Most women will get acne at some point in their lives, usually when they're in their teens or early 20s, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Virtually 100% of acne cases are treatable, the AAD says. Most cases will resolve with over-the-counter or prescription medications that you apply to your face. But in some instances, dermatologists will recommend women with acne take oral contraceptives as hormone therapy for acne.
Causes
Acne has four primary causes, all of which are interrelated: overactive oil-producing glands called sebaceous glands in the skin, pores that clog due to too much oil, bacterial overgrowth and inflammation. Combined, these four factors can produce bad acne that eventually can lead to scarring. Oral contraceptives target only one of these causes: the overactive sebaceous glands.
Effect
Hormones known as androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce oil, and it is the surge in androgens at puberty that often leads to acne in teenagers. Oral contraceptives, which contain estrogen and progestin, counter the body's natural androgens and moderate their impact on the sebaceous glands. As a result, the glands produce less oil.
Types
According to the Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three brands of birth control pills specifically to treat acne: Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Yaz and Estrostep. Oher brands of oral contraceptives also can control acne, the AAD says, and your dermatologist may choose to prescribe a different type of pill, as long as it contains both estrogen and progestin.
Research
Medical studies have shown that oral contraceptives containing estrogen and progestin are effective as hormone therapy in curbing acne in women. For example, a 2009 study reported in the "Journal of Drugs in Dermatology" looked at 538 women ages 14 to 45 , half of whom took birth control pills and half of whom took placebos for six menstrual cycles. The study concluded that the group taking the oral contraceptives showed significantly greater improvement in acne lesion count when compared to the placebo group.
Considerations
Because hormone therapy for acne in the form of birth control pills treats only one of the factors causing acne--overactive sebaceous glands--dermatologists usually try other acne treatments first, such as topical benzoyl peroxide or retinoid, a synthetic type of vitamin A that is effective in curbing acne. Dermatologists also may try antibiotics, according to the AAD. If a woman's acne proves resistant to these treatments, then the birth control pills might be considered.
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