Oral Contraceptives
Hormonal Therapy
Reviews
3.3
2743 Reviews
Oral Contraceptives
Hormonal Therapy
Efficacy
63%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
1
2
3
4
5
Note: Improvement significantly increases after 24 weeks.
Oral Contraceptives
Hormonal Therapy
Side Effects
High
Oral Contraceptives
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.
Oral Contraceptives
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%

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January 31, 2007

Pros:

comepletely cleared my face except for occasional breakout during period

Cons:

didnt clear my mild chest and back acne but taking tretinoin for that

well im taking trinessa which is the generic for ortho tri cyclen since my insurance wont cover the name brand. so far it has made my face clear and glowing. ive been taking it for about 3 months. i did start taking it even longer ago but i had stopped because i ran out of pills while out of town. but then i started again which f*ed me up for a while. im steadily gaining weight though, thats not a big issue with me since i need more meat on my bones anyway.its probably because its a generic. dont be fooled, there IS a difference. however it hasnt helped a whole lot on my body which i dont know why. but i just started taking tretinoin for that which is generic for retin a. my acne on my face was mild to moderate before taking this. it was that way thanks to oral antibiotics like tetracyclin and doxycyclen, which stopped working after a while and made it come back worse. remember u need a pill with less androgen and more estrogen.
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January 21, 2007

Pros:

I've only been taking it for 2 weeks (too soon to tell)

Cons:

spotting, but that doesn't bother me (so none really). my ance appears to be getting worse

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME! I'm not sure if OTC is cauing worse ance. This is ,y 15th day on the pill and my ance seems to be getting worse. Is this normal and will it get better? (if so, how ong before it gets better?). Are there any other BC pills that help with your acne?
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January 17, 2007
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

I haven't gotten pregnant, short, relatively painless periods.

Cons:

slowly but surely diminished my sex drive to ZERO, breast tenderness.

can't wait for my next appt so I can get off this pill. Does anyone have any recommendations?
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January 3, 2007
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Weight loss, No pregnancy, no loss of sex drive, periods fine

Cons:

Acne!

I was put on this pill after being on Microgynon for 4 years- i was happy with that pill but had gained a lot of weight and my skin was not perfectly clear- i was still getting the odd spot and the doctor explained Microgynon was probably the cause as it wasnt brilliant for skin. A month into Yasmin my skin had flared up, and by the third month i had full blown acne. The stress this has caused me has now given me eczema on my arms, and although i have lost a stone in weight, my skin has made me miserable, i am now taking antibiotics for my acne and a topical gel,and also cream for my eczema. I have changed my pill now to Cilest, although i have to finish the current pack of yasmin i am on. I cannot believe what misery this pill has caused me.
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December 22, 2006
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

no heart palpitations, no weight gain

Cons:

severe exhaustion, headaches, dehydration, nausea; no evidence so far of skin clearing up

I've been on Yasmin for about 1.5 months, will give it perhaps 3 months and then quite if no change. I'm not taking for birth control, but specifically for skin problems--have been dealing with adult acne for years, and no topical treatment was working--but so far, my skin has not improved. I was on Lo/Ovral previously, and no only was it ineffective against skin problems, but it also gave me heart palpitations (doctor denied it could be the cause, but no doubt in my mind)--that was scary, and it hasn't been happening w. Yasmin. However, feeling really really tired and depleted all the time is no picnic either.
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December 15, 2006

Pros:

I have only been on it for a week but I was on Tri Cylen Lo for about two months but I just wasn't liking it, it worked a bit but not good enough for me! Plus I read that Tri Cyclen can be really good for acne, so I am trying it.

Cons:

I am having terrible a terrible break out right now, on my chin and forehead... I'm going to try and wait it out but it's hard when you're waking up with more pimples each day.

It's cheap for me since my mom has health insurance or whatever it is. I am praying to God it puts an end to my terrible appearance.
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November 27, 2006
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

none yet

Cons:

BAD ACNE

I just started taking it because my last birth control gave me bad acne.I hoped it would clear it all up. I look worse. ITs everywhere. I don't get it!
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November 19, 2006

Pros:

Face is clearing up a tiny but ...

Cons:

A few days before I start my water pills I break out horribly ... Before I went on the pill it was a bunch of little ones now its a few large ones ... hopefully this is a sign itll clear up 100%

Well .. I have a question. Ive been on ortho tri cyclen regular for about 2 months. Im starting my 3rd month in 7 days ... Anyways ... my face clears up 100% right after I get my period But it gets pretty bad before my period How long should I wait to know if its working Im so depressed now it isnt even funny: Should I at least give it til the end of the 3rd month Thanks
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October 26, 2006
Product used: Yasmin (Oral Contraceptive)

Pros:

Lighter periods.Period always on time.

Cons:

Acne? Not sure if it's causing more acne or haven't started working yet.

I am on my 3rd month (the 2nd week) on the Yasmin pill. I first started taking OTC a few years ago for my skin. It cleared up my skin so I went off of it because I thought my acne was ok. Then I started breaking out again and I went back on it and it didn't really do much. Then I started trying other pills but it didn't really work, not as well as OTC when I first went on it. I am on Yasmin right now and it seemed like it did clear up my skin the first month but then I started breaking out again and clearing up and breaking out again. Hopefully, by next month, it will be better. I do not have any mood swings and gained any weight though. However, my breasts were really tender the 1st month.
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October 14, 2006
I have moderate acne. That's why i took OTC, it made me breakout more and gain weight all in one month. If someone had same experience and been curded with different birth control pills please let me know by emailing at [email address removed] Its very upsetting that i'm that odd ball who was not cured.
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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:

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