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 21, 2008
Cons:
increase in appetite, weight gain
It's definitely helped my acne, but I've gained 10 pounds (possibly water retention, though) in the year I've been on it and am constantly hungry if I don't pop an Adderall with it, despite never having any weight problems before. Personally I'm going off it for a month to see if I lose the desire to eat everything in sight, but if you're active enough to stave off weight gain, I recommend this. Also, studies have shown that gaining more than 5% of your starting body weight while using birth control can be a sign of a tendency toward insulin resistance or abnormal glucose metabolism ([link removed] If you have problems with weight gain or increased sppetite while taking birth control, try switching to a low-carb diet (me, I like bread too much).
September 18, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
ACNE (FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE)STARTING TO CLEAR UP, BOOBS ARE AMAZING, NO OVARIAN CYCY OR ENDROMETRIOSIS PAIN SO FAR
Cons:
MUSCLE PAIN!!! SLEEPY! A LITTLE WEIGHT GAIN, PERIODS : ( I HAD AN IUD BEFORE
I HAD TO HAVE MY IUD REMOVED DUE TO ACNE, OVARIAN CYSTS, ENDOMETRIOSIS, ECT. MY DERMATOLOGIST, GYNO, AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN ALL RECOMMENDED YAZ. SO FAR SO GOOD WITH NOT BEING MOODY OR NAUSEOUS. HAVEN'T STOPPED BLEEDING THOUGH, MAINLY DURING SEX (SEX IS NOT SO FUN WHEN THERE IS HEAVY NONSTOP FLOW) KIND OF SCARES THE BF. bOOBS ARE BIGGER, ACNE IS CLEARING!!!! YEAH!!! BUT, WHEN WILL MY PERIODS BECOME REGULAR???
September 2, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Slight increase in bust, Weight loss, Skin clearing up, NOT PREGNANT, Less PMS, Less Oily skin and hair
Cons:
Migraine before period, Maybe i'm just being vain but i feel like my facial features look different?
I've only been on yasmin for just over a month but it's been pretty good so far. First 10 days i got massive cyst pimples all over my cheeks, chin and a huge one on the corner of my mouth! After that it's been clearing up fast! I only got small ones that would go away in 2 days or so- i would normally get huge ones that wouldn't go away for weeks!! I don't suffer from PMS as hard as i would. I felt nausous after i take it everyday for about 2 and a bit weeks but that's going away. Tender breasts for the first 2 weeks but that was probably because they went slightly bigger. I'm experiencing weight loss which is so good even though im skinny already. I'm going to keep taking it for 2 more months and see how i go.
August 28, 2008
Pros:
i used it for my acne but i noticed it helped with my periods being on time
Cons:
it helped the acne very little but of coarse i got little bumps on my checks and forhead area for about 2 years now. Something serouis so it does take time.
Does what its suppose to do!:)
August 8, 2008
Pros:
Regulates periods and they are lighter. I got on OTC because I had severe acne on my back for 8 years. The month I started taking it my back improved 90%. I love it, it is the only medicine that has helped my acne.
Cons:
My biggest problem is just remembering to take the pill!
If you have bad acne give it a try. I went to the dermatologist for years and never was given medicine that helped like OTC.
July 30, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
none so far, but its early days
Cons:
increase in acne (!!), extreme tiredness, bigger breasts, increased appetite, some depression and general crazy weepiness
I have only been using Yasmin for 12 days and consider it way to early to make a judgement yet, but thought I'd post now to offer a suggestion to those suffering side effects. After literally being unable to get myself out of bed last weekend due to the fatigue this stuff brings on, as well as depression that saw me unable to do simple things, like iron my shirt for work the next day, or put on some washing, I have started having the pill during the evenings, rather than mornings over the past three days. I take it around 7pm and by the time I wake up and get on with my day 12 hours later, those side effects are completely gone. I feel like my old self again! I feel fine! When taking it during the mornings, I really noticed the side effects come on and stay put for about 12 hours. For those of you trying to see this blo*ody thing through to the 3rd month in the hope it may do something (anything!) to improve your skin, I STRONGLY recommend taking it at nights - best of l
July 23, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Drastically reduced oily skin, helped acne
Cons:
While it fixed my acne, it made everything else about my body worse! I had cramps in my legs, couldn't sleep, terrible nausea and migraine headaches, changed appetite, depressed numb feeling, heart palpitation, drowsy
I tried to stick out the bad side effects, because topicals and antibiotics haven't done enough for me, but in the end I just couldn't stand it anymore and went off it. It wasn't worth it. I'd recommend trying it though, because not everyone has side effects, you won't know until you try, and you can always go off it.
July 6, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
it works? also, bigger boobs, (like...a whole cup size), better skin, ridiculously tiny periods...
Cons:
i haven't had any..
my skin cleared up within the first week, i haven't experienced any of the hormone-related mood swings or general craziness that others have talked about.... it worked for me, really well. don't be freaked out by all the bad reviews, try it for yourself.
June 26, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
bigger boobs
Cons:
HORRIBLE ACNE, VERY EMOTIONAL, BLURRED VISION, SEVERE HEADACHES,DIZZINESS, AND BLOATING.
I had mild acne when starting this pill. I decided to take it for the obvious birth control methods but also to clear up my skin. Within the first week of taking this pill, my skin got horribly worse. I now have severe acne due to YAZ. Little pimples everywhere, my chin has disgusting huge puss filled pimples, it hurts to touch it. I used to breakout only before my period and now it is all over my chin, on the sides of my nose, upper lip, and in between my eyebrows. This pill has completely ruined my face and did the complete opposite of what I was trying to achieve. I have not gone out the past two weeks of my SUMMER, because of how embarrassed I am of my acne. I have never wrote a review for anything and really wanted to share this with everyone. This pill is NOT for everyone and I would take extreme caution if deciding to take YAZ. I went to my doctor yesterday, and the first thing she said was "I'm taking you off this pill." I HATE YAZ, it has RUINED my face.
June 10, 2008
Pros:
I didn't get pregnant.
My boobs grew.
Cons:
WEIGHT GAIN, Weepy-ness, Heightened appetite, Lethargy, Depression-(I thought I was clinically depressed) irritability,
EXTREME mood swings
Ruined my life, in short.
I just figured out it was from the pill three weeks ago and only now are things starting fall back into place.
Pros:
less acne, lighter periods, less cramping