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 5, 2012
Cons:
-Developed large painful back acne
-Sever face break outs.
Started this pill about two weeks ago and everything about is spectacular. Aside from the fact that my face broke out terribly.
Everyone's skin is different this may work for someone else.
January 4, 2012
Pros:
Skin cleared, Effective,
Cons:
Touchy,
I was on this pill for about a year. It's really effective for acne, I found my skin cleared after about a month and stayed that way. However, personally I found it to be very touchy. If I missed a day, I would start my period. Even if it wasn't time. Though a lot of my girlfriends are on the same one, and didn't get that. I'm now switching to Seasonale, here's hoping that's better!
November 17, 2011
Pros:
Bigger breasts
Predictable periods
Way less acne
Cons:
Unbelievabley Painful cramps
Moodyness ALL month
Depression
Slowly dwindling sex drive
I've been on the pill for almost 2 years. AT first the nausea and acne breakouts were almost unbarable but I stayed with it. My acne has definitely Improved by 90%. In the last 3-6 months Ive noticed a very dramatic downhill slope in my mood. I didn't even realize why until recently. It's hard to notice so you have to pay attention. I caught myself yelling at my boyfriend when I realized something was way wrong. And I never had cramps before the pill and now I'm almost crippled the day I start and the whole week before is hell in everyway including migraines, cramps, grumpy, extreme fatigue and discomfort Down there. I guess everyone is different but I feel like this pill will either negatively affect you now or later.
November 13, 2011
Pros:
not pregnant
higher libido
bigger breasts
Cons:
weight gain
i cry all the time
dryness
bleeding after sex
higher appetite
you don't get pregnant. you do gain a lot of weight though. i've been on OTCL for about 5 months now and i've gained 10-15 lbs. none of my pants fit me and i haven't changed my eating habits. if anything i'm eating less and working more. i mostly always bleed after having sex (very lightly but still inconvenient). and you worry if it's because of other stuff... i want to eat all the time though! it's crazy, i have to force myself to not eat. oh and it smells funny down there... it turns off my boyfriend so i gotta make sure i shower regularly - preferably before sex. no acne. i do feel tired all the time! i take naps so often. i used to be okay with 6-7hrs of sleep but now i sleep 10 hrs on the weekends and still feel tired! i really want to switch, any recommendations?
October 3, 2011
Pros:
Clear skin
Birth control
Cons:
Weight gain
Bloating
Recurring yeast infections
One of the better BCPs I've tried in terms of side-effects. The major ones for me were 5-8 lbs. weight gain, feeling bloated, and awful recurring yeast infections. BUT, my skin was crystal clear after a few months of being on Ortho Tri-Cyclen and I experienced no mood swings or other serious side effects. It is also inexpensive if you have health insurance. If it weren't for the yeast infections, I'd probably still be on this pill. Of course, one's reaction to hormonal birth control is highly individual, so I can neither recommend nor not recommend. You just have to try it and see for yourself.
August 4, 2011
Pros:
Keeps breakouts under control
Reduces oil production
Pretty cheap
Lighter periods
Cons:
Weight gain
Melasma (hyper-pigmentation)
I was on the pill for almost 10 years. My acne was under control and I loved that. But, I gained 50 pounds over this time and developed melasma which made my skin look old and crappy. Been off the pill for 2 months, my hormones are going crazy but I prefer to find a more natural way for the acne.
June 16, 2011
Pros:
No acne, Regular periods, not getting pregnant(Duh! Lol)
Cons:
Very hard periods, cravings
I've been on this pill for about 5 months now. At first I got pretty bi cravings though I ate a lot more at first I didn't gain weight. I haven't noticed any more or less mood swings but come my time of the month, I get intense PMS. I didn't get my period at all when I didn't take the pill and if I did there would be no PMS at all. But since on the pill I get painful cramping and just over all sick feeling. I'm thinking of switching birth control method.
June 8, 2011
Pros:
My moderate acne COMPLETELY went away. Lighter periods, a lot less period cramping (I used to have severe pain).
Cons:
I'm always hungry when I take it, after the first year I had gained 10 pounds, and then could not manage to lose the weight.
I ended up going off of the this medication a month ago because of the weight gain/always feeling hungry. Since then, I did lose about 6 pounds, and my appetite has been a lot more normal. However, my acne is already back (I had forgot how bad it was). I'm afraid that cystic acne will return, and I will probably go back on ortho tri-cyclen as soon as I can get into the doc for a prescription. I had a fair amount of scarring and redness from acne breakouts in the past and over the past year or so it finally started to fade away and I was finally comfortable going out in public without makeup on occasion. (I used to NEVER go out without foundation on, even on a quick tirp to the grocery store or fast food drive through) I'm on the fence between trying out a different BC that will hopefully work on my acne and won't cause the appetite problems, but am afraid that if a different birth control doesn't work I will end up with more scarring.
March 29, 2011
Pros:
Regulating Periods
Cons:
Made Acne Worse
I've been on this BC for three weeks and I only started taking it to regulate my periods. So far, I can only tell that I haven't had a period yet as I'm still on the active pills. I did not start this BC for acne. Previously I just suffered from large pores, oily skin, and general splotchyness of the face with a couple of bumps every month during the week before and of my period. However, now that I have started taking it...I wake up every day with a new bump on my face. I'm only three weeks in so the jury isn't out yet, but I'm not sure that if this is a permanent thing, if I will want to continue taking it. This is disheartening because I actually became excited when I read that it was actually supposed to help acne. I also get brief, sharp abdominal cramps from time to time but I chock that up to the fact that I was told I could start taking it immediately and I would have been on my period around this time and that's how I would have felt. Kind of like my reproductive system is caught in a limbo as it regulates, which I hope is also the cause of my acne as well. I'll hold out for the three months but if it continues on like this, I don't know. I haven't suffered any of the other side effects others have spoken of though (like mood swings and loss of sexual drive).
March 10, 2011
Pros:
Clears skin
regulates periods
Free
Cons:
having to take it at the same time everyday
slow process
I've been on OTC for a month and went on this for acne purposes. It's definitely helped. Rarely get a new spots now. The first few weeks, I've experience some side effects. Heavy and short period so far. Will do another update in a few months.
Pros:
-Works well as birth control
-Does not cause nausea like some bc pills do