Birth control and acne! Help!

Dr. Irwin
January 25, 2014
Minastrin caused horrible acne on me (never had such acne before) so I stopped taking it after 4 months. My gyno put me on a Liver detox by Thorne. I am not on any birth control. It's been 3 weeks and I only see more acne. I eat a clean diet. I drink lots of water. When will I see changes? Is being off any birth control only going to cause more acne? Am I a slave to having to be on the right birth control now? I am too scared to take any birth control after what Minastrin did do me, Loestrin was great but it's gone.

This is where you need a good gynecologist or to be an expert detective yourself because………almost all the oral contraceptives are slightly different and they can have different effects on your individual body.   If you did well with one brand, you may not do well with another.  And conversely, just because you had trouble with one brand it doesn’t mean they will all be a problem!

Why?  Because they all contain (if you read the fine print) slightly different concentrations and even types of estrogens (most of them) and/or slightly different versions of progesterones.  Not only do they contain different ones but the concentrations may be different even if the estrogen or progesterone is the same.  

A good gynecologist will know which OCPS are more helpful with acne and which aren’t.  It is really important to tell them if you are acne prone or prone to melasma!!!  Please go back to him/her or find another one for a second opinion.

It takes about 4-8 weeks with a new OCP to tell whether it will work for your acne. 

Hope this helps,  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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