"i went off the birth control pill at age 38 (after being on for almost 20 years) and within 2 months my skin went crazy. i started experiencing bad cystic acne to the point i had no less than 10 bumps at once and was spending a lot of time and money at the dermatologist on injections. i had never had a cyst before--just typical teen acne breakouts in high school and college. it was painful and i felt embarrassed to go anywhere in public. my self esteem plummeted. after 3 months my dermatologist recommended spironolactone. i started at 200 mg and within a month my face was totally clear. after 6 months i went down to 150, then another 6 months down to 100, which is the dosage i still take 2 years later. best medication ever!"