Acne.org Products
well im still on the pill but i found when i changed my diet and added workouts to my days it helped a great deal..i also added in suppliments ive been takin for a while now such as omega 3, flax, zinc,b complex, B6 for hormones, calcium
i also still use clindamycn acne treatment,,,
but to wash my face all i use is the ponds wipes...my face is combination but dry when i wash with any cleanser and water..so this has helped and its full of good ingredients..
my night moisturizer is the loreal genesis serum which u r suppose to use with the night cream but the serum is great alone for me..the night cream was great but to oily in the end for me..
in morning i use water and then a sunscreen
so far my skin is great
i also use the tanda device...blue light..
I will officially be BCP-free on Sunday! YAY! I hated being on those stupid pills, all those chemicals. I have the same problems as everyone else in this thread--I've tried to go off BCP for about 3 years now. The first time--it was really bad, but I feel like I have more knowledge about it this time around. And I am determined to stick it out for 6 months. I think the key is to re-balance the hormones. It kind of makes me mad, I started taking BCP when I was 15 for acne (I'm 23 now). I hate that I was put on it at such a young age too, without knowing the facts. Anyway, I will have to keep an update! Right now this is my plan:
-one Vitex/day. I got mine from iherb.com, the Femaprin one by Nature's Way. It's supposed to be a high-grade Vitex, the same one they prescribe in Germany for women with irregular cycles (I guess it's a well-known supplement over there?). Vitex
-2 cups of Red Raspberry Leaf tea. I have no idea if this will help, but every little bit counts. It's used to help with many female problems/issues, but it's supposed to help regulate too.
-Green Smoothies (getting those fruits and veggies in)
...any other suggestions? My acne is so-so right now, it will most likely get worse though.
Hey everyone,
I have to say it's kind of reassuring to read that other women have gone through similar to what I'm going through right now... Basically I had been on Marvelon since I was 17 (I'm 22 now) and I came off it last October because I was going travelling and I didn't want to have to remember to take it all the time whilst travelling. Also I thought it would be a nice break to my body since I had been on it for 5 years. Now the weird thing was about a month after I came off it, my skin was the BEST it has ever been, even better than how it got when I started taking the pill for my acne, as well as a method of birth control. I was so so happy. Then after a brief week or so it started to gradually come back. But I swear it is now worse than I ever remember having it when I was 15/16. Not only do I have very oily skin (mainly on my forehead) and acne mainly focused on my forehead and chin, but it is all over my back and chest. When I suffered with acne in my teens, I didn't suffer with it much on my back or chest so that bit is definitely new.
Obviously my biggest temptation is to now go back on the pill now I'm back home but I have yet to have a period yet. I'm not sure if this is just because of my hormones readjusting or whatever? My periods hadn't really regulated themselves before I went on the pill (I was a late starter... no period until I was 16) and so that may explain why I haven't had one yet? Would love to hear any ideas on this and the whole acne after coming off of the pill. Especially if your skin was really good to begin with.
Hey everyone,
I have to say it's kind of reassuring to read that other women have gone through similar to what I'm going through right now... Basically I had been on Marvelon since I was 17 (I'm 22 now) and I came off it last October because I was going travelling and I didn't want to have to remember to take it all the time whilst travelling. Also I thought it would be a nice break to my body since I had been on it for 5 years. Now the weird thing was about a month after I came off it, my skin was the BEST it has ever been, even better than how it got when I started taking the pill for my acne, as well as a method of birth control. I was so so happy. Then after a brief week or so it started to gradually come back. But I swear it is now worse than I ever remember having it when I was 15/16. Not only do I have very oily skin (mainly on my forehead) and acne mainly focused on my forehead and chin, but it is all over my back and chest. When I suffered with acne in my teens, I didn't suffer with it much on my back or chest so that bit is definitely new.
Obviously my biggest temptation is to now go back on the pill now I'm back home but I have yet to have a period yet. I'm not sure if this is just because of my hormones readjusting or whatever? My periods hadn't really regulated themselves before I went on the pill (I was a late starter... no period until I was 16) and so that may explain why I haven't had one yet? Would love to hear any ideas on this and the whole acne after coming off of the pill. Especially if your skin was really good to begin with.
So you have been off BCP since Oct. and haven't had a period since then? They say it can take up to 6 months to regulate, so after that I'd make an appt. with your doc to see if they can do anything. I'm taking Vitex and drinking red raspberry leaf tea, but there other methods out there too. I just don't know anything about them (like natural progesterone cream). Then again, if your cycle was irregular before you went on BCP, it would be the same irregularity after going off them (after an initial period of adjustment).
Good luck! What frustrates me is the lack of quality information online that I can find on this matter.
I will officially be BCP-free on Sunday! YAY! I hated being on those stupid pills, all those chemicals. I have the same problems as everyone else in this thread--I've tried to go off BCP for about 3 years now. The first time--it was really bad, but I feel like I have more knowledge about it this time around. And I am determined to stick it out for 6 months. I think the key is to re-balance the hormones. It kind of makes me mad, I started taking BCP when I was 15 for acne (I'm 23 now). I hate that I was put on it at such a young age too, without knowing the facts. Anyway, I will have to keep an update! Right now this is my plan:
-one Vitex/day. I got mine from iherb.com, the Femaprin one by Nature's Way. It's supposed to be a high-grade Vitex, the same one they prescribe in Germany for women with irregular cycles (I guess it's a well-known supplement over there?).
-2 cups of Red Raspberry Leaf tea. I have no idea if this will help, but every little bit counts. It's used to help with many female problems/issues, but it's supposed to help regulate too.
-Green Smoothies (getting those fruits and veggies in)
...any other suggestions? My acne is so-so right now, it will most likely get worse though.
I was on the pill for a long time and just came off of them 3 mos ago. I am having some more issues with acne since coming off of them. It is not severe but enough to bother me somewhat. I had initial withdrawal effects such as dizziness and difficulty concentrating. I took ginger pills (or tea) and that greatly helped with the dizziness. I had a period fairly quickly coming off the pill but still feel "off" at times...I am 38 and was told by my doctor that I might be starting peri-menopause. She is going to try me out on progesterone cream. I have heard it can take a while for your body to adjust being off the pill. Any kind of lifestyle changes will greatly help...eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and yes, supplements will help also. I tried vitex initially after coming off the pill and it made me ansy and wired. It could have just been withdrawal effects but I quit taking vitex for the time being. I have also started evening primrose oil so interested to see how that works.
Oh my gosh. You ladies have no idea how releaving it was to find this site. My story is the same I was on Yasmin for about 6yrs. We decieded to try for a baby this past Aug, so I have
been off BC since.
For the first month or two after being off I noticed I was getting big zits,( I normally just get a small whitehead now and then) that would get really red and hang around for quite awhile. I would allways get a zit or two every now and then on my back nothing to be embarressed about. Well as of right now I have a cluster of them on my cheek ;Where I never used to get zits ever! My back,well I have to say it is embarrising point now. I thought it was of because my getting off BC pills, but kept it in the back of my mind until last night I googled acne after BC and found this site.
I eat healthy, I don't drink soft drinks , I excersie at least 4 times a week, and obviously I wash my face and use a cleanser. I am gonna add some vitamins to the mix and see.
These pharmaceutical companies need to to put a disclamier or whatever its called saying somehting to the effects of
While studies show that taking (insert pill name) may reduce your acne while on the pill, studies have also shown that once you choose to stop taking the pill a percent of women have experienced severe to moderate acne.
I would have asked more questions ( I hope) by the way I am 28. It just would have been nice to know. Anyway thanks for the posts it is nice to know that I was not iimagining this 
My derm told me that it's pretty inevitable that almost all women will break out after stopping birth control after being on it for a number of years. It's a disruption in the hormone balance. I've been on the pill for 10 years (I'm 28 now). I've tried Mircette, Estrostrep, and Seasonalle, which broke me out TERRIBLY. They made my skin worse instead of better. This was many years ago. FInally, I found Yasmin, which helps a lot in keeping my skin clear, but doesn't completely prevent breakouts. But at least it doesn't make my skin worse.
But I've already decided, that I'm only going off Yasmin, IMMEDIATELY before my husband and I try for a baby, and will go back on it right after I give birth. Hopefully I'd get pregnant right away, so I can avoid all that crap. But then again, I have all the pregnancy hormones to look forward to, lol. I've had friends that broke out horribly during pregnancy, and other friends that had the best skin of their lives during pregnancy.
My derm told me that it's pretty inevitable that almost all women will break out after stopping birth control after being on it for a number of years. It's a disruption in the hormone balance. I've been on the pill for 10 years (I'm 28 now). I've tried Mircette, Estrostrep, and Seasonalle, which broke me out TERRIBLY. They made my skin worse instead of better. This was many years ago. FInally, I found Yasmin, which helps a lot in keeping my skin clear, but doesn't completely prevent breakouts. But at least it doesn't make my skin worse.
But I've already decided, that I'm only going off Yasmin, IMMEDIATELY before my husband and I try for a baby, and will go back on it right after I give birth. Hopefully I'd get pregnant right away, so I can avoid all that crap. But then again, I have all the pregnancy hormones to look forward to, lol. I've had friends that broke out horribly during pregnancy, and other friends that had the best skin of their lives during pregnancy.
I can handle a break-out, just not a huge horrible one that has no end in sight! its so frustrating.... that's what happened to me when I first went off BCP. my body has to start getting used to making its own hormones, and not be so estrogen-dominant from the BCP.
anyway, I'm still popping the Vitex here (1 week in)--I just have to make sure I take it with food. weird, but I think I'm more sensitive to caffeine right now (could be going off BCP or the Vitex? don't know. Vitex isn't a stimulant though). I have a ton of extra energy this week!
Same issue here.
I was on Depo Provera since I was 16. Now 14 years later my doctor told me no more Depo. Apparently after being on it for so long will cause serious birth defects in babies. Not that I care since I do not plan on having children...ever.
So then my doctor put me on Implanon. Its this birth control that is implanted under your arm which lasts 3 years.
Since I was taken off Depo my skin went crazy. I never had a break out up until I stopped taking Depo.
Now I am breaking out around my chin, blackheads on my nose and breakouts on my forehead!!!
I tried all sorts of products but nothing worked. Had facials every month but still nothing worked!
I then called my Derm who just put me on Differin and Clyndomicine. I don't know if this will help me but I am desperate! I look a mess!
Hi,
I have experienced the exact same thing. I'm 30 and my husband and I decided we wanted to try for a baby. I was on the pill for ~10 years. I used to get a rare pimple on the pill (which I thought was bad! who knew what I was in for...), so I also used differin gel while on the pill. I had beautiful clear skin. After stopping differin and the pill, I got moderate acne worse on my forehead and my chin with really sore cysts. My derm prescribed topical clindamycin which worked well for about 6 months (took about 6-8 weeks to work). I was clear until I got pregnant and switched to topical erythromycin (better safety profile in pregnancy). Unfortunately, I had an early miscarriage and my skin got worse. I got pregnant again 6 months later, only to have another miscarriage at 8 weeks. During that pregnancy and miscarriage, my skin got much worse with many sore painful cysts worse around my chin and jawline.
My husband and I decided we needed an emotional break from the miscarriages and trying to get pregnant, so I decided to go back on the pill for 6-8 months. My derm put me on doxycycline for 6 weeks while I started the pill. My acne didn't get any better.
Given that I was back on the pill (Yasmin) anyway, he suggested Accutane. I started it last week so we'll see. He seems to think I'll get good results with it and my acne would improve and have a low chance of coming back when I decide to go off the pill in the fall.
I have two friends that were on accutane when they were in their 20's - they both have gorgeous skin and during their pregnancies (and when they stopped the pill), they had beautiful skin. I'm hoping for the best!
I'll let you know how the accutane goes. I really wish I didn't have to go on it but given that I'm back on the pill anyway, I thought I'd try it. I'm really hoping for success especially for when I try again to have a baby in the future.
So far, I've been on it for a week (60 mg) - I have a few more pimples and 2 painful cysts. I don't know it it's the initial breakout but I'm hoping it goes away in a few weeks. I'm using DDF skincare 10% glycolic acid treatment daily and cetaphil cream. My lips aren't that dry however, I apply lip balm very couple hours so maybe I'm just getting to it before it can get too bad.
Take care and good luck with trying to conceive.
Hi everyone,
I'm new to this site (new in terms of posting, I have been reading and looking a lot over the past few weeks!) and thought I'd share my story relating to bcp.
I was on Marvelon for 5 years, from the age of 17 and decided to stop last october when I went travelling for 4 months, mainly to give my body a bit of a break. Now just to get things clear, when I went on it at 17, I had been battling acne already but when I went on the pill it did help a LOT, still got the odd few spots but nothing like how it was before I went on it (I'd describe my acne as mild-moderate before I went on the pill).
Anyway when I went off it last October the strangest thing was that after a month or so of stopping it my skin was pretty much immaculate, I'm talking better than it was than when I was even on it. I was so happy thinking that if I don't go back on it, my skin will stay perfect as it is.
I was SO wrong. I had a week or so of this lovely skin and then it slowly, and then more faster, went on the decline. I was breaking out on my forehead and chin, as well as my chest and back. I hadn't even had it on my chest and back when I was a teenager! My skin was mainly closed comedones and incredibly bumpy.
Now as I write this my skin is worse than it ever was before I went on the pill and it's making me feel really down. The spots have mainly gone from my chest, but are still on my back. As for my face it is worse than a month or so ago. I have very angry red spots and some are large and headless and just don't budge.
So everyone knows, I have now started Marvelon again. My doctor says it should take a couple of months for me to see an improvement in my skin and I'm just praying that it will improve a lot. I really do wish I hadn't even gone off it at all. It's sad my body has to depend on these artificial hormones but my skin is so repulsive right now I couldn't see any other way out, especially since the bill helped before.
It just added more insult to injury that it temporarily cleared up all together when I first came off bcp! Has anyone else had a similar experience to mine? (sorry this has been so long!)
Hi!
I had been on BCP for many years as well and went off of it recently to take a break.
My skin before BCP was also mild to moderate acne. At first my BCP didn't affect my acne, and then I started on Nuvo ring. My theory is that, because I was never good at taking my pills exactly correctly, it didn't even out my hormone levels enough to clear my skin. With the ring and using the BP gel from this site, my skin became very clear.
When I went off of BC (to give my body a break, like you), my skin became much worse. I stayed off for about 9 months, and my skin did not recover, although it did improve very slightly from what it was immediately after going off BC. Once I went back on, it took several months for my skin to clear, and because I am prone to dark spots, freckles, etc, I have dark spots left that are taking months and months to go away. Having battled my skin all my life, I am taking this in stride. At least, as a woman, I can cover the spots with makeup! Hopefully the ones on my chest and back will clear up before summer...
Recently I was late starting my next dose, and guess what? I broke out! So, clearly, I need to be very careful about taking it consistently.
It may seem discouraging to think that you have to remain on BCP to keep your skin clear, but I personally am just grateful to know what I can do to keep my skin clear. I'm more worried about what I will have to go through in a few years when I want to get pregnant and will have to go off BC for a longer period of time!
OMG!!!!!!!! Girls! It is so sad! I read 4 pages of your comments! I just started to break out! It's been just 3 month of this horrible look of mine! I am so depressed now! Looks like there is no cure for it! And it won't just go away. I thought that i am just imagining that now my break outs is getting worth but looks like it does! I always had such an gorgeous skin. Always had compliment on my skin and now! I'm wearing just turtleneck sweaters or tees. I look like i have chicken pox. Pustules all ove my neck and chest and back and my face. 
It feels so disgusting just to wash my face and feel all this bumps (( It is so sad! My doc gave me antibiotics it really helped first, but by 10th day of taking it my bladder hurts so bad. But skin became almost clean. Now second week without antibiotics and third month without BC pills. All of a sudden i woke up with my neck chest shoulders and back in pustules again ((( I'm so sad. My husband trying to cheer me up, but i just don't feel myself any attractive at all. I mean I see my skin no one have to tell me. Thank you for your advices. I will try to cut on sweets and bread (though i hardly eat any sweets). Will see if diet will help!
I am so angry! No one of those manufacturers told us that there will be POST effect on your body after get off the BC pill. I would never try them!!! And i will never take BC anymore!!!!
Well I'm just about to finish my first month back on bcp and my skin has kinda improved in some ways and not others...
My chest is almost clear, just a little bit of redness from previous blemishes. Though my back, neck and face still have quite a lot of spots. I wonder if part of it is that the spots have to develop from taking in the hormones again and then they'll clear up like they did when I used to be on it.
It's hard to tell but fingers crossed! Just glad I'm not going through this kind of thing alone 
I would have asked more questions ( I hope) by the way I am 28. It just would have been nice to know. Anyway thanks for the posts it is nice to know that I was not iimagining this
Same here, my story's pretty much the same. The ensuing hell after stopping isn't worth it. I never EVER had acne before taking Aviane and wish I had never gone on the pill in the first place.
I have the same story as everyone else here, was on the pill and now have acne even though before and after I was on the pill I had flawless skin.
.... I want to know if anyone has any SUCCESS stories?
Im taking fish oil and evening primrose oil, are there any supplements that are very helpful in getting my hormones back to its natural balance? I know people take vitex sometimes, but it seems to me thats more for if you have PMS and problems with your cycle coming off the pill.
SO: has anyone experienced a breakout after stopping the pill but their skin went back to normal? How long did it take and did you take anything to help the process? Would a liver cleanse help? Chaste berry? saw palmetto?
I have the same story as everyone else here, was on the pill and now have acne even though before and after I was on the pill I had flawless skin.
.... I want to know if anyone has any SUCCESS stories?
Im taking fish oil and evening primrose oil, are there any supplements that are very helpful in getting my hormones back to its natural balance? I know people take vitex sometimes, but it seems to me thats more for if you have PMS and problems with your cycle coming off the pill.
SO: has anyone experienced a breakout after stopping the pill but their skin went back to normal? How long did it take and did you take anything to help the process? Would a liver cleanse help? Chaste berry? saw palmetto?
Well, I have mostly been on the pill since I was 21. I never wanted children. Then I got married for the first time when I was 38. We decided that we would like to get pregnant. To make a long story short, I was diagnoised with PCOS. I have cysts, infertility, acne, and all of the other lovliness that comes with this. So after trying for 2 years to get pregnant through pills and injections, we decided we were happy just being us. About 4 months ago, I decided that I shouldn't have to be on the pill anymore. Wow, was I wrong! My cystic acne came back with a vengence. I went to the derm and got put on RETIN-A MICRO and Neo Benz Micro. After 2 months my cysts were so bad that I had to have them injected. Friday, I finally went back to my gyno. She told me that I probably would not be free of this until my mid 50's! As long as my body produces estrogen I will have acne. Besides being on the pill for acne, in my case, I need to be on it for hormonal reasons. I ended up with a pre cancerous condition due to not being regular. I was never regular and none of my doctors questioned me not having a period for 4-6 months at a time! Well at least I know what I have to do to have clear skin! This time I am on Yaz.