Hormonal contraceptive pills for acne [the whole truth about oral contraceptives] – do COCs help acne

Contraception, skin care and possible risks. The whole truth about oral contraceptives.

The popularity of birth control pills can be compared to that of a superstar of scale Beyoncé, Pink or Adele. The reasons for their widespread use are not difficult to understand: oral contraceptives not only effectively prevent pregnancy, but also have positive side effects. effects, including improving the condition of problem skin. But how does it work?

How do hormonal contraceptives fight acne?

As you know, one of the possible causes of acne is hormonal. Testosterone (yes, girls have it also exists) increases the secretion of sebum, which provokes acne. On the contrary, estrogen contained in oral contraceptives, has the opposite effect.

Why do doctors change prescriptions?

Despite the common name “OK”, there are as many as four generations of oral contraceptives. Recently scientists have found that the second generation is safer than subsequent ones in terms of the risk of vein thrombosis (formation of blood clots in the vessels of the legs).

Regardless of the pills chosen, the risks are very small, but oral contraceptives take so many women that the vigilance of doctors is fully justified, and many of these women are recommended to switch to second generation tablets.

So how do the new pills affect your skin condition?

First-generation oral contraceptives may be better at treating facial acne than second-generation oral contraceptives generations, so after switching pills you may notice some negative effects on your skin.

At the same time, if you have moved from the third or fourth generation to a safer second, you win rather than lose: XNUMXrd and XNUMXth generation pills not yet proven to be better affect the skin than the tablets of the second.

What if the pills are contraindicated for you?

If oral contraceptives are contraindicated for you, consult your dermatologist to choose alternative skin care – there are many great solutions for this. Detailed For information on effective cosmetic products for problem skin, see HERE.

This article is informational material. The content of this article is not medical advice and should not replace it. The use of information from the article, as well as any recommendations or advice, is at your discretion. The site owner is not responsible for any harm resulting from the use of information from this article, including tips and recommendations. If you have any questions related to skin health, please contact your doctor. La Roche-Posay products are cosmetics