Oral Contraceptives
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Oral contraceptives, otherwise known as birth control pills, are also approved to treat acne. They work by regulating male hormones in the female...

Oral contraceptives, otherwise known as birth control pills, are also approved to treat acne. They work by regulating male hormones in the female body. Less male hormones normally lead to less acne. 

Oral contraceptives contain an estrogen component (ethinyl estradiol) that is combined with progestin hormones, such as drospirenone (Yasmin® or Yaz®), norgestimate (Ortho Tri-Cyclen®) or norethindrone (Estrostep®). 

Oral contraceptives are taken once a day with a meal. Make sure to take the pill at the same time every day.

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4
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3
21.1%
2
14%
1
9.5%

Used Oral Contraceptives? Rate It:

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August 11, 2008

Pros:

Very predictable periods, like clockwork!
Slow improvement in skin.

Cons:

Horrible initial breakout around jawline
Crazy moody and extremely emotional; cried over everything.

I'm halfway through my 5th pack (Tri-Sprintec) and at first I hated it! The first 3 months were TERRIBLE!!! Every time I thought it would get better...it only got worse! and I CRIED LIKE NO OTHER! I had horrible breakouts around my jawline, but no where else! It wasn't until the 5th month were I saw noticeable improvement in my skin and my emotions (I stopped crying)! During the first 3 months I had 1-2 new pimples a day around my jawline. Now, I've had 5 total pimples in the past 2 weeks; and each went away after a day. I've also been using ProActive religiously for a few months now and Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion (GET THIS STUFF, ITS AWESOME!!!) and using that at night. Also Bare Minerals makeup -- this stuff is great! Bottom line....stick with it and don't give up!! They say to give it 3-4 months before you give up, but I saw no improvement until month 5. I'm SO glad I didn't give up! Have hope!
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June 1, 2008

Pros:

nothing at all.

Cons:

i ate like a pregnant woman all the time, got depression, and my acne got so much worse! i tried preventing worsening acne but this just triggered it. i will never ever ever take this again :(

it sucked for me. gained weight because of my increased appetite and also got way more acne.
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February 15, 2008

Pros:

Cleared up hormonal acne completely, skin not oily, regulated period, prevented pregnancy, and gained some water weight at first but then lost weight.

Cons:

Had mood swings (b-vitamins can help though), and was nauseous (if taken without food)

I took Ortho tricyclen (regular) for a year and half then stopped taking it because I wasn't sexually active anymore. Ortho completely cleared my hormonal acne but after a month of stopping I noticed that my period was coming every 32-35 days. I've been off for 3 months now and my face looks like a wreck...damn androgrens!!! My doc put me back on the pill to help clear my face. My doc said it would but I just want to have confirmation from someone that's taken the pills. I'll be taking it as soon as my period starts...hope it works just as good as it did in the past. Has anyone gone off Ortho tricyclen then went back on...did it help clear up face the second time around?
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June 21, 2007

Pros:

Shorter periods. Decrease of "time of the month" pimples. Controls and regulates your cycle. Boobs grow a tad, haha.

Cons:

Honestly, to remember taking the pills.

I started taking this about a year ago. My skin looks so much better. It didn't completely clear me up but it totally helped. You have to find a great time for you to REMEMBER taking the pills. Playing catch up sucks big time. I take mine at 10pm at night, right before bed, so I won't get that nauseous feeling. My periods come when I know they will, and stop when you know they'll stop. I love it. Just give it a go. If it makes you a lil dizzy, take it before bed. Its simple. =) Good Luck.
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December 4, 2006

Pros:

Cleared up my moderate, hormonal acne within 2 months of taking it! I have not had ANY breakouts since I started 5 months ago.

Cons:

It always makes me a little nausous on the first couple pills in a new pack...nothing too severe though.

I believe that Ortho Tri-Cyclen will work for you if you have hormonal acne due to teenage hormones and have tried oral antibiotics and topicals with no dramatic change. From my research, online and talking to people, I think it helps moderate to severe hormonal acne and can possibly make mild cases worse.
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August 1, 2016
Skin is great and no side effects!
I have been on the generic brand (Tri-Previfem) of this pill for almost 6 months now. This was the first birth control I ever tried and I'm happy to say that it completely cleared up my hormonal acne without any side effects! I did feel slightly nauseous the first week and experienced some spotting, but that's it really. It took about 3.5 months for me to actually see improvement in my skin, and it did get worse around the second month, but it was worth it! By 4 full months I was totally clear and my skin finally felt soft and smooth again! The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because it has not helped with the oiliness of my skin at all.
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January 5, 2015
Ortho Tri-Cyclen (Brand Name-- not a fan of generics, when it comes to my acne medications)
You have to give it TIME!!! I have been on it for six months after trying every topical cream/gel plus antibiotics (which worked wonders at first but I probably built a tolerance and it stopped working, was on them for probably a year, which was more than what the doctor wanted me to be on them, but was too scared to get off them, once I did, nothing really happened, so yea built a tolerance against them).... broke out really bad at first, to me it seemed like it was probably one of the worst breakouts, had acne everywhere even my back, but after 6 months now, I can truly say, its almost all gone, I still break out during that time of the month, but nothing I cant handle, very very glad I stuck through the initial phase, be patient, it will work hopefully the way it worked for me... btw I have hormonal acne, scared to death of what will happen when i need to get off these, but will take everything one day at a time. Use it along side with retin-A and a good moisturizer (clinique super surge) and that is all you will need.
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July 9, 2014
Wish I could give it no stars..
I promise you when I say this birth control seriously messed up my face, not to mention my self esteem and self confidence. I have never written a review for ANY product, love or hate. This is my first review and I feel it is totally necessary that I warn some of you. I realize this BC might work for some, including my roommate, but it definitely didn't work for me. I started OTC because i was getting a few breakouts here and there and my roomie went on OTC-lo and got cleared up right away, so why not try it? My doc told me OTC-lo isn't the best recommendation, so she suggested OTC.. First month, a few more pimples here and there.. no biggie, researched the product a lot in hopes to find some good reviews saying how in a few more months it will get better... I'll just fast forward to the 4 month mark... O M G... my acne went from bad to worse. I have never had forehead or jaw acne before and it looked like I had been bitten by a million mosquitos. Im not joking when I say I counted 20 zits on my face at once. I stopped going out to the gym when my roomies would ask, I stayed in my room most of the time, I couldn't even run outside in my neighborhood without feeling self conscious. I went into hibernation mode and definitely lost a few friends because of the no contact. After/during those 4 torturous months, I did my research not only online but into my past and when my skin was the clearest. I realized I was the clearest I have ever been on a mono phasic pill called Previfem (generic version of Ortho Cyclen.) I quickly/hesitantly switched back to Previfem and voila... my skin is almost back to the way it was.... but now I have a bunch of scars to remind me of the literal hell I was in for 4 months. I'm telling you people, be careful with this BC... It not only messed up my face but gave me headaches every day and made me extremely lethargic. Save your time and your money... Monophasic pills are the way to go.
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June 20, 2012

Pros:

+helps with acne
+weight stayed the same
+no cramps
+period is like clockwork every month

Cons:

-initial breakout for first few months
-mood swings first few months
-period is still 5 days

I am on month 7 and I am just now starting to see the results. Some bodies take longer than others to adjust. The initial breakout wasn't too bad but there were some months that were wore than others. My weight has remained the same. I read how some people try to work it off and can't, in my case I have lost weight while working out and eating right. My mood swings have subsided for the most part but they were never unbearable. I only experienced nausea the first month so that went away as well. I recommend it but give it 6-7 months before you switch. I was on LoEstrin 21 for 4 months and it was consistently bad then OTC just came in and had to clean the mess so that may have attributed to it taking so long to show results. Give it a try for sure if you think/know you have hormonal acne.
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April 25, 2012

Pros:

No babies!
Predictable period
Bigger breasts (although this is more of a con for me, haha)

Cons:

Acne got worse/oily skin
Slightly more moody
Tender breasts
Achy
No help with cramps
Cramps even after period is gone

*I'm writing this after my first month so some people have a general idea of what could happen/what to expect* I would actually give this two stars, but I gave it an extra because I have hope in the month to come. Based on reviews, the first month is the hardest because your body is adjusting to it. My acne got worse, I got moody,, my breasts were more tender and it was just generally not a great experience. I haven't had my period for two days, and I still feel some *slight* cramping, and it didn't help with cramps during my period. My back has also been achy this month, and I've had more headaches than usual. I'm neutral about my breasts growing half a cup size, but I'm sure that's a pro for most. It was a bit hard at first to take it every day and I thought it would be a lot more inconvenient, but it's not. I have an alarm on my phone and my boyfriend has one on his, so between the two of us, I remember. It's not that bad anymore; it's become a part of my routine. Another thing worth mentioning is that I used to have a 5-day period that was light the first day, very heavy the next two, medium, then light. I still have a 5-day period, but this made things more... even? I'm now light/medium, heavy, heavy/medium, medium, light. I guess that's good. I'm not pregnant, which I'd say is a good thing. It's also nice to have a predictable period down to the exact day because before it was kinda a week-long window for me and I could get it any day. I might be writing another review after I take it for a few more months to see if any of my cons go away and to (hopefully) add more pros to the list. I'd still recommend it because it's worth a shot. Everyone's body reacts differently and it's just 3 months out of your life to get the full effect. If you don't end up liking it, switch. Simple as that. c:
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.
Find a Doctor Using The American Acacemy of Dermatology Website

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.
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