Diane-35 : Oral Contraceptive

This product worked for me. I've been off and on it since I was 22yrs old (i'm now 33). The longest stretch I was on it was from 22yrs until I was 29 yrs b/c I wanted to get pregnant. My skin was consistantly clear the whole time I was on it except for the initial first 4-6 mo while it was getting my acne under control. I have suffered with acne since about the age of 12. I've been on Accutane 5 times! I've been on every topical Rx med, antibiotic and OTC treatment there is. I've tried Proactiv and Murad which did nothing for me. I was also on spiro as well which did work well for me. I've just had my 2nd child about 5 mo ago and slowly my skin is starting to get worse. And b/c I'm breastfeeding I'm limited to what I can take. FYI this pill is not approved for BC. It is for acne it even says so on the box "acne therapy" . Also, there is no cure for acne, so to those who said that when they went off of Diane they couldn't believe that their acne came back, I'm just wondering what you expected? When you were taking it, it was in your system and doing its job (lessening the androgen hormone in your system) so when you stop taking it don't you think its only logical that your acne would come back? Any way, it does work there are side effects as there are with all meds, you just have to figure out if the benefit outweighs the risk for you.

Ive only been taking the pill for 10 days now and im not happy with the side effects ive experienced. Im only on the pill to regulate my hormone levels. *After taking it for two days I developed red spots all over my stomach -looks like chicken pox *In 6 days my boobs went from a b cup to a pumped up C cup -they are extremely sore and feel very heavy like im breastfeeding *Unplainable bad pain in my thighs (that side effect is listed in the box) *Very moody sometimes depressed- -bf noticed change after few days *Extreme bloating of lower stomach,thighs and love handles * Nausea * Weight gain *Swollen ankles Havent had any pimples yet (have very good skin) but have been doing microdermabrasion and chemical peels and these skin treatmnts really do improve pimples and skin condition. Now i cant beleive ive had all these things happen in 10 days. Im still going to keep going (against bfs wishes) cuz im desperate and this is the also the first time ive been on the pill. I just dont think im going to last a whole month.

I thought it was a miracle while I was on it, but once my health insurance changed and it was no longer covered I couldn't afford it. It has been a few months since I stopped and my skin is worse than ever. I have deep cystic acne all over my chin as well as regular pimples everywhere else. I went back to my doctor and he said because of the controversy, diane might not even be on the market much longer. My skin is pretty much addicted, and now I'm stuck with this mess.

I was placed on Diane 35 as a last resort before Roaccutane, I have been suffering with mild acne for about 11 years now (I'm 24). I was originally on Yasmin which gave me no major side-effects but was not clearing my skin up adequately. I have very fair, sensitive and acne scarred skin (redness, broken veins) so essentially I'm in a bind, sensitive products are too rich, acne products, too harsh, SPF cream triggers acne. I'm really at the end of my rope! After being on Diane for three months I am seriously considering giving it up, the weight gain and increased appetite (especially for comfort foods) is not doing me ANY justice. Especially since the improvement in my skin is minimal. I am always hungry and emotional, a horrid combination. Before I was able to simply diet, or cut out foods that were bad for me, but I have sugar and carbohydrate cravings every day now. As for the hair loss I have always had thin hair but now it's falling out in droves. Plus I have a very limited libido, so all in all my experience of Diane was not a good one. I'm going off the pill for a while, these side-effects are a bit much.

Diane 35 was recommended to me by a friend. I was specifically looking for a BC that would help my mild-sometimes moderate acne. I tried Yaz and Ortho before but Diane 35 worked the best to help clear up my skin. I used Diane 35 for 9 months and it really helped clear my skin, reduce oil production, and made my skin more smooth. I got lots of compliments on how nice my skin looked. I did not have any weight gain but I was already exercising 5x/week and eating healthy. I decided to go off BC because I really felt like the mood swings and decreased libdo were getting worse. I had read some reviews of women who had terrible side effects going off Diane 35. I had virtually none. My skin continued to stay clear for months after after I stopped using it and it is still better today than it was before I started BC. I still get a small pimple here and there but it's much more manageable. If my skin got a lot worse I would go back on Diane 35. I also recommend using organic unrefined cocconut oil at night. It helps reduce acne scares and helps prevent new zits because it has natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflamatory properties. I suggest using this 4-5 times per week only at night. Your skin will feel a little greasy but that should be expected. The bottom line is that everyone responds to BC differently. It took me a few times to find the right one. You need to give it at least 3 months to see if it works. Now I'm not on any but I believe that my skin is better now because I was on it. The experience also made me realize that my skin (and no one else's!) will never be perfect but it's the inside confidence is what makes you shine! People aren't looking at your pimples as much as you think they are! You are your own worst critic.

I have had acne which started when I was 13 and progressively got worse. I tried every prescription cream on the market then went on acutane when I was 18. Nothing worked. At 21 I went on Diane 35 and immediately my face began to clear up. I now have absolutely no acne. I experienced none of the side effects that others seem to have encountered. This has been my miracle drug and I am forever grateful.

Diane saved me. I have suffered from cystic acne for almost ten years. My acne was severe and I was so miserable and depressed. This product changed my life. Although I still have some scaring I know it would be ten times worse if I hadn't used Diane. I have tried every acne lotion and potion . Diane is the only thing that has ever helped me. I do still get some pimples when I'm on the sugar tablets or when I wear make up that irritates my skin, but I have never had any cystic acne when I've been on Diane. I have used this product for six years and never had any major problems. I do get mood swings from time to time, but it's worth it . Diane does take a long time to work . For me it was around 9 months. I have noticed that most of the people who have given Diane a bad review are those that have not used it for long enough.

I started taking Diane 35 after 2 sittings of glycolic peels left me with huge inflammed never drying pimples mainly on my cheeks! they were horribly angry looking pimples. I ditched my dermat and decided to take Diane. It worked wonder. Quickly dried up my acne, very few small non-inflammed pimples. I was happy, it was working! But during 1 week of gap I noticed my hair falling out like a thick ribbon!! I cried all morning :,( I discontinued it after that and now started isotretinoin from another dermat. But my roomie took Diane 35 for 5-6 months. She didnt had hair loss and is relatively pimple free for abt 1 and half yr. She also had moderately severe acne on face, back and chest, with family history. So, i say, try it .... and if u've hair loss like me discontinue it. But if no major side effect then it's the best! Good luck!

I have to say that this drug changed my life. I had had severe cystic acne from the time I was 15 years old. I had tried antibiotic (too numerous to name), Accutane (horrible, horrible drug), Spironolactone and U.S. made birth control pills such as Ortho Tri-Cyclen. Done of them did anything, other than cause awful side effects. I was finally told by my doctor that there was nothing else they could do for me and that I would just have to learn to live with the problem. But, in my 30's I started searching the internet for help and found out about Diane 35, which you can't obtain from doctors in the U.S. I ordered some from on-line and was somewhat fearful of taking an unknown drug with no medical advice or monitoring, but by this time I was at my absolute wits end. I have to say that it started working almost right away and it helped me so much with my PMS as well. I found that my skin would clear up for about two weeks per month and then break out again with my period. Eventually I hit upon taking the pills for five days out of the week for the entire month rather than having a seven pill break once per month. That did the trick and my skin is so clear and pretty that strangers stop me and comment on it! Never before in my life had someone told me I had nice skin. NEVER... I had suffered through so much pain, depression and isolation due to cystic acne, I never thought I'd ever have a normal life. Truly, this was a miracle drug for me. I know that everyone won't have the same experience with it that I did, but for me, it was life changing. The best years of my life were ruined, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel for me. My heart goes out to anyone suffering with this. Just don't give up trying to find a solution, don't ever give up!

I am 23 and took this for only 3 cycles. After stopping it, I have encountered the above complications. It has caused so much emotion and physical distress that I really don't feel that having clear skin is worth the long-term effects this drug has caused me, nor would I in good conscience recommend this to anyone. Acne is caused by hormonal reasons and other causes. Instead of getting your doctor to band-aid the situation with more hormones your body does not need, ask for a referral to a dermatologist or blood tests to find out what is causing the acne. This is also not recommended for birth control alone, so all in all, this drug gets a rating of 0 out of 5. I'm putting it as a 1 as is required, but honestly, don't waste your money. It is garbage.