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
May 21, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Cons:
larger appetite, feeling lethargic, moodiness, terrible breakouts-mostly cystic, bloating. first week or so bad nausea
i switched to yasmin last year when i came off dianette, my skin was clear on it but i don't know if that's because it was still clear from the dianette. i used it for 3 months then came off it because i felt my body needed a break. about 4 months later my acne came back, gradually getting worse. i decided to go back on yasmin. so far i have been on it a month and my acne is just getting worse. i can't believe how bad it is. the new ones that are coming up are mostly on my cheeks/mouth/jawline, all painful cysts. it's horrible. i also feel lethargic, moody bloated and can't stop eating! almost as if i'm pregnant! as dianette took months to kick in (it eventually cleared my skin wonderfully) and my acne didn't come back while on yasmin (was only on it 3months before) i am going to stick this lot of yasmin out a little longer. i just really hope during this second month it gets better because i feel rubbish! if i didn't have the bad acne i do have, wouldn't go near the pill.not worth it!
May 5, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Great skin, PCOS symptoms under control, a lot less moody.
Cons:
extreme nausea.
I am 18 years old. I have only been using yasmin for about 10 days but its is a lifesaver!! My doctor put me on yasmin for PCOS and so far it is definitely doing its job.The pain and bloating i had in my lower abdominal area has vanished, my skin is awesome,it has never been this good in my life, its usually oily, pimple ridden with huge pores. Im also a lot less moody( to everyone's relief-whew!!) I do have occasional nausea however its got a lot better after the first few days. I tried microgynon before and it wasn't terrible but it definitely wasn't great my skin sucked, i was very nauseous and painfully bloated and my PCOS wasn't any better.I LOVE YASMIN!!
will keep you posted..
May 3, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
clearer skin, less facial hair growth
Cons:
not sure if i have exp any
have been on yaz for 3 weeks and already noticed my skin is even smoother, less facial hair growth, which was the only reason i am even on the pill, have not exp any other symptoms....
April 29, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Skin is clearing up (not oily), Bust is slightly bigger, Helping w/ my hirsutism
Cons:
1st wk insomnia along w/ hot & cold flashes, Gassy/Bloated, Slight headaches.
The bad side effects are all gone now. I don't know what my cycle will be like since I just started 3 wks ago. So far so good :) I don't know what the price is since the doctor gave me sample packs. I have insurance so the price shouldn't be that bad.
April 16, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
increased my breast size
easy to take
Cons:
my skin looks aweful right now!
heavy period
got it free with samples from OBGYN
ive only been using it for a month, so i hope things dont stay like this!! so far, its bad, but i suppose i will continue to see if this is just an initial phase and i definately hope it is!
April 10, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Don't know yet, just started last week.
Cons:
The heaviest second day of my period ever, spotting after period stopped. i am moody, down, trouble getting out of bed, low productivity at work. i don't know if they are from this pill, but have been more apparent since i started.
I'll give it to the end of the month.
April 1, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
no zits, less cramps, short period, prevents pregnancy
Cons:
the first month was a bit rocky. emotional, major zits, moody.
If you can wait it out for the first pack, the pill is amazing! My first month made me crazy but I'm onto my second pack, the zits are gone, my emotional rollercoaster is over, it's just an amazing pill!
At first I had to eat with it or else I'd get a stomach ache but now I am fine to take it alone.
The first month is the worst, try to get past that and you'll love this pill!
March 31, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
my skin is smooth and perfect. i lost a lot of weight
Cons:
none really
it is an amazing pill and i would recommend it to just about anybody. it is just great
March 24, 2008
Pros:
No babies, cleared skin at first, more regular periods
Cons:
Depression, weight gain, spotting, tender breasts, seemed to stop helping my acne, reduced sex drive
Other than mild mood swings, this pill seemed to work wonderfully at first. It started to clear my acne right away. I've always had irregular periods and this really helped to regulate them. After about 4 months I started spotting in between periods. I've always been pretty skinny and had a healthy sex drive, but after 3 months I started gaining weight (about 8lbs) and had a reduced sex drive. I've been taking the pill for about 7 months now and I've started experiencing bad depression where I'm crying nightly, can't get out of bed, and having mood swings. My breats are tender and it doesn't seem to be helping my acne anymore.
March 22, 2008
Pros:
Seems to reduce acne.
Cons:
belly weight gain, more moody, swollen & sore breasts.
Don't need Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for birth control, husband is "fixed". I have had bad acne since being off birth control after the birth of my children. Nothing topical or over the counter fixed it. So the dr suggested the pill again. It is covered by ins. so hopefully the side affects will go away in a few more months. Otherwise, I may stop taking.
Pros:
none as of yet