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Birth Control Pills and Acne
Oral contraceptives essentially function to prevent ovulation (release of the egg from the ovary), which in 98.8% of cases prevents pregnancy. There are currently an estimated 65 million women worldwide on oral contraceptives, which make for approximately 6% of all women of reproductive age.
Birth Control Pills (BCPs) contain varying amounts of estrogen (Ethinyl Estradiol aka EE) and a derivative of synthetic progesterone known as a progestin. There are many forms of progestins. They are either derived directly from testosterone or from progesterone.
Why do BCPs help control acne? In order to treat acne hormonally, one of the following must occur to stop hormones from wreaking havoc with the skin. The treatment must either:
Block the androgens from reaching the receptors.
Reduce the level of circulating androgens in the bloodstream.
Prevent the formation of the androgens in the first place.
Conveniently, oral contraceptives are capable of all three of these actions. All oral contraceptives are anti-androgenic. OCs increase sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds to androgens and literally prevent them from going anywhere. Sort of a sponge-action approach.
At the same time, the progestin component (the synthetic form of progesterone) of an oral contraceptive competes to bind to the androgen receptors.
All birth control pills decrease the levels of circulating total and free testosterone.
Oral contraceptives also help prevent the formation of active androgens. Testosterone must be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in order to be active. Birth control pills prevent the enzyme 5 alpha reductase from functioning. Without this enzyme, the conversion process is stopped. DHT is responsible for those undesirable skin changes such as acne formation, hair loss of the scalp and extra hair growth on the face and body.
Three factoids on Birth Control Pills:
All are anti-androgenic
All help reduce circulating levels of testosterone
All help reduce acne for the majority of women
But, that said, some BCPs are better than others for addressing acne concerns in women.
Dr Kunin board certified dermatologist
DERMAdoctor.com |
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Bio
Dr. Kunin is a board certified dermatologist in Kansas City, Missouri. She
received her dermatology training at the Medical College of Virginia. She has
been featured on several local television and radio news and talk shows for her
expertise in her field. She also holds a position as Associate Clinical
Instructor at the University of Kansas Medical School Department of Dermatology.
In addition to general dermatology, her interests in cosmetic dermatology
include non-surgical approaches to skin rejuvenation, including chemical peels,
Botox, Isolagen, skin care products and sclerotherapy.
A leading source of doctor recommended skin care products and information!
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