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[B688]Birth Control And Acne

by Alisia Friend, Ali

Many things are given to you in life, without your asking, meaning thereby you have no choice over it. Some of them are major things and some are minor. For example, you have no choice of your place of birth and the family tree in which you are born. The arrival of acne is also somewhat like that. It comes without your approval, without your knowledge.

The exact causes of acne are still not known. Scientists are just groping in the dark with a torch! Various findings have resulted in the flooding of markets with many, many over the counter medications. The possible causes of acne include changes brought in the body due to puberty, excess oil production in body and some hormonal changes. Well, hormonal imbalance is very much linked to acne. Those who believe hormonal balancing is necessary to cure acne take birth control pills to treat acne.

Physiological changes, clogging of hair follicles and bacterial infection could also be the causes of acne. Attack of acne does the two fold damage to your skin and to your psyche. You suffer more, if you are personality conscious. While beating the retreat also, acne will not let you go unpunished, it leaves behind the scars. Your acne, therefore, needs immediate treatment.

Acne in women can be tackled by birth control pills, because the pills control the hormonal surges. These surges occur before the menstrual cycle. But don't self-start this treatment. Only your dermatologist may prescribe these pills for you, after the detailed medical examination.

Birth control pills promise you clear skin, which means they get you rid of acne. Thorough research on this subject has prompted FDA to approve Ortho Tri- Cyclen and generic norgestimate/ ethinyl estradiol (the ingredients in the birth control pills), for treating acne.

How do these pills work? Androgen is a male hormone that is responsible for increase in the oil production. It is ever on the job, but does overtime and increases its production of oil, prior the beginning of menstruation cycles. Birth control pills have shown that they help to decrease these excess androgens. But many side effects are reported, by taking pills for controlling acne. Taking birth control pills for their legitimate use itself is thus not free from controversy. Think over, how one controversy can solve another controversy?

Anybody who's ever had a run-in with acne probably knows that there's a vast array of products out there that all claim to get rid of zits fast and effectively. Unfortunately, there's just not that one miracle product out there that will cure everybody's acne ailments. More often than not, a person who suffers from acne has to try and test out a variety of products before they find anything that really works with them. It can be a long and frustrating road to travel down at times.

There are really a lot of factors when it comes to determining what causes acne in certain people. Cleanliness of the skin is one factor that is important but not the main cause. When experiencing acne breakouts, a clean, well moisturized face is essential to help prevent further attacks, but having a completely clean face at all times does not guarantee that it will be free of acne for all of that time. Diet is another widely ignored factor that is important when it comes to a clear complexion. The foods and drink a person consumes does have a direct effect on what is secreted through the skin. If someone has a diet that is high in fat, sugars, and preservatives, they have a much greater chance of experiencing acne breakouts.

Another major factor that causes acne is an imbalance of hormones in the human body. Hormonal imbalances that cause acne in humans are primarily because of the bodies over or under production of sebum. Sebum is a substance found in the sebaceous glands that the body normally produces to lubricate and protect the skin from the environment. When there is either too much or too little of this sebum being produced, the pores and hair follicles can become dry and irritated, leading to acne breakouts. Acne problems happen for women when there is either an overproduction of androgens or they are overly sensitive to the body's natural level of those androgens. Another imbalance can be an underproduction of estrogen; the chemical found in females that counteracts the effects of androgens. Birth control pills contain two chemicals- estrogen and progestin, which are known agents in maintaining a normal hormonal balance.

Progestin is a pill that contains a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. It is both helpful and harmful when it comes to acne on the skin. It is beneficial in that it bonds with the progesterone to maintain normal sebum production but is also known to cause the body to retain more water than usual, which can lead to bloating and blocked pores and hair follicles. The birth control pill helps to prevent excess androgen formation by reducing the amount found in the bloodstream and blocking them from the receptors or the sebaceous glands. This is why birth control pills are so effective in helping to prevent acne in so many women.

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About Author

Both Alisia Friend & Michael Usry are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Alisia Friend has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Makeup and Sleep Disorders. To read more about how to get rid of acne please read my blogs at: . Alisia Friend's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.

Michael Usry has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acne Treatment, Acne and Lose Weight. Michael Usry is the author of the online instructional articles "Beauty and Health in Plain English" and a top affiliate of . Michael Usry's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.