Any time a woman begins to take an oral contraceptive, it takes a while for the regulating effects to kick in. Until it does, your hormones continue to fluctuate, which means that androgens may still rise and lead to acne. Over time, your birth control pill will do its job and stabilize your hormones and your acne.
One drawback is that your acne may flare up before things get better. This is only temporary and should improve as your hormone levels adjust. You can expect your acne to improve within 2 to 3 months of beginning birth control pills (for some people, it takes just a few weeks).
Another possible link between an oral birth control pill and an increase in acne is when the pill contains progesterone only, commonly called the mini pill. In some cases, the lack of estrogen in the pill may allow for higher levels of androgens and, therefore, the potential for hormonal acne.
In fact, acne is a known side effect of IUDs like Mirena, Liletta, and Skyla. You may be more affected if you're already prone to hormonal breakouts - particularly if you experience breakouts before your period. Cystic acne around the jawline and on the chin is commonly reported.
The best birth control pill for acne is a combination pill-one that contains both estrogen and progestin. The FDA has approved four such birth control pills for the treatment of acne: Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Estrostep Fe, Beyaz, and Yaz.
As for the hormonal IUD, data appears to show that the progestin hormone used in the IUD can often make acne worse. The FDA label for Mirena®, a common hormonal IUD, notes that acne occurred as a side effect in 6.8 percent of women in clinical trials.
It is possible that birth control may make your acne worse and it is not uncommon that your skin will get worse before it gets better when you start the pill. Unfortunately, it can take some time and some work to find the right pill to improve your acne with little to no side effects.
In short, any type of hormonal IUD is best avoided if you're concerned about acne. Not only will the hormonal IUD not get rid of acne, but the study data appears to show that it has a relatively high risk of worsening acne breakouts.
Birth control patch side effects aren't always a bad thing, and the patch isn't just for birth control. The patch has many perks besides pregnancy prevention. The patch can also help lessen or prevent: acne.
The effect of birth control on acne. The pills decrease the circulation of androgens, which decreases the production of sebum. The pills must contain both estrogen and progestin to be effective against acne. The minipill only contains progestin, so it doesn't help improve acne.