Acne.org Products
Hormonal Therapy
Efficacy
63%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Improvement significantly increases after 24 weeks.
Hormonal Therapy
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Any brand of oral contraceptive appears to clear the skin about the same amount, regardless of whether it is officially approved for acne treatment. Some people report complete clearing of acne symptoms and others see partial relief. However, artificially controlling your hormones is a serious decision, so it’s best to proceed with caution.
Hormonal Therapy
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 Oral Contraceptives? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
April 14, 2009
Cons:
Acne around the Mouth, Vision worsen, Breasts always swollen, bloated all the time ( even if i dont eat )
I was on OTC Lo for 6 months. It was okey for my acne and my body until 6 months. It was when acne started to come out. Ive decided to switch to OTC Regular hoping to cure my acne. I was advised that it takes 4 months for it to take effect. But of no luck. Acne got worse. I was on the 5th pack that I decided to get off the pill. Its been 2 weeks now and my acne is getting crazy. I think my body is still adjusting to the new set up. I hope that within 2 months my acne would be better. I took BCP solely for my acne. But it did not help. I was bit relieved that it did not help with my acne. At least I wont get hooked up with the pill taking into consideration the negative effect it might do for your body.
As what others say, it takes some time for your body to adjust. but it did not work for me so i decided to stop.
April 9, 2009
Pros:
no pregnancy
Cons:
AWFUL acne, weight gain
I'm happy to admit that my weight gain likely has a lot to do with my diet and low activity level, but I've had the same habits for years and still managed to maintain my weight pretty steady. In the four months since starting OTCL I've seen about a 10 pound gain. That doesn't suck nearly as bad as what as happened to my skin. I had bad acne as a teen and actually did two courses of Accutane in my late teens/early 20s. After that, my skin was generally good. When I would commit to a good cleansing & exfoliation program, my skin would be excellent. Even when I slacked, I didn't have breakouts worth mentioning. The last four months on OTCL have been hell. My skin is worse than pre-Accutane. Huge throbbing cystic pimples on my chin and cheeks constantly. The kind that grow like a volcano and seem to have their own heartbeat. Cannot be covered with makeup, don't clear even after the cyst erupts. Instead I'm left with an ugly mark on my face and new pimples. Miserable, switching asap!
March 30, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Controlled Periods.
No breakouts.
Good Complextion
Cons:
Testy during my period.
Well worth the money to help with periods and not worry about my face.
March 29, 2009
Pros:
No Acne, Regular period. no pregnancy
Cons:
WEIGHT GAIN!!!!
This pill makes you gain excessive weight if not careful. I am trying to find a low dosage of hormones.
March 28, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Cleared up skin completely. Skin softer, less oily. Mood swings regulated. Increased breast size.
Cons:
Slight water weight but nothing too bad. Mood swings worsened first few weeks. Spotting.
I went on YAZ as part of the regimin to begin Accutane, and after 3 weeks on the pill, I went to the derm to start my treatment and I had no acne whatsoever! Yaz completely healed my cystic breakouts, which at this point appears to have been completely hormonal. I hear different things about YAZ, and my friend went on it and it did nothing for her, so I think its really hit or miss with whether or not it will work for you. It probably depends on what caused your acne in the first place, but if it appears to be hormonal (around the chin area and worse around your cycle) then its definately worth a try. I hear it may take up to 3 months to completely heal, but again its better than going on tane. I am so glad I went on YAZ because the side effects are WAY less than Accutane, and it had some extra benefits such a larger breast size and softer, less oily skin.
March 28, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Significant improvement in skin after 2 months of use.
No more breakouts :)- SKIN IS SOOO SOFT!!
Regulated period
Cons:
elongated my period by a day
didn't clear left over red marks
****I'm rating this as A SKIN CARE PRODUCT, NOT A CONTRACEPTIVE!!!! -Try it. There is not much improvement in the first month, but after 2 you realllly see it. My skin is much less oily and I haven't broken out in weeks. I'll still break out a tiny tiny bit during my period, but the pimple or 2 will be gone in about 2 days. This has been the ONLY thing that has worked for me. I turned to BC as a last resort, not wanting to use it because i was afraid of weight gain and other side effects but I have experienced none but breast tenderness before my period. My skin is so smooth I can't even believe it is my face.
March 27, 2009
Pros:
no babies, period is on time every month, shorter periods, clears acne
Cons:
gained 30 pounds, irritable, mood swings, cramps are worse
ive been on yaz for 2 years and gained 30 pounds ive tried diet and exercise to see if it was my fault for gaining the weight. i never lost anything. im 20 yrs old and 30 pounds over weight!!! so i finally went to my dr and he switched me to ortho tri cyclen lo since i think that the hormones are making me huge. we will see how it works and if i lose any weight. but im scared since one of my friends got pregnant on ortho tricyclen. hopefully the new birth control will work for me. by the way i never had bad acne only a couple of pimples here and there and yaz did clear up most of it. and before i got on yaz i never had bad cramps, i only got on birth control to prevent pregnancy.
March 26, 2009
Pros:
Prevents pregnancy, cheaper than other birth control pills, no break-through bleeding, breast growth
Cons:
Slight weight gain and increase in hunger, nausea, slight dizziness, FATIGUE, minor headaches, MOOD SWINGS, INCREASE IN ACNE
I went on Ortho Tricyclen Lo primarily to prevent pregnancy. When my doctor told me that it may also help with my acne, I was a little excited. Although my acne before going on the pill wasnt severe, I would get breakouts before my period or if I had my makeup on overnight. Since going on the pill, I noticed many differences in my skin - the type of acne changed and started appearing on different places on my face than what i was used to. My pores got bigger and the overall appearance of my skin worsened. It's not TOO terrible but considering the fact that many women go on this pill expecting that it will clear their acne, Ortho Tricyclen was a huge disappointment.
I gained around 4-6 pounds, but I've only been on the pill for three months, so this weight may balance off. I tend to feel a little sick to my stomach an hour or so after taking the pill. A major side effect is fatigue; I feel very tired especially in the mornings. I also cry more often now and have unexpected mood swing
March 17, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
didnt get pregnant,no cramps
Cons:
horrible moos swings, sore boobs all the time oh worst of all broke out my face and back
i hate pimples! but thanks to yasmine now i have them on my chin and back i never had pimples before. im still on it but wont be for long
March 12, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Didn't get knocked up. Score.
Cons:
I was prescribed this when I was 19 and living in Florida and now 10 years and 5000 miles later, I've gained 40 pounds from it.
I recently went off because its not healthy to have your body assume you're in a constant state of pregnancy and therefore the ovaries won't release eggs. Take into account that in studies, women on average gained 7-10 pounds a year on Yasmin. I never got acne or weird werewolf-like hair growth and it did the job. Initially I lost about 10 pounds because I'd be so nauseaus after taking it, but oh, that soon ended. The price started at $25 for me and before I left for Ireland 3 years ago it was $65 a month. The government should be paying me for being responsible and not bringing random children into the world like others.
Pros:
Lighter Periods. Lost Body Acne, no effect on my mood, cleared my body acne.