What Are The Various Types Of Birth Control Methods
There are five main types of birth control methods:
Whats Involved In Taking Hormonal Therapy For Acne
These medications must be prescribed by a doctor. Each is a pill that you would take daily.
If youre wondering whether hormonal therapy could help clear your acne, you may want to make an appointment to see a dermatologist. After examining your acne and gathering the necessary information about your health, this doctor can tell you if hormonal therapy may be an option.
Before you see a dermatologist, it helps to prepare for your appointment. Youll want to be able to tell your dermatologist the following:
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Medical conditions you have , including high blood pressure, heart disease, blood clots, migraines, or cancer
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Medications you take
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Supplements and other natural products you take
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Surgeries youve had
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Medical conditions of close blood relatives, including cancer, kidney disease, or heart disease
If the pill is an option for you, you will have your blood pressure taken to rule out high blood pressure. You dont need a Pap smear or pelvic exam before a dermatologist can prescribe the pill to treat acne.
Before your dermatologist prescribes spironolactone, you will need some blood tests.
If you begin hormonal therapy, you will need to keep follow-up visits with your dermatologist. Spironolactone requires that you gradually increase the dose, so youll need to see your dermatologist every 4 to 6 weeks when you start taking it.
Does The Birth Control Shot Help Acne
No. While the birth control shot is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy, it is not been proven to improve acne breakouts. The birth control shot is 94% effective in stopping pregnancy from occurring and has other benefits such as reducing the cramps and heavy menstruation. If painful and heavy periods are something that you suffer from, the birth control shot is a type of birth control worth considering. However, if you are looking to get on birth control to help control your acne, the birth control shot is not the place to start. Other hormonal birth control such as oral contraception and the birth control patch are more helpful in that regard.
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How Does Birth Control Help To Treat Acne
A common cause of acne, especially present among teens, is an imbalance of androgens, a type of hormone found in both men and women, but some people may produce it in higher amounts. One side effect of this overproduction is an increase in sebum, a type of oil that your skin naturally produces. Excess sebum can clog pores which leads to acne.
Birth control, however, can help to regulate hormones, reducing androgen production and thereby decreasing the amount of sebum production, and acne as a result.
How Does Birth Control Help Treat Acne
Birth control contraceptives, specifically combined contraceptives, contain estrogen and progestin. Estrogen can reduce active androgens and prevent testosterone production. Progestin decreases testosterone activity, preventing it from producing dihydrotestosterone . The combination of both prevents the formation of other androgen hormones like dehydroepiandrosterone.
Research supports the use of combined oral contraceptives and antiandrogen therapies to treat acne in females above 14 years of age .
Hormonal therapy takes longer than other acne treatments . Depending on the contraceptive, it may take 3 months to a year to reduce acne .
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What Is Acne Vulgaris
Acne vulgaris is the scientific name for the skin problem commonly just known as acne or colloquially called pimples, spots, or blemishes. The condition is characterized by spots on your skin that can appear on your face, upper back, chest, or arms. These blemishes arise when there is an excess of oil on your skin, which can clog the hair follicles in the oily areas of your body. When your pores are clogged only with sebum and dead skin cells, this is called noninflammatory acne, or comedones, which can manifest as whiteheads or blackheads . If bacteria gets into the clogged pores, it can cause an infection, which leads to inflammatory acne. Inflammatory acne can appear as pustules, which contain pus, or papules, which do not. Cystic acne is another kind of acne that occurs when cysts develop below the surface of the skin. When the cysts are infected with bacteria, they become swollen, red, and often painful.
Can The Birth Control Pill Cause Acne
It is very important to differentiate between the two different kinds of birth control: combination birth control pills are different in make up than mini-pills. Where combination birth control pills use both estrogen and progesterone, mini-pills only contain progesterone. For that reason, mini-pills are not effective in treating acne. It is the estrogen in the pills that largely helps to offset the testosterone in the body. Not only do progesterone-only pills not treat acne, they can actually cause acne as a side effect of the pill.
This is another reason why it is important to consult with an experienced dermatologist, such as Dr. Green, before going on the pill so you are being prescribed a pill that actively help your acne. The birth control shot is another form of birth control that uses only progesterone and therefore does not help with acne. There is also one combination birth control pill that can cause acne as a side effect of the pill and that is Lo Loestrin. Lo Loestrin contains norethindrone acetate, which can lead to breakouts.
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What Is The Best Birth Control For Acne And Weight Loss
The estrogen component of birth control is the main source of weight gain. While progesterone-only birth control pills can reduce the effects of weight gain, they are generally not effective for acne. The best birth control for both acne and weight loss would be a combination pill with the lowest dose of estrogen i.e. ultra low-dose pills.
Is There A Way To Balance Hormones Without Birth Control
There are several medications besides birth control that can help balance hormones and effectively treat acne. One of the most effective is called Spironolactone , an oral medication used to treat high blood pressure does not contain hormones or synthetic hormones. It’s actually a diuretic that works as an androgen blocker, which means it blocks the effects of male hormones in the body like testosterone, contributing to oil production and, ultimately, acne.
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What Is The Best Treatment For Women With Hormonal Acne
The best treatment for women with hormonal and adult acne would be a combination of effective medical-grade topical anti-acne medications and oral therapy. The topical will usually be benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, retinol or niacinamide, oral treatment, birth control pills, or non-hormonal supplements . The topical medications will help unclog skin pores, reduce inflammation, and kill the acne bacteria, while the oral treatment will help balance the hormones.
Can Birth Control Treat Acne
Severe, persistent acne can make you feel frustrated and ashamed, but it is important to remember you are not alone.
While over-the-counter acne remedies are available, they may not work for everyone. Physicians now prescribe hormonal birth control pills to help treat hormonal acne.
This article will discuss all you need to know about birth control for acne.
It will discuss what birth control means, how it works, its benefits, and also explore how taking birth control pills can affect acne.
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How Can Birth Control Prevent Acne
Acne is a direct result of an imbalance of hormones produced by the ovaries: estrogen and progesterone . Sometimes, when the ovaries produce estrogen, it gets turned into progesterone it is the excess of this hormone that can lead to acne. Fortunately, birth control pills turn this function off, preventing the excess of male hormones in your system. More specifically, being on the pill creates a protein that binds to the extra male hormones, resulting in less production of them.
Benefits Of Birth Control For Acne
Several clinical trials have shown that taking combination birth control pills can result in:
- Less inflammation
- Less severe acne
Many women with severe acne take oral contraceptives with other acne treatments. For women who also want contraception, taking birth control pills for acne also offers one of the most reliable forms of contraception, as long as the pills are taken on schedule as prescribed.
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Does Yaz Birth Control Help Acne
Yes! Yaz birth control pill is a combination pill that contains both the hormone estrogen and a manmade form of the hormone progesterone, called progestin. These hormones working in combination work to suppress the androgen hormones that cause the overproduction of sebum. Yaz is one of the four FDA approved birth control pills to treat acne. When you have your consultation with Dr. Green, Yaz is one of the birth control options that are available to you to treat acne. Yaz can also be used in combination with other acne treatments such has topical acne creams. When you are prescribed your treatment plan, be sure to take you Yaz pill at the same time each day and continue with any other prescribed acne treatments.
How To Take Care Of Your Skin While On Birth Control
Whatever your reasons are for starting a new birth control method, it can be a seriously confusing time. Not only are you dealing with a completely new dose of hormones in your body, but youre also faced with a whole crop of side effects you may or may not have seen coming including changes in your skin.
There are two main types of hormonal contraceptives, and they have totally opposite effects. Combination contraceptives tend to make your face more dry, while Progesterone-Only Contraceptives make it more oily. Whatever birth control method you decide is right for you , there are certain things you can do to make sure your skin is properly taken care of. Here are some small things you can do to cater your skincare routine to your birth control, whether its making your face feel dry, greasy, or somewhere in between.
How To Treat Your Skin On Combination Contraceptives
Stick With Your Topical Treatments
While combination contraceptives can work miracles on your skin, theyre not a solo solution. Just because youre on a seemingly magical acne pill it doesnt mean you can skip out on your skincare routine. Your best bet is to stick with whatever topical solutions you may have already been using to treat your acne, like spot treatments, benzoyl peroxide, and salicylic acid.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
Consider Antibiotics
How To Treat Your Skin On Progesterone-Only Contraceptives
Use A Gentle Cleanser
Pick The Right Toner
Skip The Moisturizer
Dont Over-Wash!
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What Are The Different Types Of Birth Control
There are many different types of birth control available that are effective at preventing pregnancy and some are also very effective in treating and preventing acne outbreaks. The kinds of birth control available include:
- Combination birth control pills
- Mini-pills
- The patch
- Implants such as Nexplanon
- Hormonal IUDs such as Mirena, Liletta, Kyleena, and Skyla
- Copper IUDs
- NuvaRing
What Are The Possible Side Effects
To reduce the risk of a woman developing serious side effects, dermatologists carefully screen their patients before prescribing hormonal therapy. Possible side effects include the following.
The pill. Taking the pill increases the risk of:
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Blood clots
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Heart attack
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High blood pressure
While these side effects may not seem worth the risk, most women who are healthy do not have side effects. In fact, the risk of developing blood clots is greater during pregnancy and just after having a baby than when taking the pill.
Its also important to know that there is less risk of serious side effects today than in past. Today, the pill contains less estrogen.
Some women taking the pill develop melasma, or dark patches on their face. Protecting your face from the sun can help prevent these patches.
Breakthrough bleeding is another possible side effect. You can often prevent this by taking the pill at the same time each day.
Acne and the pill
If you take the pill, you can reduce your risk of blood clots by staying active, drinking lots of water, and not smoking.
Spironolactone. When taking spironolactone without a birth control pill, the most common side effects are:
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Painful periods and cramping
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Breast enlargement
These side effects may be decreased when women also take the pill.
Other possible side effects of taking spironolactone include fatigue, headache, and dizziness. These rarely cause a woman to stop taking the medication.
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When To Consider Vitamins Or Supplements For Hormonal Acne
Some key nutrients can help hormonal acne by reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and supporting natural detoxification. Generally, I recommend using a combination of supplements to address the different factors that can contribute to hormonal acne.
Taking supplements won’t work without other lifestyle and diet changes, but they can be a part of your toolbox. You can find many of these nutrients in food, but sometimes you need more than what you can get from diet alone. If youve been trying everything diet wise, it may be time to bring in supplemental support.
Supplements to support healthy hormone balance could help with hormonal acne by reducing androgen production or by providing your body the necessary nutrients it uses in the detoxification process and removing excess hormones. Examples include diindolylmethane , a derivative from cruciferous veggies like kale or cabbage, or myo-inositol, which studies show could also support healthy blood sugar balance.
Additionally, supplements that target gut health can also be helpful. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that live in your gut and help with digestion, and certain strains have been found to help with hormonal acne. Gut diversity is key, which is why diet can be so helpful and Womens Probiotic can offer additional support.
These are only some of the acne supplements I use, but they can be an excellent place to start. Sometimes it takes trial and error to find what works for you.
How Birth Control Helps Treat Acne
A common cause of acne, especially for teens, is an imbalance of androgens. Androgens are types of hormones that both men and women have, but some people may produce in high amounts. A side effect of this is an increase in sebum, a type of oil that your skin produces.
Excess sebum can clog your pores, leading to acne. That’s where birth control can help. Hormonal birth control regulates hormones in a way that reduces androgen production, thereby reducing sebum production, and hopefully, acne.
However, not all birth control pills are created equal when it comes to fighting acne. Although other pills may help, the FDA has only approved three types for treating acne: Yaz, Estrostep, and Orth-Tri-Cyclen. These three are prescribed for the types of hormones they contain.
While these three are most commonly prescribed for acne, doctors can prescribe other types of birth control that can also work for some patients.
“Most birth control pills have both an estrogen and a progesterone component, and the types of estrogen and especially progesterone can vary greatly based on the pill,” Krishnan says. “Every patient is very different and responds to the various birth control options in different ways.”
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What You May Have Heard About How Birth Control Affects Skin And Hair
You may have heard that hormonal birth control can improve acne and make your hair fuller. You may have also heard that hormonal birth control can cause acne or make your hair fall out.
It can be confusing, especially when your personal experience is different from that of your friends and loved ones, or what youâve been told to expect.
Not all hormonal birth control is the same, so the side effects arenât all the same either. Hormonal birth control comes in many forms and contains different types and levels of hormones.
Combined hormonal contraceptives are birth control methods that contain two hormones , like the pill, patch, or ring.
Progestin-only contraceptives contain just a form of progestin hormone , like the implant, hormonal IUD, shot, or mini-pill. Different forms of birth control may affect individual people in different ways.
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle cause changes in skin and hair. So it makes sense that the hormones found in birth control can as well. Read on to learn how different methods may improve or worsen the condition of the skin or hair.
