Birth Control Pills Reviews

Ortho Tri-Cyclen was the first birth control pill to be approved by the FDA to treat acne, YAZ is another. Why are they approved? Because they decided to have clinical trials. Most think of acne as an adolescent problem that goes away when you “grow up”. Nothing could be further from the truth as adult acne is more prevalent than most people realize.

I’m sure we’ve all had the experience of trying all possible over the counter lotions, wipes, and cleansers during our youth to fight acne. We’ve all remember most don’t work or leave your skin in a very different state than before you used it. Then something magical happens, one day it’s just not as bad. Granted you’ve gotten older so may be that was it. The one or two pimples you get are nothing compared to the horrors of the past.

Sorry to say that this isn’t the case for a lot of people. Acne prevails in a large adult population. A study published in the October 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology studied 749 people between the ages of 25 and 58. 54 percent of women and 40% of men in the study group suffered from some form of acne. Additionally, adult acne didn’t diminish until the age of 44

Women have more hope than men

First, acne is not caused by dirt and oil. Bacteria that every one has it on the skin, is the cause of acne and clogged, oily pores make and ideal environment for the bacteria to grow. People who are hypersensitive to the bacteria get an immune response, similar to an allergic reaction, and the result is acne we all know says Guy Webster, MD, PhD, vice chairman of the department of dermatology at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia

Hormone manipulation (which is how birth control pills work) could be a solution for some women. All women have some level of androgens and excessive amounts in women are believed to lead to acne. Unfortunately, hormones levels for change drastically during the month and androgen levels can increase. This is believed to be the reason for flash break-outs at some points during the menstrual cycle. The progesterone in Ortho Tri-Cyclen is lower in androgens than in other pills.

Studies Show…

In the November 1997 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, a study on the effectiveness of this pill as an acne treatment was published. 93.7% of the 247 women studied showed an improvement in completion. 65.4% of the placebo group showed improvement as well.

Does this mean you should run out and get oral ontraceptives to treat acne? It really depends on the individual and a doctor consultation.

There is hope, and a lot of women have found an acne treatment built into their birth control.

Ortho Tri Cyclen information

By Jessica MacQuarrie

Over the decades birth control pills have increased in popularity for the obvious and for the added attraction of treating acne and regulating periods. (Read on …)

Acne isn’t just a teenager’s problem. It’s as much of problem to adults as it is to adolescents. In recent years women taking oral contraceptives have had the benefit of relieving acne as long as they found a brand that worked well for them. Beware, there could be a big “miss” along the way to finding one that works for you that can be worse than no acne treatment at all. (Read on …)

By Deepak Jain

There are other advantages of birth control pills apart from giving protection against pregnancy. Today many females’ especially teenage girls use birth control pills not only to protect them form being pregnant but cure acne. The birth control pills are beneficial for women who have skin prone to pimples. So the women who have skin problems can always consult a gynecologist rather than a dermatologist. (Read on …)