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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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January 17, 2011

Pros:

Worked first time around, but not 2nd.

Cons:

Can only use for a few months before you grow immune

Used this before my wedding and it worked beautifully to clear up my skin. Took 2-3 months to see results. Went off it at 6 months on Derm's recommendation so that I wouldn't build up immunity. Tried it again 8 years later and it didn't work at all.
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December 31, 2010

Pros:

Clears up moderate acne
Breast enlargement
Lighter menstrual Cramps
Lighter flow

Cons:

Spotting the first few months you're on it
Does not clear up severe acne
May gain weight the first few months
Remembering to take the pill daily

It's pretty alright for moderate acne and lightening your menstrual cramps and flow. You gain weight to first few months you are on it, but it will eventually wear off once your hormones are balanced(after a few months time). YOU HAVE TO GIVE BIRTH CONTROL TIME TO WORK. It wont start to clear your acne the first pill. It will take a few months for it to take effect and get in your system. Would not recommend for severe acne.
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December 29, 2010

Pros:

Regulated Periods
Made skin significantly softer/smoother
Reduced oil production which somewhat controlled/reduced breakouts
Increased breast size

Cons:

Did gain four pounds in two months
Not a permanent solution to acne

I took this medication hoping it would give me perfect skin. It did help with my skin but I wish I had understood that it is not a permanent solution. I stopped taking it because of the weight gain and it was annoying to take the pill everyday. If you take this pill for a long time hoping for clear skin and eventually go off it, your skin will probably return to its original state. I am now going on accutane which is a more permanent solution. This pill is great if you need it for periods/preventing pregnancy but I wouldn't take any birth control just for your skin because it's not worth it in the end.
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December 16, 2010

Pros:

clears up hormonal acne (cysts) and deeper pimples.

Cons:

takes a while to work.
might cause weight gain
makes you breakout at first

I started this in August, Tri-Cyclen, and it really took a while to see positive effects. It really does make you breakout somewhat bad at first, and usually around the mouth and chin because those are hormonal places to breakout. It took at least three months to really start to clear up, but now it's doing a great job! As for weight gain, I don't think it did that to me, and if so it wasn't anything more then maybe 2 pounds. Overall, it cleared up my acne when really nothing else worked. And it's only 10 bucks a month!
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December 14, 2010

Pros:

helps control acne breakouts
eases cramps
regulates period

Cons:

weight gain? Actually, I haven't gained weight, but I cannot seem to lose weight, either, even when dieting stringently.

I like the birth control alot (I'm on ortho cyclen). It really helps with my hormonal acne, but I've just learned -- unfortunately by trying it out-- that skipping a period by taking all active blue pills, can cause you to break out really badly. It sucks because I've been on this bc for about 7 months, and my skin was doing really, really well -- getting better every month. But then I skipped a period and all hell broke lose. I'm in the second month after skipping and its starting to calm down. I won't skip in the future, and hopefully my skin will be nice again :)
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December 8, 2010

Pros:

- Prevented pregnancy for 6-7 years.
- Reduced acne
- Period lightened
- Period lasted 3-5 days instead of 7 which I had before the BC.
- Less cramps

Cons:

- Weight gain (I also gained weight after I got off the pill two months ago; so after dieting I am back to my normal weight)
- Decreased sex drive

I would reccommend this brand of BC...If you are have acne, regular sex, and strong cramps - it works. My only worry is if it will prevent me from getting pregnant for much longer then BC with lower hormonal levels.
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November 19, 2010

Pros:

Clearer skin!!!
everything under the sun

Cons:

Nausea

Ok so I am 22 and I have had moderately severe acne since I was 12. Ten Years ew sick!! I have tried everything proactiv, murad. every otc product, natural remedies, ocm, retin a, doxy, benzoyl, yaz. etc... my doc just put me on OTC a week ago along with minocycline 100mg twice a day (200mg total) and my skin is already better. BC usually gives you an intitial breakout but the antibiotics have stopped that. my face, chest and back are clearing up beautifully. my face was an oil slick an hour after i would wash and yes i use moisturizer. Since OTC i have normal skin. I havent experienced any weight gain, big boobs, or mood swings but the first couple pills made me really nauseas even if i ate them with food.
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November 14, 2010

Pros:

* Cramps are much more tolerable and only last the first day of my period if I have any at all. When I was not on Ortho (BC), my cramps were debilitating (servere) for the first one to two days of my period.
* Cleared up my skin beautifully. With Ortho (BC), I have very rare, infrequent, and minor breakouts. Without Ortho (BC), my breakouts were moderate to moderately severe and continual. I had large, cystic, painful acne on a regular basis.
* Helps heal ovarian cysts.
* Lighter, regul

Cons:

* Tanks your sex drive. (Loss of frequent intamacy with my spouse)
* Can make you very nauseated when you take the first one to two pills with each new pack. Possibly b/c the hormone dosage is high.
* In my opinion, mood swings were much less off the pill.

I recommend this brand of BC. Especially if you have painful, moderate to severe acne, heavy, irregular periods, moderate to severe cramps, or frequent ovarian cysts. It should help tremendously. Do your research, and talk to a doctor. It does help prevent pregnancy, of course, but I would only recommend it for the other reasons, unless you are married, as I do not condone premarital sex.
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November 2, 2010

Pros:

larger breast, skin starting to clear, not as moody as compared to other bc ive tried, not pregnant.

Cons:

sick first week, always wanting to eat & once i eat i crave something sweet (maybe just goin threw a stage becuase i love to eat) weight goes from 113 to 118 but its worth not getting pregnant.

not a bad bc, its worth a try. ive had mirena, yaz, nuva ring now ortho lo & this has the least side effects so far. ive never had kids so mirena didnt work for me unfortunately.. severe cramping & i already have bad cramps. hope this helps.
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October 29, 2010

Pros:

Did clear my skin.

Cons:

Takes several months to become effective, and acne will come back once your off it.

I have been on this for 11 years now. I had moderately severe acne when I was 18 and within 4-5 months being on ortho tri-cyclen my face was clear, with only the occasional pimple. I tried to get off of it once, and the same acne that I had when i was 18 came back! Once I got back on it, it went away again in another 4-5 months. Dissapointing, since I want to start trying for a baby, and I hate feeling like I am dependant on this stuff for the rest of my life.
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