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
June 1, 2008
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.
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?
January 7, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
prevents from pregnancy, didn't make my acne worse, reduces cramping.
Cons:
Four out of the seven months I've been on this pill I've had my period for 2 weeks. I am extremely good at taking the pill at the same time each day, but that doesn't seem to make a difference. It didn't clear my acne either so now I'm back on acc.
I'm getting off it now because I can't take having my period for 2 weeks. It's depressing.
December 18, 2007
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
My boyfriend noticed that my boobs were bit bigger. Lighter perios.
Cons:
My acne remained the same, it didnt get any better or worse. I still experienced new breakouts, which I thought yaz was going to get rid og.
It doesnt work as well as Ortho-Tri, but I was WAY TOO emotional when I used Ortho-Tri. Yaz didnt make me emotional, it kind of helped with the acne, but not as much as Ortho-Tri. One huge pro was that it made me have a slightly bigger bust... but that was it.
October 3, 2007
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Tapered the belly button hair growth I got from Alesse, short, predictable periods, no acne problems.
Cons:
I was an emotional mess, depressed, crying, and angry all the time. I had NO sex drive and was dry all the time. 4 months after I got off of it, I started breaking out with little white bumps all over my face, which later progressed to cystic acne.
Works great for some people, but NOT for me. My face is now disgusting and I used to have beautiful skin.
September 22, 2007
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
effective birth control, periods seem much better, no breakthrough bleeding and cramps like on ortho
Cons:
acne?! maybe it is getting worse before it gets better.
i have been on yaz for two months. at first i was totally happy because i did not have any problems with breakthrough bleeding or cramping like with ortho. i have read a lot of reviews where women are saying that it made the moody and depressed, but this has not been the case for me (and i have been treated for clinical depression before). the problem is that my moderate adult acne has worsened considerably. my dermatologist told me that yaz takes about three months to start working on your acne, so i am hoping that it is getting worse before it gets better. it is definately worse it, because my menstrual cramps were so bad that i frequently had to miss work because of them. hopefully the acne will go away soon.
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.
March 29, 2007
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
clear skin (along w/ retin-a from the dermatologist), shorter period, no noticable weight gain, dependable.
Cons:
occasional mood swings
I can't believe the problems that some people have had with Yasmin. I've been on 2 other types of bc pills before and this is definitely the best one yet. I do have mood swings at times, and feel depressed every once in a while (only when I have reason to)...but isn't that normal for most woman anyway? I mean, woman are supposed to be emotional at times, right? I haven't noticed a real problem...I definitely would recommend it :-)
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.
June 27, 2017
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Saved my face!!
I am 18 and I suffered from cystic acne for a long time, which left scars on my face. I tried antibiotics for years and a different type of birth control (Microgestin Fe), which didn't help much (if at all). My doctor switched me to Yaz. I just finished my third pack and my face is spotless. It began working almost immediately. By the middle of month 2, my face had almost cleared up completely. I get a few small breakout spots while on the placebo pills, but I NEVER get any cysts. I have a few mood swings on the placebo pills and my boobs are swollen and a little bit sore all the time. I have grown two cup sizes, but I have had no weight gain other than that (which I am fine with haha) and no other serious side effects. I would definitely recommend Yaz for acne.
July 2, 2017
Hi..m please let me know. I'm 21 years old and I'm a virgin i want to tale birth control pills I'm scared if i take bith control pills i might have side effects.
December 7, 2018
Did you get any response? If you did can you also tell me because I'm in the same situation.
Pros:
nothing at all.