How Birth Control Pills Work on Acne

• Acne is usually related to the levels of reproductive hormones in the body. It can begin with onset of menstruation or may appear suddenly between the ages of 20 and 40. High levels of androgens, or male hormones, including testosterone, are thought to increase the activity of oil glands. This leads to an increase in the production of skin oils called sebum. The oil blocks pores, causing acne blemishes.
  Oral contraceptives contain either progesterone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Only combination pills are used to treat acne. Estrogen acts indirectly to lower testosterone. Certain progestins are androgenistic while others act as anti-androgenens. Those progestins that act as anti-androgens are best at treating acne.
  For women with mild to moderate acne, birth control pills might be enough to clear the skin. For those with more severe acne, a dermatologist is likely to prescribe topical medications as well. Be aware that it may take six months or more to see the desired results.
  
  

Brands

• There are many choices in birth control pills that can treat acne. Your doctor can decide which one is right for you.
  The pill with the longest track record and greatest efficacy in treating acne is commonly known as Diane 35. It is a combination of ethinyl estradol and cyproterone acetate, a strongly anti-androgenistic progestin. Diane 35 is known for its anti-inflammatory properties as well, showing as much as a 75 percent improvement in blemishes. While it has been popular for over 20 years in Europe, Diane 35 is not approved by the FDA. In Canada, it is approved as an acne treatment, but not as a contraceptive. There are some concerns over the safety of Diane 35 due to reports of severe blood clots, which can be fatal.
  In the United States, Ortho-Tri-Cyclen was the first birth control pill that was FDA-aproved for acne treatment. It is a triphasal pill, meaning that a different dose of hormones is given each week. As many as 53 percent of acne patients on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen may have clear skin after six months.
  The birth control pill known as Yaz or Yasmin is currently a popular choice in the United States for acne treatment. Its anti-androgenistic progestin (drospirenone) can be as effective as Diane 35.
  Estrostep is also FDA-approved for the treatment of acne. It contains the progestin norethindrone acetate. Patients using Estrostep may have as much as a 47 percent impovement in their acne.
  Alesse is a single-phase pill containing levonorgestrel. You may expect as much as a 46 percent improvement in acne blemishes after six months.