Acne Magazine : Skin Care, Tips, Treatment Reviews

If you’re a woman, chances are, your attention was drawn toward a recent news story about how a new pill to actually stop periods has been approved by the FDA.  And why would they recommend a pill that stops the female menstrual period?  Well, there may be some medical reasons, but I can also think of a lot of women, young and old who’d really love to not have periods.  My hunch is that women with severe cramping, headaches and other health issues around the menstrual period would be the primary candidates for this pill. 

Anyways, since other pills that regulate the period (the birth control pill), actually have been very helpful in clearing up acne in women, do you think maybe this pill that stops periods helps with female acne?  I thought it might, so I read a little more on the topic. 

The pill, called Lybrel, is designed as a birth control pill, and is designed to be taken continuously.  It will prevent pregnancy and also prevent the oncoming of the period, which means it most likely may also have acne clearing benefits for some of its users.  Using birth control pills as a means to help clear up hormonal acne is always a gamble, because as we’ve all read, one birth control pill may clear someone’s face miraculously while that same pill may actually make another women’s acne worse. 

However, Lybrel, the pill that ends the period, may not come out with any claims to this nature anyways, especially since they would probably have to commission expensive studies to be able to say that the pill helps to clear up the acne on a woman’s body.  Only problem with the Lybrel pill is that a lot of women that were in the studies for the birth control pill before it was approved didn’t like the breakthrough menstrual bleeding and spotting that unfortunately has to replace the bleeding when one’s period is stopped. 

I don’t know – is it just me, or does stopping the menstrual cycle alltogether seem unnatural?  I don’t think, even though obviously sometimes periods are hard to deal with – especially PMS and the ensuing inevitable acne that usually pops around that lovely time of month, I’d want to completely give up my period until menopause!  Never thought I’d say that out loud!