Birth Control and Acne

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Acne can be a particular problem for women. In fact, a phenomena that many comment on and scientists are beginning to accept is the occurrence of breakouts just prior to a woman's monthly menstrual cycle. Sometimes called premenstrual breakouts, they can be maddening for women trying to deal with a severe acne problem as any true results from acne treatment regimens will be temporarily obscured by a new breakout. Of course, the logical response to such a problem would be to control the troubling hormones causing these breakouts in the first place. Using birth control that treats acne is a popular method for women facing this issue. However, it's important to find reliable information on the topic and choose an appropriate birth control product.

Do Birth Control Pills Help Acne?

The answer to that question is yes and no. In women already prone to adult acne, many oral contraceptives will help prevent acne. On the other hand, women prone to clear skin may find themselves suffering from acne due to hormonal changes. Birth control that treats acne includes a group of pills considered low dosage. By low dosage it simply means that it uses less of what older pills use to prevent pregnancy. This is not to say they are less effective, necessarily, but the lower dose may cut down on unwanted side effects. Many of these pills, such as Yaz, claim to be birth control and acne treatments and have additional ingredients designed for that purpose.

Should I Take Birth Control That Treats Acne?

When it comes to birth control and acne, consult with a physician before taking anything new. Birth control that treats acne may be appropriate for you, but birth control causes a number of hormonal changes in the female body which should be well understood in advance to avoid confusion. If birth control that treats acne is desired, the decision must be even more carefully made, since not all birth control products control acne and some even exaggerate existing acne problems. Some drugs that treat acne include norgestimate, norethindrone, desogestrel, ethynodiol, and levonorgestrel. These drugs are called progestins. Progestins are used to balance the estrogen used in birth control products. The reason you want to look for these specific progestin compounds stems from the fact that they tend to aid in the control of acne. Consider discussing some or all of these names with your physician to understand better what they are and what they do.

Acne Alternative Treatment

Rather than taking birth control that treats acne just to prevent acne, a consistent and dedicated daily regimen with a good skin cleanser and moisturizer can likely achieve the same results with less impact on your body. The RevitaClear cleansing system is one such acne treatment system. RevitaClear also includes a moisturizer to help strengthen and repair skin while erasing blemishes. Read our RevitaClear review.