Spironolactone is naturally drug used in treating blood pressure. It is a pill the product is getting even more popular by the day and can equally be used for treating hormonal imbalance in people, especially women.
Studies show that the product can treat acne while also treating high blood pressure. It is even officially approved for acne treatment. The official use of spironolactone for cystic acne is equally well documented.
The product is effective against acne because it controls the production of testosterone and reduces the production from the oil glands.
Reduction in oil gland production means less shine and fewer cases of pore blockages; this also mans acne-causing bacteria will not have food required to thrive.
Hormonal acne can negatively affect self-esteem and mental health. Consequently, treating it can reverse the trend and maintain good health. In this write-up, you will learn more about the effect of spironolactone on cystic acne
Spironolactone for Cystic Acne: the result is not instant
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You will start seeing the effect of spironolactone on cystic acne, but the result is not always instant. Yes, the product drastically reduces hormone, but the result will rarely be instant. So, you should bear this in mind.
Studies show that the product can take up to three months before resolving the acne issue. The three months duration may even be longer if you do not apply the right dosage of the product to the acne.
It is, however, better to start the dosage in a small quantity and then increase the dosage gradually until you start seeing the desired result on the acne on your skin. Even if the product resolves the acne problem in months, you will still see result gradually over time. you will see a gradual resolution of the acne as time goes on.
It does not work for everyone
One other thing you should consider when using spironolactone for cystic acne treatment is that it may not work for you. Yes, it works for a wide group of people but does not work for everyone.
The best way to know if it will work for you is to take it for about three months and check if it resolves the acne or not.
If it does not generate the desired result, you should consider taking another product for the acne treatment.
Spironolactone for cystic acne works better on women and it mainly by reducing hormonal abnormalities, including PCOS. Some other mechanisms of action of the product are:
- It reduces adult-onset acne
- It reduces menstrual flare
- It can, therefore, treat hormonal acne.
If your acne is resistant to other acne treatment methods, then you should go for this product. Despite its well-documented effect on women, spironolactone for cystic acne does not work as expected on all women. However, it can become effective on all women at a higher dosage. While a higher dose can increase its effectiveness, increasing the dose can also expose the end user to unwanted side effects, like the following:
- Irregular periods
- Breast tenderness
Spironolactone Side effects to consider
Using spironolactone for cystic acne may not cause any side effect if you use the normal, prescribed dose. Increasing the dose can, however, expose you to certain side effects, some of which have been mentioned already.
One other side effect associated with the use of this product is excessive urination. Spironolactone for cystic acne can cause excessive urination because the pill is diuretic in nature, which is the factor responsible for its effect on high blood pressure. You may find yourself urinating after every 30 minutes in the first week of using this product. The frequency of urinating can reduce after the first week.
As stated earlier, using spironolactone for cystic acne can mess up your menstrual cycle. It can lead to agonizing cramps in women. If you have been experiencing menstrual cramps before you start using this product for acne, the product can worsen the cramp a great deal.
Aside from the aggravated menstrual cramp, using spironolactone for cystic acne can equally cause your menstrual flow to occur for a longer period. One other common side effect of using this product is spotting.
End users have equally complained about increased tiredness consequent of this product; the issue of tiredness occurs especially in the first few weeks of using the product. The tiredness is experienced even by those who use just a small dose of the product.
Factors to consider when using spironolactone for cystic acne
- It is proven to be effective against acne.
- It should be taken only by prescription alone.
- It is available in pills and must be taken orally
- Its mechanism of action involves blocking of testosterone activities
- It can cause spotting, which can get worse before it gets better
- It can destabilize body salt regulation
- It can cause the irregular menstrual period
It can lower your blood pressure. Consequently, you may be better taking a split dose if the lightheadedness gets worse. However, you should not take this decision without carrying your doctor along.
You should not use it if you are pregnant
Spironolactone dosage for acne
The starting dose of spironolactone for cystic acne is 50 mg/day for most women having hormonal acne. The treatment is recommended for about three months since it is usually a standalone treatment.
Bear in mind that some patients may require a higher dose than this before they can get the desired result; some patients may have to take up to 100 mg/day for the same three months duration.
Spironolactone for cystic acne can be used as a standalone product as mentioned earlier, but it can equally be combined with some other products, like a topical acne cream.
You should allow a board-certified dermatologist to decide the right dose for you; you should equally allow the trained professional to decide if you need to combine oral spironolactone with a topical medication.
The dermatologist can watch you while taking the product and also monitor your improvement over time.
Some of the side effects to bear in mind when using spironolactone for cystic acne may include lightheadedness and dizziness. However, the sided effects usually go away quickly if you use the recommended dose only.
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This post was written by Dr. Adeniyi Adesanya, a qualified & passionate medical doctor who loves to educate people about healthy living and lifestyle. Adeniyi is the owner and publisher of the Human Health Hub website.
