- With Mayo Clinic dermatologist
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
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Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Dr. Lawrence Gibson likens bad health information on the Internet to food poisoning.
Consumers, he said, need to be aware, and will find reliable information at MayoClinic.com.
Dr. Gibson, a Covington, Ky., native, has been with Mayo since 1986 and is board certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He is a professor of dermatology at Mayo Medical School and a consultant in the Department of Dermatology.
Dr. Gibson has been director of the Dermatopathology Laboratory since 1998 and chair of the Laboratory Division in the Department of Dermatology since 2000. He is especially interested in inflammatory disorders of the skin and lymphoma affecting the skin.
"Electronic information is becoming a staple in the diet of a health conscious society," he said. "It's important to avoid misinformation and provide a credible source for health information. Using this analogy, it's critical to avoid 'indigestion' or worse yet, 'food poisoning' by the ingestion of tainted information."
Treatments and drugs (2)
- Birth control pills for acne?
- Acne scars: What's the best treatment?
Alternative medicine (1)
- Natural acne treatment: What's most effective?
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Question
Birth control pills for acne?
I have acne that doesn't clear up when I use medications or creams. Could birth control pills help?
Answer
from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D.
Yes, birth control pills (oral contraceptives) may improve acne in women. Birth control pills for acne are typically considered when acne doesn't respond to other treatments, such as prescription medication. Three estrogen-progestin combination birth control pills are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat acne in women:
- Ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate (Ortho Tri-Cyclen)
- Ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Estrostep)
- Ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone (Yaz)
Acne develops when sebum — an oily substance that lubricates your hair and skin — and dead skin cells build up in the hair follicle and form together as a soft plug. As the plug grows, the follicle wall can rupture, allowing more oil and skin cells to accumulate. Bacteria then trigger additional inflammation and infection.
Birth control pills for acne work by reducing the amount of sebum. Because the pills target only one cause of acne — excess sebum — it's best to use them with other acne treatments, such as medicated creams containing benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. You may need to take birth control pills for several months before noticing any results, and your skin may get worse before it gets better.
Though typically safe and effective, birth control pills aren't for everyone. Side effects and possible complications include:
- Headaches
- Change in menstrual flow
- Potential fetal problems, if taken when pregnant
- Breast tenderness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Decreased sex drive (libido)
- Depression
- Slightly increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high potassium (hyperkalemia) and blood clots
Talk to your doctor about how your health history and age may affect your risks with birth control pills for acne. Don't take combination estrogen-progestin pills if you:
- Are age 35 or older and currently smoke
- Have a history of cardiovascular disease
- Have a history of breast, uterine or liver cancer
- Have a history of blood clots in your legs or lungs
Acne scars: What's the best treatment?
- Frangos JE, et al. Acne and oral contraceptives: Update on women's health screening guidelines. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2008;58:781.
- The truth about oral contraceptives and acne. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.skincarephysicians.com/acnenet/article_oral_contraceptives.html. Accessed June 25, 2009.
- George R, et al. Hormonal therapy for acne. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2008;27:188.
- Ortho Tri-Cyclen (prescribing information). Raritan, N.J.: Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals; 2008. http://www.ortho-mcneilpharmaceutical.com/ortho-mcneilpharmaceutical/shared/pi/cycltri.pdf#zoom=100. Accessed June 26, 2009
- Estrostep (prescribing information). Rockaway, N.J.: Warner Chilcott Company; 2009. http://www.wcrx.com/pdfs/pi/pi_estrostep_fe.pdf. Accessed June 26, 2009.
- Yaz (prescribing information). Wayne, N.J.: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals; 2007. http://berlex.bayerhealthcare.com/html/products/pi/fhc/YAZ_PPI.pdf?WT.mc_id=www.berlex.com. Accessed June 26, 2009.
- Wirth FA. Approach to acne vulgaris. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 29, 2009.
