Should I go back on the birth control pill? Is there another pill for this type of situation? Thank you for your help!

Question

Hello, I am a 30 year old woman and since my pregnancies I have never taken my contraceptive pill again. I stopped taking the pill about 7 years ago. However, for the past few months, I have had a flare-up of pimples on my chin and temples, which is clearly hormonal. Hello, i think I forgot to write down some information, because I don't see it. just in case, i am a 30 year old woman and i stopped taking the contraceptive pill about 7 years ago. i have had acne on my chin and temples for a few months. My esthetician told me that it was most likely hormonal. So my question is, should I go back on the birth control pill? Is there a pill with a low dose of hormones that could possibly solve my problem? thank you

Samantha Hui · Accepted Answer

Hello, Birth control pills generally have a positive effect on acne. It may take a few weeks to a few months to see an improvement, and it is possible that the acne will get worse before it gets better as your body has to readjust to the hormonal changes. In order to initiate contraceptive treatment for acne, you should discuss it with a doctor. There are pills with a lower dosage of estradiol and progestin (e.g. Alesse) and others with a higher dosage (e.g. Loestrin). Some people will respond better to one pill than another, so it is more of a trial and error process. If you tolerated your previous treatment well, you can start by trying the same pill again. You can also try to improve your acne with good lifestyle habits. For example, gently cleanse your skin once or twice a day with ceramide-based products without irritants, limit your stress, avoid occlusive cosmetics and change your pillowcase more often in a week. Enjoy, Samantha Hui, pharmacy student Under the supervision of Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist