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Original poster

Did the pill improve your acne?

44 replies

SueGrayInvestigates · 18/01/2022 15:59

Which one are you on? I get big lumps on my neck and jawline and some on my chin so I’m looking into going on some form of pill for it. Did it improve a lot?

OP posts:
WirKindervomBahnhofZoo · 18/01/2022 16:08

Would also love to know the answer to this for my daughter who has tried 2 different ones already without success.

Fluffycloudland77 · 18/01/2022 16:15

Dianette did but you can’t be on it long term, then I had antibiotics, then I took roaccutane which worked for 3 years but I started breaking out again in December so will probably do a second course this summer.

Bortles · 18/01/2022 16:18

Dianette at vast cost to my mental health - was on it 15 years.

Marvelon as alternative but side effects I can't comment on.

I probably would have been happier in my life if Id never gone near the pill. And I had horrid acne. I'd never put my daughter on it. Try anything else first.

Redglitter · 18/01/2022 16:18

My niece gets a contraception injection pills didn't work The difference its made is amazing. She has the most beautiful skin now.

housecoat1968 · 18/01/2022 16:18

DD was on Yasmin. Worked brilliantly on her acne.

violetbunny · 18/01/2022 16:23

I'm on Yasmin. iF I ever accidentally miss a pill, I notice it in my skin within a couple of days.

SomethingSuss · 18/01/2022 16:46

Dianette was my saviour. I suffered years with huge painful lumps under my skin that lasted weeks and massive nasty zits on top that left scars. My acne and back acne were a constant heartache. I couldn't wear nice clothes that showed my back or shoulders. Make up looked terrible as it just made my face look worse. It was actually depressing, no matter how much I chided myself on being shallow, I hated looking like a spotty teen in my 20's. I hid away and had zero confidence or social life.

Then the doc gave me Dianette (later, generic named Co-cyprindol) and I never looked back.
They tried to take me off a few times but I was reluctant because they offered no alternative other than creams and lotions for lengthy routines that I'd not manage myself (my back for example) and would only work for surface spots.

It is riskier than other pills but I loved it. I'm now in month two off it (in my 40's) and the spots are coming back Sad

Original poster
SueGrayInvestigates · 18/01/2022 18:02

So sorry Bortles I’ll be honest the mental health side does give me pause but I’m just so sick of having the spots.

Redglitter can I ask do you know what this is called?

OP posts:
LiveFromNewYork · 18/01/2022 19:35

Successively over 15 years, I took Dianette, Yasmin and Marvelon, all of which kept my skin under control, fewer spots and less oily.

Original poster
SueGrayInvestigates · 18/01/2022 20:41

Did you have a preference for any of those Live? Or side effects?

OP posts:
stupendousfragmentariness · 18/01/2022 20:42

Roaccutane was the only thing that helped.

WhereAreWeNow · 18/01/2022 20:45

I was on Dianette for years. I think it helped but like others I think it was bad for my mental health. I had a course of Roaccutane which made a huge difference. I think that has serious side effects too though.
These days my skin is quite settled. I have open pores which I hate and I have very oily skin but I rarely get spots.

ouch321 · 18/01/2022 20:48

No. I had cystic acne and had to go on Roac in the end. I tried Dianette and other pills but didnt work to control acne.

Plus they wouldn't let me be on Dianette (the supposed best one for skin) for long as it's the highest risk combined pill

I had a low dose Roac course for just 4 months in early 2019. Apart from a random spat of cysts one month I've been clear since.

MilduraS · 18/01/2022 20:54

Dianette for me but these days it's just holding the acne at bay. I still have 3-5 deep spots at any one time. For a while I had none!

CrabPuff · 18/01/2022 20:58

Yasmin and latterly Femodene. Mini pill was a disaster.

thejollypostwoman · 18/01/2022 21:20

Dianette for years, every time I came off I had a flare up, which the derma (prof Chu) said was why he was reticent to prescribe it. 3 children later I still have issues. Am resigned to the fact that having avoided Roaccutane since I was a teenager I probably need to go on a course...

LumosSolem · 18/01/2022 21:22

Dianette never completely got rid of the spots in my teens- seems rare for it not to work though! On the plus side I don't think it made much difference to my mental health. I already had anxiety/mild depression and it made it no worse.

Marvelon was very similar- I still use it now at 33 and I barely get a spot. Only after wearing a sodding face mask! Skin is really good now and when I'm on marvel in it seems to make my skin stay much less oily.

ConstantCougher · 18/01/2022 21:24

Dianette/co-cyprindiol worked wonders but they took me off it after 9 months saying due to blood clots etc,and now month two of Marvelon. It’s not as good but it’s an improvement on before.

disneydreaming · 18/01/2022 21:26

Dianette did for me, it was honestly life changing. I have been on it 13 years so although theoretically you shouldn't be on it long term my GP doesn't seem to have an issue with it.

Ive also heard good things about Yasmin? But not personally tried it. I think it's one of the more expensive options so some GPs are reluctant to prescribe it.

BangingOn · 18/01/2022 22:01

Yasmin worked for me, Dianette didn’t, but I had really irregular bleeding so didn’t stay on it. Anti Acne Club supplements have made a huge difference, all my cystic acne has vanished. They did offer money back on your first month if it doesn’t work and possibly still do.

Rahforpuss · 18/01/2022 22:25

Dianette worked wonders for me - no adverse reactions mh wise - tbh didn't even know that was possible. GP refused to give me any more after 10+ years on it. Now on Yasmin which is good but not as good as Dianette. Good Luck finding something which works for you

Rahforpuss · 18/01/2022 22:27

Oh Dianette did stop my periods, and it took two years for them to come back ( fertility was fine when they did come back though ) I forget about that side as it was so good for my skin 😆

LiveFromNewYork · 18/01/2022 22:29

@SueGrayInvestigates No side effects at all (controlled my skin for years) but doc took me off Dianette as associated with blood clots and then didn't seem to happy with Yasmin either for same reason.

MrsTumbletap · 18/01/2022 22:55

Yasmin or lucette, sorts the spots out pretty quick.

QuimReaper · 18/01/2022 22:56

The DEPO injection sorted mine out!