Oral Contraceptive
Efficacy
63%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Improvement significantly increases after 24 weeks.
Oral Contraceptive
Acne.org’s Real World Take
All oral contraceptives appear to clear the skin about the same amount. Some people report cessation of acne symptoms and others see partial relief. However, messing with hormones is messing with hormones and it’s best to proceed with caution. But if you’re looking to take the birth control pill anyway, one of the benefits is clearer skin.
Oral Contraceptive
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Norgestimate (Ortho Tri-Cyclen®)? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
January 22, 2011
Cons:
-Feel sick in the morning
-Need to drink lots of water while I'm taking it
The main reason I took this pill was for my acne, My skin has never been that bad but there was point in my life my skin was HORRIBLE my doc put me on birth control and I have to say its a miracle I'm on my 2nd month now.
January 17, 2011
Pros:
Worked first time around, but not 2nd.
Cons:
Can only use for a few months before you grow immune
Used this before my wedding and it worked beautifully to clear up my skin. Took 2-3 months to see results. Went off it at 6 months on Derm's recommendation so that I wouldn't build up immunity. Tried it again 8 years later and it didn't work at all.
January 16, 2011
Pros:
- Over all skin clarity is a bit clearer.
- Losing some weight.
Cons:
- CONSTANT feeling of nausea.
- Some new zits / skin problems have formed.
- Either so starving you can eat anything, or so full you can't even think of food.
- Nighttime headaches.
- Morning vomiting.
- More tired / lazier.
I've only been on this pill for about a week or two so far, but I'll tell you it's been one hell of a time already. I always feel like I'm going to vomit .. and when I say always, I mean ALWAYS. Sometimes I actually do. Migraines at night when I'm trying to sleep always occur. You can only take this pill right after your evening meal, at a specific time. New pimples have formed, I guess I should use more makeup then planned when I go out now-__- Overall, this pill so far is HORRID, but we'll see how my body decides to react to it after week 4. Wish me luck.
January 13, 2011
Pros:
not pregnant
improved cramps
Cons:
terrible breakouts
I never had bad acne but as soon as I started ortho I broke out TERRIBLY. My doctor told me to wait a few months but it never got better. I finally switched birth control bills and now my face is back to normal...
January 12, 2011
Pros:
lighter shorter periods ( first 2 days good flow, spotting after that), no cramps, acne gone, no spotting between periods
Cons:
severe migraines, nausea, my hair fell out a lot, depression, no sex drive, extreme mood swings, oily hair, and weight gain ( 10 lbs in 4 months)
I had to switch to something else, I could not stand the severe migraines with the sensitivity to light and sound. The depression was bad too, I would cry for no reason and always be sad. My sex drive disappeared. I gain so much weight. I wouldn't recommend these pills to any of my friends.
January 11, 2011
Pros:
Clearing skin
Cons:
Not sure yet
I have been on ortho for a week. My skin was the worst it had been in my entire life. I've tried everything, antibiotics, prescription strength creams... The acne I had was mainly around my mouth and cheeks which is normally hormonal. The ortho has cleared me up. I feel so confident now. (I get it at Planned Parenthood by my University)
January 11, 2011
The best thing I can say for Ortho Tricyclen (I went on the low dosage pill) is that it was extra protection against pregnancy when I was sexually active, and it was free because it was covered by my insurance. The worst thing I can say for this pill.... well quite frankly there's a lot of negatives. While taking the pill I broke out even more than usual, and that was in the first 3 weeks of taking it, when I was being super careful not to miss a day. The pimples would come up in areas I didn't usually experience acne- my cheeks, and it came up worse than ever on my T zone. When I started accidentally missing days, or taking the pill at different times, it got much worse. My period would restart and I'd have up to 3 periods in a month which obviously messed up my hormones- I started breaking out worse than I ever had. I know it was my fault, but I'm naturally a forgetful person & making sure I always took the pill at the EXACT same time every day was difficult for me. The worst part about this pill, however, was that it caused me to become absolutely lifeless. Honestly, it completely warped my personality/mental state to the point where I would try to do my favorite things and would feel absolutely no point in doing anything- it was like I could no longer experience happiness. I've been depressed before due to going through certain life experiences, but this depression was unnatural and pretty frightening. I couldn't stop it and it was getting so bad that I eventually I just weaned myself off of the medication. Point is: if you're the type of person who takes a long time to get used to a routine or regimen, this is not the medication for you... even on a low dosage. Be careful, and make sure to look out for symptoms of depression.
January 2, 2011
Pros:
lighter period
less menstrual cramp pain
Cons:
serious health risks (I almost died)
spotting
expensive without health insurance
It had no visible effect on my acne, aside from the week of inactive pills, when I would get breakouts. Birth control pills carry serious but rare risks including: heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lung), and deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) If you decide to use birth control primarily to control acne, please ask your family about any possible coagulative disorders in your family history. I took birth control for a little over a year and ended up in Intensive Care. And I was lucky to be there.
December 31, 2010
Pros:
Clears up moderate acne
Breast enlargement
Lighter menstrual Cramps
Lighter flow
Cons:
Spotting the first few months you're on it
Does not clear up severe acne
May gain weight the first few months
Remembering to take the pill daily
It's pretty alright for moderate acne and lightening your menstrual cramps and flow. You gain weight to first few months you are on it, but it will eventually wear off once your hormones are balanced(after a few months time). YOU HAVE TO GIVE BIRTH CONTROL TIME TO WORK. It wont start to clear your acne the first pill. It will take a few months for it to take effect and get in your system. Would not recommend for severe acne.
December 29, 2010
Pros:
Regulated Periods
Made skin significantly softer/smoother
Reduced oil production which somewhat controlled/reduced breakouts
Increased breast size
Cons:
Did gain four pounds in two months
Not a permanent solution to acne
I took this medication hoping it would give me perfect skin. It did help with my skin but I wish I had understood that it is not a permanent solution. I stopped taking it because of the weight gain and it was annoying to take the pill everyday. If you take this pill for a long time hoping for clear skin and eventually go off it, your skin will probably return to its original state. I am now going on accutane which is a more permanent solution. This pill is great if you need it for periods/preventing pregnancy but I wouldn't take any birth control just for your skin because it's not worth it in the end.
Pros:
-Cleared up skin amazingly
-Lost a couple of pounds
-Cramps are long gone
-feel less bloated
-Not prego!