Birth Control Pills for Acne Treatment

There are many causes of acne, but for teenage girls and young women in their 20s and 30s, fluctuating and imbalanced hormones can play a significant role in the persistence of pimples. Birth control pills control hormones and can help reduce or even eliminate mild acne. Some brands of birth control pills have been FDA approved to treat acne; however, these are not the only ones that can be effective.

The Facts

Often, women who experience pimples, or a worsening of their acne at certain times of the month (for example, near their menstrual periods) can at least partially blame their hormones for their condition. Regular combination birth control pills consist of two types of hormones: estrogen and progestin (synthetic progesterone). After you are on birth control for 3 months and your body adjusts to the new medication, birth control can help level out your hormones and keep them from fluctuating during the month, which can often significantly reduces the severity of acne breakouts.

Types

Two types of combination birth control pills have been approved by the FDA for treatment of acne. These pills are Ortho McNeil's Ortho Tri-cyclen and Bayer's YAZ. However, this does not mean that other birth control pills are not equally effective, or even better at treating acne. It simply means that Bayer and Ortho McNeil paid to have clinical trials performed with their pills specifically for the treatment of acne, which allows them to market their products as acne treatments. Typically, a pill with a higher estrogen content and a progestin with a relatively low androgenicity index can be effective at treating acne, as, according to Womenshealth.gov, "androgen stimulates the skin's oil glands" and can contribute to even worse acne. Because the hormones in birth control pills can have different effects on different women, it is important to discuss with your doctor which birth control pill will be best for you.

Time Frame

No acne treatment is instant. It is important to give your body time to adjust to the new hormones you are introducing to your body before you can be sure of the birth control pill's effects. Most doctors and pharmaceutical companies recommend giving the birth control pill 3 months for your body to get used to it. Common negative side effects associated with the birth control pill should subside by this time, and you should begin to see some benefit in your skin's condition. If after 5 or 6 months, there is still no satisfying change in your acne, it is unlikely the pill you have chosen is an appropriate option for you.

Benefits

Aside from decreased acne, the birth control pill can provide many other benefits. It can further improve the condition of your skin and even potentially prevent it from aging prematurely because, according to Yale, estrogen helps to maintain the elasticity of your skin. Further, because it evens out hormones, the birth control pill can decrease moodiness and PMS symptoms that are associated with hormonal fluctuation.

Warning

While the birth control pill can be a helpful choice for women with acne who are of childbearing age, it is important to remember that hormonal treatment can often have more side effects and complications than other traditional acne medications. If you are not interested in using the birth control pill for contraceptive reasons, it may be wise to consider other acne treatments first. It is also important to remember that all women react differently to medication, and even though one pill may treat one woman's acne, it will not necessarily work for another woman's acne. This type of medication has a fair amount of trial and error associated with it, and it may take a few tries to find a birth control pill that has few side effects and helps with your acne.