Hormones...out of control?
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free skin care · Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:34 am

I seem to be breaking out on and off...clear, happy skin for a few months, then a few months of disasterous, depressing skin. It drives me insane- it's difficult to deal with.

I keep hearing comments about hormones and their possible responsibility.

I just started using birthcontrol pills for the first time in years. I am sexually active but it's more for my skin,as I've heard that birthcontrol pills can help relieve the hormones that cause acne...

Help...does anyone know any details or of any articles about hormones and acne? Are there any vitamins, supplements, etc to take?

Toronto_Belle

free skin care · Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:38 am

My curiousity got the best of me! Lol. I decided to google birthcontrol and acne and found this article- for anyone who is interested:

How does the birth-control pill work on acne? Increased oil production can be caused by the body's androgen (male hormone) production, which can be highest just before menstruation starts. It appears that low-dosage birth-control pills can decrease the presence of excess androgens, thereby decreasing breakouts. They work particularly well when used in conjunction with other therapies such as topical antibacterial agents or tretinoins (Source: Skin Therapy Letter, February 2001, pages 1–3). For a lot of women this is no surprise. Many have noticed an improvement in their skin after they started taking birth-control pills.

According to a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Fertility and Sterility (September 2001, pages 461–468), other "low-dose birth-control pills can be an effective and safe treatment for moderate acne." The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial found that the birth-control pill containing levonorgestrel (Alesse®) reduced the appearance of acne.

Low-dose oral contraceptives also result in a low occurrence of estrogen-related side effects like nausea, headaches, and breast tenderness, in addition to low, if any, weight gain (Source: Medscape press release, September 7, 2001).

Is taking birth-control pills to control acne right for you? There are risks associated with taking birth-control pills, and these should be taken into account before you make a final decision. These risks include increased chances of heart attack, strokes, blood clots, and breast cancer (and these are compounded if you smoke), not to mention possible side effects such as vaginal bleeding, fluid retention, melasma (dark-brown skin patches), and depression. All that may not be a worthwhile trade-off for clear skin. But if you are already using (or considering) the pill for birth control, this remedy may be worth looking into.

free skin care · Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:23 pm

Hi Toronto_Belle..... I too have break-outs and been to dermatologists who advise me to take birth control to balance out my hormones that cause acne. I've been prescibed Diane 35 which is a birth control pill that also helps with acne however it didnt help me because it just caused my acne to worsen and i gained weight from it due to water retention....so i went off Diane 35.
Then i took another Birth control pill called Allesse, that had the same side effects like Diane 35 so i stopped using that. Now im on Yasmin birth control, its just perfect for me. Helped me in controlling my acne and also doesnt make me gain any weight Smile

Every woman is different and one birth control pill that works for one person may not work for you. Trail and error is the only way in finding out which birth control pill best suits you. If the birth control pill your taking at the moment makes you break out more than usual then discontinue using it and try another brand. Best of luck!

free skin care · Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:38 pm

BCgirl wrote:

Then i took another Birth control pill called Allesse, that had the same side effects like Diane 35 so i stopped using that. Now im on Yasmin birth control, its just perfect for me. Helped me in controlling my acne and also doesnt make me gain any weight Smile

This forum is so helpful! I had beautiful skin on Allesse, but it really affected my weight. In fact, it gave me cellulite, too - very rapidly! Shortly after going off Allesse, I was not quite as happy with my skin, but boy was I happier with the rest of my body. I'm going to ask my gyn. about Yasmin. It's amazing what you can learn here!

Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:37 pm

I have the occasional breakouts, especially during that time of the month. I can offer 2 suggestions from my personal experience which may help. There's a supplement that you can purchase from the health food store called Vitex (chaste berry) which balances your hormones naturally, however it works slowly so you have to be patient. I believe that it should not be taken if you are pregnant. Ask for assistance from your local health food store.
The other suggestion is I use Retin A (tretinoin cream) which reduces my breakouts and actually minimizes my pores and fine lines. You have to get a prescription for it. It is normal to get redness, dryness and more breakouts while your system is getting used to the cream. I would suggest starting on the lowest dose, I believe it's 0.01%, but talk to your physician first. Hope this helps. Laughing

free skin care · Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:15 am

I too am on the pill and have been since I was 17, I went on originally to clear my skin up, initially it worked but then my skin would flare like crazy.

The pill depletes vitamin B6 which is directly linked to regulating hormones. I take a high multi B vitamin (vitamin B6 will not work effectivly on its own, it must be part of a team), there are 100mg of B6 in the B complex I am taking.

I also take Zinc this stuff is fantastic, helps clear your skin and you will never not feel like sex ever again!!!! Embarassed

, it also helps to regulate your weight. If you look at your nails, can you see any white spots, these are not calcium deficiency but a sign that you are lacking in Zinc.

Finally Vitamin A my HG, when I introduced this to my vitamin supplementation, the last of my acne just vannished overnight.
I buy my viatmins from Holland & Barrett and they are not expensive, the Vitamin A is around £4 and I the B100 Complex and Zinc are regularly on sale Very Happy

free skin care · Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:08 am

I too am taking Yasmin and have noticed a difference in my skin, it hasn't made it perfect but it has helped... And I got them specifically to regulate hormones and help my skin...

...great tips on vitamins Rosebud! I'm getting zinc on my way home Laughing

I just started taking vitamin c and I got some cod-liver oil as well... The cod oil is ABSOLUTELY disgusting and makes me want to throw up immediately...but it's full of goodness (A+D+E I think?)...I've tried taking it in capsules, but it comes back on me - and that is worse than the immediate unpleasantness of swallowing a spoonfull of it...

free skin care · Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:10 am

I too can't stand cod liver oil, it repeats on me, the great thing about the Vitamin A is that it does not repeat on you.

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