97 replies to this topic

[keegsdur]

I am also shocked by all the negative experiences with Yaz, so I thought I'd ease the nerves of those just starting it... I had mild acne in my teenage years, and then it became moderate and very persistent when I was 21. My skin was always very oily and no matter what products/washes I tried, I responded to nothing. This made me think it was hormonal. I am now 23 and I was interested in going on a bcp for the birth control part, so thought I had nothing to lose. My doc recommended Yaz because of the dual benefits, and I also learned about how your risk of certain cancers decreases while on the pill. As with any birth control pill, it does slightly raise risk of blood clots, strokes and high blood pressure, so if that runs in your family (or yourself) you and your doctor should weigh your risks/benefits. I have only been on Yaz for a little over a month, but I can already tell you I'm not getting off of it any time soon! My skin cleared up very quickly, and now my primary concern is fading some scars. I also love the benefit of having a regular, and very light period. Mine were never regular, and I always got very moody and had a lot of cramps around that time of the month. Not on Yaz!! I'm so glad I decided to try it! Hopefully more people will report their positive experiences with it on here!

Also, I just want to say that I strongly disagree that accutane is safer than spironolactone... The spiro dose in Yaz is so low and it is only a mild diuretic. I would not take accutane, especially being a woman. Causes horrible birth defects among other things...

[ElephantEyelash]

I've been on Yaz for a month now. I like it - I don't have any cysts anymore. The acne I do have is manageable by bp. Hope it continues this way

[harperB]

I just switched to Yaz about 3 weeks ago and my skin has never looked this bad!!! I was taking Diane-35 for about a year but the last couple of months it was making me miss my period. But at about the same time I started taking Yaz my dr. prescribed me Retin A .01% so I really don't know which is causing me to break out so bad. I went from having a few small pimples to having them everywhere, even places I never did before! I don't know what to do!!!

[ElephantEyelash]

harper - i know this sounds annoying, but give it some more time. my doctor told me it normally takes 3 months to see results. the first week or so i was on it, i broke out a little more than usual as well. it might be part of the purging process - that might have been under your skin and waiting to come up anyway. don't give up yet!

[harperB]

Oops, it's actually Yasmin that I'm taking...I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Anyways, It's been so long since I've switched my BCP that I don't remember if I had an IB before. I know I won't see results immidiately but it's so frustrating when it gets way worse than it initially was. I've stopped using the Retin- A a couple of days ago now to see if my skin gets any better but it hasn't....I guess my skin does just needs time to adjust. Thanks for the help:)

[lizlemon]

How do you tell if your acne is hormonal? I've always had very infrequent periods, usually three a year, so I was hoping birth control would be my magic solution. My doctor put me on yaz a week ago, in addition to minocycline and differin cream. She said it would take about three or four months for it to work, so don't give up after a month.

[keegsdur]

How do you tell if your acne is hormonal? I've always had very infrequent periods, usually three a year, so I was hoping birth control would be my magic solution. My doctor put me on yaz a week ago, in addition to minocycline and differin cream. She said it would take about three or four months for it to work, so don't give up after a month.

Do you get cyclical breakouts? Are they usually around your mouth/jawline? These can indicate a hormonal cause of acne. I think the best way to tell is to see if you get better after your body has adjusted to the bcp. It should at least help to regulate your infrequent periods (I had the same problem, though to a lesser degree). Good luck, hope you find your magic solution!

[pinkpugsy]

Please don't be afraid to try YAZ!! I was on Ortho-Lo for about a month and a half and it just kept making my acne worse. Then I switched to YAZ and broke out in painful cysts all around my mouth and jawline. It was like everyday I would wake up with a new cyst somewhere on my face. However, I can honestly say that one day I woke up and they were all drying up and going away. That was about the same week that I started my second pack; I'm almost on the 2nd week of my 2nd pack and my face is almost completely clear. I woke up this morning and had to put concealer on ONE spot, and that spot is healing!! I haven't woken up wtih a new pimple in almost a week. So hang in there, it can work!! You just have to put up with the initial breakout as your body adjusts to the hormones. If your acne is hormonal, YAZ is better than most other BCPS anyway because of the drospirenone in it. Just watch your potassium levels.

[Aschacht]

Hey
just read ur blog. I also have hormonal acne. I just read up on estrosense, its supposed to really work on balancing your hormones and clearing up acne. I just bought it so I'll let you know if it really does the job.

[KateAK]

Yaz has made my face awful I was on Loestrin March-August 2008 and that was the clearest my skin had EVER been, it was crazy! And amazing! But I switched to Yaz becuase Loestrin made me get my period every 2 weeks on the dot. In the first month on Yaz I broke out worse then I had since I was 14! (I'm 20 now) It got a little better after that first month but it is still really bad I am calling my ob/gyn tomorrow to switch to another BCP. So we'll see how that goes! But it is good to hear that it is working for some of you ladies!

[heatherlovesgcu]

I've been on Yaz for a month now. I like it - I don't have any cysts anymore. The acne I do have is manageable by bp. Hope it continues this way

hey i know you put this out there a while ago but Retin-A needs to be takin with an oral medication as well, i mean it can work but if its not working with just the topical cream u should ask your dr/dermatologist for another form of medication..i am on Retin-A and an oral antibiotic called tetracyclin as well as a cream that i use in the morning called clindamycin..acne is bacteria/infection usually, and if u were given Retin-A that is the case..so if ur acne is not better i would talk to ur doc agian..goodluck with it!!

[S Gumby]

I have been on Yaz for about a year before that I was on ortho low and I like yaz better. It cleared my skin a little also before yaz I had not had a period for four months and now I get one like clockwork. I dont think it made a big difference with my PMS but my symptoms arent that bad. I don't think it is the miracle pill as it was advertised. I would say give it a chance and if it is not working for you try something else.

[bruingrl456]

I am in my second month of Yaz having switched from Yasmin -- Yasmin (or rather, the generic form) did not seem to have perfect results for my acne and after a year I decided to switch to Yaz because I thought that the longer amount of the drospirenone would help my skin.

Unfortunately, it seems as if my skin has gotten much much WORSE. I have no cysts on my face, but I have a lot of small whiteheads on my forehead and around my chin. And additionally, I seem to have spots on my chest and back -- places where I NEVER had acne before.

I am worried that this is because Yaz has less estrogen than Yasmin. Is it the estrogen or the drospirenone that helps prevent acne? Is this just my skin reacting to the change in hormones? Should I stick with Yaz for a third month, or should I switch back to Yasmin at the end of this second month? How long should I wait before giving up?

I'm really discouraged that it's so much worse after a month and a half, so I'm thinking about switching back to Yasmin today since it's the same hormone anyway. I should also note that I started Epiduo gel about two and a half weeks ago, so I don't know if that would contribute to the fact that my acne has been getting worse, too.

HELP!

[Boston50]

It's advertised as such. I took Yasmin briefly, then Yaz, and both were a nightmare for me. My acne cleared up for the first month, then came back strong as ever. The worst part about both pills is that they gave me terrible mood swings. I burst out crying when I lost a game of checkers, cried at sad commercials, and got angry very easily. Talk to your doctor first, and if you're already using a pill that's working, stick with it. I'm back on my old pill now, and since using the BP and AHA, my acne is practically gone.

May I ask what your old pill is?

[ehytee7]

Aah.. reading all the bad reviews people had with Yaz scares me.. My doctor prescribed Yaz to me, but I haven't started taking it yet since He wanted my endocrinologist to deal with my PCOS. Still waiting for a go signal from my endo, but I am being impatient. However, after reading all the replies, maybe I should just wait it out.

Also, I know you have to start taking BCP when your first period comes, but my problem is that I am irregular. For the past months, I've been missing my periods for 2 months. So if ever, can i start taking BCP even without my period yet, or should I just wait for my period to come which I don't even know when??

[pchic]

wow I htought Yaz was like a breakthrough or something! It was raved about in the papers and magazines recently. I was thinking of getting it to control my super oily skin, plus I think I have PMS breakouts as my skin has more breakouts when it's nearing my period. Plus my period is irregular.

[LadyWillow]

I am starting Yaz today.
I am going to see my doctor in two weeks but my dermotologist gave me a sample of the Yaz without instructions.
Is it better to take it in the morning or in the night?
I am going to take it at night today but should I take it in the morning?

[amym]

i was on ortho trycyline for 4 years, and it didn't help my acne. it kept it somewhat at bay before my period and then the week before my period my face would break out horribly.

i did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that yaz may be the right birth control for me. i have been on it since the end of april, and my acne has cleared up tremendously thus far. i do notice some mood swings but to me, that's a small price to pay. when i first began in, i did break out. but now with yaz, combined with my new regimen, i see a light!

good luck, this is mostly a trial and error process so i hope you find what works best for you.

[megan jean]

I must say that YAZ worked for me and I think it took about 4 or 5 months before I really began to see the clearing of my skin to the point of being comfortable going without makeup. I really really recommend YAZ, but only for those who tend to have their periods affect their moods in a noticable way... more than PMS. This was the reason I went on YAZ in the first place and I think this is why it helped me so much with my acne with such few side effects. Unfortunately, I cannot take any form of BC pills anymore and the acne slowly returned. YAZ was a godsend for me.

[LadyWillow]

did anyone else experience dryness with Yaz?