29 replies to this topic

[Anabella001]

I decided to get the Mirena IUD inserted about a year ago primarily for contraception and because I hoped that it would settle the spots and hormones altogether. I also travelled a lot last year and didn't want to be worrying about the pill, periods, pads and tampons in different countries and time zones. However, it dramatically worsened my skin and I broke out with cystic acne really badly on my chin, temple, nose and cheeks. Some lumps remained huge and blind on my face for 6 months - despite being kept clean and left alone with a smear of Benzac 2.5%. Just as some bits looked like they were going away new cysts would spring up in an old location. I always protect my skin with SPF30 products (sunscreen, powder and foundation) but despite this I've developed large hormonal pigmentation/blotches on my cheeks as well over the year.

I've just turned 39. For most of my life I've been lucky to have beautiful skin up until the age of 35 when I went through a stressful hormonal episode which I managed to get on top of it within a year. Since then I've been prone to occasional tiny spots and perhaps the odd small acne cyst once or twice a year.

I've seen my doctor twice this year and we were monitoring the progress using Aldactone 25mg but there wasn't any improvement. He suspected that Mirena was the culprit. Yesterday I finally saw a dermatologist who also agreed that it must come out asap and strongly suggested I go on a course of Roaccutane for 6 months - which made me burst into tears. I couldn't believe that it had come to this. Having heard the experiences of friends who have been on it during their early adult life it is certainly something I find extremely upsetting to contemplate using. But what can I do, I am desperate and in despair. My skin has been badly scarred already... I need it to stop.

Is there any hope that after the 6 months it won't come back, and what is the likelihood that the medication will have caused other side effects that I will have to now spend time and money managing? Am I swapping one problem for another...

Today I was lucky enough to get an appointment with my gynaecologist and had it removed and I can't tell you how relieved I feel. Hopefully my healing starts now. For those of you contemplating removal because of similar experiences to mine and the other ladies in this forum, do not hesitate... just do it. I was going to do this 6 months ago. I wish I did. My skin only seemed to get worse as the months progressed...and I noticed since Feb that my period was changing - I was getting a few days of consecutive spotting every 2 weeks during which time my skin would flare.

Removal of the Mirena was slightly more uncomfortable than having a pap smear but it was very very quick. I had the option of going under to have it removed (as I did to have it inserted) but it's an unnecessary additional expense and I'm happy to have saved the money.

I've been prescribed Yaz today - a very low dose pill which is supposed to be better than anything else I've tried in the past few years ie. Dianne35, Yasmine etc. You take 25 active pills and 3 sugar pills because it's such a low dose. In the hope of regulating my body quickly and minimising any of the side effects of the Mirena removal I am going to start taking it tonight. I will also start taking doxycycline to try and get the infection of the acne down together with topical cream EpiDuo. Looking forward to seeing how it all goes. Ideally I won't have to use Roaccutane (i would like to try for a baby this year - another thing strictly prohibited for at least a month on either side of taking it).

In essence, here's my solution plan having removed the Mirena today:
1) take Yaz
2) take Doxycycline
3) use EpiDuo
4) see dermatologist in a month to discuss results and whether I still need to take Roaccutane...or if I can be prescribed something else.

I hope what I've written is useful for someone. I will try to write a progress report in a month or two to see how I am faring sans Mirena.

[chiefswife]

Wow Annabella001....

Our stories are similar. I had my Mirena 2.5 plus years and the last 6 months have been absurd with breakouts. I took Accutane in my teens and it REALLY was amazing.....I had a 20 year run of good skin. A pimple here or there....but skin that I didnt really worry too much about. Then 6 months ago...at age 38....after 3 glowing skin pregnancies, things got bad. I have been breaking out BADLY on the chin, left temple and between the eyes. I went on antibiotics 2 months....not much help. Now I have crazy amounts of whiteheads and larger blemishes in these areas. What the heck happened? I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and it's been a horrible dream. I just had a derm. give me the Accutane option again. I know it works wonders, but it's rough to go through. In high school, it really was true...on accutane it did get worse before better. I think I may give it a full month of no Mirena before I sign on for it. I wish I had mine out earlier too. I really dont like hormonal birth control....decided Im just not going to use it again.

The last week or two, I can just run my fingernail across my skin and get these bumps out. There were literally hundreds. I dont think I was ovulating....so the dominant hormone was the synthetic progesteron. The androgen wrecked havoc with my skin. Antibiotics dehydrated it ridiculously. Its a hot mess!!!! I am really hoping I dont have to pull the Accutane trigger, but if I must, I will. I lived through it once and you come out with amazing skin at the end. Smooth as a babys bottom....but during.....it can get worse than it is right now. It can also just gradually improve. I always said it was the best thing that could have happened to me to get my self confidence back and that if I ever needed to do it again I would....but I never thought after 20 years I would need to!!!! crazy!

good luck to all!

[myHABO]

One of Mirena's side effects is acne, which is not surprising because anything that affects your hormonal balance could affect your oil glands and your susceptibility to acne as well. This is something to bring up to your doctor. They can probably prescribe you a different form of birth control that would help control acne more effectively. I know that there is a bc called Ortho Tri-Cyclen (a daily pill form) that delivers specific amounts of estrogen and progesterone to match the hormonal patterns of each month which in turn stabilizes your hormones and decreases acne inflammations.

[Anabella001]

If you’ve been contemplating removal of the Mirena IUD for a while – don’t waste a moment longer. Do it!

It’s been about 3 months since I had the Mirena device removed and I am overjoyed to report that although I do have a few stubborn little sporadic spots to contend with - something I was told to expect as the body readjusts, the large painful cystic acne I was plagued with has pretty much disappeared.

Another side-effect that has minimised dramatically is joint/body swelling during and post-flight. I travel constantly, both on short and long-haul flights and noticed during the ‘Mirena’ year that I was experiencing terrible cankles and overall swelling – also too when walking around for a few hours of sight-seeing (particularly in warm climates). I’ve just been to Europe in July and noticed I didn’t get cankles at all this time around.

Admittedly I have on occasion contemplated doing a round of Roaccutane, but that’s probably impatience and vanity niggling at me. I remind myself of how much things have improved thus far, so I’m willing to give it a few more months to settle. With maturing skin, I certainly don’t want to prematurely age it further if can be helped and trade one problem for another. In my case it’s easier to cover a spot than it is to make aged skin look young. As long as I can cover the spots discreetly without aggravating it further I am ok with it. Ideally I would have clear skin, but all in good time.

In the meantime I will continue my regime (listed in my May 2011 posting) and share the following comments:

1) take Yaz - I had to wait for my next period to arrive after the Mirena device was removed so I didn’t realize that I was also prescribed the short term use of a progesterone cream during the few months of transition from Mirena into Yaz. So far I am very happy using Yaz – more so than I have ever been on any other oral contraception. NB: I’m no longer using the progesterone cream.
2) take Doxycycline – twice a day with food. I’ve used arithromyacin and minnamyacin in the past and they were both ineffective. Doxycycline appears to work for me with everything else I am doing/taking.
3) use EpiDuo gel – this does dry your skin out initially so you have to be very targeted in your usage. But it does work. Use only tiny amounts on the required areas and don’t apply to unaffected areas. I recommend wiping it off if you do! I sometimes give my spots a break from the gel and alternate with Benzac 2.5%. I never use a stronger dose as I don’t believe it’s good to torment my spots any further with a stronger dosage. In my experience stronger dosages ‘burn’ the spots and cause further aggravation, so gentle is best.

Don’t forget to drink lots of water and to moisturise. After cleansing, I apply my acne cream to the necessary areas. I then wait ~15 minutes and moisturise with a non-aggravating gentle moisturiser all over – even over the spots (as they too need nuturing).

I’ve also just purchased a handheld OmniLux New U device. It’s marketed predominantly to help with aging skin but can also clear/heal spots. The brand does offer another device primarily targeting pimples but it doesn’t help with cystic ance so I refrained from purchasing it.

I will again provide an update in another few months and also share my experience with my omnilux device. Again, I hope my comments have helped.

One last special comment for Chiefswife – Oh I feel for you. I do hope your skin is starting to settle. I have faith that if you were experiencing a marked increase in whiteheads, it’s probably a sign that your skin was trying to fight infection, bring it all to the surface and heal, as opposed to acne remaining stuck/trapped beneath the surface. Perhaps the antibiotics are working? Fingers crossed you are having a win and that your beautiful skin is returning. I wish you happiness and success with your acne battle. xx

Edited by Anabella001, 26 August 2011 - 10:39 PM.

[Anabella001]

Almost forgot... I've also started to exfoliate regularly again. Once the cystic acne started to settle I exfoliated after a month...and then 3 weeks, then 2... very gently. I also take the time to massage my face gently when cleansing. This helps with circulation which I do believe helps the skin to heal.

Edited by Anabella001, 26 August 2011 - 10:30 PM.

[Titaniumacne]

I have had the mirena iud for 2.5 years now and my acne is no better/no worse than before the Mirena (which I LOVE btw).

[Lehmk005]

I have had issues with acne since my mid teens, but it was well controlled with oral contraceptives and a topical routine. As I approached my final year of nursing school I decided to have a Mirena IUD placed. My skin didn't change during the first couple of months, but then I started having issues with acne again. I did a 3 month cycle of tetracycline, but the minute I went off of it the acne came back. I'm now on my second round with tetracycline and I'm not seeing any improvement. In fact, if you look at my attached photos, my acne is worse than it has ever been in my entire life. I'm now starting my nursing career at the age of 22 and very self conscious of my acne. And let's face it, piling on layers of makeup is not idea nor good for my skin!

It's really interesting to hear I'm not the only one with this problem! Thank you, thank you for the stories you have all shared! I recently messaged my doctor and she prescribed oral amoxicillin and retin-A topical. I'm now starting to wonder if I should try a different approach since my acne seems to be hormone induced. Here's what I'm thinking:

Option A: Take out the Mirena
Pros: Acne may clear up
Cons: I love the peace of mind my Mirena has brought. I'm allergic to copper, so the copper IUDs are probably not an option. My insurance may not cover another form of long-term contraception if I just had the Mirena placed a year ago.

Option B: Try out amoxicillin and retin-A
Pros: I keep the Mirena
Cons: Will this even be effective if the heart of the problem is hormonal?

I would love some input! Let me know if you have found a good approach to this dillema.

Thanks again for sharing your stories and helping me see that I am not the only one with this frustrating problem.

-LL

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[hellogoodbyehello]

I have had the Mirena IUD for 2 1/2 years. I had it put in 6 weeks after my son was born. I had some acne issues when I was 16-17, but it went away and I had no issues through my pregnancy at age 26. After the Mirena was put in, I began developing acne. It's mostly on my cheeks and jaw line, and some random ones through my T-zone. I have literally tried everything. I tried expensive treatment systems purchased at Nordstrom ranging anywhere from $100 for a month supply to $250 for a months supply. I went to the dermatologist and tried antibiotics, which upset my stomach, Differin gel which did nothing, topical antibiotics, Retin A and spironolactone. The Retin A and spironolactone helped my acne somewhat, but that gave me side effects as well. The Retin A made my skin peel like crazy and the spironolactone made me have breast tenderness and I've read many other horrible side effects it can cause -- like tumors. I decided to go off of this medicine in September 2011. Since then, I've been using all natural and holistic remedies like Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil, Margarite Acne Pills, Glycolic Acid, Hydraulonic Acid, etc. NOTHING is working and my skin is worse than ever. I cannot have ANY estrogen containing birth control because it gives me aura migraines and puts me at an increased risk for a stroke. I had the paragard IUD (copper) before my pregnancy and had it removed after 9 weeks because of excessive, and I mean excessive, cramping and bleeding. Unbearable cramping and bleeding. So, tomorrow I am having my Mirena removed. I am unhappy with having it removed, but the stress of my face is taking a toll on my self-confidence and I hate going places outside because the sun shows all of my pimples. I feel silly and vain, but this has been going on 2 1/2 years and now my acne is spreading to my chest and back and I can't take this anymore.

[Tinnitys]

To soothe the minds of those who are getting discouraged by this thread...

It seems most people on this thread have had mirena for just a few months. Mine's been in for 2 years, and I'm okay.

My acne got worse before I moved to mirena. I wanted mirena in to get more even doze of hormones and to lessen my excessive period flow. For something like a year my skin didn't get better, it was sore and full of white heads. After the year I finally gave up and got myself antibiotics.

Now my skin is far better than it's been in a long time. In my kitchen analysis I've concluded that healthy lifestyle, more fruits and nuts in diet, exfoliating the skin regularly, not stressing and worrying along with the antibiotics and steady hormone levels have finally started to help. It's been a year of this bliss.

I wouldn't advice taking mirena out just after half a year. It's wonderful BC and cheaper than pills - and steadier hormone levels.

[simi531]

I have been on mirena for 7 years (this is my second one). Although the hormones stay localized, I do feel that it does something with the androgen factor?! IDK for sure, but i think that is why spiro seems to work for women, especially those who have mirena. I too have had some sort of acne thing on my face most of the time, but it was certainly controllable..until i was 38. i had been on mirena a while and looking back on it, there was sort of a progression through the years of it getting worse. I just could not go off this birth control..no periods..no thinking about a pill, etc. I was determined to get this cystic stuff under control. It got so bad on my chin that I leterally have huge dents that look terrible of course. I had never scarred like this b4 even if i popped something so this was all new to me. And, they would not go away - even if I did not pick or poke at them. It was truly unbelievable how deep they were (and still are sometimes).

So yes, I do believe in some way that the mirena can have some sort of reaction in some people, but I have heard that the spiro helps a lot. I have not used that just because i did not want to deal with the limit of potassium rich foods that you have to worry about while on it. There are already so many things I cant eat that I didnt want to limit it even more!
I have only found that for me I have to keep things very simple for may face. No over scrubbing or lots of creams. I use Almond Oil to get make up off, then a gentle cream cleanser. Gentle, all natural lotion mixed with a small amount of aha ( I NEED this to keep clear). I also use some bp if I feel that I am going to start breaking out. It trashes my skin, but a necessary evil at this point. I cannot use any other type of sunscreen besides zinc oxide. Everything else just clogs my pores. I also make homemade sugar scrub to use for extra exfoliation when I think my skin needs it. Thats it...seems to be working although I know i will still get one of those monsters on my chin again! But you guys cant let me pick it ..ok?!

ALSO..I forgot...Keflex is the best antibiotic for me when I do get these eruptions. It is strong, and i dont like to take it, but it is the only thing that helps for a true skin infection. You dont have to worry about whether or not to take with food and it wasnt too bad on my stomach. Just made me more tired sometimes but it works well for me!

Edited by simi531, 17 February 2012 - 08:05 AM.