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
September 14, 2011
Product used: LoEstrin (Oral Contraceptive)
Cons:
NO sex drive
I have been on and off loestrin for a few months now. Broke out like crazy the first month on it, skin got a bit better for months 2 & 3 but it took me a whole 3 months on this pill to clear up but once I did I stayed clear. Went off of it for 1 month because I lost every bit of sex drive one could possibly have but I'm back on it now because I'd rather have clear skin. This BC is great, just need to give it time.
August 4, 2011
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Cheap with insurance.
Cons:
Severe nausea, increase whiteheads, heaches, swollen joints, severe cramps, blood clots, smelly periods, disorientation and severe back pain.
I have stopped taking this poison and I'm still feeling the effects of it. I did not want to use any type of BC, but to go on Spironolacton* I had to go on a BC. Mu docotr also claimed it had some Spironalacton in it. The first two nights I got horrible headaches, but did not connect them to the pill and everything was pretty normal. Then towards the start of the second month, I started bleeding when I wasn't even on the placebo and that's when the horrible side effects began. My face was just as oily and pimple prone while on this pill, so no changes there. I thought I knew what pain was, and Yaz showed me how wrong I was. I honestly feel like dying and I will NEVER touch another BC again.
July 19, 2011
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Clear skin
No Cramps
Lighter Period
Cons:
Tender Breasts
5-10lb weight gain
I have been on this pill for 4 years, and I have had no problems at all with it. I used to have really bad acne til I started using Yasmin. About a month after I started to take it my acne cleared up. Now I have little or none at all! Have not had any problems with anything else. I live in Canada and I pay full price here for it and it really isn't that bad of a price.
July 15, 2011
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
After 6 months of use no breakouts what so ever.
Cons:
If you quit you acne comes back stronger.
This product was wonderful when I used it, but when I stopped thats when my problems started. My acne came back stronger when I quit. Dont go this route, I urge you to try natural and organic products before you try and thing like birth control or accutane. The key to clear skin is moisturized skin even if you have oily skin.
July 5, 2011
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
- Stabilized acne (slowly getting clear)
- No more cystic acne or painful pimples (!)
- My hair is not oily anymore
- Less noticeable facial hair
- Fast results
Cons:
- Occasional digestive problems (slight constipation).
- Lowers water retention, so I have to drink and pee more often than normal.
- Occasional fatigue in the afternoon after lunch (bothersome as a student!)
- My breasts are slightly bigger but harder to the touch, and this can sometimes be painful.
(I can't comment about my sex-drive because I've never had one anyway, and I can't comment about weight gain either because I don't usually keep track of it, sorry!).
About a year ago I had a sudden outbreak of acne on my face. Unlike most people, I had never experienced serious acne during my teenage years (I'm 23), so it was really a shock for me. My left cheek was covered with spots, cysts and scars (on which new spots always developped, leaving more scars); and I had frequent outbreaks of painful cysts on my jawline, my hairline and my brow. My acne was getting from bad to worse over time no matter what I did, and in time it spread to my chest, my arms and my back. To make things worse, I realized a month ago that I was starting to grow facial hair. It had reached the point where I didn't want to go out anymore unless I really needed to, and staring at my face in the mirror every morning had become a challenge. I usually don't consider myself unattractive, but my self-confidence had never been so low. I went to see my dermatologist who told me that I had hyper-androginy and that I should try taking Yasmin. He promised me it would clear my acne in 3-6 months, get rid of my facial hair, and stop my hair from getting oily so quickly; but that I wouldn't gain weight from it. The results were not really noticeable until 2 weeks into the treatment. I'll be reaching the end of my first tablet tomorrow and my acne appears to be stabilized. I still get occasional pimples, but they are so tiny you can barely see them from afar. Now that my acne is stabilizing, my scars are starting to heal; and I'm slowly rebuilding my confidence. My hair is also much less oily (I can stay for 5 days without needing to wash them, unlike 2-3 days before). My facial hair is still there, but it's much less noticeable. After reading other reviews and hearing horror cases, I consider myself lucky that I saw results so fast with no serious side-effects from taking Yasmin. I'm also glad this pill is available for free in the UK. I'll knock on wood and hope it will stay this effective until the end of my prescription!!
July 1, 2011
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Cleared up skin
Weight stayed the same
NO MOOD SWINGS!
No cramping
Period comes right on time every month
Cons:
Some cravings around period
Occasional Migraines (nothing life disrupting or that a few Tylenol can't fix)
I've been on Yaz for 6 months now. It started working immediately for regulating my period and it took about four months for my acne to clear up but not my skin looks great so it was well worth the wait! I was on Loestrin 24Fe before this for 4 months and it made me super depressed and didn't help my skin or regulate my period. Yaz has been a wonderful change.
July 1, 2011
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
No pregnancy, cleared acne completely, much easier periods. Increased about half a cup size.
Cons:
Horrible mood swings. Like you're going through puberty again. Increased appetite during first two months. Fatigue for the first week after placebo still. Sore breasts for three months. Gained 10lbs. Headaches during the first week after placebos.
I have been on this pill for half a year. I haven't tried any other contraceptive, and I really don't plan on changing any time soon. I personally had a hard time getting use to it for the first month or so. My mood swings were completely ridiculous. Angry, crying, stuff like that. It seems like the first week off the placebo is the worst. I still get some mood swings, and around 2 PM every day for the first week, I get very fatigued to the point where I cannot function unless I nap. For a few months, I had an increase in appetite, which at first I thought was why I gained 10 pounds. I have a regular appetite now, but my weight has not budged, despite losing a pant size. Not sure where this weight is, but it's worth mentioning if you care of scales. My mom suggested water weight, so maybe this pill increases the water you keep on. I also still get headaches during the first week after placebos, and it is irritating, but it's not bad. Just distracting sometimes. I do tend to have low libido during the first week, occasionally. It's only once every other time, nothing bad. Anyway, stick it out for at least 3 months. I am very happy with this pill, as the main reason was birth control and reduce menstrual symptoms. I haven't had any cramps AT ALL since the day I started these pills, and I love it! And the flow is very low. No bloating. There's more cons than pros, but trust me the pros definitely are worth it.
May 13, 2011
Product used: LoEstrin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
shorter/lighter periods
Cons:
terrible breakouts
body acne
mood swings
loss of hair
I didn't seem to put on much weight while using Loestrin (boobs did grow though) and my periods were a lot lighter.. HOWEVER, I started getting DEEP, painful pimples along my lower face and acne on my back that I never had before. I had break through bleeding for the first 3 months as well and horrible mood swings (my poor boyfriend & family...). If you want a lighter period, go for it, but I think the cons in my case were too severe to stick with it.. Oh, and if insurance doesn't cover, it's like $40 a month too
December 24, 2010
Pros:
-cleared forehead acne
-boobs grew a little
-not pregnant
-regulates acne, so i know when ill be breaking out
Cons:
-increased chin acne
ive been on the pill for five months, still have breakouts on my chin and some on cheeks but my forehead is very clear. i started using BP and AHA and this is getting my hormonal acne under control. I also realized that I am breaking out at the same time each month and my skin is clearer at the same time each month.
November 17, 2010
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
bigger boobs
i've been on this pill for 3.5 months now and my acne has remained the same. my boobs have gotten bigger but no reduction in acne yet. i hope it starts to work soon
Pros:
Clear skin
lighter periods