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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August 25, 2011

Pros:

Lighter periods
Pregnancy prevention

Cons:

Horrible cystic acne break-outs
Breat tenderness
Headaches
Mood swings

I would definitely not recommend this product!!! My doctor specifically prescribed this birth control to also help with my hormonal acne. However, within two weeks of taking this my face, especially my chin area, was covered in painful cystic acne. I was told to continue taking it and be patient; that the acne would probably get worse before it got better. I stuck with it for a little over a month but couldn't take it anymore because my skin was in so much pain and completely covered in blemishes. I quit taking it about a week ago and my skin, while still very red and covered in acne, is noticeably better. The combination of symptoms, especially the acne and mood swings, made the month or so I was on this birth control an absolute emotional roller-coaster.
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August 19, 2011

Pros:

no weight gain
no cramps
no loss in sex drive

Cons:

acne
dryness by mouth
emotional

If you're thinking about trying this birth control, I definitely wouldn't recommend it. The pros do not outweight the cons. I took this with the hope that it would help me not get pregnant, which is has succesfully done so far.. But I also took it because it was supposed to help with acne. For me it has not done that, it has increased my acne, especially near my chin area. I also got a dry patch near my lip a few days ago, it is very painful and red. This product has made my self esteem lower by the things it has done to my face and the mood swings I get now.
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August 18, 2011

Pros:

Cheap
Regular periods

Cons:

Emotional stress
Spotting

I'm on my 2nd month using this birth control and it is the first time I am using it. Never have I ever experienced emotional grief and sadness once I started using this. It works perfectly for regulating my periods, but after the first week of a pack is when I start getting severe mood swings and break downs.
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July 9, 2011

Pros:

Skin was flawless on the last 2 weeks from the higher dose of hormone.

Cons:

New breakouts almost daily on the first 2 weeks (the lower doses)

I tried this birth control a few months ago for my hormonal acne.. As I mentioned, the last two weeks were amazing but the first two weeks were not. I took it for 4 months, hoping it would level out.. but alas, it never did. Everyone is different, though.
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June 17, 2011

Pros:

*no babies

Cons:

*yeast infections
*breast soreness after 3rd pack
*worse menstrual cramps
*no improvement with acne
*spotting (even after 3 months)
*mood swings at beginning week of changing hormones

I posted a review over 2 months ago about this contraceptive. I've currently been on it for almost 5 months now and feel that I'm more eligible to post a legit review. So the first few months I experienced no side effects but no benefits either. Around my 3rd pack I was experiencing breast pain, spotting, extreme mood swings. I'm now at the end of my 4th pack and my acne is the same, except that I now break out on my chest/back at times,this pill hasn't helped it one bit, which I don't understand...Oooh, and more importantly it has made my cramps worse. I already suffer from really bad menstrual cramps and thought birth control was supposed to help. I'm contemplating waiting out another month (5th pack) but am not sure yet. My body just doesn't seem to be adjusting. My gyno want's to switch me to Yasmin.
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April 2, 2011

Cons:

Weight Gain, Longer Periods

I switched to OTC because I was taking Loestrin and had some spotting here and there. I regret ever switching. I have been on the OTC for two months and have gained weight (dont have a scale so Im not sure of how much but my clothes are getting tighter and Ive had the same diet). I have been breaking out more than usual and my period lasts 6 days as opposed to 3 on the Loestrin. I was so happy about the OTC because its generic so its free but Id rather spend my money. I asked my doctor to switch me back to the loestrin, Ill deal with the occasional spotting because the benefits are much better.
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January 16, 2011

Pros:

- Over all skin clarity is a bit clearer.
- Losing some weight.

Cons:

- CONSTANT feeling of nausea.
- Some new zits / skin problems have formed.
- Either so starving you can eat anything, or so full you can't even think of food.
- Nighttime headaches.
- Morning vomiting.
- More tired / lazier.

I've only been on this pill for about a week or two so far, but I'll tell you it's been one hell of a time already. I always feel like I'm going to vomit .. and when I say always, I mean ALWAYS. Sometimes I actually do. Migraines at night when I'm trying to sleep always occur. You can only take this pill right after your evening meal, at a specific time. New pimples have formed, I guess I should use more makeup then planned when I go out now-__- Overall, this pill so far is HORRID, but we'll see how my body decides to react to it after week 4. Wish me luck.
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January 12, 2011

Pros:

lighter shorter periods ( first 2 days good flow, spotting after that), no cramps, acne gone, no spotting between periods

Cons:

severe migraines, nausea, my hair fell out a lot, depression, no sex drive, extreme mood swings, oily hair, and weight gain ( 10 lbs in 4 months)

I had to switch to something else, I could not stand the severe migraines with the sensitivity to light and sound. The depression was bad too, I would cry for no reason and always be sad. My sex drive disappeared. I gain so much weight. I wouldn't recommend these pills to any of my friends.
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December 14, 2010

Pros:

not pregnant so far..that i know of..
regulated period
light period

Cons:

cramps before during and after period
mood swings
hunger
weight gain
decreased sex drive
nausea/vomitting
migraines
sore boobs
have a few pimples now
always tired.

ive never had pimples so this was def. NOT the reason to get b.c. got it so i wouldnt get pregnant again since my husband and i dont want more kids...its definetaly helping with that since i never want to have sex anymore!! if i didnt have to be on birthcontrol i would be! im constantly cramping, tired, crabby..
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November 29, 2010

Pros:

Cleared up acne

Cons:

Vomiting
Behavioral changes
Severe mood swings

I was put on ortho when I was about 15 because I had severe cystic acne and nothing else had worked. It made me vomit so horrendously at night, that I would pull muscles in my back. I had constant terrible mood swings and other behavioral changes. It wasn't until after about 2 years another doctor put me on Yasmin. All birth control pills I have tried have cleared up acne, and when I told my (now) gyno that I had tried ortho and that it was terrible, he cringed and said that it was such a nasty drug. I would recommend Yasmin most of all, but it's really expensive so I switched and am having good results with Mononessa right now. I highly recommend birth control for hormonal acne, but NOT Ortho!!
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