Hormonal Therapy
Reviews
3.3
2743 Reviews
Hormonal Therapy
Efficacy
63%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Note: Improvement significantly increases after 24 weeks.
Hormonal Therapy
Side Effects
High
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.
Read All About Oral Contraceptives
Compare To Other Treatments
5
19.7%
4
30.4%
3
21.8%
2
16%
1
12%

Used Oral Contraceptives? Rate It:

Choose from 1 to 5 stars
July 29, 2009

Cons:

I think the pill has contributed to a more sensitive/ irritable stomach,thas all

Yasmin works for my,it make a better period ,better skin,it is the first birth control it works for me so far
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July 28, 2009

Pros:

Larger breasts and clear skin.

Cons:

Spotting.

This BCP does not give me any side effects besides a minor body ache every now and then, but nothing to make me notice too much. I think Yaz works for women who are younger and healthy enough for it.. The only thing I hate is the spotting, but hopefully this will subside with time. My skin looks great.
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July 24, 2009

Pros:

Just had my first period. I usually have very bad heavy cramping. I just started my period and the cramps started off bad where I had to take medicine, but I only had to take it once and no cramping for now.

Cons:

Made acne worse, bumps everywhere on my face, chin and neck

I've never been on any form of birth control (im 31), therefore, my doctor first tried me on the ortho tricyclen lo. I have taken it for a full month now; however, it has made my acne worse within a month. I get these hard bumps that are under the skin on my face. Two may come up the same time and when they go down, I get more that appear in different areas. They just come back to back and then leave these awufl black marks on my face and neck. What a way to try something for the first time and it is already turning out horrible!
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July 21, 2009

Pros:

No side effects for me , loss weight , never gained , cleared skin

Cons:

Hard to remember to take it , lol.

I love Yasmin , Yasmin works great for me.
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July 17, 2009

Pros:

no babies. did not gain weight. period was only a few days. no cramping. no mood swings

Cons:

acne was out of control. everywhere on my face that i never had before.

When i was 18-21 i used Ortho Tri cyclen LO and my acne was under control- amazing skin. 21-23 i used a british brand called "Celest" and it was amazing too NO ACNE! i moved back home to the US and started using again Ortho tricyclen Lo and my skin was never the same. constant breakouts especially on the chin. The last few months i'd get painful breakouts ALL OVER MY FACE. Even on my eyebrows, really painful ones. its time for a change. Its true that your body/hormones change so i'm in the process of finding a new pill. Started Yaz today and hopefully my acne subsides.
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July 13, 2009

Pros:

Lost weight, Absolutely no side affect(unlike the YAZ), light period 3-4 days, No acne! and No babies

Cons:

Bigger boobs :( yes that is depressing for me I never wanted big boobs!

Works better than the YAZ that one made me depressed. I have no problems with th.is one at all
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June 22, 2009

Pros:

Nice, easy form of birth control. I did not experience weight gain or nausea.

Cons:

I could not control my emotions most of the time when taking this; may have also made acne worse.

I had the Paragard IUD for awhile. I had it removed because partly because of the severe cramping every month and partly because I thought it was contributing to my acne. It wasn't that bad, but the breakouts were enough to aggravate me. I thought going on birth control would be the answer to all my problems as far as cramping, acne, and birth control were concerned. I specifically asked for the non-generic OTC because i once took trisprintec and had to come off it because of severe mood swings and depression. I thought maybe the regular OTC would be different. For about 3 months I thought I was doing OK, but gradually I became irrational, angry all the time, irritated over everything, and just very unhappy in general. I was never calm. It felt like having severe symptoms of PMS all the time. And my acne got WAY WORSE after taking the OTC as well. Full-blown cystic acne all over my face. I've stopped taking it and already i feel more in control; taking Doxycycline to treat acne.
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June 18, 2009

Pros:

Decreased acne noticeably and quickly, effective birth control, light short periods

Cons:

pre-menstral moodiness and tension not improved.

After dealing with moderate acne for over a year using Levlen BC pill...I finally switched to Yasmin and now have light and manageable acne after 4 months and I hope it will get even better. The improvement was rapid and I felt and looked much better after 2 months. I would recommmend switching to this if you are on a traditional pill and dealing with bad acne - chances are that the problem is hormonal.
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June 14, 2009

Pros:

Cleared my terrible acne to pimple-free and even toned skin, less period, no babies :P

Cons:

I forget it a lot but that's it...I am emotional more often but I think that's more of my personality

Great idea. BC just clears up my acne. All that I've taken has done the same thing and given me flawless skin. Going off of it just is bad though. My acne comes back full force within a week or two and gets worse and worse from there.
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June 5, 2009

Pros:

Completely cleared my skin within 2 1/2 months!!

Cons:

First 90 days suffered from hardcore nausea

I started taking Yaz because I have a hormonal imbalance which means I don't get my period unless I'm on BC. In addition I suffered from nasty hormonal breakouts - especially around my jaw line. My first month on Yaz was very difficult to endure. I took it at night to minimize the side effects and still I felt awfully nauseous to the point where I'd throw up sometimes and couldn't fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. I decided to stick through since my acne was starting to lessen. 2 months later - my face has completely cleared and I have NO SIDE EFFECTS at all; no nausea, no emotional crying, no PMS. It's true that the nausea goes away after a while. Your body has to adjust to the changing hormone levels so be patient. My period lasts 3 days and my face looks lovely. Good luck.
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Finding a Doctor

The right dermatologist can make a big difference to your patient experience and the success of your acne treatment plan. Here are the steps to find a dermatologist who is a good fit:

  1. Use the search feature on the American Academy of Dermatology website to look for board-certified dermatologists in your area, and filter the search results for doctors with a special interest in treating acne.
  2. Read online patient reviews of any dermatologists you are considering and ask people you know whether they have any experience with these dermatologists.
  3. Do your research and go to your first appointment with questions prepared.
  4. Listen to what your gut feeling tells you once you see a dermatologist in person. If you are not completely comfortable, try a different dermatologist.

Finding a Doctor

Only a select few plastic surgeons specialize in acne scar revision surgery. Be certain to find a provider who specializes in acne scar repair and who is passionate and experienced in this area.

Be sure to:

  • Look at before and after photos, the more the better, especially patients with similar scarring to your own.
  • Be realistic about results. Look for improvement, not a cure.

Questions to ask a potential scar revision specialist:

  • Are you board certified? Be certain that they are board certified.
  • How long have you been performing these procedures? Normally, the more experience the better, however, some younger surgeons may be more on top of the latest procedures.
  • Can I speak to some of your other patients? Ask for references for several patients who had similar scarring and speak to them about the process and their satisfaction with results.

Red flags:

  • Their story changes: As you discuss different treatment options, if they tend to change their mind easily, or agree with whatever you say, consider this a red flag. A confident, experienced surgeon will possess strong, unwavering opinions.
  • Your gut tells you "no": Trust your gut. If you just don't feel that the doctor is the right fit, trust that and move on. On the other hand, if you feel they are the perfect specialist for you, trust that feeling.