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Oral Contraceptive Pills Acne

Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill & Teenage/Acne Prone Skin?


Have any acne sufferers, particularly teenagers, noticed any significant (positive or negative) changes in their skin condition after taking the Combined Oral Pill? I'm 17 years old, female, and I have congested & oily skin which I think will only be improved by "corrections" to my hormone levels, after many failed attempts with 'recommended', very expensive skin products. My doctor suggested that I go on the Combined Pill and I've been given a three month trial with the Mini-Pill (Progesterone only) to check that my body will accept a small change in my hormone levels. It's been two and a half months since I took the first pill and I haven't had any problems - Only expected, initial side effects which have passed. Understandably, I don't want my skin to get worse and I don't want to unnecessarily put chemicals in my body if they're not going to work so.. Advice regarding this subject would be appreciated =]
Sorry, I meant Progestogen not Progesterone.

quite honestly, i was on estrostep for a couple of years for my ovarian cysts, and i probably had 1 pimple the whole time i was on it. estrostep, from what i understand, is usually the brand most doctors perscribe for someone going on the pill for acne. however, after estrostep became ineffective for my health problem, i went on ovcon 35, and that pill did nothing for my skin. didn't make it worse, but let it be how it was pre-pill (which i never had terrible acne, but a couple of pimples a month). now i'm on loestrin 24 and that's having the same effect as estrostep did for me- very very little acne. start with the lowest level hormone pill (which from my knowledge is loestrin, however, loestrin is the same amount of hormone all month..estrostep gradually increases the hormone level week-by-week (i believe the first 5 days are like 10mg, next 7 are 13mg, then the last days until you take the sugar pills are 15mg, though i could be wrong on the exact numbers, i know the levels increase)) and see if it helps. don't go too high though, because thats why i had to get off ovcon- the hormones were just wayyy too much for me, and they were exacerbating my anxiety disorder. if you have any other questions, feel free to contact me. good luck.

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Birth Control: The Withdrawal Method (Sex Health Guru)


Clearing Acne with Oral Contraceptives

Oral contraceptives have been used as a way to fight acne for a few years now, but many people still don't understand how birth control pills can work at clearing acne. The method, however, is very scientific and fact based. A few oral contraceptives are even approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating acne.

Three FDA-approved for acne oral contraceptives that are available by prescription. These are Ortho Try-Cyclen, Estrostep, and YAZ. They work by altering the natural hormonal patterns of females. Birth control pills reduce the amount of testosterone within the body, which in turn, reduces the amount of oil produced by the sebaceous glands. Reduction in oil production lessens the chance of clogged pores that cause break outs.

Oral contraceptives work on clearing acne that is hormone related. Doctors have a few ways of telling if the acne patients are experiencing meet this criteria. If the acne occurs before the menstrual cycle, is found in an adult who didn't suffer from acne previously, or is accompanied by the growth of hair in unusual places, it probably has hormonal causes.

It is not uncommon for acne to worsen before it gets better while using birth control. It can often take three or more months before changes are noticed. Usually, the best results are achieved by using a topical acne remedy (such as 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide) in addiction to the pills. A synthetic steroid, Spironolactone, can also be used with oral contraceptive to treat acne in adult females. It works by inhibiting androgen production, another hormone and culprit acne breakouts.

Oral contraception should not be used as the first defense against acne as there are some risks involved. Mild side effects such as nausea, beast tenderness, and spotting during periods can occur. More serious risks such as blood clots and strokes have also been reported. Women who smoke, who are over 35 or who have a blood-clotting disorder should not go on birth control pills without consulting their doctor.

About the Author

Oral contraceptives are only one weapon in a dermatologist's arsenal. Learn about other methods dermatologists are using for effectively clearing acne at http://acne-information.com