Unbeknownst to many, “the pill” serves many functions besides acting as a reliable source of birth control. Hormonal birth control pills can cause women to have lighter periods or reduce pain and menstrual cramping. Birth control pills are also successfully used for acne reduction and prevention.
How Does the Birth Control Pill Affect Acne Treatment?
As you may already know, acne is your body’s unpleasant reaction to an excess production of sebum, a type of natural oil that is made by your skin. Unfortunately, the production of sebum is directly related to the amount of androgens in your body. Androgens are a group of hormones that include testosterone. What this means is that the more unbalanced your hormones are in your body, the more likely you are to suffer from moderate to severe acne.
Here is where birth control pills come into play for acne prevention: as their main function is to regulate hormone levels to help prevent pregnancy, they also inadvertently decrease the amount of androgens produced, allowing for this specific form of birth control to kill two birds with one stone.
Which Birth Control Medication Should You Choose?
Not all types of hormonal birth control provide the same benefit of acne treatment. Only birth control pills containing both estrogen and progesterone have the desired effect of serving as agents to reduce acne.
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Only certain types of birth control pill are FDA approved for acne treatment. Source: wa.gov |
It is important to remember this when discussing possible medical treatments for contraception and acne prevention. However, after mentioning what you are looking for in your birth control, your doctor should be able to point you in the right direction. Only three specific birth control pills are FDA-approved for acne treatment: Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep, and Yaz. Your doctor can provide more information about each of these medications and help you determine if any are the right option for you.
Is Hormonal Birth Control a Step You Need to Take?
As mentioned before, birth control pills serve many purposes besides preventing pregnancy and are an option that should be taken into serious consideration. If you have tried topical treatments or face washes and you still have severe acne, this may be the next step you need to take. However, make sure to speak with your doctor about all your options and be clear about what you are expecting to see from your birth control.
