Fight Acne Using Contraceptives

Although in the past there have been numerous controversies regarding the pill, since 1956 when it was first used in Puerto Rico, the birth-control pill has gained some serious ground worldwide and it is being used at present by about one million women. Nevertheless, there are still some countries where this pill is banned. However, the fact that it remains so popular indicates that for huge numbers of women, the slight risks are outweighed by the benefits.

But what exactly is the pill? The pill is a tablet that contains two female-type hormones – an estrogen and a progestogen. These hormones have the role to stop you from ovulating each month, therefore avoiding pregnancies. Also, the hormones thicken the secretions round women’s cervix, making it difficult for the sperm to get through, and they make the lining of the womb thinner, being in this way less receptive to an egg.

The pill has some obvious advantages and good points: it is almost the most effective method of contraception there is, apart from sterilization, it abolishes period pains, making periods shorter and lighter, therefore you are less likely to become anemic and it also reduces the risks of getting certain cancers, though it increases the risks of others. Apart from these advantages we find another important one: the contraceptive pill improves acne. In some countries the pill is only prescribed for no other reason than to help people clear up acne.

For a lot of young teenage girls or women, the pill is the best and easiest way to banish pimples. Its’ effect is that of lowering androgen levels; if you have extra androgens into your system, your oil-producing glands will go into high gear, leading to your acne. You should check with your doctor to see if your acne is really caused or influenced by these hormones. Here are some possible signals: if your acne appears in adulthood for the first time, if it flares-up preceding the menstrual cycle, if your cycle is irregular, if you experience excessive hair growth in unusual places or if you have increased levels of androgens in the blood stream.

Once you are certain your acne is caused by hormonal problems, your doctor will suggest and prescribe a number of therapies, sometimes a ‘combined treatment’: oral contraceptives, which have low doses of estrogen which suppress the androgens produced by the ovaries; anti-androgens, which, in combination with oral contraceptives, inhibit the production of androgens in both the ovaries and the adrenal glands and help prevent existing androgens from causing excessive oil production; corticosteroids, like prednisone or dexamethasone, which may curb inflammation and suppress the androgens produced by the adrenal glands.

But remember that in some acne sufferers, corticosteroids may actually aggravate acne; they’re most effective when used in combination with oral contraceptives. In conclusion, birth control pills are a great way of killing two rabbits at a time, but your should first consult your doctor before using them.