Birth Control and Acne Prevention

November is National Healthy Skin Month, which is all about taking care of yourself and feeling comfortable in your own skin!  

National Healthy Skin Month emphasizes the importance of practicing good skin care and encourages people to adopt healthy habits to take care of their skin. We’ve all heard that washing your face is good for you, but did you know that certain types of birth control can also help clear your skin? It’s true! 

Combined hormone birth control, which contains both progestin and estrogen, (think the pill, the patch, and the ring) can offer some protection against acne. That’s right—clearer skin is one of the many positive side effects of hormonal birth control! In fact, many people who do not need birth control often choose to take it anyway for the non-contraceptive benefits it offers.  

It's important to note that combination pills do not have an immediate impact on acne. It might take up to six months of use for the pill to bring relief. Also, if you’re taking a progestin-only pill, it does not offer this benefit. 

Skin care is self-care, so show yourself and your skin some love by downloading the Planned Parenthood Direct app and requesting birth control today!