Dianette Pill - Hair Loss & Acne

LightOfAThousandStars · 2021-04-06T23:53:32+00:00

Has anyone taken the Dianette pill fir hair loss or acne? My GP prescribed it to me for thinning hair and acne due to PCOS but I am worried after reading all the terrible stories about it.

MissBarbary · 07/04/2021 01:13

Yes but that was many years ago for acne. It worked brilliantly for about 3 /4 years and then stopped being effective. I didn't have any side - effects or problems with it.

dontgobaconmyheart · 07/04/2021 01:43

i have taken it for acne, it was 10 years ago though, took it for about 4 years before being asked to switch to Yasmin ( which is still fairly contentious).

Both cleared my skin but not completely. No acne as such but definitely still had breakouts and spots here and there most of the time so it certainly didn't give me perfect skin and it all came back anyway as soon as i stopped taking it so is only a temporary measure. Oral antibiotics worked much better but again, the breakouts come back as soon as i'd stop a course so it became untenable. I didn't have any specific side effects from either mood wise or weight wise but both exacerbated my migraines.

Being on the pill is the only thing that seems to stave off problematic ovarian cysts for me but i would prefer not to take it.

I imagine if you were in anything approaching a high risk category (inactive or immobile, family history of DVT, High BP or BMI etc) your GP wouldn't be offering to prescribe it?

stopchewingeverything · 07/04/2021 01:49

I was prescribed it years ago for acne. I only took it for 3 months but OMG, they gave me horrendous mood changes. It wasn't until I stopped taking it that I realised that it was the Dianette causing such extreme effects. I would cry at the drop of a hat, have unreasonable responses to simple requests and was generally a nightmare to live with. Obviously not everyone would have that response but I would just keep it in the back of your mind if you do take it so you have a lower threshold to switch to something else. As I said, I didn't realise it was that causing it, it was just the next GP I saw didn't like prescribing it and so recommended something different and within a few days I noticed a huge difference within myself.

stopchewingeverything · 07/04/2021 01:50

I was prescribed it years ago for acne. I only took it for 3 months but OMG, they gave me horrendous mood changes. It wasn't until I stopped taking it that I realised that it was the Dianette causing such extreme effects. I would cry at the drop of a hat, have unreasonable responses to simple requests and was generally a nightmare to live with. Obviously not everyone would have that response but I would just keep it in the back of your mind if you do take it so you have a lower threshold to switch to something else. As I said, I didn't realise it was that causing it, it was just the next GP I saw didn't like prescribing it and so recommended something different and within a few days I noticed a huge difference within myself.

Iorderedyouapancake · 07/04/2021 07:17

I took it for a few years a long time ago and it was pretty good - spironolactone has been much better though in my experience for both skin and hair, is that something your gp has mentioned at all?

Original poster

LightOfAThousandStars · 07/04/2021 09:23

Thanks everyone, I did actually request Spironolactone but the GP said that has to be prescribed by a Dermatologist and that I should try Dianette to see if that sorts out the hormones and in turn the hairloss/acne. It worries me that Dianette has been banned in many countries and is considered to be one of the worst pills for DVT, I wasn't made aware of this by the GP. I have three young children and would never want to put myself in such a risk.

OP posts:

TableNiner · 07/04/2021 09:35

Dianette was great for my acne. But this was 16 years ago and as time passed doctors said it wasn’t a good idea and moved me to Yasmin and then Marvelon. All three helped my skin, I didn’t notice a massive difference with each switch. I have PCOS too. I try to manage it with topical treatments now, which is more or less successful.

MrsPworkingmummy · 07/04/2021 09:39

I was prescribed Dianette from age 15 until 32. This was to tackle the side effects of pcos. My skin was beautifully clear and I had no other side effects. After having my son 3 years ago, the GP refused to prescribe it. I am currently taking yasmin. It has cleared my skin up a little but I have terrible redness and I don't feel I tolerate it as well as Dianette. I also had a course of roaccutane in the past. It was wonderful but I'd be too anxious taking something with so many bad side effects now I have children

Iorderedyouapancake · 07/04/2021 12:27

I ended up going private for spironolactone, don’t know if that is an option for you? I’ve had multiple course of roaccutane, antibiotics, topical tretinoin, years on dianette etc and spironolactone has been the best of all these treatments for me- it’s not quite as effective as roaccutane but it had zero side effects for me so was worth the trade off

AnnaFiveTowns · 07/04/2021 12:35

I was on it years ago - 30 years ago for spots. I then went on to Marvelon. I don't remember any adverse side effects. I have had breast cancer though and I often wonder whether being on the pill for years was a factor. But who knows?

Can I just piggy back on your thread OP to ask anyone who has taken Yasmin about any side effects? My dd is 15 and has mild acne and period pain and has been prescrived this pill but Im worried as it doesn't have a good press regarding blood clots and mood disorders. My dd has suffers from anxiety and depression and so Im quite concerned about this as well as the blood clots.

Froggie456 · 07/04/2021 12:37

I took dianette till I conceived first child. Was great for hair and skin. Saw dermatologist when I was 36 and he advised spironolactone as a better option because he wouldn’t recommend dianette over the age of 40.

Original poster

LightOfAThousandStars · 07/04/2021 13:08

Thanks everyone I think I will ask the doctors to refer me to the Dermatologist for getting Spironolactone. Any combined pill will have the risk of clots and at 36 I am nearing the risk group. It's making me too stressed and that can't be a good thing in itself.

OP posts:

cathyandclare · 07/04/2021 13:36

I was on it for fifteen years on and off and it really kept the acne at bay. My GP stopped it when I was 40 and I had to take roaccutane!

Iorderedyouapancake · 08/04/2021 12:06

Good luck @LightOfAThousandStars, hope your gp is willing to listen!

8lue8ird · 09/04/2021 11:37

I took it for about eight years on and off in the late 90s and early 200s. Really sorted my acne out like nothing ever had before. Really helps my extremely heavy and painful periods to . Really amazing stuff for me

workshy44 · 09/04/2021 15:02

What is spironolactone like for hairloss ? I don't have bad skin but my hair is terrible
I am taking the pill microlite and I think it could be making it worse

Ikeameatballs · 09/04/2021 15:06

I’m 42 and I’ve taken it for at least 15 years for acne (aside ttc and pregnancy).

My skin is great, I take it continuously with no breaks, no side-effects at all. I’m aware of the increased clot risk but I have no other risk factors so I’m happy to take it.

ChangedName4TheSakeOfIt · 09/04/2021 15:14

I did and it was a f###ing godsend. A miracle drug. 20 years of acne that destroyed my face and as such, my confidence. I had zits on my face, neck, shoulders, back... all huge and painful. Dianette cleared everything up.

RacheyCat · 09/04/2021 17:14

@AnnaFiveTowns

I was on it years ago - 30 years ago for spots. I then went on to Marvelon. I don't remember any adverse side effects. I have had breast cancer though and I often wonder whether being on the pill for years was a factor. But who knows?

Can I just piggy back on your thread OP to ask anyone who has taken Yasmin about any side effects? My dd is 15 and has mild acne and period pain and has been prescrived this pill but Im worried as it doesn't have a good press regarding blood clots and mood disorders. My dd has suffers from anxiety and depression and so Im quite concerned about this as well as the blood clots.

I got kidney stones while on Yasmin. I was about 28, slim, active, very healthy eater, very occasional drinker, not at all at risk for something like that. I Googled after I got out of hospital to see if it was safe to take Yasmin after treatment for kidney stones and found loads of articles about lawsuits alleging Yasmin causes them.

I moved onto Marvelon and took that for several more years. A few years ago I stopped taking hormonal contraceptives entirely and the visual migraines I'd suffered since my mid twenties stopped entirely. Again, on paper I wasn't at risk - my blood pressure's fine, I was by this point a non-smoker, I have a low BMI, but clearly it was messing with my body in quite unhealthy ways.

I miss being on hormonal contraception and I'm not anti-it, but I am now more suspicious of it. I just wonder when we're going to get more bespoke contraception for women. This one-size-fits-all hormonal treatment seems so old-school. I suspect we could do more and better with hormonal contraceptives, if the will was there.

Original poster

LightOfAThousandStars · 09/04/2021 23:43

Good to hear the different viewpoints, it sounds like it works great for some and the opposite for others. I did get a referral for a community dermatology appointment in a months time so hopefully they can offer me Spironolactone. Thanks everyone for the input x

OP posts:

bluetongue · 10/04/2021 06:13

It was great for my acne. Had the best skin I’d ever had in my life. My hair wasn’t an issue then so can’t comment on that part. Now my acne is back and my hair has started thinning at 44 Sadly I can’t take Dianette now due to migraine auras. One GP mentioned Spiralactone but the second one was more reluctant. I have a referral for a dermatologist so I’ll see what they recommend.

The combination of bad skin and bad hair sapping my confidence at the moment so I hope I can get it sorted.

TheTeenageYears · 10/04/2021 07:35

Teen DD was prescribed Dianette for PCOS. Acne and extremely greasy hair were symptoms. She freaked out when she read ip on Dianette but after a couple of days researching, couldn't really see a viable alternative. It used to be freely prescribed for acne but now only for PCOS (unless someone has been using for acne already). Her acne has improved but epiduo is also helping. Her hair is no longer an oil slick so that's probably been the biggest benefit.

Adelais · 10/04/2021 08:50

I was prescribed it for acne but had to stop taking it after a few weeks as it gave me bad nausea.