The Birth Control Pill’s Controversial Fight Against Acne
by BioCutis
There have been recent reports of women using the birth control Yaz and Yasmine to control acne but have suffered serious and potentially life-threatening injuries after using these oral contraceptives. Prescribing birth control pills have been one option doctors have used for treating acne problems, but is it the best acne treatment alternative?
The FDA approved Yaz to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition with emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms that are severe enough to impact one’s life, and to treat moderate acne in women who also want to use it as an oral birth control.
Several lawsuits have charged Bayer, the manufacturer of both Yaz and Yasmin, that they do not provide adequate information including warnings for doctors and patients of the effects of drospirenone, one of the hormones used in Yaz that increases the risk of strokes, heart attacks, blood clot formation, gall bladder and kidney disease.
How Birth Control Pills Can Help Control Acne
When the sebum (the skin’s natural oil) production increases and combines with dead skin cells, the mixture can clog pores and lead to acne problems. The production of sebum depends on the androgens hormones, also called male hormones, but both men and women naturally produce this type of hormone in different quantities. Hormone therapy is based on substituting male hormones for female hormones to try to create a hormonal balance, thus reducing sebum production and acne breakouts. Birth control pills have the capability of controlling androgen hormones significantly.
Natural Products vs. Synthetic Therapies to treat Acne
Natural skin care has the power to work with your body’s system to gently but effectively heal acne and other skin blemishes from within. It’s no wonder that some people react adversely to birth control pills because they are synthetic or man-made, and their bodies’ reject the treatment.
Many times these same natural skin products come with added benefits to dissolve acne scars and keep your skin moisturized. They can help in replenishing the skin’s lipid barrier and triggering the regeneration of damaged cells while preventing and removing scar tissue.
The best skin care products are those that contain some or all of the following natural ingredients:
* Inca Inchi Oil decreases the production and hardening of the sebum.
* Helix Aspersa Muller Glycoconjugates is a miraculous serum, which is derived from the brown snail, and acts as an effective adaptogen, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.
* Licorice Root Extract is an anti-microbial that controls swelling and irritation.
* Hyaluronic Acid is a glycosaminoglycan (also present in snail serum) that moisturizes the skin intensively and restores its capacity to retain water.
Even though the thought of popping a pill sounds like it can solve all your acne problems, many times using birth control pills just for the sake of reducing acne can open up a whole new set of complications. When looking for a cure for acne, discuss with your doctor all your options including natural acne treatments that work with your own biology to eliminate acne and acne scars without painful or debilitating side effects. Don’t let the desperation of getting rid of acne blur your judgment in finding the best acne treatment for your situation.
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