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How 'The Pill' Keeps Skin Clear
It is safe to assume that the link between oral contraceptives and acne reduction was a pleasant but useful surprise. Millions of women in the United States regularly use estrogen and progestin pills each month as a means of contraception, but many have learned that there are also skin-care benefits to ‘the pill.’
According to the National Institutes of Health, estrogen and progestin are both female sex hormones that, when combined, work together to prevent ovulation or the release of eggs from the ovaries. The hormones also have effects on the uterus and cervix that make it virtually impossible for sperm to fertilize an egg.
Birth control pills also have the added benefit of regulating the production of sebum, which is the oily, pimple-causing substance produced by glands in the skin's pores. Estrogen and progestin are able to have this effect since birth control pills regulate those hormones that lead to the production of sebum.
Birth control pills typically come in 21-pill and 28-pill formulations. In a 21-pill formulation, a user will take pills for 21 days and then no pills for the next 7 days. In a 28-pill formulation, users will take a pill that contains iron or another non-contraceptive ingredient for the last 7 days.
Because birth control pills only regulate sebum production, they only attack one cause of acne and may not provide clearer skin for everyone. When it comes to acne treatment, birth control pills are usually not the first resource that doctors turn to.
As many women know, birth control pills can cause some unpleasant side effects. Some women experience stomach discomfort, headaches or even irregular menstrual cycles, particularly when first beginning the pill. Some women also experience ‘spotting’ throughout the month or a reduced sex drive.
However, birth control pills work with minimal complications for the great majority of users. They have been preventing unwanted pregnancies and keeping skin clear for decades and will continue to be a part of acne treatment plans for several years to come.
According to the National Institutes of Health, estrogen and progestin are both female sex hormones that, when combined, work together to prevent ovulation or the release of eggs from the ovaries. The hormones also have effects on the uterus and cervix that make it virtually impossible for sperm to fertilize an egg.
Birth control pills also have the added benefit of regulating the production of sebum, which is the oily, pimple-causing substance produced by glands in the skin's pores. Estrogen and progestin are able to have this effect since birth control pills regulate those hormones that lead to the production of sebum.
Birth control pills typically come in 21-pill and 28-pill formulations. In a 21-pill formulation, a user will take pills for 21 days and then no pills for the next 7 days. In a 28-pill formulation, users will take a pill that contains iron or another non-contraceptive ingredient for the last 7 days.
Because birth control pills only regulate sebum production, they only attack one cause of acne and may not provide clearer skin for everyone. When it comes to acne treatment, birth control pills are usually not the first resource that doctors turn to.
As many women know, birth control pills can cause some unpleasant side effects. Some women experience stomach discomfort, headaches or even irregular menstrual cycles, particularly when first beginning the pill. Some women also experience ‘spotting’ throughout the month or a reduced sex drive.
However, birth control pills work with minimal complications for the great majority of users. They have been preventing unwanted pregnancies and keeping skin clear for decades and will continue to be a part of acne treatment plans for several years to come.
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