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:
extreme sensitivity to smell (nausea), sore and swollen breasts, not as much mood control as I expected.
Good for shorter, lighter periods and preventing pregnancy.
Can't say that I can give it much more credit than that.
March 2, 2008
Pros:
while on the pill no cramps and no breakouts and more importantly no baby
Cons:
while on the pill severe mood swings
I started taking the pill about 3 years ago right before I got married. It worked fine, no breakouts, no cramps and shorter predictable periods. About 10 months ago I decided to stop taking it because the horrible mood swings. Since I have been off of it, I have had the worst cramps every month and my skin is progressivly getting worse each month. If I could ever tell anyone don't even start taking this, try natural family planning. None of this crap is good for you.
December 25, 2006
i have been on ***OTC LO*** for a little over a month and i'm quite happy with it! at first i was terrified after reading about some horrible side effects, but my mind was put to ease after the first day. i can take the pill on an empty stomach without nausea, i haven't gained any weight, and my acne is clearing up! the only thing i'd recommend is that if you're taking this to clear up your acne you should make sure you still cleanse your face morning and night and use moisturizer and any spot treatments. the only negative effect i've noticed is that my sex drive has gone down, but i expected that so it wasn't a surprise. good luck to everyone!
August 4, 2011
Pros:
Cheap with insurance.
Cons:
Smelly periods, vaginal pain and large blood clots.
Yet another medication I did not want nor need prescribed for my acne. I took this long before Yaz and though it's nowhere near the severity of side effects, I still got some pretty bad ones. My periods smelled "normal" before the pill, but after taking it I developed a horrible smell. It smelt like something had died! After stopping the pill, I went back to having normal smelling periods and no extreme clotting.
June 3, 2010
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Cleared (what little) acne (I had)
Predictable period
Prevents pregnancy
No weight gain
Cons:
Same/Greater cramps
Slight nausea during period
Tender breasts
I originally went on Yaz to reduce my cramps and irritability; however, my cramps have remained about the same, and I guess it's just me that's psycho. :)
Other than that, Yaz works great for me, but sadly everyone is different. If you're religious in taking the pill, I'm sure you'll reap the benefits, especially when it comes to avoiding pregnancy; I've been on it consistently for almost a year now, and I haven't had one mishap. Remembering to take it is sometimes a hassle if you're busy, but the spotting isn't so terrible (after I missed 3 pills); just lasts till your period.
I haven't experienced any weight gain (or even for the past 4 years for that matter), nor have I recognized any cravings. It's quite possible that it makes my breasts sore about a week before and during my period. I also noticed that my actual period is quite the same, but a tad much lighter, though the nausea persists. (I had a brush with anemia years ago and went on iron pills.)
I do not recommend this pill for those who are hard on remembering, but I do recommend it overall for the sheer fact that it benefits me much greater than it hinders me.
April 22, 2009
Pros:
dont kno yet
Cons:
none so far
Dont really know yet i only used it for three days but i pray it clears up my acne!!!!
October 9, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
i took yazmin and it cleared my skin beautifully. it was as clear as a photo shopped picture.
Cons:
extremely high appetite. weight gain. severe emotional side effects including depression, anxiety and anger. ruined relationships. wished for death regularly (and my life isnt that bad!!)it was terrible..oh my god terrible
i took yazmin tho-not yaz. i wanted to say majority of people who come on these blog sites is to talk about bad experiences. very seldom do happy customers think to come to these sites. everyones body is differnt--so try things out--never assume your body works the same way. and the cons will always outweigh the pros on these blog sites. yazmin was terrible for me--but has worked wonderfully for many others. at least i got clear skin outa the deal!
August 18, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
no pregnancy, light periods, no weight gain, no change in appetite.
Cons:
acne still not cleared up.
After being on alesse for a few months my acne started getting alot worse and i was spotting all the time, it was like i was on my period 24/7. so my doctor suggested i switch to yasmin which i have been using for about a month now. so far it seems like if it is clearing my skin it's doing so by bringing everything to the surface because it seems like i'm breaking out very often, but there seems to be less "lurkers".
hopefully it will completely clear up in the next few days.
April 21, 2008
Cons:
bad acne,no change in period,mood swings
I've been on it for 3 months and have worse acne than I did before I started this. I get zits on my legs, which I have never experienced before. My periods are still heavy and last just as long.I get emotional (cry, yell) very easily since I've started this.
October 21, 2007
Pros:
clear skin, regular periods, lighter periods. Not pregnant.
Cons:
have to remember to take it every day, same time. Lower sex drive (I think). I rather have clear skin. I'm vain.
OTC only works for HORMONAL ACNE! If you break out before your period OTC can help for most women. I would always breakout right before my period, around my mouth and jaw. OTC cleared up the problem. No more breakouts at all. The only thing is you have to keep on taking the pill. Once you stop your hormones will go back to the mess they were before you started the pill.
It's free if you go to a clinic and have no insurance.
I don't think it causes weight gain. Face it, this is America. We eat a lot of junk and we are completely lazy!
Pros:
Kept me from getting pregnant, A LOT less cramps, lighter and shorter period