Birth Control Pills

(also known as Oral Contraceptive Pills)

Brand names of some birth control pills that are commonly used for acne:

• Ortho Tri-Cyclen®
• Yaz®
• Yasmin®
• Estro-Step®

Birth control pills can sometimes be used to control acne in women. When used for acne, they can take up to 3 months to work. The best birth control pills for acne are ones that contain a combination of two different types of hormones. The estrogen in birth control pills suppresses oil production in the skin.

Side effects:

Birth control pill therapy is generally well tolerated, common side effects are bloating, nausea, breast tenderness and weight gain. A blood clot is a potential serious side effect of birth control pill use although it is very rare.

Who should not take birth control pills?

• Patients with a personal or family history of blood clots
• Smokers over 35 years old should avoid birth control pills
• Patients with a history of stroke or heart attack
• Patients who suffer from migraines with aura
• Pregnant patients
• Patients with high blood pressure