Is Ortho Tri-Cyclen Good for Acne?
Acne is a common skin issue for young people in their teens and twenties, as well as for many people of older ages. Without treatment, acne can cause unattractive scarring and low self-esteem. In recent years, birth control pills have shown to be effective at reducing acne in women who take them. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Acne
-
Acne is a skin ailment that afflicts many individuals, although it primarily affects teenagers and those in their twenties. For many people, acne clears up by itself as hormones become more balanced. The severity of acne ranges from mild (a few small pimples) to severe (large, plentiful and sometimes painful pimples). A wide variety of dermatological treatments for acne exist today, including topical treatments and orally-taken medications, such as the birth control pill.
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
-
Ortho Tri-Cyclen is a low-hormone birth control pill used to prevent pregnancy. Due to the relatively low level of hormones present in the pill, it is said to have little to no side-effects in most women who use it. When side effects do occur, they can include (but are not limited to) headaches, nausea, bleeding between periods and bloating.
-
Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Acne
-
Many women who have used Ortho Tri-Cyclen have reported the pill as having wonderful effects on their skin. Ortho Tri-Cyclen can be used to treat mild to moderate acne by lowering the acne-causing hormone levels in your body. While any kind of birth control is typically taken by women, men can possibly take the pill as well in order to help with acne. If you are a male and are interested in taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen in order to reduce your acne, discuss it with your doctor.
Other Birth Control and Acne
-
Ortho Tri-Cyclen is not the only birth control pill shown to have a significant effect on acne. Due to the nature of the birth control pill---that it balances and affects acne-causing hormones---most pills available will have some effect on your mild to moderate acne. Different birth control pills affect people in different ways. One person might experience side effects on some pills, while another person won't at all. So if Ortho Tri-Cyclen doesn't work for you, consider another birth control pill.
Other Acne Treatment Options
-
If you decide that birth control is not for you, talk to your doctor about other acne treatments. There are several different treatments available, so you should be able to find something that reduces your acne. And remember, if you have severe acne problems, birth control might not be the best option for clearing up your skin. Whatever treatment option you decide to try, discuss with your doctor any possible side effects and complications.
Other acne treatment options include:
- Daily skin care products designed for mild acne (face wash, toner, lotion, etc.)
- Topical acne creams (both over-the-counter creams and prescription creams are available)
- Orally ingested pills (non-birth control pills are available specifically for acne treatment)
- Medicine injected directly into the skin (done by a doctor only)
- Chemical peels, deep facials, microdermabrasion
-
References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Daniel Lobo
