The Pill and Skin

LegacyUser

I've been so patient and tried everything but I just cannot stop spots from appearing all over my chin and around my mouth since I started on the pill. I was fine before hand, skin was near perfect. I was on the exact same pill before and did not have this problem. I've tried drinking lots of water, which distroyed me all together. Sleeping for 12 hours a night helped, but is impossible to keep up. I have now resorted to acne cream just to dry my skin out completely and have stopped drinking water altogether. Moisterising at night helps too. I've tried everything basically. Exercise no longer helps either. The latest attempt is to double up on my vitamin b as it seems to help. I don't feel hormonal but my skin obviously does! I'm assuming this because of the area the spots are appearing. Has anyone else had this problem and resolved it? I'm thinking of trying the injection that stops you from getting pregnant for a period of time in hopes it does not cause the same problem. Has anyone had problems with that?

kittenkiller

you've oviously heard all the advice: water, sleep, more fresh fruit & veg...

if you haven't discussed this with your doctor or local nurse, do so!
they're usually quite helpful & can usually recommend some sort of medication if the case is extreme enough.

don't stress too much about it, luckily being a girl means you can use the ol' cover up of make up for the time being!

one thing though, don't go messing with your contraception just to improve your skin if it's the only method you use!

i've had trouble with my pill in the past & it's always best to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to these things!

ask your doctor or someone in the know.
a pill that worked for someone else's skin mightn't do yours any good at all.
there are loadsa creams & medications out there specifically for skin so try to go with those 1st.

best of luck!

LegacyUser

Different pills work for different people. I have bad skin to begin with (spots on chin due to hormones), so the pill was recommended to clear that up. Dianette was the one I was using. Yasmin is meant to be better than Dianette and not so harsh. You may need to try a few.

LegacyUser

I can't do the whole no water thing anymore. I like being hydrated. I had a skin analysis done with a beautican and she advised me my skin was dyhydrated. This is also when this all started. So drank loads of water. I know you get a few spots when your skin clears out so I kept it up for 2 months. It did not stop. So I started on the whole dehydration thing. It fixed it temperarly but now its back. I'm trying no make up cause I think the make up is agrivating it. Washing my skin 3 times a day. Which brings out dry patches in other areas. Can't win really. I'm sure its for hormonal reasons. The query isn't really how to fix spotty skin. The question is more about the injected protection. Does it have the same affect?

You are right Kittenkiller I should really ask my doctor. I will. Thanks for the advice. Its not a disaster though, doctor might laugh at me. Its just I've always had good skin and I'm well past my teens, to start getting spots now is seriously killing my confidence.

Going Demented

I have the exact same problem with spots on my chin, down side of my mouth that i cannot get rid of. At first i thought it was because of my hormones due to being preggers but they haven't cleared up since. Been on the pill with a couple of months and that hasn't cleared it up or made it worse. It is just the same. It's like i'm being left with the marks of spots too. I never suffered from spots before so not sure what's going on. Have been to the Dr and got no real advice only that i may be run down as i am also falling asleep all the time. Was told to take centrum. Haven't worked yet. Have got bloods taken. I have tried ever cream i can think of. tea tree dried my skin out but worked kinda. Anyway if you find some miracle cure lemme know

Zillah

Enough wrote:

You are right Kittenkiller I should really ask my doctor.

Exactly. This is always a good idea to the majority of problems people come up with on this forum. If there's something about your body not right go to a doctor, they are very very smart very very well trained people.

NewFrockTuesday

i have the exacy same problem with my skin going on for nearly a year now. the scars are left and dont seem to fade at all. i bought clarins serum 38 ( i think thats its name...will check tonight and edit if necessary) and it is very soothing and seems to have stopped...more or less...the apperance of new blemishes. the scars are my next quest. i am thinking of trying creme de la mer but its very expensive. the serum is not cheap either @ €85 a bottle but it will last 3 months as opposed to a months supply ofcdlm for the same price. has anyone used it before? i also take beta carotene which is also making a noticable difference in closing the pores and making my skin appear smoother.
i went to the doctor before and i got a roll on antobotic which imho done nothing whatsoever to help.

had the injection as well btw and HUGR single spots erupted and there are side effects that are better pm'd. it might suit you tho but it definetly didnt agree with me. im fast running outnof ideas.

littlemiss

Enough wrote:

Washing my skin 3 times a day. Which brings out dry patches in other areas. e.

Just to say that by washing your skin 3 times a day you may be aggravating it and making your skin worse. Do you know if you are allergic to the soaps you are using??? I know that my skin can flare up if I change products or if something disagrees with it.

minnie_mouse

I'm on dianette, still get the odd spot, tho immore concernded of the real dry skin something I never had befor, little flakes of skins are coming off my face. i think i might go to doc bout it? any on else have this problem on dianette?

cajun_tiger

Firstly water will work. its the long term fix not short term. it takes up to 3 months to get your skin back to normal. also see if you food habbits have changed that could be the reason behind it.
can i ask how long you've been on the pill??

you should really drink water you could do the rest of your body real damage.

deedee lepoopoo

[QUOTE=purdee]
[PHP]i went to the doctor before and i got a roll on antobotic which imho done nothing whatsoever to help.[/PHP]

I got a roll on antibiotic from the Doctor. Don't use it because you're rolling around the bacteria on the rollerball. I went to a beautician and got dermalogica products to clear the spots. It worked for a while but it's the same with anything that clears spots-both topical and oral- they will dry out your skin, so water intake should be increased.

NewFrockTuesday

cajun - i have always been a big water drinker and athough this has probably held a mass breakout at bay, it does not solve the problem. there is such a thing as drinking too much water as well and this can be as adverse as the correct ammount is bebeficial. has anyone tried vitiman facials?

cajun_tiger

ye this is true but she has stopped altogether, also water does not solve all pimples but it does help when on medication. like the pill. Drinking water is essential for clean skin and your overall health. Water is essential for carrying waste material out of your body... and is quite possibly the single most important contributor to healing and preventing acne flare-ups.

How much water should you be drinking every day? Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day for beautiful skin.

Your body is made up of 70 percent water. Water is literally your body's life force. It is involved in nearly every bodily process, including digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion.

Water is also the primary transporter of nutrients throughout your body. If not enough water is consumed, toxins can build up causing breakouts.Water flushes these toxins out.

Without adequate water, we would poison ourselves with our own metabolic wastes. Your kidneys remove waste products that must be dissolved by water. So, by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, you are flushing out the toxins that would normally escape through the pores of your skin... thus preventing acne breakouts.

Your kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. When they do not work to capacity, some of the load is dumped onto your liver.

One of your liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for your body. But, if your liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work at full capacity. A liver that is not performing at its best can worsen acne because it cannot break down and clear excess hormones from your body.

Water helps maintain proper muscle tone, by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps your skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

More important information about water

Water is also extremely important in losing weight and keeping it off. Water suppresses the appetite and helps your body metabolize stored fat.

Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day can also eliminate water retention. Sodium may be a cause of water retention. Water flushes the sodium out of your system.

Water can help relieve constipation. When your body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. The result is constipation. But if you drink enough water, normal bowel function returns. So, drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

Your body will not function properly without enough water and cannot rid itself of wastes and toxins. Drinking water is essential for clear, healthy skin.

cajun_tiger

http://healing.about.com/

i found alot of helpful things from this site hope it helps

NewFrockTuesday

Quote [ can't do the whole no water thing anymore. I like being hydrated. I had a skin analysis done with a beautican and she advised me my skin was dyhydrated]

How much of a fool are you...seriously?

and the whole water spiel...i agree, water great - wahoo - but its not a solution on its own.
and i know that youve pointed this out...but what else is avalible to treat the skin probs

cajun_tiger

i know its not buti asked
" also see if you food habbits have changed that could be the reason behind it.
can i ask how long you've been on the pill??"

since it mightn't be the pill or it could be some food she's started eating that reacted badly.. also if she's only started the pill within the past 6 months it should settle down after a while. and mightn't be the big problem that it seems

NewFrockTuesday

are we any nearer to any suggestions from anyone?
personally:

not on pill..off it 2 years
dont eat junk...well try not to...choclater is as bold as i get
exercise regularly
cleanse, tone, take good care of skin
take beta carotene
drink loads of water


why oh why oh why do i still have more or less permenent spots on the lower right side of my face and chin?
its embarassing at 30 to have this - demented got it spot on.

ClareBear

Started taking Dianette myself a month ago...so far my skin is a bit better so hopefully it will work for me....but my skin goes through phases anyway. It'll be fine for a few months and then go crazy for no apparent reason for about a week. It happens every now and again. Very annoying.

cajun_tiger

not on pill anymore nuvaring now soon the coil.
diet eat when i feel hungry try to avoid sh!t(coke and other fizzys, chrisps ect)
i do eat chocolate and jellys.
i avoid fish but take supliments(cod liver oil ect)
wash clense tone moisturise daily, face mask twice a week
i drink 1.5 to 2 ltrs of water daily.
and only get break outs when i am due a period

again i get them on the chin mouth area, but every 3 months or so i get really sore under the skin ones.

when i was on the pill i had the same i'd get one or two every "time"

cajun_tiger

Spots are not worth getting upset over..
stuff you eat 4-5 weeks ago can come out as spots,
when you start new diets you get spots,
get into washing toning cleansing and moisturising daily(always remove make up)
don't touch your face with your hands
try let your skin breath more often( take a day or two without make up)
give it 3 months min to see a difference

Zillah

Cajun, you're very clever and informed. Refreshing.

LegacyUser

I've started back on the water, missed it too much. You see I am a runner and I normally drink about 2 litres of water a day. I have started using an acne cream, can't remember what its called, but if it works I'll let you know! It seems to be doing good. Fish is my fav food and I juice vegetables! Its nothing to do with my diet or general health ... its the damm hormones.

LegacyUser

Just back from a lovely lettuce, red pepper and tuna sandwich for lunch along with a quick wash and a rub of some acne cream and OH LOOK! another little red mark has appeared ... my skin .. my lovely skin ... what have I done to you.

This is an issue, someone out there must have resolved this issue. How? What did you do ... please share?

cajun_tiger

you haven't answered the question?

how long are you on the pill..

also as i mentioned erlier stuff like this takes time theres not short term answer.

andrew163

www.acne.org/messageboard

meh they helped me alot

(The "Regimen" thing they have there isnt completly commercial, they sell stuff but at no point do they push you into it..... the people there know it's not the ultimate cure...I got on fine without going near it...)

<edit: On topical (roll-on) (topicycline) and oral antibiotics (oxytetracycline) right now [from the doctor...as advised by those good people right there.]. Not miraculous by any definition but a massive improvement

The doctor treated it as any other medical condition - didn't laugh, didn't make any remarks, took it completely seriously, and did the usual examination, asked about what i'd tried/not tried, etc, then prescribed the antibiotics. >

Pink Bunny

It's not the diet or water etc.....it's the pill, I can almost guarentee it!!!!! :mad:
My skin was perfect, smooth, beautiful. Then the doctor switched me to a new birth control pill that has a lower hormone level. Then came the acne on my cheeks I didn't catch on at first but when I did it was too late. I switched back to the old kind and after a while it cleared up, but now I will always have little pock marks on my cheeks from it. I've since talked to others who have had the same problem.

KlodaX

down with birth control. ruined me too. Try switching between different ones maybe. no amount of water can save you now!

ClareBear

KlodaX wrote:

down with birth control. ruined me too. Try switching between different ones maybe. no amount of water can save you now!

How come some people (like me) are prescribed the pill specifically for their skin while others say their skin gets worse when they go on the pill. It's strange.

Pink Bunny

You're right Clarebear, some kinds are really good for clearing up the skin (ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN) and that's what I had been on for several years with lovely skin. It was only after I was switched to a new low hormone one that the troubles for me started.

cajun_tiger

spots come up about 6 weeks after your body has taken what ever has caused them in the first place

LegacyUser

I've been on the pill for nearly 4 months.

cajun_tiger

here the best i can do is pass on a number you can call and see what they can do.
its in dublin and its the well woman centre

018728051
or
018728095

Going Demented

OK back to the spots issue. Mine are still the exact same. Not big zits with heads but silly read marks and then every other day a pimple.

Back to the dr a few times the last two weeks. Bloods reveal b12 deficency which was why i was tired and irritable and not because i was run down. Result - b12 injections.

I asked would the abnormal b12 cause the spots as i am really sick of them now as i never suffered from them and i have them since October CONSTANT! She said no.

I am on the femodene pill. I had them before i went on it so i don't know if it added to it and prolonged my "outbreak of spots". It has been changed now to Dianette. I will start taking it on Sunday. Will let you know if there is any improvment. Anyone had any weird side effects to Dianette by the way?

(i found a tee tree stick thing that has a day and nite "side" that was good at making the pimple go down, but not make the redness disappear. Got it in boots).

ClareBear

cajun_tiger wrote:

spots come up about 6 weeks after your body has taken what ever has caused them in the first place

Really??

cajun_tiger

really... you drink a can of coke(example only people) and it will take up to 6 weeks to come out on your face or other body parts..

read the you are what you eat its got a section about what different areas on your body mean if you get spots on them even for guys!!

stress is another key to getting spots.. try to relax more.

baby wipes dont clean your skin neither does soap!!!

ClareBear

cajun_tiger wrote:

really... you drink a can of coke(example only people) and it will take up to 6 weeks to come out on your face or other body parts..

read the you are what you eat its got a section about what different areas on your body mean if you get spots on them even for guys!!

stress is another key to getting spots.. try to relax more.

baby wipes dont clean your skin neither does soap!!!

I never knew that....thought it would show in a few days....that's very interesting....I've gone overboard on the junk food this week.....I'm going in to hiding in 6 weeks!

cajun_tiger

well you body has to first try to get rid of it and then after a long time the toxins come out through your skin

WhiteWashMan

do you have any links to the research on the 6week thing?

i can say i have noticed a huge level of spot activity increase around mid february after everyones had a fabulous beered and fooded up christmas.

id be interested to read how they went about researching that.

cajun_tiger

i'll try find some it was on a discovery channel a while back will try though

LegacyUser

I've given up. Thanks for all the advise. My body is just not agreeing with this pill. If it takes 6 weeks to reach your skin, and I've given the pill 4 months I don't think this is going to get any better. I've had 2 periods this month, my body is trying to tell me something. I'm going to listen.

WhiteWashMan

well, im certainly no expert on the oral contraceptive, but still having problems after 4 months does seem unusual, and although i do know it can take a few months to settle down, do you really have to put up with it.

i guess another chat with the gp is in order, and a change in perscription. perhaps along with a dermatologist, they may be able to make a recommendation on a pill that may go in harmony with your hormones, and not cause the spots etc.

by the way, id take the 6 weeks for spots to show with a pinch of salt. perhaps when you talk to your gp or the dermatologist, you can get the real low-down, and come back here with some expert knowledge

LegacyUser

This I will. First need to let all hormones calm down for a while! I did however find a cream call Quindoerm. It calmed the grossness and left little red marks. Over use leaves skin very dry aswell. Just incase anyone has an event coming up and needs fast and short term relief.

idontknowmyname

Was on Dianette before, didnt see a difference in my skin

Victor

If it takes 6 weeks to reach your skin

Do we have back up on this?

Enough wrote:

I've given up. Thanks for all the advise. My body is just not agreeing with this pill. If it takes 6 weeks to reach your skin, and I've given the pill 4 months I don't think this is going to get any better. I've had 2 periods this month, my body is trying to tell me something. I'm going to listen.

It's screaming "GO TO DOCTOR".

LegacyUser

idontknowmyname wrote:

Was on Dianette before, didnt see a difference in my skin

I am now off the pill a few weeks and my skin has returned to its normal lovely state. One or two scars thats is all. I went to the doctor last week and have been given a perscription for dianette. He said that a pill would not cause acne that I had it there already, it has just always being dorment and that the pill flared it up. As I said before I drink loads of water and exercise and try to eat well so that could have been preventing it all this time.

He was quite busy and I didn't get a chance to ask any questions, or to think of them for that matter, but only after when my boyfriend asked 'what happens to your skin when you come off dianette?' that I started to worry again. I don't trust doctors and can't understand how if I had acne all this time how I never had any spots? I'm going to try the dianette though none the less. The question is does your skin return to normal after coming off dianette? I don't have any spots now, I'm nearly sure I won't have them when I'm on dianette, but when I come off dianette will my skin be so used to the hormone that it feels the need to componsate with spots?

I haven't a clue, I think that question sounds silly when I read it. I hope it makes sense.

ClareBear

I don't know. Just try it out first for a while.....are you in any rush to get off it? I intend to be on it for a few years at least (no baby making for ClareBear!)...give it a go first. Best of luck, hope it works for you.

LegacyUser

ClareBear wrote:

I don't know. Just try it out first for a while.....are you in any rush to get off it? I intend to be on it for a few years at least (no baby making for ClareBear!)...give it a go first. Best of luck, hope it works for you.

I've found that the nuvaring is the best no side affects (dietary or physical).

i'm due to get the marina coil fitted which is better still, less of a chance of getting pregnany.

i dont trust the pill, i got pregnant on it. took it daily and regular. has an upset tummy, for a few days(wit added nastiness) was unprotected but i didn't realise, stupidly had sex with out a condom.

i'd recomend the nuvaring to anyone!

LegacyUser

Very good point Clare. I'm in no hurry to come off it. It would be nice to know for future reference though! Thanks very much for your posts, you have been very helpfull and reassuring.