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 2, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Cons:
mild headaches first month..thats it!
i was on otc LO for about 2 years and constantly felt bloated and had break through bleeding. I went off the pill for about 6 months and decided to try yasmin despite all of these negative comments. So far so good! I started my 2nd pack last night.**With any birth control, they have a tendency to depleat essential nutrients in the body, such as b6 and b12,thus the depletion of these nutrients can cause symptoms such as depression and mood swings. I take a b50 complex in the morning and my pill at night. Taking b vitamins is good for all women, especially those on the pill as it often lessens the side effects that it can cause. I didnt do that when i was on otc lo and had many side effects but am doing it now on Yasmin and i feel great! Also, its best to wait out any pill for 3 months before giving up on it. Here is a link about the vitamins to take while on the pill : [link removed]
May 13, 2008
Pros:
havent gotten pregnant
Cons:
ACNE HORRIBLE,weight gain,because i have an eating disorder i wanted to gain a little weight but it makes me nauseated almost every day, i have mood swings like crazy and my sex drive isnt even the same
screw this pill
April 25, 2008
Pros:
Severity of cramps reduced, no babies, bigger boobs
Cons:
Weight gain, mood swings, emotional
I have been on this pill for over a year now. I have gained weight but I used to throw up when i had my period and now I just feel a little cramping. Ive become way more emotional and cranky sometimes. However, its kept me from getting pregnant so it has to be working!!
April 9, 2008
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Breast growth, Yaz might be clearing up my skin...not sure yet, no weight gain (besides breast growth)
Cons:
I broke out pretty bad at the end of my first month, I might be more gassy, breakthrough bleeding (minimal), expensive (my insurance doesn't cover it)
The initial breakout was rough! I didn't want to go out or see anyone. I decided to stick it out for 4 months to really give it a chance. I am finishing my second month on it and it seems to be getting better. Today my face feels good and looks pretty clear. I'm hoping it just keeps clearing up. No weight gain or emotional side effects. I am willing to give it a chance for a while since I've struggled with acne for so long.
April 4, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
Lighter and regular periods,no pain during the period,birth control,less swelling, less greasy hair and face...
Cons:
non actally, just not enough effect on acne, so I had to treat them in an other way.
More pros than cons, so I can say they make great effect on my whole organism and I feel better,so I'm deffinitely not gonna stop using them until I decide to have I baby.
April 4, 2008
Pros:
Regular/lighter periods, clearer complexion, larger bust size, no weight gain
Cons:
Regular mood swings (thank-you blue pills), nausea
Have used it for 4 years now, and like it overall. Have never had children and have never been pregant. I never gained weight and it did clear up my complexion, although I occasionally have one or two pimples right before my cycle starts. In order to prevent nausea, I take the pill at night; however, when I am woken up in the middle of the night, I definitely feel sick to my stomach. The only negative side that I could live without it the mood swings. My husband is a trooper!
March 20, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
None really
Cons:
gave me horrible mood swings and my face broke out horribly in just a week after i started taking it
i switched to yaz from another birth control that i used to bring from south america(similar to diane35), but after just one week of taking it my face broke out completely and gave me cystic acne that i didn't had before. I thought it was an adjustment but after the second month of taking it i just quit because it wasn't just working not to mention the horrible mood swings
March 10, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
clear skin, no pregnancy
Cons:
depressed, moody, cutting, more migraines when advertised fewer, bigger boobs (bad for an already size D), weight gain.
I have never been depressed before and my friends thought i was strange for never crying. now i have panic attacks, started cutting, cry over everything, scream at my parents and get annoyed with my friends. Yasmin makes me want to stay inside all day. I have only been on it for 4 months so I am going to give it 2 more. It did clear up my acne well though.
February 20, 2008
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)
Pros:
fixed hormonal comedonal acne, no unplanned preg, balanced hormones, WAY less cramps & much shorter easier periods, none of the bad side effects for me, also havent gained an oz but my appetite seems higher now-hopefully just adjusting.
Cons:
nausea a little in beginning- not too bad if take before bed, since i just restarted im easily upset, lethargy & sleepiness, think the cons are just bc its the beginning & im adjusting bc i was on it for 2+ yrs& it was perfect. oh & wo ins. its steep
was on Yasmin for around 2-3 yrs completely fixed hormonal acne & made my usually horrible periods MUCH shorter less bloating & much less cramping. stopped taking it 3 mos ago & acne much worse making me depressed, just started taking it again (2nd wk) when i realized i should have never stopped.
when i was on it i had basically perfect skin so im hoping my hormones will even out & fix it again as it did when i was on it before. i wish i never stopped yasmin, now that i am back on i hope ill get back to my normal happy self. right now i feel a wreck but i think its just adjusting back. hopefully by the beginning of my 2nd pack ill be used to it again & acne free again!
oh ortho tri LO a few yrs back made me VERY VERY depressed. i LOVE yasmin & hope to pick up where i left off! never had bad effects before & great skin, easy periods, great pill for me!
February 20, 2008
Pros:
not pregnant. predictable periods, no cramps during periods, clear skin, bigger boobz (yay!),no weight gain. no change in libido ;P
Cons:
NONE!!
im on my 4th pack and im starting to see results!! i used to break out A LOT so ive decided to take OTC, the first couple of months were hell!! i brokeout even more... but ive read some reviews on this site and some people said it will start out bad but it will get better around the 3rd pack. so i kept taking it and whola!! my face is 99% clear!! i also eat healthy food and drink only water, soy milk, and 100% juice. i use a mixture of baking soda and cetaphil to wash my face twice a day, and put my fav. Obagi C10 after... now my skin feels like a baby's butt!!
anyways, the results will differ depending on the person so just give it a try!!!
Pros:
slight weight loss (water weight), clear skin, protection against pregnancy