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 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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5
19.7%
4
30.4%
3
21.8%
2
16%
1
12.1%

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August 15, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

starting to clear acne
bigger boobs (pro or con, whatever way you wanna look at it lol)

Cons:

increase appetite at first

after i found out i have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrom, my obgyn put me on Ocella BC (generic brand of yasmin) however, after a month of being on it, i broke out in the WORST cycstic acne like i never had before. it got soo bad, my face started to swell and it hurt to even lay on a pillow. i called my obgyn and she switched me to Yaz. not only did my face get better, but i just felt much better on this pill.i felt really depresed and panicky on the other BC but now i fel normal again on Yaz. all the acne on my back and chest has completely cleared and my face is 75% clearer. i've only been on it for 3 months so i'm going to wait til 6 months to see the full effect. i would only recommend this to someone who has hormonal acne
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August 12, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Regulate periods, pregnancy prevention, acne control

Cons:

nausea, stomach cramps, feeling sick

I have only been on this pill for 4x days (afrter being off the pill for over a year? my doctor prescribed this to treat adult acne after a stressful 6 months which had brought it on. I am only going to give it another week as i dont know if i can handle the nausea and wanting to vomit along with stomach pains. I was previously on Dianne 35 of which i didnt suffer from any of these symptoms.
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August 11, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Not pregnant (even though I missed a pill here or there). No weight gain. Greatly helped PMS/PMDD mood swings! Has not decreased my sex drive.

Cons:

My face started to break out, and I didn't have acne before. Severe leg cramps and breakthrough bleeding that is almost constant.

Good for prevention of pregnancy, though that might be because I'm bleeding all the time. I've been on it for 3 mos and am switching soon if the bleeding doesn't stop.
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July 30, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Soft skin... at first. Very regular periods.

Cons:

became extremely ineffective after 6 months of use in terms of clearing my face. Acne came back worse than ever, all hard, cystic, under the skin bumps which hurt so much! My face actually throbbed if i turned upside down.

Worth a try, but I was never keen on the idea of birth control, as i was not sexually active, but was just trying it to help my skin. As far as clearing your skin I feel like there are much safer ways that could have the same mediocre effect.
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July 28, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Less acne, clearer skin.

Cons:

Severe, severe stomach pains in the abdominal region, feeling weak, didn't help with pms, breast tenderness throughout my 3 months of taking it. Bloaty stomach that won't go away!

I work out 4-6 days a week, eat a good diet and I still have this constant bloating with this pill. I am also getting severe stomach, and back pains, that I haver had before until Yasmin. Yes it has helped my skin become clearer, but these pains make me want to go to the ER. I have a doctors appointment soon and I think I will go on Spiro and leave Yasmin in the wind! I can't take feeling like I have gastric flu everyday, especially when my life is beginning to be something again! I am no sexually active, so sorry can't help there. Not doubting the pill, because it does work for some, just not for me, which sucks, cause I heard this pill was the best, next to Yaz! Take it for 3 months, if you don't see a change, move onto something else. I also got this from Plan Parenthood for free!
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July 23, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

normal periods. not pregnant.

Cons:

Acne is the worst it has ever been.

I have been taking it for two months now. i think i am going to go back to my doctor and change. this acne is the worst i have ever seen it.
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July 19, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Clear skin, no weight gain, regular periods, no pre-menstrual cramps

Cons:

None

I've been taking Yaz for about 8 months and my skin problems have disappeared! It's true when they say it takes a few months for the medication to get into your system and stop the acne. After the first 3 or 4 months I really started to see the difference in my skin and others did too!
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July 2, 2009
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Shorter, lighter periods

Cons:

BAD acne, depression, anxiety, feeling like I'm going crazy, weight gain

I have been on this pill for about 1.5 years. I could not figure out why I was breaking out so bad and then I started reading these things and realized it must be my pill. My doctor is in love with this pill and when I suggested that I didn't like it, she strongly urged me to continue it because it's good for acne (I didn't have any before I started it!). IT might be good for some people but NOT ME!
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June 20, 2009

Pros:

No headaches, no nausea, predictable periods, sex drive, no kids

Cons:

Very mild acne has become severe along chin since beginning, spotting

I've been on birth control before, and then tried Depo. That worked great until I found out the black box warning, and got off. My skin was clear... until the stuff got completely out of my system. I finally got on Ortho, and it has been nothing but more and more pimples every day it seems. I'm switching to Yaz any day.
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June 15, 2009
Product used: YAZ (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

bigger breasts, happier mood, acne went away, shorter and ligher periods, cramps went away

Cons:

nausea when first taken, mood swings for the first month, and attempting to remember to take it, weight gain, price

if you can deal with remembering to take a pill at the same time each day, and don't mind being a little curvier, it's great. my acne went away, my cramps went away, I got bigger breasts, and was all around happier. you just have to take it with food, or else you'll get a killer stomachache. and you might be a little more emotional than usual for the first few months. it's a little pricey, but worth it
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