Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Mini pill prescribed for acne?

6 replies

Appuskidu · 10/08/2020 14:03

I have been backwards and forwards with teen DD to the GP for well over a year now with her skin-she was given a cream for several months which didn’t do much, oral antibiotics which cleared it up well but then the GP stopped them as her skin was clear. After 6 months of just using the cream, the acne came back, so they gave her the oral antibiotics again which haven’t worked. She’s now trying those and a different cream-it’s still bad.

Throughout all this, the GP has said that she may ultimately need the pill-this is no great surprise as is pretty much what happened to me as a teen.

Over lockdown, her periods have been getting heavy and long and obviously skin worse, so she has a phone consultation last week to ask if she could try the pill. The GP (not the one from before) agreed, we had to phone in her blood pressure and they sent the prescription to the pharmacy. On collecting it, I see they’ve prescribed the progesterone only pill? I had this in my twenties and it made my skin worse! On googling it, it seems to be the oestrogen in the combined pill that helps with acne, so why would they prescribe this one??

We are now waiting for yet another callback from the GP, but I wondered if anyone had experienced this before?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 10/08/2020 16:39

Which pill is it?

dementedpixie · 10/08/2020 16:46

Googling suggests Eloine pill can be used to treat acne

Appuskidu · 10/08/2020 16:52

Thank you for the replies-it’s called Desogestrel.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 10/08/2020 17:01

Yes thats definitely a mini pill. Wonder why they've prescribed that for acne. Maybe need to speak to them again

Sidge · 10/08/2020 17:04

They may have prescribed that as it could stop her periods completely, which may improve her skin.

Desogestrel isn’t comparable to the old POPs.

I’m surprised they haven’t prescribed a combined pill but maybe they’re following the FSRH guidelines of not initiating COCP during Covid, especially if there’s a family history of clotting disorders, or if she’s overweight.

Give it a go and if her skin deteriorates get back to them with a view to trying a combined pill (assuming no contraindications).

Appuskidu · 10/08/2020 17:20

Definitely not overweight and no family clotting history-it seemed an odd choice.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page