Oral Contraceptives
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Oral contraceptives, otherwise known as birth control pills, are also approved to treat acne. They work by regulating male hormones in the female...

Oral contraceptives, otherwise known as birth control pills, are also approved to treat acne. They work by regulating male hormones in the female body. Less male hormones normally lead to less acne. 

Oral contraceptives contain an estrogen component (ethinyl estradiol) that is combined with progestin hormones, such as drospirenone (Yasmin® or Yaz®), norgestimate (Ortho Tri-Cyclen®) or norethindrone (Estrostep®). 

Oral contraceptives are taken once a day with a meal. Make sure to take the pill at the same time every day.

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April 20, 2009

Pros:

not pregnant, regular periods.

Cons:

acne, depression, SERIOUS mood swings, random emotional issues, not myself, according to my boyfriend im a bitch now, random stomach pains, dizziness, panic attacks, all i wanna do is eat, headaches, major mood swings

As for preventing pregnancy, it gets the job done. But it's up to you if you wanna deal with the side effects. I'm already a mom, and my doctor put me on birth control after havin my baby.....and trust me, we have had MANY close calls where i would normally be pregnant, but my pills prevented it. it just depends on what you're looking into birth control for...like what is your soul purpose
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February 1, 2009

Pros:

regular period and clears up acne

Cons:

none... it was great!

I use to forget a lot so i decided to get off of it and I haven't had a period yet.. uh oh I think I many be pregnant but idk... lol
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September 21, 2008

Pros:

Keeps You From Getting Pregnant

Cons:

None

Okay ive used OTC Fror 3years and I have no complaints.. i think all of u are just acting like little girls. How come everyone always has something bad to say about a product when u still continue to use it? Ok maybe is u have alot of acne then more than likely its just that u have bad jeans.. ever thought of that.. so suck it up lloronas
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July 21, 2008

Pros:

nothing

Cons:

pregnancy mask, severe mood swings, terrible bloating, weight gain

terrible side effects, to much estrogen for ANYONE to ever take.
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April 14, 2008

Pros:

Well, Im not pregnant...

Cons:

ACNE!

I have NEVER had acne in my life until I took this medication. And it makes me nautious.
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May 9, 2007

Pros:

clearer skin
no side effects

Cons:

N/A

OK- here's my story. I never had acne until my senior year of high school and sporactically throughout college (18yrs old and up- I'm now 23). I went to a dermatologist and tried alot of different cures. Not until I started OrthoTriCyclen-Lo and combined it with Praxion-the generic brand of a sulfur based face wash called Plexion- (only problem with the facewash is you can't get it close to your eyes bc it really, really irritates them-otherwise, mention it to your dermo and see if he'll presecribe it-its awesome!) did my face clear up. I loved the regularity of my periods and my clear skin. i could finally leave the house w/o makeup. anyway...recently (2 months ago) my face started breaking out again--i don't know if it is due to the BC just not working like it had for the past year, or because I had stopped buying that face wash and switched to over the counter stuff. Well, I called my Gyno and got them to switch me to regular OTC- I got Trinessa-and refilled my Praxion-hope it works
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March 27, 2007

Pros:

No babies, breasts increased one cup size, no mood swings

Cons:

Didn't affect my skin at all (I was hoping for improvement), I still get cramps and bloating as I did without the pill

I used to take OTC and now take OTC Lo. OTC helped my acne; OTC Lo doesn't, which is ok because I'm taking an Clindamycin/Adapalene combo for my face and my skin looks better than it ever did on OTC. I like OTC Lo because it has kept me from becoming pregnant without causing any of the really bad side effects (mood problems, decreased sex drive, headaches) that I've had with previous pills.
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October 16, 2006

Pros:

Not sure yet but should clear up my face cause it did before

Cons:

Really bad mood swings ...

Well I was just wondering if anyone knows how long it takes for the birth control pill to work. I started using orth tri cyclen lo and it wasnt working but i was only on it a month and then i went on tri cyclen and i notice it clearing up but when will i notice it working much more, i have only been using it 1/2 month. Thanks
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July 18, 2012

Pros:

regulate periods
no weight gain
boobs feel bigger
no sex drive decrease

Cons:

acne has not improved
breakouts infrequent after switching from loestrin
ugly packaging

On pack three of OTC after switching from Loestrin 24 fe. Loestrin wrecked my skin, I have nasty cystic scars and I'm dissapointed I haven't seen any improvements on OTC yet. Will give this pill another 5 months and will cry a lot and try another BC if nothing happens for my skin by then.
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February 7, 2012

Pros:

not pregnant

Cons:

nausea
headaches
mood swings
tender breasts

I've been taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen for about two weeks now, and I've been experiencing the worst nausea of my life. Last night, I puked in Wal-Mart and I puked when I got home. My nipples have also been extremely sore, and I've been getting headaches quite frequently. I was told it would take about a month for the side effects to clear up, so, unless I puke more today, I'm going to wait it out until my pack is done, and hopefully things get better.
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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.
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Red flags:

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