Do Contraceptives Help With Acne?

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Curiously, this is one of the most common questions asked about contraceptive use. The answer, according to Planned Parenthood's resident question and answer guru Dr. Vanessa Cullins, is yes, some contraceptives do in fact help clear up acne.

Contraceptives That Don't Help With Acne

It should go without saying that not all contraceptives will help with acne. A condom, for example, won't do anything for a woman's acne. Nor will a non-hormonal intra-uterine device.

Contraceptives That Do Help With Acne

The contraceptives that reduce acne are those that use a combined hormone method. These include:

  • The Pill
  • The Patch
  • The Ring

Experiencing less acne is just one of the many listed benefits of using one of these contraceptive methods. Dr. Cullins lists several benefits, including:

  • Less menstrual flow
  • Less cramping
  • Fewer non-cancerous breast growths
  • Fewer Ovarian cysts
  • Less excess body hair
  • Less intense PMS issues

Remarkably, Dr. Cullins says that as many as one out of every three prescriptions written to women for the birth control pill aren't even for birth control at all.

Rather, they're written to confer the other, non-contraceptive-related benefits on the patient.


 
disclaimer

The information provided on Contracept.org is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her health professional. This information is solely for informational purposes and does not constitute the practice of medicine. We encourage all visitors to see a licensed physician or nutritionist if they have any concerns regarding health issues related to diet, personal image and any other topics discussed on this site. Neither the owners or employees of Contracept.org nor the author(s) of site content take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading this site. Always speak with your primary health care provider before engaging in any form of self treatment. Please see our Legal Statement for further information.

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