Birth Control for ACNE Treatment?!

Welcome back wonderful people!

Today's blog post is a little different than what I normally post, but very important for me to share with you all.  You read the title correctly... It is using birth control as an acne treatment!  Now I'm sorry to say but for all my male viewers out there, unfortunately this post isn't going to help you and your acne :(  This is mostly for my lady friends who get that wonderful little gift in the mail every month and along with that gift comes lovely hormonal breakouts.  For those of you who don't get hormonal breakout... you are some of the lucky ones.  

For most of us though, with the coming of "Aunt Flow" also comes a couple new friends (I like to call them +1's) usually around the chin and jawline area, however, they could pop up anywhere.  Using birth control as an acne treatment has always been something I wanted to try out but was horrified at all the stories I read online when I went to research different brands.  Some birth controls make people overly emotional, others make people feel depressed, etc. etc. etc.  Personally though, I don't believe an actual pill can make you feel those things but to each their own, that's just my opinion.  Back on topic.  I would read so many horror stories saying birth control made their acne worse, it gave them cystic bumps, etc. etc. etc!  Now, for someone who's looking to get rid of their acne, these types of reviews are definitely not what they want to read.

 Despite all the negative reviews, I took the plunge and asked my doctor what sort of birth control he thought I should go on.  I highly suggest you talk to your family doctor first before you go on birth control ESPECIALLY if you have any sort of blood diseases in your family history.  When starting any new medication really you should always consult your doctor or physician first just as a precaution!  

Taken directly from the WebMD website, "Acne is triggered by an excess production of sebum. Sebum is an oil made by glands in your skin. Along with skin cells, sebum can clog pores and promote the growth of bacteria that contribute to acne. Androgens, a group of hormones that includes testosterone, stimulate your skin to produce sebum.  A woman's ovaries and adrenal glands normally produce a low level of androgens. Higher levels of androgens can lead to excess sebum. Taking birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progesterone lowers the amount of androgens in your body. This results in less sebum and less severe acne."

Any quick Google search online will tell you that the FDA has approved the following types of birth control for acne:

• Ortho Tri-Cyclen uses estrogen combined with a progestin called norgestimate. A progestin is a synthetic, or manmade, form of progesterone. The pill is available with different doses of progestin.
• Estrostep uses estrogen combined with a progestin called norethindrone. The pill is available with different doses of estrogen.
• YAZ uses estrogen combined with a manmade form of progestin called drospirenone. The FDA has concluded that birth control pills containing drospirenone may have increased risk for blood clots compared to pills containing other progestins. Other brands containing drospirenone include Beyaz, Gianvi, Loryna, Ocella, Safyral, Syeda, Yasmin, and Zarah.

When I asked my doctor what he thought would be best, he prescribed me Alesse, however, there are so many other brand names that are the exact same pill (i.e.: Altavera, Amethyst, Aviane, Enpresse, Lessina, Levlen, Levora, Lutera, Lybrel, Nordette, Orsythia, Portia, Sronyx, Tri-Levlen, Triphasil-21, Triphasil-28, Trivora-28). 

 With Alesse, I am given 21 pink pills and 7 white pills.  You will take your first pink pill on the first day of your period or on the first Sunday after your period begins. Take one pill every day, no more than 24 hours apart. When the pills run out, start a new pack the following day. The 28 day birth control pack (which is the one that I use) contains seven "reminder" pills (white) to keep you on your regular cycle. Your period will usually begin while you are using these reminder pills.

My final thoughts on how Alesse has been working for me...

Overall, I am pleasantly pleased and surprised with the results that I have received from taking Alesse.  First off, no depressing thoughts, changes in mood, etc. none of that, I feel how I normally would feel.  I was very surprised to see that in conjunction with everything else (healthy eating habits, drinking lots of water, sticking with my skincare regimen every night, exercising regularly, etc.) the birth control really helped in clearing up my acne!  All the small little bumps I used to have are practically gone.  It has also reduced the amount of hormonal breakouts I get around the time of my period.  Notice how I said "reduced"... this is not a miracle product that will get rid of your hormonal acne (unfortunately).  It has however reduced my hormonal acne to a minimum which is good enough for me.  

Stay tuned for my next blog post and take care,
Glynn   

"Opportunity does not knock, it presents itself when you beat down the door."

Kyle Chandler