Additional precautions are required if there is history of the following conditions –
with an average of 13 cycles in a year and about 450 to 500 cycles in a lifetime (
).
Understanding a woman’s hormonal system is necessary to understand how oral contraceptives function and how it can help with acne.
Periods are caused by a woman’s hormonal system, which operates on a strict schedule. The hormone that tells the ovaries to begin producing eggs is released by the pituitary gland in the brain. The female hormone oestrogen is then secreted by these eggs, preparing the uterine lining or bed for a potential pregnancy. The ovary then secretes the hormone progesterone, which reinforces this uterine bed, after one of these developing eggs ovulates. When you aren’t pregnant, the hormone levels drop and uterine lining sheds and this leads to menstruation. Birth control pills also aid in reducing the issue of menstrual cramps.
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The fluctuations of the hormonal system during these cycles have a significant impact on the health of the skin too. Around the time of ovulation, oestrogen will cause the skin to glow. The hormones stop the brain’s impulses to the ovaries to produce eggs, which prevents ovulation and hence there is prevention of pregnancy occurring. Additionally, the pre-period breakouts of acne are a result of waning hormone levels.
Androgens Surge Increases Acne Breakouts
About Birth Control Pills helps with lowering the amounts of free androgens, which in turn aids in regulating acne breakouts and reducing facial hair growth.
Synthetic hormone (Oestrogen or progesterone) present in birth control pills lowers the amount of sebaceous gland oil excretion. Normally women secrete some amount of male hormones too and when these masculine hormones predominate over the feminine hormones it can cause acne.
While there are numerous ways to treat acne, including the use of skin ointments and antibiotics to reduce excessive oil and sebum production, it may occasionally be essential to address the underlying cause of acne by lowering free androgens (3✔ ✔Trusted Source
How do birth control pills help with your acne? This is what experts say
Go to source). Acne treatment starts with simple measures and if these don’t work in teenage girls only then should a hormonal treatment be considered. A crucial rule is to never self-medicate. Once the gynaecologist has evaluated the health-related factors, they may help in taking the decision if birth control pills should be started. And while they might assist in preventing acne, maintaining that healthy glow from the inside out requires conscious lifestyle changes like healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.
References :
- Which birth control pills can help reduce acne? – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279209/)
- Lifetime cumulative number of menstrual cycles and serum sex hormone levels in postmenopausal women – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18274909/)
- How do birth control pills help with your acne? This is what experts say – (https://www.vogue.in/beauty/content/how-do-birth-control-pills-help-with-your-acne-this-is-what-experts-say)
- Certain oral contraceptives are approved for acne treatment – (https://www.scripps.org/news_items/7002-how-do-birth-control-pills-help-with-acne)
Source: Medindia
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