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 11, 2015
Product used: Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (Oral Contraceptive)
Did nothing for acne
This is a low estrogen pill. The benefit of that is that it generally has very few side effects. I had no side effects.
However, I took this pill for two whole years and it resulted in 0 improvement in my acne. I learned after the fact that low estrogen pills do not usually help with acne.
Also, it is extremely costly for a birth control, as there is no generic. Though I would recommend it as a form of birth control, I would not recommend it in the treatment of acne.
October 3, 2014
Confused
I give this bcp a 3 star rating because before taking this pill, I had brutal period cramps and irregular cycle. Now i have a regular cycle and very minimal cramps. Now speaking skin wise. I am now on my fifth month. My first month, my skin was the same: moderate acne, clogged pores, a zit here and there nothing severe. At the end of the second pack and beginning of thethird, bad things started happening. My skin would leave horrible red marks when zits would leave. I still to this day 2-3 months later still have these marks and they are exceptionally visible. I broke out horribly. The hyper pigmentation was everywhere. Now, it has died down but I have red marks from zits that left my face more than 3 months ago. This never used to happen before I was on these pills. They will not fade. I don`t know whether to continue taking the pills or stop.
August 9, 2014
made my skin horrible
I am starting my second month of Sprintec. I use it to control my periods which is workiing. However acne-wise its not the best. I started breaking out horribly when i first went on it! My skin has never been this bad!! I dont know what to do :/
January 24, 2014
Not to sure...
Cons:
Mood swings
headaches
acne in sunlight
This was my first birth control. I'm 23 years old now, I was 18 when i started and stopped after a year or half a year. I can't remember. But I do remember this birth control was good because it stopped my acne on my face right away from starting it, it didn't get me pregnant. Great right? Wrong. In the summer time, I started to get acne all over my back and chest, even my face. but very very small pimples and only when I was in direct sunlight. (Swimming, even with or without sunscreen. walking outside.) It was like my skin couldn't breathe! so all these mini pimples would scatter all over my chest and back. my face had larger ones and I would have horrible headaches and cramps when my period came. I also was very bitchy. so angry about nothing, then emotional when my period was about to start.(for example. i'll be pissed off and rage and then about an hour later i'll start to cry. then the next day my period would start) it didn't make my vagina dry though. so In the winter time I didn't get acne (the mini ones that would scatter all over my chest and back like in the summer time). I recommending because it helped only in the winter times because the sun didn't affect me as badly as it did in the summer times. I guess because my skin wasn't exposed.
September 21, 2013
Works for some but not me!!!
Pros:
Nothing for me
Works for some people
Cons:
Weight gain 10 lbs
Breakouts got worse
Always felt and looked bloated!
When I went on this pill the only reason was to control my acne. Several of my friends are on it and it has cleared them up. I am 16. When I started I knew that I only had a 1/3 chance of it working. 1/3 of people it works for. 1/3 it does nothing for and of coarse my category 1/3 of people it makes acne worse. I stayed on it for 3 months and I was told it takes about that long to work. However what I didnt understand was that in the 3 months that it takes to work my acne should not have become worse. There really shouldn't be an initial breakout from BCP's. Your acne might not get better however it should not cause your acne to exploded and get worse. Read the side affects from the maker or ask your gyno. I have seen my friends that it has worked for and that is why it is hard for me to rate it. If you are in the group of 1/3 that it works for than lucky you. This is just something you need to try and see if it helps. I also eat really well and am very very active. I put on 10 to 14 lbs and I couldn't budge that weight off me no matter what. It was to the point that I was barely eating and still no weight loss. I actually looked bloated all the time and the weight was all around my middle. I do at least 700 ab and core strengthening a day for my sport and I use to be cut but on the pill it wasn't possible. Again this is just how it effected my body. Once I was off I have just started to drop the weight doing nothing different except eating more but still healthy. I have never struggled with weight ever. I would say give it a try but if your acne gets worse stop because it's not for you. One of my friends that it works for also had a ten lb weight gain. She can't get it to budge so she is deciding if she should live with the 10 lbs or start over looking for a treatment that controls her acne but does put the pounds on some. There is no quick fix. I am having to learn the lesson of being patient and finding the treatment that will clear me up. It sucks but I think it will serve me well as a life lesson.
May 18, 2013
Pros:
Free with my insurance
Wasn't overly emotional
Cons:
Crazy hormonal breakouts
I was very optimistic about this birth control pill (I have been on several over the years) because it's so widely recommended. However, with my hormones probably already out of whack - having the 3 weeks of varying levels of hormones made my skin horrible. I gave it 6 months and now at a month before my wedding I have decided to stop taking it and get back on Yaz. So far so good (fingers crossed). Bottom line: if you struggle with hormonal acne, this is not for you.
January 1, 2013
Pros:
I have nothing good to say about this pill
Cons:
Daily headaches, back acne, really oily face covered in small zits, dont sleep very well.
I have been on yaz for 4 years and it worked great , clear skin and no negative side affects. I get ovarian cysts which were almost non existant while on yaz. Since switching to ortho tricyclen lo the pain in my side is back=cysts back, my skin is soo bad and i cant sleep. Going back to yaz!
October 5, 2012
Pros:
- prevent pregnancy
Cons:
- severe depression
- no libido
- SEVERE acne that lasted even when I got off the pill
I took yaz which kept my skin clear for years even after I stopped I'd get one or two but nothing serious, I decided I wanted a pill less linked to blood clot risk and tried OTC each week the hormones increase and around week 2-3 I woke up with a new cyst daily I was currently modeling and obviously can work until things cleared up but those suckers take forever. The worst part is my hormones never balanced out and my skin stayed that bad indefinitely until now I'm back on yaz. Biggest mistake of MY LIFE. This pill can work for some people but the increasing hormones just really don't work for some people. I'd go with yaz, it's more anti-androgenic and stable.
February 22, 2012
Pros:
Prevents pregnancy
Cons:
Nausea
Acne break out
Painful cramping
I have been on it for about 2.5 weeks now and I am getting terrible abdominal cramps and have been feeling sick to my stomach. My acne seems to have gotten worse as well. I am hoping that after my body gets used to it all those cons go away.
September 21, 2011
Pros:
Pregnancy prevention, acne control
Cons:
Headaches, mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness, weight gain
HATE IT!
Got a new prescription today!
It worked for 3 months then it all went down hill from there. Terrible cramps and heavy bleeding did not stop, I have horrible headaches between the last hormone pill and the placebos and then again when starting the hormones at the end of my cycle. Ive gained weight and cannot get it off with diet and exercises. This is the worst pill I've ever been on.
Pros:
not getting Pregant
Acne free
not dry Vagina