotics. Just do some research on google to find out more about the whole good bacteria/probiotic thing.
As far as which vitamins and supplements to take… I don’t blame you for being lost. It’s confusing, simply because everyone is different and the supplements that work for them is going to be different from the next person. That’s why you can hear of someone being like “OH WOW THIS SUPPLEMENT SAVED MY LIFE AND FIXED EVERYTHING ABOUT ME”, and then you try it and it does nothing.
I explain a little about that in this article: https://thelovevitamin.com/6297/the-very-best-supplements-for-acne/
In the end, I can’t say which supplements and vitamins will work for you. You really need to go see a naturopath or someone who will be able to prescribe things based on your situation: https://thelovevitamin.com/1971/naturopath-acne/
Thank you so much for your response. You are right the best is probably to see a naturopath.. if you can please just answer my other two questions as well.. are we supposed to take these vtiamins/supplments forever? like our whole life? do we ever stop.. like there are so many people in the world who dont take anything and have nice skin.. can we ever reach that? i use to be like that before birth control :((((((
Also because I’ve been doing a few different things at once I dont know which is the reason my acne had gotten better.. ( joji tea skin detox, primrose, probiotics,manuka honey).. do you recommend to try one thing at a time? that way if we see that one thing cures our acne then we only take that one thing instead of having to rely on so many different vitamins etc…?
Not sure if you saw in my previous comment my question about JOJI tea.. skin detox.. I got it from whole foods but they also sell it on amazon.. I am not sure if this has been one of the things that has been helping.. I wanted to ask if you know anything about it … Do you think it has an effect? Or is it more just a waste of money? Do you recommend it? Do you think these herbal tea’s work??
Thank you Tracy!!
Hi Leora,
With taking supplements forever or not – I don’t know. I think in many cases, a supplement can be used to correct an imbalance and when it’s done it’s job you don’t need it anymore. However, much like how everyone needs different supplements, this is a case by case thing and I can’t say one way or another if you’d have to take something forever or not. I tend to take supplements off and on, and now I’ve found a few I really like that I take pretty consistently, but.. you’ll just have to see.
As for taking so many things that you don’t know what’s helped…. yeah I feel that. It’s definitely a hazard because then you feel trapped and bound to all these things that you don’t know if they are even doing anything. Yes, if you really want to know, you’d have to just take them one at a time to see. This is why I generally suggest going to see a naturopath or someone who can prescribe you supplements, because then you aren’t just taking things at random and hoping.
As for the yogi detox tea… herbs can totally have a great effect on your body and skin. Whether that particular tea is what’s responsible for your skin improvements, I can’t say! The only way to know is if you stop taking it and find your skin reverts back
i’m sorry I wrote it wrong, its yogi skin detox not joji..
here it is if you want to check it out
http://www.amazon.com/Yogi-DeTox-Herbal-Supplement-16-Count/dp/B002LL7OXM
Hi Tracy, I’ve been really enjoying the Love Vitamin for the past couple of months. I haven’t quite figured out what the culprit of my acne is but it’s a challenge that I have dedicated myself to solving and your website has been a game changer.
Anyway, I was just diagnosed with strep throat so the doctor has ordered me to take antibiotics (yuck). I really hate having to take them but I know I need to or things could really get out of hand. It will be for a week and I know my skin will clear up this week but I’m worried about the explosion that will happen when I go off of them. I was on antibiotics for a year and a half for acne before becoming resistant and when I went off my skin was a nightmare.
I already take probiotics as it is (20 billion – 40 billion a day) and eat VERY healthy and supplement with vitamins. Do you have any recommendations for anything else I should do? Would the probiotics even stand a chance against the antibiotics? Or should I just brace myself and be thankful that my strep will be cured? Haha sorry, that’s a whole lot of questions. Let me know your thoughts!
Hi Johanna!
Sorry you have to take antibiotics 🙁
Yes I think if you are taking strong probiotics and continue taking them for quite a while after you are done the antibiotics that you will stand a chance. Just make sure you take the probiotics at a different time of day than the antibiotics. If you want to think of it positively.. perhaps the antibiotics will wipe out any bad bacteria you had going on and actually make nice room for your probiotics to grow in there unhindered!
Hey Tracy so I started taking minoclyine antibiotics two days ago and I am afraid that my acne will return from what I’ve read and I’m not sure if I should stop taking them or keep taking them?
Hi Ivonne, how long are you supposed to take them for?
About a month
Well, if it’s only a month… it’s still quite a while, but it’s better than being on it for months and months and months. Go out right now and get some really strong probiotics (ask a worker at the health food store to help you choose one) and take those at a different time of day than the antibiotics, and continue them for quite a few months after you’re done the antibiotics
Are probiotics the only thing to help
What if I stop taking the antibiotics slowly and continue with topical antibiotics and benzoyl peroxide :/
Sure, you don’t have to take the antibiotics, I don’t really recommend them, but since you were already on them I … but anyway, all the diet / lifestyle / skin care suggestions I give on this site and in my ebooks should clear the acne up without the use of antibiotics
Hi Tracy! I know you’re in India right now, and I was wondering if you’re taking any anti-malaria medication? I’m off to India next week and I was prescribed either doxycycline or malarone, but after reading up on doxy and learning it’s an antibiotic, I’m really hesitant to take it. I finally feel like I’ve got my hormonal acne under control after discovering your site 8 months ago and starting to take estroblock about a month ago. I’m also worried about these ultra strong anti-malaria meds messing up my progress or interfering with my estroblock, but I guess acne is preferable to malaria lol! Any advice you have would be appreciated. Hope you’re enjoying India!
Hi Jessica,
In my opinion, for myself, and what I chose to do was not take anti malarials! I do not want to touch that stuff unless I HAD to (like I was going to sub sahara Africa or somewhere where it’s really bad). India doesn’t seem like a very high risk area. I suppose some are higher than others, but the rates of malaria here are pretty small, especially if you are not traveling in the wet season. From what I gathered, just pay attention – if you start getting flu like symptoms like malaria, get to the doctor and get tested and THEN take the treatment, don’t bother with the prevention, it’s not worth it. Most of the people who die from malaria are malnourished children; not healthy travelers who get treated. I just think the chances of getting it are so small here, and if you did, you’d most likely be fine… just try to prevent mosquito bites as best you can… that’s my two cents 😉
Thanks so much for your opinion Tracy 🙂 I’m going to research it a bit more, but I’m definitely leaning towards not filling my body with harsh meds on a daily basis!
Yeah, I just don’t think it’s worth it for India, at leasts that’s what I decided for myself!
I was prescribed doxcycline in the Fall of 2012 by my college clinic. My face had been breaking out worse than it ever had and I freaked out. I normally hate going to the doctor but I was desperate. The doctor had me taking 100 ml of doxy twice a day for almost six months, until Spring 2013. I had nooooooo clue how dangerous this was for my health during that time. I completely trusted the doctor and did no research of my own. I thought she was the expert. The doxy actually cleared up my skin, but I was sick the entire time I was taking it. I threw up several times a week, ways right after I took the pill. I didn’t wanna stop though cuz my skin was getting better! I was so scared my acne wld return if I stopped taking the pills. My prescription ran out in the spring and my skin was so much better. However, right after I stopped taking the medicine I got the worst “stomach flu” that I have ever experienced. I was sick and nauseated and week for weeks. I ended up in the emergency room for the dehydration and naseau. It was the worst I have ever felt in my life. I still do not feel that my “gut” has completely healed. I am much better now, and have eduacated myself on holistic, natural healing. I just wish I had known these things before I took the medicine.
Sorry you had to go through that Audrey!! Good luck on rebuilding your army of good guys 🙂
About 2 years ago I shaved with an old razor and woke up the next morning with an infection on the sides of my mouth. It’s on my lower cheeks and next to the chin area. I used antibiotics to clear this thing up and it cleared up great. But two years later now I still get acne only in these areas and cant grow facial hair in these areas only and can grow everywhere else on my face! I dont have acne anywhere else on my face except here. It’s not terrible acne by any means its like a random pimple here and there and stress definitely effects this. I have been to see professionals about this and all I am told to do is use acne products and steroids and creams and what not when I don’t need to because again, I have no acne anywhere else on my face except here in these spots so there is no point in using products. It’s incredibly annoying. How do I get my facial hair to grow back properly and stop getting pimples in these spots?
I had a history of long term antibiotic and BC use. In my teens and 20s. I tried Accutane twice. My acne always returned with a vengeance after each antibiotic, until sometime in my mid 20s BC alone controlled it. Then I stopped BC and was finally clear, with near perfect skin.
My gut was seriously messed up though, I was developing a host of deficiencies and IBS. After endometriosis surgery and more antibiotics, my gut got even worse and I was in disabling pain and passing food whole. I took probiotics to no avail.
I went to a functional medicine dr, who missed my celiac and prediabetes, and prescribes high doses of methylfolate and methylcobalamin.
My face EXPLODED in a deep, festering folliculitis that literally dissolved my skin and scalp. I was terrified to go on antibiotics, picturing my skin getting even worse after.
Now I live with full face disfiguring scarring. I need procedures to treat it and my face will never look quite right. I am so broken hearted about losing my beauty and facing a life of scarring that I consider suicide daily.
I wish every day that I had taken antibiotics. I’m more messed up now without them. I do not think they are the best solution, but if your gut has already been messed up and your face is scarring, you may need to wipe the slate clean.
The kicker is my endo ended up prescribing me antibiotics anyway for the SIBO, long after the acne had calmed.