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
August 25, 2008
Cons:
Broke out where I never did before.
I'm not having any major side-effects, except for breaking out? I'm breaking out around my jawline, and I got like 2 huge cysts on my cheeks...Well, hopefully that goes away, but overall I think its a good pill. I think I'm only breaking out because my body is adjusting to the hormones.
July 14, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Prevents pregnancy.
Cons:
First pill i went on was microgynon 30-side effects were so severe that i had to come off within a week.Side effects on yasmin are much better but still bad.Tiredness,laziness,depression,lack of interest in doing anything,spots,bigger appetite,etc.
If you have any sideeffects then how does it agree with your body or ever going to be suitable? Both the yasmin and the microgynon have changed me - made me into a completely different person. I hate it - only probably going to give it another week and then will come off it. Its a matter of trial and error. Obviously effects each person differently, for me its awful already!
July 2, 2008
Pros:
starting to clear my skin , bigger bobs
ive been using for a month and havent gotten my period. Im freaking out! i also feel very uncomfortable in my skin the dark blue week, which isnt really like me.
July 2, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
clearer skin, i have no dizziness, headaches, or weight gain so far. but my boobs are slightly bigger!
Cons:
none
I was surprised to see that my skin started clearing up right away within the first week. (Yasmin- not YAZ) I thought it would take longer than this and from the reviews i have read, i thought it would get worse before it got better. this hasn't been the case so far and i hope it continues this way.
I have never had good skin but i had it under control until i was 22. and then all of a sudden i got the worst acne of my life-huge cysts leaving dark marks all over my cheeks, chin, and jawline. i have no idea why it got so bad all of a sudden- but i am assuming it is hormonal which is why i think the pill is helping me so much.
I think if this pill works at all- it will have good results within the first week of taking it.
May 30, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
none so far, ive only been on it a couple of days.
Cons:
i cant sleep very well
crying alot
severe mood swings
i switched to this pill because ortho was making my anxiety bad and ive always had terrible anxiety. i was really excited to try this since its supposed to get rid of it... ive been disappointed. i cant get more than 5 hours of sleep, im crying constantly, anxiety attacks have not gotten any better. but like i said, ive only been on it for a couple of days..its just hard with the emotional instability, it makes it tough to "ride it out".
May 19, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Cleared up my skin after about two months, lost five pounds, shorter and predictable periods
Cons:
Initial breakout, it seems like I have a little more cramping around my period
I love Yaz! It took a little while, but after sticking with it my skin has cleared up a lot. I am in my fourth month, so I occasionally still get small pimples, but they are nothing compared to the painful cysts I was getting before. The small increase in cramping is worth the clearer skin, and honestly, the cramping is not too bad. I would definitely recommend Yaz if you are thinking about trying accutane but want to rule everything else out first. Also, it is important to stick with it, during the first month I wanted to give up, but I am glad that I didn't.
May 11, 2008
Pros:
Cleared up my acne, no pregnancy, minimal side effects, lighter periods
Cons:
None!
I had really bad acne before going on this, after 6 months my skin is back to normal again. You have to give it a few months to regulate your hormones to notice a change in your skin. Great product!
March 22, 2008
Pros:
NO CRAMPS!!, lighter periods, prevents pregnancy, no significant weight gain
Cons:
nausea and vomiting the first few days
I was a bit discouraged in the beginning because it was making me throw up, but I kept taking my pills like I was supposed to and after a few days I felt a lot better. at the end of my pack when I got my period I was AMAZED! first of all, we hadn't been using condoms so I thought it was magical that birth control actually works so well to prevent pregnancy. and in addition to the lack of babies, I had a complete lack of cramps which was fantastic to me because I used to get the most horrible cramps in the world. I will continue taking the pills and I hope to see an improvement on my acne in the next couple months as well. :)
March 6, 2008
Pros:
No period pimples, bigger boobs, no pregnancy
Cons:
After two years of taking it still experiences break through bleeding, nausea, weight gain
The first year on the pill was amazing I saw results in everything! But, all of a sudden, the second year on it towards teh end of the second year I was getting erally moody, crying a lot, getting more bloated than usual, getting mroe nauseous than usual. A little odd after two years? Your body is supposed to regulate but I guess mine did the opposite. They just switched me to the Lo version and I am pretty skeptical.
February 11, 2008
Pros:
Great skin!
Cons:
I'm knocked up!!!!!!!!!
I was twenty hours late on a pill in week one. I called the pharmacist and she said there was no need to use condoms. I just took the missed pill with my scheduled pill and went on my merry way. At the end of the month, my period never came and now I'M KNOCKED UP! I;m happily married so its not a huge deal but let me add...I was on ortho-novum for 5 years (missed pills all the time) and never got pregnant. I switched to ortho tri cyclen for the skin benifits but wish I would have kept the pimples!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pros:
Stress-free. No cramps. Lost weight.