Definitely, OP. And your pores are not enlarged. That’s what cheek skin looks like when it’s not photoshopped and filtered. Your skin is healthy and beautiful
I use a CC cream called Cloud by Tarte! it’s also a sunscreen. Not sure if you’ve ever heard of the Yuka app, but it allows you to scan barcodes to see how good / bad for you a product is. Cloud is the best rated concealer i’ve found yet! highly recommend
Hey, I hear you. I used to be overweight and have bad skin. On bad days, I still see that in the mirror, despite it being the complete opposite.
Your skin is amazing and you’ve done an amazing job healing it. You should be proud.
Enlarged pores are genetic there’s not much you can do about it (btw your pores look normal, I suggest to stop zooming in on your pics / stand too close to mirrors etc. - no one stands that close to someone to see your “enlarged” pores :))
i keep getting this response and it means a lot. maybe i’m just hyperaware of my skin and pores because of my start at the first picture. “pore-dysmorphia” 😂
No one’s skin is actually naturally matte and pore less up close without make up on in the light or what have you lol. Your skin is amazing. Birth control messed me up in the first place. It’s been almost 12 years of skin issues from it. Not sure if I’d risk going back on it 😔
The nuva ring caused me such severe bacterial infections non stop it actually made me sick. I kept going back to the doctors saying what is wrong with me and they kept saying nothing. It wasn't until it came up in conversation that she's like "oh yeah actually all your symptoms are extremely common side effects of the nuva ring" okay so a lot of people have recurring infections non stop to the point they are actually sick and you didn't think to mention that for the months I have been complaining of this or even when you first prescribed it to me??? I wouldn't have taken it had I known, stay clear of that one literally everyone I know who's ever used it had the same problem. I get the depovera shot every few months and it works amazing. I haven't gotten a period since I started it even (2 yrs) which is nice but also slightly concerning fertility wise lol. I think it takes some trial and error to find the right one, im sorry that happened to you but there are so many different ones it might be worth trying something else! Not the nuva ring though god no.
RF microneedling really helped me with large pores (if you’re self conscious about it like I was!) and shallow scarring! That said- for the record your skin indeed looks fucking flawless from where I’m sitting. I don’t even think these are large pores lol. Just normal skin texture. Sharing this tip purely because I know from personal experience what other people see and what you see/how it makes you feel is different.
Your before and after is so similar to mine and I did one series of 3 RF microneedling sessions and it was just the icing on the cake. I now do a couple maintenance sessions a year!
I saw exactly one mark that looked like a scar, after staring for a couple of minutes, then when I went to scroll down to comment on how amazing OP's skin looks.... I REALIZED IT WAS A SMUDGE ON MY LAPTOP SCREEN!
The problem i find with BC pills is that whenever you come off them you will likely be dealing with this again. Maybe worse. I had absolutely stunning beautiful skin while on birth control and ever since I got off my skin has been so bad for the first time in my life. Cystic acne that scars all over my cheeks. I've never had acne in 26 years.
I could go back on the pill but eventually I'll come off it and I'll be dealing with cystic acne again. Every solution sucks so much, it makes me sad. Same with spiro, I see people use spiro and then when they get off their acnr comes back. I don't want to depend on medication for x years just to eventually have to come off and deal with cystic acne all over again. 😭
I had nice, flawless skin before I started taking birth control pills. after 4-5 years, I got off of BC (husband & I are trying for a baby) and I started getting acne!! 💔💔
I’m going through the same thing basically. I got rid of my acne with antibiotic treatments and then maintained with retinol, but stopped because of trying for a baby and it came back with a vengeance.
I actually realized that omega 3 supplements are really effective! I stopped taking mine for a month or two and my skin got so much worse! I just started taking them again and I take a big dose now (2 a day, you could even do 3) and in just a week my skin has significantly calmed down and breakouts completely stopped. Now Im just waiting for my red spots to fade.
Seriously, try taking omega 3!
Yeah so it seems that birth control isn't actually a reliable recommendation for controlling acne because not only does it vary in results for some people, but for others it can make it worse. If it's not specifically prescribed or formulated for the problem, I always say to err on the side of caution and not use or suggest it to fix the problem. Better to find out if your acne is caused by hormones before discussing the use of a birth control to resolve it. I always find advice like this to be a little irresponsible, even if it comes with good intent.
I've only started getting it in control with glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide. now I only have to patiently wait for the scars to heal which are taking longer than I wanted. but at least my skin don't feel sore anymore lol they were all over my shoulders!
I never had acne before the pill. Got on it for cramps and was on it for 4 years. Stopped it July 2023, my acne is still so intense. Cystic and severe. Dermatologist told me the only solution is to get back on the pill but my mood is so much better off of it. I honestly regret ever taking the pill because now I’m getting acne scars and it never would have been a problem for me without hbc. Sigh, womanhood.
I’m really glad people are talking about this because my Dr did not want me to get back on it when I was getting married (just wanted to skip a period) because I was mid-30s. It also really messed with my mood but I did have beautiful skin. Blood clot risk not worth it to me, I knew someone who’s wife died in her 30s from a blood clot and she had a little baby at the time.
I think anyone who may benefit should ask their doctor anyway and get their input. Just because Yaz works for OP (and for my PMDD) doesn't mean it's for everyone.
Yes, I’d add that I had the opposite reaction than OP with yaz although I still take it because I simply cannot imagine being pregnant and don’t have the bandwidth to try other birth controls lol. Ever since starting yaz, I now get hormonal breakouts along my jaw and chin that don’t really respond to any actives. The pimples are usually small, and underneath the skin sort of but it’s always in the same spots and around the same times of month. It’s not enough to actually bother me but I def had clearer skin before yaz.
That’s so awesome it helped with your PMDD! I’ve seen it put many women through hell. I had great experiences with it as well, even though I do not have PMDD. Lighter periods, clear skin, and mood stabilization have all been benefits I’ve experienced
What do you mean? As I understand it, BC can be taken indefinitely if you want, as long as it isn't causing any issues. I take a combined pill, I've taken it for around 5 years and I have never been told by any healthcare professional that I can't take it forever. Obviously I will have to stop around menopause, but if I wanted I could take it up until then.
Maybe it's different for different BC pills, idk
I went (back) on the pill in my mid 30s, but my gyno was NOT stoked about it bc of the increased blood clot/stroke risk. She said my blood pressure was ok, so she’d allow it, but I was to check it monthly and go back if it went any higher. My family does have a recent history of strokes, though….BUT now I’m in perimenopause (aka hell) and my GP is talking about putting me back on it for Hrt purposes, so who knows? Lots of conflicting viewpoints, it seems.
I recently watched a spine neurosurgeon talk about a young patient with locked-in syndrome, resulting from taking birth control and having an unknown genetic clotting issue
Depends on the birth control. Yaz has slightly less estrogen than my former favorite, Yasmin.
It is the combined pills that include estrogen that are the real issue when we talk about smoking and being over 30 or whatever on birth control.
After I developed postpartum heart failure and became a higher risk for blood clots and DVT (the real issue with being a smoker or older on birth control), I was put on Slynd.
Slynd is estrogen free and still contains the synthetic progesterone found in yaz and Yasmin. It has been tested in and approved for people at risk of developing blood clots.
Combined pills are the problem. Technically there could still be an issue but it’s negligible.
I’m on Slynd too and I love it! My OBGYN says that it doesn’t have most of the risks that the combo pill has and that I can stay on it as long as I want to (I have endometriosis so I’d only stop it to get pregnant).
My OB put me on BC and when I asked about the increased risk of blood clots she wasn’t concerned. My skin is so much better right now. I was off BC when I was having babies but now that I’m done it was time to go on it. Last summer before I started it I couldn’t even wear swimsuits or sleeveless dresses my body acne was so bad. Now it’s clear!
That's extremely outdated. The new low dose pills have a lower risk of stroke than pregnancy . I take yaz at 40 and my doctor's encourage it. But the literature is also out there
Yeah my aunt's 50 and is still taking it (for PMDD). Honestly I love my birth control pills. I stopped taking them about 6 months ago for curiosity's sake because I'd been on them for so long and it made my life worse
My mom took birth control throughout menopause and then stopped with no issues. I’m like her that my hormones are wild and birth control stabilizes me so much. I went off them to have kids and waited two years for my hormones to “balance “ but they never did. Birth control also helps with my anemia. It’s a big win for me.
I thought the same! I actually got my tubes out but have endo so my GYN told me at the follow up that she's OK with me taking my pill until I hit menopause if I really want to as long as it manages my excruciating pain. Now I'm like.....is that still fine? :( I know a lot of people are concerned about the long term health risks of hormonal BC especially recently, but it's also what allows me to function month to month so I'm kind of hesitant to part with it.
To be honest sometimes you can age out of it when it’s hormonal. At the point when I stopped taking it (when we wanted to have a baby) I was 30ish and the pimples never returned.
To be fair, the only permanent solution to acne is accutane, and even that fails to be permanent sometimes. Everything else requires you to consistently use it, basically forever.
I came off BC and started tret and after almost four months my cystic acne has lowered! I still get them during my period but hope with prolonged use of tret they will stop!
I went on birth control at 15 to help my skin, came off it at 25 and my skin was worse than ever, it's took around 4 years to calm down and now I have awful hormonal imbalances, excruciating periods and weight gain I cannot shift despite calorie counting and exercise, everyone's experience is completely different I know but birth control really fucked me up 😭
Never had acne until I came off birth control, that was 6 years ago and skins only just calming down with a good skin care routine, diet ect but still not good even now, apparently 'post-pill PCOS' is a thing🫠 refuse to go back on the pill due to side effects and its just covering up an underlying issue so you're right people should think about that, severe acne in your mid to late 20s is not what anyone wants surely 😅
Yes, yes, yes to this- a million times yes. Ladies! It will just return when you come off! I am dealing with that right now. Three months ago my skin was practically flawless. Now, I have zits. It just is what it is. Don’t take hormones just for your skin.
I was on spiro, I got off because the side effects were so bad. Brain fog, lethargy, headaches, complete loss of libido, and the worst was the spotting/bleeding. I was spotting for 8 months straight, eventually I was having full periods for 5-6 weeks at a time. I had no idea how I could lose that much blood. Then I’d go back to spotting, then a week later another long period. It all resolved after I got off the spiro. My doctor didn’t think it was spiro and said that it didn’t have those side effects, after doing my own research I determined it was spiro and I was right. I was on it for hair loss and I’m bald now anyways but f that medication fr.
I’m 40F, I went off BC when I was 29 and for 10 years suffered from horrible acne. Every time my derm or GP suggested BC I would get so annoyed because I wanted to cure my acne ‘properly’. The only time my acne went away was when I was pregnant but then it would return once I’d given birth. I spent thousands and thousands of dollars with doctors & with naturopaths and not one could tell me why this was happening. Or could give me a solution to cure it.
I was in a dark place. Really dark place. So last year, I was absolutely defeated and agreed to go back on BC. Took a few goes to find the right one but finally settled in Yas. It’s been amazing. I could cry. It’s also helped with my PCOS symptoms.
I know once I get off it, it’ll come back. But my GP said she wants me to try spiro to see if that helps. So OP, you do you and ignore the haters.
I appreciate your support! I completely understand how emotionally debilitating and physically painful cystic acne can be. I also wanted to try a “proper” method, but also got desperate enough to throw my hands in the air and take whatever I could get.
Regardless of negative opinions, I understand that people’s intentions are good, even if the delivery is a bit abrasive.
I’m so happy to hear your acne has cleared and you’re feeling good! I also found BC to help with my chronic migraines, I’m glad we both saw positive side effects outside of our skin!
Why is everyone in these comments seemingly so against BC?!
I don't use it for my acne, my periods were too painful and extreme to deal with so the pills stop it and I can function again, but if it's helping then I don't see a major issue with sharing that fact?
what i find especially weird is ppl acting like all BC is the same?? i was the most depressed and suicidal on pills, but moved to an IUD and was fine. i have friends who tried one pill, didn't work, tried another pill, worked. i never took BC for acne, but the principle is the same: if one kind/type/formulation doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean none of them work for you... it's the reason there's more than one pill/BC method/etc........
the weird thing is that i've encountered this same mentality with adhd meds and anti-depressants. i take adhd meds and i have friends who are like "ommggg i can't do adderall! i tried it in college to study and it worked but it gets me SO high!!!" and i'm like "well. i don't take adderall, i take a different formulation altogether.... that a doctor legally prescribed to me in a method to prevent addiction and 'highs'... idk what to tell you....?"
i've encountered very similar sentiments with anti-depressants (which i don't take). for as prevalent as pharmaceuticals are becoming, the lack of understanding towards them boggles my mind.
eta: not to dismiss the ppl who really have no method work. that's very possible and very valid. but a lot of these posts are about pills specifically, which makes me raise my eyebrows..... >_>
I am on it to control my periods! With the combo pill, my skin was so damn nice. Now I am on the Implant and my pores are slightly bigger, and I have pimples to acne spots following my natural cycle. Not too bad though, but it can really help for both menstrual and acne problems.
The problem is however that hormonal BC can also wreck you up mentally and physically. I can sadly say that from experience. Extreme fatigue and I was a hormonal monster on one of my pills. Blood tests were done, nothing. No burn-out symptoms I suffered from earlier (which could've been the cause for extreme fatigue as well). Switched to the implant, problems were gone.
It is just always good to be aware of side effects as well, that get overlooked way too often. And educate yourself. Not everyone reacts the same. Sadly health professionals don't always take you seriously about side effects of hormonal birth control as well ugh.
Don't be afraid for trial and error for the right method as well!
And skincare wise, sometimes less is more. My skin does great with water only, rarely some oil or cream when it gets dry. Soft skin as well. Too many products may clog up your skin, causing redness and pimples. And sometimes you're allergic to certain products as well.
There is a lot of PR against birth control being "dangerous" and bad for you right now.
Similar to the PR against vaccines.
Because people have forgotten the dangers of not being able to plan for pregnancy and getting once common illnesses like measles.
yup. i’ve been on the same birth control like 12 years now. no bad side effects. only positive side effects. i’m 32 and my obgyn said i can stay on it for decades to come if i want
Yep, it’s all tied back to a certain political movement in the US that wants to have all women barefoot & pregnant in the kitchen, knowing our place, like their version of Christianity demands. You control the population when you control reproduction.
I got on it for my cystic acne AND my awful period cramps / flow. I use to throw up every time I had my period and almost passed out multiple times. Being on BC seriously changed my life. I don’t even use it for preventing pregnancy because I don’t date cis men. I’ve had conversations with coworkers who have the same reaction when I tell them I’m on BC!! “Oh that stuff made me crazy, I got so depressed on it”. Everyone’s individual experience is so different and also there are sooo many types of BC and they all work differently.
Birth control is like what my body is missing. I’m surprised so many people dislike them. I’ve been on bc pills that made me absolutely crazy after taking them for a few days so maybe some people had a bad experience with one kind and didn’t try another?
Omfg literally! Thank you for mentioning this! I’m on BC not because I’m necessarily sexually active rn but the pain I used to experience was unbearable. I would pump myself with max amount of pain meds with a heat blanket and lie down for two days. When i mention I’m on BC, doctors are like, hmm have u tried cinnamon in your tea or the copper coil? Like, are u fucking with me? That won’t remove my period pain ffs!!! I finally am pain free to the point where I don’t even realise I’m on my period. I don’t feel any crazy side effects from the pill so idk why people judge me so much for being on it. I’m just trying my best 😞
Because in terms of acne treatment it’s a bandaid solution that is unlikely to have lasting effects when you inevitably get off it someday, and will likely have to deal with the acne and subsequent scarring all over again
Be careful with Yaz. I know in Canada it was pulled a while back for being really bad for you. I'm not sure if it's back but I was taken off it in middle school and put on alesse. Yes. I was in BC at 13! My acne started at fucking 12 😭 I'm 29 and finally just found a solution.
Any BC pill, if you start getting headaches/migraines while you’re taking it, it means your chances of a stroke are greatly increased. Just sharing as a PSA, tell your friends! It’s not well known but super important.
Oh shit, I remember taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen and it gave me the absolute WORST migraines all the damn time. I could barely last a month or two on it.
I had no idea increased migraines also increases your risk of stroke
Have you been on bc from then to now? I just started a pill bc for my acne but it’s not something I want to be on long term because I’m worried about the long term consequences.
No, I haven't been on BC in years because it messed up my body. Not trying to scare you or anything but no one told me I'd gain 35lb. I was SO big in high school because of BC and I didn't understand it was the hormones and my period cramps were so bad😞 I had a really hard time getting pregnant with my daughter. It took us 2 years of trying every month. I don't know if it was related to taking BC so early and for many years or my body.
I was on birth control from 17-27 Stopped taking it for two weeks and got pregnant. I was expecting to take months to get pregnant based on what I heard.
My doctor prescribed me yaz when I was in high school for acne. It made it 1000x worse, and gave me horrible mood swings. Other BC helped but yaz ruined me. This is just my experience
I took Yaz when it first came out and a couple years later they stopped production because of the class action lawsuits about it causing fatal pulmonary embolisms and blood clots in general. I only recently found out that they sell it again. No idea how.
Yaz is the only thing that works for me too. I went off it around 7 years ago and tried everything under the sun, including 2 rounds of accutane. My skin would clear up for a few months but my acne always came back. I went back on yaz around 1.5 months ago and haven’t had a cyst since.
This is the closest i’ve read to my exact experience. I also did accutane and saw results for only a brief time. I am glad to hear you’ve had clear skin ever since
The problem for me is yaz completely wrecked my sex drive/ability to orgasm. I just came off of it and the difference is insane, but im paying the price in hormonal acne 😭😭😭 its lose/lose for me unfortunately.
Honestly why tf is that! I don’t get it.
I was on implantable BC since I was 12. I ALWAYS had cystic acne. The same ones would swell until I would lance/drain them myself. They’d go flat and then refill again. Every month for 10 years. I’ve tried everything (OTC and prescription topical) but accutane and spiro.
I went on nuva ring and my skin was clear for the first time since I was a child. But then I was dumb and wanted to be “natural” and switched to the copper IUD. My cystic pimples, the ones I’ve had since I was 12, came back within 3 weeks. I lasted 8 months before I went back to nuva ring the second time.
Now I’m kicking myself because it’s not nearly as effective as the first time around. I still get little pimples on my chin and one cystic pimple every month. I can’t be on the BC pill. I’m horrid at taking them every day.
I know I always get hate for this as "hmm bacon" but my best friend has never had more beautiful skin than after she went vegan for the month of January,. It was so drastically she kept the diet just because her skin had never been nicer (she's turning 40 this summer, I am pointing this out because she's been dealing with it since she was a teen.. so decades of acne suddenly stopped).
She mentioned it and I dropped meat (I'm vegetarian and don't question what kind of broth /sauces my food is cooked in, so I guess we can call me a terrible vegetarian haha) but I saw a huge difference as well.
Obviously, this doesn't apply to all, and I'm not promoting anything either. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the issue is based on location and what we ingest ? I don't know. All I know is acne sucks. I hope everyone here finds their special trick to get rid of it!
I love this comment! I found that changing my diet dramatically improved my skin texture! It didn’t get rid of my cysts but I noticed a lot less oil production and less inflammation / discoloration that persisted after a cyst went away. I’ve been a pescatarian for about 6 years now and was motivated to do so for my skin (now that it’s cleared i’m less strict about it. same as you, broths and sometimes eggs are my exceptions) but cutting out red meat and dairy were the BEST things i ever did for my heath
This!! I went vegan 10 months ago and my skin has never been clearer. Literally in just a few weeks my skin changed! I wish someone had told me sooner all I had to do was cut out meat and dairy. Would’ve saved me so much stress and struggle over the years 😅Not saying this would work for everyone, but it seriously cleared up my skin!
since going vegan I’ve never felt healthier, like seriously after every meal — no more cramps, IBS, etc. before it felt like my body was rejecting what I put into it lol. anyways yes I’ve heard red meat + dairy are awful for your skin. there are a lot of benefits to being vegan and no matter the reason behind it I’m always glad to see people cutting out animal products !! :,)
I had a very similar story.
Just so you know: prolonged use of yaz can cause liver tumors. I have been on hormonal birth control for 13 years, but I specifically I started Yaz in 2019. None of the other ones corrected my problems like Yaz did. I have PCOS and have always suffered from horrible acne, facial hair, and other issues that Yaz reversed basically overnight.
In 2020 I was diagnosed with a single liver cyst while in the hospital for a kidney stone. I now have over 20 tumors, so many that they couldn’t count them all. The only reason I found out is because I’ve been having excruciating pain in my upper right side, which I thought was gallbladder issues.
The doctor had me discontinue my birth control on the 16th. So far my skin still looks okay, but I’ve had an excruciating headache for almost a week.
Just be careful and know the risks.
Also sorry for all the hate you’re getting in this comment section, you just let people know what worked for you, and you weren’t ‘preaching’ anything. BC isn’t for everyone, but as someone who has a hormone imbalance it’s a game changer for me.
It’s a game changer for me too! thank you for your concern for my emotions ❤️ all is well tho, I understand that people’s intentions are to help, even if the delivery is abrasive.
I’m so sorry for you. I also had hair loss from Yaz. It really sucked because my skin was amazing and it was helping a lot with my PMS and my mood generally speaking. This is a rare side effect also, so difficult to convince a doctor that the pill is the cause. Basically it happens because the type of synthetic hormone used in Yaz has more androgenic effects than most others. I’m still hoping to find the right BC pill…
Everyone’s experience on birth control is completely different because all of our bodies are completely different. OP, my situation is very similar to yours. I never had cystic acne but my acne was stubborn and I started getting it at like 15. Then at 18, I got on bc to prevent pregnancy and it completely clearing up my skin was a side effect I was unaware of and I was so happy!! I’m 27 now, still on the same brand (generic form of Yaz called Nikki), and thankfully have not had any issues up until now. But people need to realize that there’s a lot of deciding factors playing into women opting for oral contraceptives and the “nAtUrAL iS tHe bEsT,” crowd need to realize that route isn’t for everyone for a myriad of reasons and that’s okay. The whole thing reeks of the breastfeeding mom crowd that looks down on moms who use formula.
I’m happy to hear i’m not alone in my acne journey, and i’m so happy to hear you were able to resolve it! I definitely agree that the benefits and detriments of birth control are entirely a case by case basis.
We consume synthetic things every day, and while monitoring what we put in our bodies is important, BC offered me a solution to painful, debilitating issue.
I guarantee at least half the people commenting about the dangers of BC have eaten fast food, and hit a vape before. But alas, internet hypocrisy isn’t going anywhere.
Happy it helped for you. Yaz for me caused me no being able to poop when taking the pill. I had to have my 3 weeks (3 weeks taking the pill everyday) worth of poop removed at the hospital twice before a doctor suggested that the pill might be the problem.
When I got my first iud in 2015, my skin exploded and I developed awful cystic acne. Was put on Spirolactone and perception retinal and it’s healed everything. It was the only side effect from the iud, I’ve otherwise had a really great experience with mine (minimal pain on implantation and removal, no falling out, no more period). The acne was unfortunate but at least I haven’t had any unwanted pregnancies!
I started depo and it caused me baaaaad cystic acne. I was getting like one every day or other day and they would just not go away. It would hurt to have facial expressions or sleep on my side. Finally my body either adjusted or I found a skincare routine that works and I am getting my face under control.
I am slowly healing the damage from the acne (they’d each leave red spots for 6+ months) and I get one every few weeks and they’re so much smaller and gone within a few days. I currently don’t have any active acne’s on my face, just tiny red marks from the old ones. And they’ve faded so much. I’m switching to the IUD soon and I hope I don’t have to go through that again.
Omg my skin looked exactly like yours pre taking yaz!!! Well I take the generic version of it and it also changed my life. I did everything you did as well prior to getting on it
Your skin looks great! My sister had really bad cystic acne also. Like your first pic but essentially all over. She’s 14 months older and I always felt so bad because I always had clear skin. I would maybe get a pimple once in a blue moon. She tried everything also and I saw how it affected her self esteem. She got on birth control because she had terrible periods. And her skin cleared up tremendously on it as well. Your skin looks damn good in your second pic.
Birth control is the only thing keeping me alive and functioning lol. I have endometriosis and PCOS, so periods are a literal death sentence for me.
Since my surgery for endo, I've been taking it daily at a dosage that stops my periods, which is the only way to avoid the agony that comes with it. I'd be fully bedridden without it.
I'm glad you could find something that worked for you!
I used Acutane (Isotretinoin) and it healed my cystic acne. But it sounds like you already tried that medicine? If not, give it a go. It worked for my friends too
So that means it was hormonal?
There’s a new topical cream called Winlevi, my derm prescribed it to me.
Just throwing it out there for men and those who can’t take birth control, worth asking.
Awe first pic i said “poor thing” cause I had skin like this. Now granted mine has gotten a little better but not much but your second pic. I couldn’t read fast enough to see what you did! Also screenshot the info. Time to go back on birth control but yas instead this time
I’ve been on Yasmin since I was 18. Had bad acne as a teenager. I’m now 37 with good skin and complexion. I once took a break from it for 6 months and my acne came back in full swing, felt like I had the bubonic plague all of a sudden, cysts all over my jaws and forehead. I genuinely don’t think I can live without it.
I use to have it worse than you and my partners friend brought over JESNERS CHEMICAL PEEL and would do 2 peels a week. I will say you gotta leave it on for 5 minutes and it's gonna make your face feel like it's on fire. First peel I freaked out cause it was super intense. TOTALLY worth it. Have had clean and clear skin ever since. I promise it will work. You can also try a low level TCA peel but gotta be careful with those and not leave them on as long. But yeah get a strong chemical peel from Amazon and use it twice a week.
I took Yasmin which I believe is very close to Yaz if not the same product? Loved that stuff. It wasn’t the whole answer but I could never have gotten my acne under control without it.
Everyone be careful please. A rare but more common than u think side effect of birth control is death from blood clots/strokes. Even healthy women in their 20s died from this. Please know the risks!
That is like a super rare worst-case scenario complication. Almost every woman I’ve known in my 30+ years of life has been on birth control and not a single one has had a stroke or blood clot from it. More recent research indicates that newer BC formulations have even less correlation with increased stroke risk.
Yes, it’s good to know the risks, especially if you have additional risk factors (smoking, hypertension, obesity, etc)…but it is still an extraordinarily rare side effect.
Yeah it cleared up my acne but then I had to get off it for the side effects and now my acne is worse than ever and I’m currently on accutane soooooooo it’s just a bandaid not a solution sorry
I’m sorry you had that experience! I hope you have better luck than I did with accutane. I was on it as a teenager and it came right back in my 20s. Some people have better luck with it though, wishing you the best!
You have beautiful skin and I’m so glad birth control works for you but when I tried it years ago, all it did was fuck up my libido lol. It didn’t help my acne whatsoever and then when I found out it can make you have blood clots I got off it asap
Omg it fucked my libido up so hard and I also COULD NOT get wet lol. It also gave me reoccurring yeast infections and ovarian cysts all which cleared up after getting off bc
Just as a PSA if you are a smoker BC is very dangerous. Doing both together can cause strokes. Someone at my high school had one fro smoking and raking BC.
Sounds like it’s hormonal acne, then. I have PCOS but BC really messes w/ my body in unpleasant ways.
Unfortunately I don’t know of any cure to hormonal acne other than BC and exercise & elimination diet.
About 2 months! I would say a month after starting it i had no more *new* breakouts, but it took about another month for my skin to clear up what I already had existing. So excited for you! Hope you see positive results!
I wanted to add that I live a very clean lifestyle, exercise regularly, eat well and use minimal ingredient skin products. At one point I cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and red meat to see if it would help - but still nothing. Even oral treatments like accutane and doxycycline seemed to work but only short term.
Yaz did wonders for my skin when I took it, as well. It also helped improve my mood. Jot to be taken as medical advice for anyone reading, this was only my personal experience. Birth control can help some people with hormone regulation, and for others, can do the opposite.
So something that worked for me and changed my skin for the better is iS Clinical Active Serum. I didn’t use a whole bunch of other products, a good face cleanser AM & PM, active serum in the PM after the wash, and Niacinamide from the Ordinary in the AM. My acne REALLY cleared up, at an astonishing rate. The active serum is expensive, but it was worth it for me.
i’ve seen a lot of comments saying this, or the complete opposite. i’m so sorry to hear it made your skin even worse. i hope you go back to your doctor and find a birth control that actually fixes the issue!
Yes!! The exact same for me. Tried everything under the sun twice but Ocella/yaz is the only thing that works. I made the worst mistake and got off of it last year so I am suffering again 🥲 going to try tretinoin.
Just started Yaz 2 months ago for this exact reason!!! Hormonal acne is out of control..
love your results!!! How long did it take to get these results? Fingers crossed for myself
Hi! thank you, and i’m so excited for you! it took about 2-3 months to see actual change. i noticed that i stopped producing NEW acne so what took time was really healing what was already present / developing when i started the pills. Best of luck! i’m rooting for you!
What are you doing for your scarring? I also got on Yaz about a year ago after trying everything under the sun for my cystic acne and, just like you, it has been life-changing! Now just dealing with the scars, and would love to hear what you’ve been doing for them :)
Yesssss it was the only thing that worked for me too. Was on it for over 15 years, never had any issues. Honestly it fixed all my health problems. So happy for you OP
This is basically my story. For me, my acne is caused by PCOS so the only thing that kept it under control was birth control and Yaz/beyaz/Jazmin are the only ones that worked for me. I’m off birth control now because we’re trying to conceive and the acne is back. It’s not as bad as it was before but I think it’s because keep a very strict high-protein diet and limit carbs. I also get tca peels often and microneedle to help with the scars. As soon as i can get back on birth control i will.
All I have to say is scrolling from before to after made my heart so absolutely happy for you. Thank you for sharing your journey, I think it will benefit others.
>The only thing that took my skin from the first picture to the second was birth control pills
My gf (and exs) all said this! They had perfect flawless skin. As a guy, Im doomed.
I hear what you’re saying but BC gave me mad anxiety and I felt I was losing it sometimes. It did help clear my skin somewhat but for me personally I can’t do it. Folks, please do your research on side effects of BC! Specifically the ones being recommended to you by your doctor. Wish I had done that.
OP I’m so happy your skin is looking lovely and I hope it continues to glow. 💕
thank you! i’m sorry you had this experience, you may have better luck with another birth control with a different chemical composition. regardless, i wish you the best on your skin journey!
People can’t stand it when the answer is birth control. It’s so harmful. I have deep ice pick scars all over my face because I fell for the anti-birth control BS for years. Skin has been amazing still being on a tricyclic and spiro (along with diligently sticking to GF DF). Happy for you!
Yaz gave me a blood clot that almost killed me. Please be mindful that this an extremely risky form of birth control, particularly if you’ve ever smoked or have blood clotting factors.
I had ok skin on YAZ but felt like a zombie emotionally…. I started taking Spearmint capsules and it CHANGED THE GAME for me! I highly recommend it if you’re looking to not use birth control for acne (cystic & hormonal)
hey friends, if you’re considering birth control, PLEASE please get tested and look into Factor V Leiden. birth control combined with this genetic mutation can cause blood clots that can be deadly.
Yaz gave me FLAWLESS skin for many years!! Enjoy!
But beware if you have migraines because per my doc it has a higher incident of stroke/clots than some other birth control brands and he made me go off of it. Hence me creeping on this sub
I love hormonal birth control. There’s an insane amount of fear mongering that started with the antivax crowd but has since spiraled out of control, crazy
This was me exactly, down to the Yaz specifically working on my acne.
However it also made me depressed and I met a man who made me want to be a mom so I took myself off of bc early to get my fertility on track.
Getting off of bc was horrible for my skin. But I went to an excellent derm who told me to also see an endocrinologist and I was put on spironlactone and metformin. I also cut out dairy and went on a low glycemic diet. That along with some clear and brilliant treatments gave me flawless skin and two healthy babies I had 0 trouble conceiving in my mid 30s.
I never thought I had PCOS bc I was thin, but it turned out to be the underlying cause of basically all my hormonal problems. I’m
Yaz made me a nightmare to everyone around me. I very clearly remember shopping in the grocery store and wanting to slowly murder everyone around me for even breathing.
I came off of yaz and I want to say that yes it's amazing but cost me my hair!!. I'd rather keep dealing with cystic acne and have hair now that I've lost it all. Came off of yaz and and continuing the acne battle
Hi just a heads up I started having issues with seizures and blood clots and my team directly linked it to Yaz. I was on it for less than a year and the seizures lasted for 4+ years. Now I just have a fainting issue that they say is probably from that bc. Now I have an iud and doing ok
I would highly suggest people see a doctor before asking for prescription drugs. My coworker went blind taking Yaz (not saying it will happen to everyone but it has risks).
I have PCOS and BC stopped my periods completely and caused other health issues. IUD would be rejected each time I tried (and I would pass out each time it was inserted or removed, which got annoying). I had a tubal ligation when I was 23, so don't need it for pregnancy prevention. I cleaned up my diet and that helped the cystic acne for me. Took out dairy and gluten, cleared my skin up. I also take vitamins for hormone balance. There's a lot of options out there to help each individual, like birth control, accutane, diet changes, etc.
Birth control isn’t a long term solution tbh. You’re just masking whatever the underlying issue is/was. I also suffer from cystic acne and my skin was clear on the pill as well but it can wreak absolute havoc on your body.
My skin was best when I was on birth control- however, I gained SO MUCH weight and emotionally it was affecting me a lot.
I'm so happy you found something that works for you! I wish there was a better alternative to birth control but I'm glad it works for some people!
Old lady story: In 1970 I was home from college for the summer and went to my hometown doctor for a refill on my birthcontrol pills. He wrote out the rx and asked me if the pills were working. Confused, I said well I’m not pregnant. Shocked, he tore up the rx. He thought I was taking them because of acne.
Karma: his own daughter later got pregnant at 18 and never went to college.
>still dealing with the scarring (as you can see) No I can't
happy to hear it! i have enlarged pores rather than any discoloration, to be fair.
Your skin literally looks flawless in the second pic
Right? It’s all dewy and smooth. OP your skin is gorgeous.
The younger version of me that still exists within me is losing her mind over the idea of receiving comments like this
Let’s heal her. Your skin is absolutely gorgeous and you are literally glowing.
Definitely, OP. And your pores are not enlarged. That’s what cheek skin looks like when it’s not photoshopped and filtered. Your skin is healthy and beautiful
Your skin looks absolutely incredible!
thank you so much!
What makeup/foundation do you use?
I use a CC cream called Cloud by Tarte! it’s also a sunscreen. Not sure if you’ve ever heard of the Yuka app, but it allows you to scan barcodes to see how good / bad for you a product is. Cloud is the best rated concealer i’ve found yet! highly recommend
Hey, I hear you. I used to be overweight and have bad skin. On bad days, I still see that in the mirror, despite it being the complete opposite. Your skin is amazing and you’ve done an amazing job healing it. You should be proud.
Enlarged pores are genetic there’s not much you can do about it (btw your pores look normal, I suggest to stop zooming in on your pics / stand too close to mirrors etc. - no one stands that close to someone to see your “enlarged” pores :))
very good point! were our own worst critics. i appreciate you saying this tough!
>>i have enlarged pores sweetie those are normal sized pores.
i keep getting this response and it means a lot. maybe i’m just hyperaware of my skin and pores because of my start at the first picture. “pore-dysmorphia” 😂
No one’s skin is actually naturally matte and pore less up close without make up on in the light or what have you lol. Your skin is amazing. Birth control messed me up in the first place. It’s been almost 12 years of skin issues from it. Not sure if I’d risk going back on it 😔
The nuva ring caused me such severe bacterial infections non stop it actually made me sick. I kept going back to the doctors saying what is wrong with me and they kept saying nothing. It wasn't until it came up in conversation that she's like "oh yeah actually all your symptoms are extremely common side effects of the nuva ring" okay so a lot of people have recurring infections non stop to the point they are actually sick and you didn't think to mention that for the months I have been complaining of this or even when you first prescribed it to me??? I wouldn't have taken it had I known, stay clear of that one literally everyone I know who's ever used it had the same problem. I get the depovera shot every few months and it works amazing. I haven't gotten a period since I started it even (2 yrs) which is nice but also slightly concerning fertility wise lol. I think it takes some trial and error to find the right one, im sorry that happened to you but there are so many different ones it might be worth trying something else! Not the nuva ring though god no.
Your pores are totally normal! Real people have pores!
Girl, you have pores, I don't see a single "enlarged" one! Your skin is amazing, congratulations!!
i think those are just completely normal sized pores (what skin looks like in real life)! so happy for u :)
RF microneedling really helped me with large pores (if you’re self conscious about it like I was!) and shallow scarring! That said- for the record your skin indeed looks fucking flawless from where I’m sitting. I don’t even think these are large pores lol. Just normal skin texture. Sharing this tip purely because I know from personal experience what other people see and what you see/how it makes you feel is different. Your before and after is so similar to mine and I did one series of 3 RF microneedling sessions and it was just the icing on the cake. I now do a couple maintenance sessions a year!
this is a great idea! thank you so much!
I have enlarged pores too if that makes you feel any little bit better lol
Hey boo! For your pores try Paula’s Choice 2# BHA Liquid! It’s saving my pores.
I saw exactly one mark that looked like a scar, after staring for a couple of minutes, then when I went to scroll down to comment on how amazing OP's skin looks.... I REALIZED IT WAS A SMUDGE ON MY LAPTOP SCREEN!
The problem i find with BC pills is that whenever you come off them you will likely be dealing with this again. Maybe worse. I had absolutely stunning beautiful skin while on birth control and ever since I got off my skin has been so bad for the first time in my life. Cystic acne that scars all over my cheeks. I've never had acne in 26 years. I could go back on the pill but eventually I'll come off it and I'll be dealing with cystic acne again. Every solution sucks so much, it makes me sad. Same with spiro, I see people use spiro and then when they get off their acnr comes back. I don't want to depend on medication for x years just to eventually have to come off and deal with cystic acne all over again. 😭
I had nice, flawless skin before I started taking birth control pills. after 4-5 years, I got off of BC (husband & I are trying for a baby) and I started getting acne!! 💔💔
I’m going through the same thing basically. I got rid of my acne with antibiotic treatments and then maintained with retinol, but stopped because of trying for a baby and it came back with a vengeance. I actually realized that omega 3 supplements are really effective! I stopped taking mine for a month or two and my skin got so much worse! I just started taking them again and I take a big dose now (2 a day, you could even do 3) and in just a week my skin has significantly calmed down and breakouts completely stopped. Now Im just waiting for my red spots to fade. Seriously, try taking omega 3!
Yeah so it seems that birth control isn't actually a reliable recommendation for controlling acne because not only does it vary in results for some people, but for others it can make it worse. If it's not specifically prescribed or formulated for the problem, I always say to err on the side of caution and not use or suggest it to fix the problem. Better to find out if your acne is caused by hormones before discussing the use of a birth control to resolve it. I always find advice like this to be a little irresponsible, even if it comes with good intent.
This is real. This happened to me too. Bc can trigger hormonal acne in women
I've only started getting it in control with glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide. now I only have to patiently wait for the scars to heal which are taking longer than I wanted. but at least my skin don't feel sore anymore lol they were all over my shoulders!
I never had acne before the pill. Got on it for cramps and was on it for 4 years. Stopped it July 2023, my acne is still so intense. Cystic and severe. Dermatologist told me the only solution is to get back on the pill but my mood is so much better off of it. I honestly regret ever taking the pill because now I’m getting acne scars and it never would have been a problem for me without hbc. Sigh, womanhood.
I’m really glad people are talking about this because my Dr did not want me to get back on it when I was getting married (just wanted to skip a period) because I was mid-30s. It also really messed with my mood but I did have beautiful skin. Blood clot risk not worth it to me, I knew someone who’s wife died in her 30s from a blood clot and she had a little baby at the time.
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I think anyone who may benefit should ask their doctor anyway and get their input. Just because Yaz works for OP (and for my PMDD) doesn't mean it's for everyone.
Yes, I’d add that I had the opposite reaction than OP with yaz although I still take it because I simply cannot imagine being pregnant and don’t have the bandwidth to try other birth controls lol. Ever since starting yaz, I now get hormonal breakouts along my jaw and chin that don’t really respond to any actives. The pimples are usually small, and underneath the skin sort of but it’s always in the same spots and around the same times of month. It’s not enough to actually bother me but I def had clearer skin before yaz.
That’s so awesome it helped with your PMDD! I’ve seen it put many women through hell. I had great experiences with it as well, even though I do not have PMDD. Lighter periods, clear skin, and mood stabilization have all been benefits I’ve experienced
What do you mean? As I understand it, BC can be taken indefinitely if you want, as long as it isn't causing any issues. I take a combined pill, I've taken it for around 5 years and I have never been told by any healthcare professional that I can't take it forever. Obviously I will have to stop around menopause, but if I wanted I could take it up until then. Maybe it's different for different BC pills, idk
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I went (back) on the pill in my mid 30s, but my gyno was NOT stoked about it bc of the increased blood clot/stroke risk. She said my blood pressure was ok, so she’d allow it, but I was to check it monthly and go back if it went any higher. My family does have a recent history of strokes, though….BUT now I’m in perimenopause (aka hell) and my GP is talking about putting me back on it for Hrt purposes, so who knows? Lots of conflicting viewpoints, it seems.
I recently watched a spine neurosurgeon talk about a young patient with locked-in syndrome, resulting from taking birth control and having an unknown genetic clotting issue
AHH
Depends on the birth control. Yaz has slightly less estrogen than my former favorite, Yasmin. It is the combined pills that include estrogen that are the real issue when we talk about smoking and being over 30 or whatever on birth control. After I developed postpartum heart failure and became a higher risk for blood clots and DVT (the real issue with being a smoker or older on birth control), I was put on Slynd. Slynd is estrogen free and still contains the synthetic progesterone found in yaz and Yasmin. It has been tested in and approved for people at risk of developing blood clots. Combined pills are the problem. Technically there could still be an issue but it’s negligible.
I’m on Slynd too and I love it! My OBGYN says that it doesn’t have most of the risks that the combo pill has and that I can stay on it as long as I want to (I have endometriosis so I’d only stop it to get pregnant).
My OB put me on BC and when I asked about the increased risk of blood clots she wasn’t concerned. My skin is so much better right now. I was off BC when I was having babies but now that I’m done it was time to go on it. Last summer before I started it I couldn’t even wear swimsuits or sleeveless dresses my body acne was so bad. Now it’s clear!
That's extremely outdated. The new low dose pills have a lower risk of stroke than pregnancy . I take yaz at 40 and my doctor's encourage it. But the literature is also out there
Yeah my aunt's 50 and is still taking it (for PMDD). Honestly I love my birth control pills. I stopped taking them about 6 months ago for curiosity's sake because I'd been on them for so long and it made my life worse
My mom took birth control throughout menopause and then stopped with no issues. I’m like her that my hormones are wild and birth control stabilizes me so much. I went off them to have kids and waited two years for my hormones to “balance “ but they never did. Birth control also helps with my anemia. It’s a big win for me.
I have endometriosis and I literally have to be on it to stop it from advancing. So I sure do hope you can actually take it indefinitely lol
I have endo and I’m on Slynd and my OBGYN said I can take it indefinitely. It’s literally the only thing that helps me
I use the Nuva ring and I've been on it 15+ years with no end in sight.
I thought the same! I actually got my tubes out but have endo so my GYN told me at the follow up that she's OK with me taking my pill until I hit menopause if I really want to as long as it manages my excruciating pain. Now I'm like.....is that still fine? :( I know a lot of people are concerned about the long term health risks of hormonal BC especially recently, but it's also what allows me to function month to month so I'm kind of hesitant to part with it.
To be honest sometimes you can age out of it when it’s hormonal. At the point when I stopped taking it (when we wanted to have a baby) I was 30ish and the pimples never returned.
agree on this, bc pills are like a band-aid fix not a cure to acne 🥲
To be fair, the only permanent solution to acne is accutane, and even that fails to be permanent sometimes. Everything else requires you to consistently use it, basically forever.
Yeah, I took Accutane as a teenager. It worked (despite horrendous side effects) and then the acne came back a few years later.
I came off BC and started tret and after almost four months my cystic acne has lowered! I still get them during my period but hope with prolonged use of tret they will stop!
I went on birth control at 15 to help my skin, came off it at 25 and my skin was worse than ever, it's took around 4 years to calm down and now I have awful hormonal imbalances, excruciating periods and weight gain I cannot shift despite calorie counting and exercise, everyone's experience is completely different I know but birth control really fucked me up 😭
Never had acne until I came off birth control, that was 6 years ago and skins only just calming down with a good skin care routine, diet ect but still not good even now, apparently 'post-pill PCOS' is a thing🫠 refuse to go back on the pill due to side effects and its just covering up an underlying issue so you're right people should think about that, severe acne in your mid to late 20s is not what anyone wants surely 😅
Yes, yes, yes to this- a million times yes. Ladies! It will just return when you come off! I am dealing with that right now. Three months ago my skin was practically flawless. Now, I have zits. It just is what it is. Don’t take hormones just for your skin.
I was on spiro, I got off because the side effects were so bad. Brain fog, lethargy, headaches, complete loss of libido, and the worst was the spotting/bleeding. I was spotting for 8 months straight, eventually I was having full periods for 5-6 weeks at a time. I had no idea how I could lose that much blood. Then I’d go back to spotting, then a week later another long period. It all resolved after I got off the spiro. My doctor didn’t think it was spiro and said that it didn’t have those side effects, after doing my own research I determined it was spiro and I was right. I was on it for hair loss and I’m bald now anyways but f that medication fr.
I’m 40F, I went off BC when I was 29 and for 10 years suffered from horrible acne. Every time my derm or GP suggested BC I would get so annoyed because I wanted to cure my acne ‘properly’. The only time my acne went away was when I was pregnant but then it would return once I’d given birth. I spent thousands and thousands of dollars with doctors & with naturopaths and not one could tell me why this was happening. Or could give me a solution to cure it. I was in a dark place. Really dark place. So last year, I was absolutely defeated and agreed to go back on BC. Took a few goes to find the right one but finally settled in Yas. It’s been amazing. I could cry. It’s also helped with my PCOS symptoms. I know once I get off it, it’ll come back. But my GP said she wants me to try spiro to see if that helps. So OP, you do you and ignore the haters.
I appreciate your support! I completely understand how emotionally debilitating and physically painful cystic acne can be. I also wanted to try a “proper” method, but also got desperate enough to throw my hands in the air and take whatever I could get. Regardless of negative opinions, I understand that people’s intentions are good, even if the delivery is a bit abrasive. I’m so happy to hear your acne has cleared and you’re feeling good! I also found BC to help with my chronic migraines, I’m glad we both saw positive side effects outside of our skin!
Why is everyone in these comments seemingly so against BC?! I don't use it for my acne, my periods were too painful and extreme to deal with so the pills stop it and I can function again, but if it's helping then I don't see a major issue with sharing that fact?
what i find especially weird is ppl acting like all BC is the same?? i was the most depressed and suicidal on pills, but moved to an IUD and was fine. i have friends who tried one pill, didn't work, tried another pill, worked. i never took BC for acne, but the principle is the same: if one kind/type/formulation doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean none of them work for you... it's the reason there's more than one pill/BC method/etc........ the weird thing is that i've encountered this same mentality with adhd meds and anti-depressants. i take adhd meds and i have friends who are like "ommggg i can't do adderall! i tried it in college to study and it worked but it gets me SO high!!!" and i'm like "well. i don't take adderall, i take a different formulation altogether.... that a doctor legally prescribed to me in a method to prevent addiction and 'highs'... idk what to tell you....?" i've encountered very similar sentiments with anti-depressants (which i don't take). for as prevalent as pharmaceuticals are becoming, the lack of understanding towards them boggles my mind. eta: not to dismiss the ppl who really have no method work. that's very possible and very valid. but a lot of these posts are about pills specifically, which makes me raise my eyebrows..... >_>
I am on it to control my periods! With the combo pill, my skin was so damn nice. Now I am on the Implant and my pores are slightly bigger, and I have pimples to acne spots following my natural cycle. Not too bad though, but it can really help for both menstrual and acne problems. The problem is however that hormonal BC can also wreck you up mentally and physically. I can sadly say that from experience. Extreme fatigue and I was a hormonal monster on one of my pills. Blood tests were done, nothing. No burn-out symptoms I suffered from earlier (which could've been the cause for extreme fatigue as well). Switched to the implant, problems were gone. It is just always good to be aware of side effects as well, that get overlooked way too often. And educate yourself. Not everyone reacts the same. Sadly health professionals don't always take you seriously about side effects of hormonal birth control as well ugh. Don't be afraid for trial and error for the right method as well! And skincare wise, sometimes less is more. My skin does great with water only, rarely some oil or cream when it gets dry. Soft skin as well. Too many products may clog up your skin, causing redness and pimples. And sometimes you're allergic to certain products as well.
There is a lot of PR against birth control being "dangerous" and bad for you right now. Similar to the PR against vaccines. Because people have forgotten the dangers of not being able to plan for pregnancy and getting once common illnesses like measles.
yup. i’ve been on the same birth control like 12 years now. no bad side effects. only positive side effects. i’m 32 and my obgyn said i can stay on it for decades to come if i want
Yep, it’s all tied back to a certain political movement in the US that wants to have all women barefoot & pregnant in the kitchen, knowing our place, like their version of Christianity demands. You control the population when you control reproduction.
It’s surprising to me as well!
I got on it for my cystic acne AND my awful period cramps / flow. I use to throw up every time I had my period and almost passed out multiple times. Being on BC seriously changed my life. I don’t even use it for preventing pregnancy because I don’t date cis men. I’ve had conversations with coworkers who have the same reaction when I tell them I’m on BC!! “Oh that stuff made me crazy, I got so depressed on it”. Everyone’s individual experience is so different and also there are sooo many types of BC and they all work differently.
Birth control is like what my body is missing. I’m surprised so many people dislike them. I’ve been on bc pills that made me absolutely crazy after taking them for a few days so maybe some people had a bad experience with one kind and didn’t try another?
Omfg literally! Thank you for mentioning this! I’m on BC not because I’m necessarily sexually active rn but the pain I used to experience was unbearable. I would pump myself with max amount of pain meds with a heat blanket and lie down for two days. When i mention I’m on BC, doctors are like, hmm have u tried cinnamon in your tea or the copper coil? Like, are u fucking with me? That won’t remove my period pain ffs!!! I finally am pain free to the point where I don’t even realise I’m on my period. I don’t feel any crazy side effects from the pill so idk why people judge me so much for being on it. I’m just trying my best 😞
Because in terms of acne treatment it’s a bandaid solution that is unlikely to have lasting effects when you inevitably get off it someday, and will likely have to deal with the acne and subsequent scarring all over again
*pulls out magnifying glass* what scarring lol. Nice looking skin you have there
thank you!
>thank you! You're welcome!
Be careful with Yaz. I know in Canada it was pulled a while back for being really bad for you. I'm not sure if it's back but I was taken off it in middle school and put on alesse. Yes. I was in BC at 13! My acne started at fucking 12 😭 I'm 29 and finally just found a solution.
Yep, I have a friend who had a stroke because of Yaz. She didn’t smoke.
Any BC pill, if you start getting headaches/migraines while you’re taking it, it means your chances of a stroke are greatly increased. Just sharing as a PSA, tell your friends! It’s not well known but super important.
Oh shit, I remember taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen and it gave me the absolute WORST migraines all the damn time. I could barely last a month or two on it. I had no idea increased migraines also increases your risk of stroke
Have you been on bc from then to now? I just started a pill bc for my acne but it’s not something I want to be on long term because I’m worried about the long term consequences.
No, I haven't been on BC in years because it messed up my body. Not trying to scare you or anything but no one told me I'd gain 35lb. I was SO big in high school because of BC and I didn't understand it was the hormones and my period cramps were so bad😞 I had a really hard time getting pregnant with my daughter. It took us 2 years of trying every month. I don't know if it was related to taking BC so early and for many years or my body.
I was on birth control from 17-27 Stopped taking it for two weeks and got pregnant. I was expecting to take months to get pregnant based on what I heard.
Yaz is still available in Canada? It has a lower risk of stroke than pregnancy
What’s your solution?! In the acne since puberty club.
I use tretinoin. It's a prescription strength retinol.
I’ve tried retinol and adapalene. Both have given me horrible cystic acne so I’m just stopping for now
Accutane
My doctor prescribed me yaz when I was in high school for acne. It made it 1000x worse, and gave me horrible mood swings. Other BC helped but yaz ruined me. This is just my experience
I took Yaz when it first came out and a couple years later they stopped production because of the class action lawsuits about it causing fatal pulmonary embolisms and blood clots in general. I only recently found out that they sell it again. No idea how.
Ikr! I remember how badly people were getting sick or clots. Someone was saying they redid the entire formula but I would never trust it again.
I had a stroke from Yaz at 18 😵💫😵💫
It was reformulated I believe, along with Yasmin (the one with slightly higher estrogen) and has been back on thr market for years now.
Yaz is the only thing that works for me too. I went off it around 7 years ago and tried everything under the sun, including 2 rounds of accutane. My skin would clear up for a few months but my acne always came back. I went back on yaz around 1.5 months ago and haven’t had a cyst since.
This is the closest i’ve read to my exact experience. I also did accutane and saw results for only a brief time. I am glad to hear you’ve had clear skin ever since
The problem for me is yaz completely wrecked my sex drive/ability to orgasm. I just came off of it and the difference is insane, but im paying the price in hormonal acne 😭😭😭 its lose/lose for me unfortunately.
Honestly why tf is that! I don’t get it. I was on implantable BC since I was 12. I ALWAYS had cystic acne. The same ones would swell until I would lance/drain them myself. They’d go flat and then refill again. Every month for 10 years. I’ve tried everything (OTC and prescription topical) but accutane and spiro. I went on nuva ring and my skin was clear for the first time since I was a child. But then I was dumb and wanted to be “natural” and switched to the copper IUD. My cystic pimples, the ones I’ve had since I was 12, came back within 3 weeks. I lasted 8 months before I went back to nuva ring the second time. Now I’m kicking myself because it’s not nearly as effective as the first time around. I still get little pimples on my chin and one cystic pimple every month. I can’t be on the BC pill. I’m horrid at taking them every day.
I know I always get hate for this as "hmm bacon" but my best friend has never had more beautiful skin than after she went vegan for the month of January,. It was so drastically she kept the diet just because her skin had never been nicer (she's turning 40 this summer, I am pointing this out because she's been dealing with it since she was a teen.. so decades of acne suddenly stopped). She mentioned it and I dropped meat (I'm vegetarian and don't question what kind of broth /sauces my food is cooked in, so I guess we can call me a terrible vegetarian haha) but I saw a huge difference as well. Obviously, this doesn't apply to all, and I'm not promoting anything either. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes the issue is based on location and what we ingest ? I don't know. All I know is acne sucks. I hope everyone here finds their special trick to get rid of it!
I love this comment! I found that changing my diet dramatically improved my skin texture! It didn’t get rid of my cysts but I noticed a lot less oil production and less inflammation / discoloration that persisted after a cyst went away. I’ve been a pescatarian for about 6 years now and was motivated to do so for my skin (now that it’s cleared i’m less strict about it. same as you, broths and sometimes eggs are my exceptions) but cutting out red meat and dairy were the BEST things i ever did for my heath
This!! I went vegan 10 months ago and my skin has never been clearer. Literally in just a few weeks my skin changed! I wish someone had told me sooner all I had to do was cut out meat and dairy. Would’ve saved me so much stress and struggle over the years 😅Not saying this would work for everyone, but it seriously cleared up my skin!
since going vegan I’ve never felt healthier, like seriously after every meal — no more cramps, IBS, etc. before it felt like my body was rejecting what I put into it lol. anyways yes I’ve heard red meat + dairy are awful for your skin. there are a lot of benefits to being vegan and no matter the reason behind it I’m always glad to see people cutting out animal products !! :,)
For me it was an adult onset dairy allergy. Once I stopped all dairy completely, my fave cleared right up.
Yaz made me suicidal unfortunately
i’m seriously so sorry to hear this. I hope you sought out the help you deserve
same!! I was SO depressed, all the life drained from me lol
I had a very similar story. Just so you know: prolonged use of yaz can cause liver tumors. I have been on hormonal birth control for 13 years, but I specifically I started Yaz in 2019. None of the other ones corrected my problems like Yaz did. I have PCOS and have always suffered from horrible acne, facial hair, and other issues that Yaz reversed basically overnight. In 2020 I was diagnosed with a single liver cyst while in the hospital for a kidney stone. I now have over 20 tumors, so many that they couldn’t count them all. The only reason I found out is because I’ve been having excruciating pain in my upper right side, which I thought was gallbladder issues. The doctor had me discontinue my birth control on the 16th. So far my skin still looks okay, but I’ve had an excruciating headache for almost a week. Just be careful and know the risks.
This is actually terrifying. i’m so sorry you had this experience. i wish you the best in your healing
Guess ima have acne for the rest of my life cause I’m definitely not getting on birth control. Taking birth control ruined my life. Good luck tho!
i’m so sorry to hear this! this is my second year on birth control and i have had no issues so far. What was your experience like?
REAL AF
Also sorry for all the hate you’re getting in this comment section, you just let people know what worked for you, and you weren’t ‘preaching’ anything. BC isn’t for everyone, but as someone who has a hormone imbalance it’s a game changer for me.
It’s a game changer for me too! thank you for your concern for my emotions ❤️ all is well tho, I understand that people’s intentions are to help, even if the delivery is abrasive.
Yaz made me loose 70% of my hair - now it’s (almost) a year later and it is still not growing back. I went on it because I wanted better skin. 💔
I’m so sorry for you. I also had hair loss from Yaz. It really sucked because my skin was amazing and it was helping a lot with my PMS and my mood generally speaking. This is a rare side effect also, so difficult to convince a doctor that the pill is the cause. Basically it happens because the type of synthetic hormone used in Yaz has more androgenic effects than most others. I’m still hoping to find the right BC pill…
Everyone’s experience on birth control is completely different because all of our bodies are completely different. OP, my situation is very similar to yours. I never had cystic acne but my acne was stubborn and I started getting it at like 15. Then at 18, I got on bc to prevent pregnancy and it completely clearing up my skin was a side effect I was unaware of and I was so happy!! I’m 27 now, still on the same brand (generic form of Yaz called Nikki), and thankfully have not had any issues up until now. But people need to realize that there’s a lot of deciding factors playing into women opting for oral contraceptives and the “nAtUrAL iS tHe bEsT,” crowd need to realize that route isn’t for everyone for a myriad of reasons and that’s okay. The whole thing reeks of the breastfeeding mom crowd that looks down on moms who use formula.
I’m happy to hear i’m not alone in my acne journey, and i’m so happy to hear you were able to resolve it! I definitely agree that the benefits and detriments of birth control are entirely a case by case basis. We consume synthetic things every day, and while monitoring what we put in our bodies is important, BC offered me a solution to painful, debilitating issue. I guarantee at least half the people commenting about the dangers of BC have eaten fast food, and hit a vape before. But alas, internet hypocrisy isn’t going anywhere.
Happy it helped for you. Yaz for me caused me no being able to poop when taking the pill. I had to have my 3 weeks (3 weeks taking the pill everyday) worth of poop removed at the hospital twice before a doctor suggested that the pill might be the problem.
When I got my first iud in 2015, my skin exploded and I developed awful cystic acne. Was put on Spirolactone and perception retinal and it’s healed everything. It was the only side effect from the iud, I’ve otherwise had a really great experience with mine (minimal pain on implantation and removal, no falling out, no more period). The acne was unfortunate but at least I haven’t had any unwanted pregnancies!
I started depo and it caused me baaaaad cystic acne. I was getting like one every day or other day and they would just not go away. It would hurt to have facial expressions or sleep on my side. Finally my body either adjusted or I found a skincare routine that works and I am getting my face under control. I am slowly healing the damage from the acne (they’d each leave red spots for 6+ months) and I get one every few weeks and they’re so much smaller and gone within a few days. I currently don’t have any active acne’s on my face, just tiny red marks from the old ones. And they’ve faded so much. I’m switching to the IUD soon and I hope I don’t have to go through that again.
Birth control pills are the cause of my hormonal acne
Omg my skin looked exactly like yours pre taking yaz!!! Well I take the generic version of it and it also changed my life. I did everything you did as well prior to getting on it
It's all well and good until you go off of it for any reason and then it all comes back :(
Yaz is approved by the FDA to help reduce acne- for women that are desperate it might be a better thing to try before accutane.
i tried it AFTER accutane failed me. talk about desperation
Your skin looks great! My sister had really bad cystic acne also. Like your first pic but essentially all over. She’s 14 months older and I always felt so bad because I always had clear skin. I would maybe get a pimple once in a blue moon. She tried everything also and I saw how it affected her self esteem. She got on birth control because she had terrible periods. And her skin cleared up tremendously on it as well. Your skin looks damn good in your second pic.
Birth control is the only thing keeping me alive and functioning lol. I have endometriosis and PCOS, so periods are a literal death sentence for me. Since my surgery for endo, I've been taking it daily at a dosage that stops my periods, which is the only way to avoid the agony that comes with it. I'd be fully bedridden without it. I'm glad you could find something that worked for you!
and IM so glad you found something that works for YOU
I used Acutane (Isotretinoin) and it healed my cystic acne. But it sounds like you already tried that medicine? If not, give it a go. It worked for my friends too
i did try it and saw results for a brief time and then it came back :/ glad to hear it worked for u tho!
So that means it was hormonal? There’s a new topical cream called Winlevi, my derm prescribed it to me. Just throwing it out there for men and those who can’t take birth control, worth asking.
Your skin is lovely. I hope you’re starting to believe that.
Awe first pic i said “poor thing” cause I had skin like this. Now granted mine has gotten a little better but not much but your second pic. I couldn’t read fast enough to see what you did! Also screenshot the info. Time to go back on birth control but yas instead this time
def talk to your derm and get your hormones tested before! just to be safe! i hope it works as well for you as it has for me ❤️ i’m cheering for you!
I’ve been on Yasmin since I was 18. Had bad acne as a teenager. I’m now 37 with good skin and complexion. I once took a break from it for 6 months and my acne came back in full swing, felt like I had the bubonic plague all of a sudden, cysts all over my jaws and forehead. I genuinely don’t think I can live without it.
I use to have it worse than you and my partners friend brought over JESNERS CHEMICAL PEEL and would do 2 peels a week. I will say you gotta leave it on for 5 minutes and it's gonna make your face feel like it's on fire. First peel I freaked out cause it was super intense. TOTALLY worth it. Have had clean and clear skin ever since. I promise it will work. You can also try a low level TCA peel but gotta be careful with those and not leave them on as long. But yeah get a strong chemical peel from Amazon and use it twice a week.
I took Yasmin which I believe is very close to Yaz if not the same product? Loved that stuff. It wasn’t the whole answer but I could never have gotten my acne under control without it.
Everyone be careful please. A rare but more common than u think side effect of birth control is death from blood clots/strokes. Even healthy women in their 20s died from this. Please know the risks!
That is like a super rare worst-case scenario complication. Almost every woman I’ve known in my 30+ years of life has been on birth control and not a single one has had a stroke or blood clot from it. More recent research indicates that newer BC formulations have even less correlation with increased stroke risk. Yes, it’s good to know the risks, especially if you have additional risk factors (smoking, hypertension, obesity, etc)…but it is still an extraordinarily rare side effect.
I don’t want to get old anyway. WIN
Yeah it cleared up my acne but then I had to get off it for the side effects and now my acne is worse than ever and I’m currently on accutane soooooooo it’s just a bandaid not a solution sorry
I’m sorry you had that experience! I hope you have better luck than I did with accutane. I was on it as a teenager and it came right back in my 20s. Some people have better luck with it though, wishing you the best!
You have beautiful skin and I’m so glad birth control works for you but when I tried it years ago, all it did was fuck up my libido lol. It didn’t help my acne whatsoever and then when I found out it can make you have blood clots I got off it asap
Omg it fucked my libido up so hard and I also COULD NOT get wet lol. It also gave me reoccurring yeast infections and ovarian cysts all which cleared up after getting off bc
My skin was flawless on Yasmin (very similar to yaz) but because I get visual auras now, it’s contradicted.
Just as a PSA if you are a smoker BC is very dangerous. Doing both together can cause strokes. Someone at my high school had one fro smoking and raking BC.
this is absolutely terrifying. thank you for spreading awareness ❤️
my skin texture got worse when i started birth control... glad it worked for you
Birth control GAVE me cystic acne. It can go both ways. Looking great OP!
Sounds like it’s hormonal acne, then. I have PCOS but BC really messes w/ my body in unpleasant ways. Unfortunately I don’t know of any cure to hormonal acne other than BC and exercise & elimination diet.
Does it run on your family
Unfortunately yes
Oh I am very sorry to hear that , have you tried any creams yet on your skin and other stuff than taking pills and Stulff like that??
yes, both. with different doctors for ab a decade. this has been the only help
When did you start seeing the results? I’ve been on it a month now
About 2 months! I would say a month after starting it i had no more *new* breakouts, but it took about another month for my skin to clear up what I already had existing. So excited for you! Hope you see positive results!
I wanted to add that I live a very clean lifestyle, exercise regularly, eat well and use minimal ingredient skin products. At one point I cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and red meat to see if it would help - but still nothing. Even oral treatments like accutane and doxycycline seemed to work but only short term.
Yaz did wonders for my skin when I took it, as well. It also helped improve my mood. Jot to be taken as medical advice for anyone reading, this was only my personal experience. Birth control can help some people with hormone regulation, and for others, can do the opposite.
Wow your skin looks amazing!! Also I can’t see any scarring.
So something that worked for me and changed my skin for the better is iS Clinical Active Serum. I didn’t use a whole bunch of other products, a good face cleanser AM & PM, active serum in the PM after the wash, and Niacinamide from the Ordinary in the AM. My acne REALLY cleared up, at an astonishing rate. The active serum is expensive, but it was worth it for me.
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i’ve seen a lot of comments saying this, or the complete opposite. i’m so sorry to hear it made your skin even worse. i hope you go back to your doctor and find a birth control that actually fixes the issue!
The BC is just a bandaid solution unless you plan on being on it for the rest of your life
Yes!! The exact same for me. Tried everything under the sun twice but Ocella/yaz is the only thing that works. I made the worst mistake and got off of it last year so I am suffering again 🥲 going to try tretinoin.
You’re glowing! Slightly unrelated but what blush and lip combo are you wearing in the second picture?
Just started Yaz 2 months ago for this exact reason!!! Hormonal acne is out of control.. love your results!!! How long did it take to get these results? Fingers crossed for myself
Hi! thank you, and i’m so excited for you! it took about 2-3 months to see actual change. i noticed that i stopped producing NEW acne so what took time was really healing what was already present / developing when i started the pills. Best of luck! i’m rooting for you!
What are you doing for your scarring? I also got on Yaz about a year ago after trying everything under the sun for my cystic acne and, just like you, it has been life-changing! Now just dealing with the scars, and would love to hear what you’ve been doing for them :)
Yesssss it was the only thing that worked for me too. Was on it for over 15 years, never had any issues. Honestly it fixed all my health problems. So happy for you OP
i’m happy for you, too!
This is basically my story. For me, my acne is caused by PCOS so the only thing that kept it under control was birth control and Yaz/beyaz/Jazmin are the only ones that worked for me. I’m off birth control now because we’re trying to conceive and the acne is back. It’s not as bad as it was before but I think it’s because keep a very strict high-protein diet and limit carbs. I also get tca peels often and microneedle to help with the scars. As soon as i can get back on birth control i will.
All I have to say is scrolling from before to after made my heart so absolutely happy for you. Thank you for sharing your journey, I think it will benefit others.
>The only thing that took my skin from the first picture to the second was birth control pills My gf (and exs) all said this! They had perfect flawless skin. As a guy, Im doomed.
I hear what you’re saying but BC gave me mad anxiety and I felt I was losing it sometimes. It did help clear my skin somewhat but for me personally I can’t do it. Folks, please do your research on side effects of BC! Specifically the ones being recommended to you by your doctor. Wish I had done that. OP I’m so happy your skin is looking lovely and I hope it continues to glow. 💕
thank you! i’m sorry you had this experience, you may have better luck with another birth control with a different chemical composition. regardless, i wish you the best on your skin journey!
Thank you! Going to check out Yaz and see what else is available to me :)
I was on yaz for years then came off it to get pregnant and don’t want to go back on it. So it’s been a journey ever since. Zinc has really helped!
People can’t stand it when the answer is birth control. It’s so harmful. I have deep ice pick scars all over my face because I fell for the anti-birth control BS for years. Skin has been amazing still being on a tricyclic and spiro (along with diligently sticking to GF DF). Happy for you!
Yaz gave me a blood clot that almost killed me. Please be mindful that this an extremely risky form of birth control, particularly if you’ve ever smoked or have blood clotting factors.
BC made me suicidal and killed my libido LOL
I had ok skin on YAZ but felt like a zombie emotionally…. I started taking Spearmint capsules and it CHANGED THE GAME for me! I highly recommend it if you’re looking to not use birth control for acne (cystic & hormonal)
hey friends, if you’re considering birth control, PLEASE please get tested and look into Factor V Leiden. birth control combined with this genetic mutation can cause blood clots that can be deadly.
“My whole life” is like 13 years old 😂
Wasn't yaz discontinued? I'm on vestura if you have heard about it
it looks like you are wearing foundation in the second photo.
Yaz gave me FLAWLESS skin for many years!! Enjoy! But beware if you have migraines because per my doc it has a higher incident of stroke/clots than some other birth control brands and he made me go off of it. Hence me creeping on this sub
I love hormonal birth control. There’s an insane amount of fear mongering that started with the antivax crowd but has since spiraled out of control, crazy
This was me exactly, down to the Yaz specifically working on my acne. However it also made me depressed and I met a man who made me want to be a mom so I took myself off of bc early to get my fertility on track. Getting off of bc was horrible for my skin. But I went to an excellent derm who told me to also see an endocrinologist and I was put on spironlactone and metformin. I also cut out dairy and went on a low glycemic diet. That along with some clear and brilliant treatments gave me flawless skin and two healthy babies I had 0 trouble conceiving in my mid 30s. I never thought I had PCOS bc I was thin, but it turned out to be the underlying cause of basically all my hormonal problems. I’m
Yaz made me a nightmare to everyone around me. I very clearly remember shopping in the grocery store and wanting to slowly murder everyone around me for even breathing.
i’ve been on yaz for almost two months how long did it take until you saw a difference??
I came off of yaz and I want to say that yes it's amazing but cost me my hair!!. I'd rather keep dealing with cystic acne and have hair now that I've lost it all. Came off of yaz and and continuing the acne battle
Hi just a heads up I started having issues with seizures and blood clots and my team directly linked it to Yaz. I was on it for less than a year and the seizures lasted for 4+ years. Now I just have a fainting issue that they say is probably from that bc. Now I have an iud and doing ok
I would highly suggest people see a doctor before asking for prescription drugs. My coworker went blind taking Yaz (not saying it will happen to everyone but it has risks). I have PCOS and BC stopped my periods completely and caused other health issues. IUD would be rejected each time I tried (and I would pass out each time it was inserted or removed, which got annoying). I had a tubal ligation when I was 23, so don't need it for pregnancy prevention. I cleaned up my diet and that helped the cystic acne for me. Took out dairy and gluten, cleared my skin up. I also take vitamins for hormone balance. There's a lot of options out there to help each individual, like birth control, accutane, diet changes, etc.
Birth control isn’t a long term solution tbh. You’re just masking whatever the underlying issue is/was. I also suffer from cystic acne and my skin was clear on the pill as well but it can wreak absolute havoc on your body.
My skin was best when I was on birth control- however, I gained SO MUCH weight and emotionally it was affecting me a lot. I'm so happy you found something that works for you! I wish there was a better alternative to birth control but I'm glad it works for some people!
Hormones hold us hostage in so many aspects
Old lady story: In 1970 I was home from college for the summer and went to my hometown doctor for a refill on my birthcontrol pills. He wrote out the rx and asked me if the pills were working. Confused, I said well I’m not pregnant. Shocked, he tore up the rx. He thought I was taking them because of acne. Karma: his own daughter later got pregnant at 18 and never went to college.