Acne and Pregnancy...and the Contraceptive Pill

Pregnancy and the Pill....and how they affect Acne.

Acne and Pregnancy: 

What you need to know....

At the onset of adolescence your hormone levels really begin to power up – and with this change in your body comes acne.

This flood of hormones causes the sebaceous glands to start working overtime. They begin producing increased levels of sebaceous oils which more than often get clogged inside the glands.

It is when these oils can't escape that the dreaded acne develops.

Armed with the knowledge that fluctuating hormone levels within the body trigger an increase in sebaceous oil production then it makes sense that any time a person's hormone level is altered there's an increased chance of an acne outbreak.

Unfortunately one of the problems women face is acne flare-ups are common while they are taking birth control pills. This can also happen when they become pregnant.

Tips for Using a Birth Control Pill to Control Acne.

Females who take the pill and then notice their acne is becoming worse should discuss the problem with their doctor.

As different brands of oral contraception have different levels of hormones you will find that one side effect of some particular brands is an increase in acne. By changing to another brand you can bring the acne back under control.

This is one of the reasons why some women who have moderate but persistent acne will sometimes choose to start taking the birth control pill as a way to help clear up their acne condition.

Any women who is healthy, who is at least aged fifteen, who has begun menstruating and who has made the decision to begin taking oral contraceptives can discuss obtaining a prescription for an oral contraceptive with their family doctor.

There are several brands that are known to help clear up acne but only one so far has been approved by the FDA for treating acne and that is Ortho Tri-cyclen.

It is important to mention here that taking the birth control pill as a way of treating your acne condition is an option that is best pursued only after all other acne treatment options have been attempted without reasonable success.

The birth control pill can have some side effects and must be taken exactly as prescribed by your doctor to be fully effective.

Acne during your Pregnancy.

On becoming pregnant quite a few women report of an increase in acne activity. This is because many changes occur within a woman's body in an effort to prepare your body for the growing fetus. T

he two primary female hormones at work in every woman's body are progesterone and estrogen. During pregnancy, progesterone becomes the dominant hormone, taking on new roles as the fetus develops.

But progesterone is more androgenic than estrogen, which basically means it is more like the hormones found in men. Increased progesterone during pregnancy causes the sebaceous glands to produce more of the sebaceous oils we spoke about earlier. This abnormal production of oils is what generally causes the outbreaks of acne.

One of the best ways to think about acne during your pregnancy is to understand that it is only a short-term problem and that it will normally go away once your new bouncing baby is born.

If you find your acne problems become too disconcerting to contend with at this time then be sure to consult with your doctor or a dermatologist who has the experience of working with patients during their pregnancy.

This is really important as the dermatologist will be able to suggest the correct treatment options that won’t harm your baby plus make you much happier with your outward appearance.

Next we take a look at what is commonly referred to as Genital Acne – this can be quite nasty and is something you really must know about.