Acne Birth Controll

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Natalie Silver — Updated on May 9, 2023

Several combination birth control pills are FDA-approved for treating acne. In addition to treating existing acne, birth control pills may also help to reduce the severity of future breakouts.

Acne is a source of skin irritation that can range from mild to severe. It’s often caused by an increase in androgens, which are male sex hormones.

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Androgens are also present in people assigned female at birth (AFAB). They become active in the teenage years for everyone and cause sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, or oil.

If you’re AFAB and you have acne, birth control may help treat it. The synthetic hormones found in some birth control pills can help decrease the secretion of oil from your glands. This can actually lessen breakouts.

Several birth control pills contain synthetic forms of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These types of pills are known as combination pills. The ratio of the hormones differs in each form of the combination pill.

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Birth control pills don’t protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), however. You should consider using a barrier method, such as a condom, to protect against STIs.

The hormones in combination birth control pills can help reduce acne. The pills decrease the circulation of androgens, which decreases the production of sebum.

The pills must contain both estrogen and progestin to be effective against acne. The minipill only contains progestin, so it doesn’t help improve acne.

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Many combination birth control pill brands are available. Each contains its own variation of hormones. Pills prescribed for acne should contain progestin with low androgenic possibility. This means the progestin has less androgenic side effects, such as oily skin and acne.

Yaz combines drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. Each package contains 28 pills. Of these, 24 tablets have 3 mg drospirenone and 0.02 mg of ethinyl estradiol, and 4 tablets are nonhormonal.

Other combination pills that aren’t on this list may still help improve acne. Talk with your healthcare professional to fully explore which option is best for you.

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A 2012 review looked at 31 trials involving the use of birth control as an acne treatment. After looking at six new trials, the authors concluded that all combination birth control pills treated noninflammatory and inflammatory acne.

The study also suggested that combination birth control pills containing drospirenone were more effective than those that contained norgestimate or nomegestrol acetate plus 17 beta-estradiol.

Combination pills containing drospirenone were then found to be less effective than those containing cyproterone acetate. This distinction isn’t significant enough to favor one type of combined birth control over another, though.

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Also reports that oral antibiotics are the first choice to treat acne that’s resistant to topical treatments, and that adding on oral contraceptives that contain both estrogen and progesterone (combination pills) works even more efficiently.

Showed about 80% of women with adult acne failed multiple courses of antibiotic medications. In addition, about 30% of these participants had acne that returned after multiple treatments with isotretinoin.

Taking birth control for acne isn’t the right option for everyone. Before starting treatment, discuss the potential benefits and risks of birth control for acne.

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Your dermatologist or healthcare professional will look for any risk factors that may rule you out as a candidate. It’s usually not recommended to take birth control for acne if you:

It’s best to see a dermatologist if you have persistent acne. This means it doesn’t go away after 4 to 6 weeks of drugstore acne treatments. It’s also a good idea to see a dermatologist for any moderate to severe acne.

A dermatologist can help determine the cause of your acne and recommend the best treatments to try for your skin. Their recommendations could include prescription-strength creams, gels, cleansers, or oral medications like hormonal birth control.

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Birth control for acne needs to be prescribed by a medical professional, like a dermatologist, doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. It can be prescribed following an in-person doctor visit or through an online healthcare service.

There are several companies available that offer online birth control services, like Pill Club or Nurx. With these services, you’ll review options virtually with a medical professional, and the birth control pills are sent to your home.

People who smoke, are older than age 35, and have risk factors for cardiovascular disease are at a higher risk of these severe side effects.

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Treatment for acne depends on its severity and your reaction to different methods. The first line of treatment includes over-the-counter options, such as cleansers, lotions, and other topical treatments.

Birth control can help stop some types of acne by decreasing sebum production. This may get rid of acne while taking the pill. However, acne could return for some people after stopping the pill.

Most people start to see improvements in their acne about 2-3 months after starting oral birth control pills. Birth control doesn’t immediately change acne because it takes time for the hormones to balance and stop causing acne.

Some Birth Control Pills Can Stop Acne Breakouts

If your acne doesn’t clear up with basic methods, you should talk with your doctor about what acne treatment might be best for you. A combination birth control pill may be a good option.

According to a 2014 study, birth control can be a first-line alternative to antibiotics in the long-term treatment of acne in women.

If you take combination birth control pills to improve acne, it may take anywhere from a few weeks to 3 months before you notice a visible improvement. This is because the hormones need time to get into your system and recalibrate your levels.

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If you’re unable to find a suitable birth control pill that meets your needs, your doctor can help you find another treatment option.

Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Coming off the pill in my mid twenties changed the way I felt and looked. I first went on the contraceptive pill when I was seventeen years old, and was on it continuously for roughly seven years. In my mid twenties after a bout of problems with migraines and mood swings, I decided to come off hormonal contraception.

The few years that followed were intense to say the least health wise. My periods were long and irregular, often painful, and took years to regulate. My skin was a complete mess, adult acne was at its worst a year after I stopped taking the pill. In my early twenties whilst I was on the pill, I noticed my hair was falling out, my body was bloated and uncomfortable and I was just out of shape despite going to the gym and exercising.

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It took a lot of trial and error to get my body back to its natural state and cycle. It took even longer for my mood, skin, weight and period to stabilize.

Looking back at this whole experience, it was a really confusing time. I had no idea what I was doing, why I felt the way I did and what was actually helping me. It took years of looking after my body to get to the place where I am today where I am happy with my health and how I look.

Although I like to focus on adult acne with my blog posts, I am going to cover a few topics that I think are really important to know when you are coming off the pill, and what that process may be doing to your body, especially if you have been taking a hormonal contraceptive for years like I had. To be clear I am not advising or recommending coming off the pill - this article is purely to support those of you who have already stopped taking the pill and are trying to navigate your way through afterwards.

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I love looking at insulin resistance and the link it has to clear skin. Our diets today are filled with processed ingredients and excess sugar, causing our glucose levels and hormones to be all over the place, often leading to insulin resistance.

Stabilizing insulin levels is an important step in obtaining permanently clear skin, and is the main reason why the Radiance Powder has such a high dose of soluble fibre within (to regulate glucose levels, suppress sugar cravings, eventually causing lower insulin fluctuations over time). 

When our blood sugar is not balanced we get higher spikes in insulin, causing our body to produce higher levels of androgens, which leads to acne. In my blog post ‘Getting to the root cause of acne’ I talk about how higher levels of androgens like testosterone lead to an increase in sebum and hormone fluctuation, which in most cases leads to a bout of adult acne. 

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My greatest tip for stabilizing insulin levels is focus on what you consume in terms of food.  Prioritize whole foods, lots of high-quality vegetables, fats, fiber and proteins. Avoid sugar, white flour and alcohol – full disclosure I still have these things occasionally but keep them to a minimum. Exercise also helps to manage blood sugar levels and helps detoxify