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
January 14, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Cons:
My husband just asked me this morning if I had more of a belly. My hunger level is stabilized now and I'm not starving every 2 hours now but the first 2 weeks I wanted to eat everything in sight. I also seem to be more depressed.
Yasmin is a good choice if you don't mind your weight fluctuating a bit- just work out with it and the weight gain shouldn't be a problem. I am definitely more moody now than I was before and will cry at the drop of a hat but I'm going to stick it out for 3 months on it to see how I like it. My hunger is now under control and I'm excited to see what it will do for my light acne. Yasmin has been a good starter pill (First time on BC).
January 12, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
decrease in acne..
Cons:
depression, weight gain, mood swings, nausea, vomitting, and more.
I was on Yasmin for a few months and it was my first time being on birth control and it was crazy. I gained like 15 pounds in just a few short months. Also i would cry for no reason and was really moody especially towards my bf. It made me feel like i was bloated and i even looked like i was too. Its all different tho in every one. But it def was not right for me so my gyno put me of Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and its a million times better than Yasmin. I lost weight and my acne does not even exist. :)
January 6, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
It cleared up my face..I loved it for a olid 2 months I was acne free
Cons:
after 2 months it stopped working for some reason and I had the worst breakout of my entire life
I talking to my derm and she said it can be a cycle and it might start working again and im praying it will
has anyone else had the same reaction to it?
December 30, 2008
Pros:
Clear skin
Cons:
Horrible nausea and vomitting, break threw bleeding
I used to have pretty clear skin with the occasional break out, then is started taking orth tri-cyclen and the occasional break outs went away. I couldnt handle the nausea and vomitting everyday so i switched. What a horrible idea. I have been on loestrin and ortho-novum and they both have distroyed my skin, the worst acne i have ever had. I am thinking of switching back to orth tri-cyclen just to get rid of the acne.
December 24, 2008
Pros:
prevents pregnancy?
Cons:
acne on the back and chest, long periods, extreme moodiness, very tender breast, constipation, gas, just feeling lazy and crappy all the time
I've been on this pill for about three months, so far i hate it but the only reason i'm still on it is i want to stick it out for a couple months to see if my body gets used to it and i'm sick of having the fear of thinking i could be pregnant. The next morning after i started taking it it gave me morning sickness, I have had severe pain in my bladder area thats on and off every day but only last for a few seconds. That stopped after i got my period. It was horrible for the first 3 days, very heavy and terrrible cramps. I am still on my period after a week but no cramps, its very unusual period, bleeds when i pee but not when I don't have a tampon in. Also it gave me acne all over my back and chest which I never get. Can't say it cleared my acne on my face because I didn't really have much. It also makes me moody, I get really irritated by stupid things and mad easily. Also makes me a little depressed. Only plus was it was completely free for a 12 months supply at Planned Parenthood
November 17, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Regulated and lighter periods, bigger boobs, no babies
Cons:
Bad skin, headaches.
I've been taking Yasmin for about six months now after swapping from Microgynon as I was getting very bad acne during my off-week and half way through the pill packet. Yasmin is slightly better than Microgynon but I have been considering coming off it, purely because Yasmin is also making my skin bad during the off-week. Before starting on the contraceptive pill, my skin was usually very clear after years of teenage acne so going back to that is slightly upsetting. In terms of period control, Yasmin works just as well as any other brand. I work on a boat so periods are a hassle and I've had no problems running packs together to avoid periods on the boat. Since I started on Yasmin, I've been getting bad headaches, which I never had before. My sex drive has also diminished, both on Microgynon and Yasmin. On the plus side, no babies! No comment on affordability since I get contraception free on the NHS. I'd recommend this brand to other people, it's just not for me.
November 6, 2008
Pros:
No pregnancy, lighter periods.
Cons:
Bad acne at first, bad nausea everyday, and depression sometimes.
I just started taking it so i think the acne will clear up in time. Also the nausea should go away after the first month, hopefully. Depression has lived with me before the pill so i doubt thats the whole reason..
October 26, 2008
Pros:
It's also a contraceptive; I don't remember any other pros...
Cons:
If you miss 1 pill you have to take 2 together thus giving you a larger dose of hormones. This defeats the purpose of a low dose to control acne!
I used Ortho Tricyclen Lo a few years ago. My hormones are a primary cause of my acne. I can predict my period based on how many inflammed spots I have. I had to stop using Ortho Lo because it actually made my face worse than it had EVER been. Occassionally I would miss a pill and then have to double up on a dose to make up for it (as the directions tell you to do). Well this double dose of hormones would cause me to break out horribly!! It was NOT worth it. I haven't used birth control pills ever since then...my boyfriend just wears a condom. I really want to try Nuvaring since I wouldn't have to worry about missed doses then!
October 23, 2008
Pros:
It did help with my acne. My face was clearing up; only had a few small zits here and there. Much improvement. Didn't cause sleeplessness, depression, or irritability as other BCs have done with me.
Cons:
It made me a little sick to my stomach. It caused vivid dreams. But, the worse is that I believed it caused me to have a bad anxiety attack. I don't use it anymore.
When it comes to BC, it's just guessing and testing. If you have bad acne (especially as an adult), and you've never tried a tri-cycle type BC (a different type of pill for each week), then I would suggest to give it a shot. This stuff was helping my acne, and I would have stayed on it if I didn't have the anxiety attack. I tried Yaz before, and it caused minor anxiety attacks, so I know BC can do that to me. I just don't have any luck with this stuff! I hope you have better fortune with this than me because it might help clear your face.
October 16, 2008
Pros:
Easy to use, Clears skin, effective
Cons:
Cost, have to take daily
I was off this for a while while trying to conceive and my acne came back, not too bad but back. After the baby while I was nursing and on the mini pill the acne was back with a vengeance. I mean constant whiteheads and blackheads. I was so happy when I weaned the baby so I could get back on this pill. Hopefully it'll work again for me.
Pros:
Better concentration: I had severe ADHD before I went on Yasmin and now it seems to help me sit still for awhile. It also has made my boobs bigger and more firm