So my doctor put me on ortho tri cyclen lo for my mild breakouts, I've had this problem since I was in middle school, I am now on my 3rd year of college and I figured it was time to do something about it, so I went on the pill, and since I heard great reviews on this clearing up your face I was very excited to try it. I just finished my first pack and during the time I was taking it seemed to stop my breakouts, I don't have "acne" so I didn't see a difference in clearing it up, as long as it was preventing my breakouts I was happy, the past few days I've been taking the placebo pills and during this time I have also started my period, my breakouts are back, I've broken out on the side of my forehead, I literally have like 6 pimples, some are just coming to the surface, it's so frustrating, especially because I really thought I was seeing results. I normally don't break out this bad on my period, I know a lot of people who used this pill broke out initially, at the beggining and then started seeing results, so what happens when you start seeing results initially and then break out? Perhaps I'm over thinking this but I've gotten to the point where I am so self conscious about my breakouts that some clarification on others peoples experiences would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys!
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I've said on here before...anything marked "Lo" or with a low amount of estrogen will generally NOT clear acne. Phasic pills are also not great for acne (Ortho Tri Cyclen is a phasic pill). Your best bet is a pill that contains spironolactone (only one is Yaz/Yasmin) or a non-phasic high-estrogen pill.
Low-dose pills (Alesse, Aviane, Levlite, Loestrin 1/20, Mircette)
Regular-dose pills (Brevicon, Demulen, Desogen, Levlen, Lo/Ovral, Modicon, Nordette, Levora, Loestrin, Low-Ogestrel, Necon 1/35, Norethin, Norinyl 1+35, Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Ovcon 35, Seasonale, Yasmin, Zovia)
Phasic pills (Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo, Cyclessa, Trivora, Triphasil, Tri-Levlen, Ortho-Novum 10/11, Jenest, Tri-Norinyl, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7, Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep Fe)
High-dose pills (Ortho-Novum 1/50, Ovral, Ogestrel, Demulen 1/50, Ovcon 50, Diane-35)
I've said on here before...anything marked "Lo" or with a low amount of estrogen will generally NOT clear acne. Phasic pills are also not great for acne (Ortho Tri Cyclen is a phasic pill). Your best bet is a pill that contains spironolactone (only one is Yaz/Yasmin) or a non-phasic high-estrogen pill.
Low-dose pills (Alesse, Aviane, Levlite, Loestrin 1/20, Mircette)
Regular-dose pills (Brevicon, Demulen, Desogen, Levlen, Lo/Ovral, Modicon, Nordette, Levora, Loestrin, Low-Ogestrel, Necon 1/35, Norethin, Norinyl 1+35, Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Ovcon 35, Seasonale, Yasmin, Zovia)
Phasic pills (Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo, Cyclessa, Trivora, Triphasil, Tri-Levlen, Ortho-Novum 10/11, Jenest, Tri-Norinyl, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7, Ortho-Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep Fe)
High-dose pills (Ortho-Novum 1/50, Ovral, Ogestrel, Demulen 1/50, Ovcon 50, Diane-35)
Why do you say tri phasic pills wouldn't help in clearing acne?
Why do you say tri phasic pills wouldn't help in clearing acne?
Triphasics attempt to mimic the hormonal fluctuations of a fertile woman as much as possible while still preventing pregnancy. Therefore the level of hormones differs three different times during the cycle. The problem with this is that for someone with persistent acne, they have elevated androgen/testosterone levels during ovulation. It is normal to have some elevated testosterone during that period, but acne sufferers usually have way too much. The triphasic pill will attempt to mimic the normal level during the ovulation period, which will not counterbalance the elevated level of the acne patient. Does that make sense?
Here's a simpler explanation. During ovulation, Jenny's testosterone level is at 100 units. The normal level is 30 units. Let's say for sake of simplicity, that every unit ADDED of estrogen SUBTRACTS one unit of testosterone. The triphasic pill attempts to set Jenny's hormones by adding 30 units of estrogen during ovulation. Because of Jenny's elevated testosterone, the triphasic pill then only subtracts her testosterone to 70. She still has acne. If she switches to a high-estrogen monophasic pill, the high estrogen (instead of the "normal" level) during ovulation has a better chance of reducing her testosterone to an acne-free level.
