Beauty expert Keshia Caudron is the newest addition to the Blogzine family. Every week she will share with you her knowledge and secrets from the world of beauty. In this week’s column she talks about the effects of contraception on your skin.
Beauty is only skin deep
We all know it: contraception is something we use to prevent pregnancy. Many people, whether they realize it or not, get pimples from using hormonal contraception. There are two main types of hormonal contraception:
Progestin-only
Progesterone is a hormone produced in the second phase of the menstrual cycle (after ovulation). Progesterone is also produced in large quantities during pregnancy.
Contraception contains the synthetic form of progesterone: Progestin. Progestin has an androgenic (male) effect on the skin and promotes sebum production. Contraception containing only progestin will stimulate sebum production faster and is not acne safe.
Variations:
– The Minipill
– The Contraceptive Injection.
– The Contraceptive Implant
– Intrauterine Device (IUD)
Methods without estrogen, such as those mentioned above, are more likely to cause acne. When to choose only progestin in your contraception? When you are sensitive to estrogen (often manifests itself in headaches), when you are breastfeeding, when you are sensitive to thrombosis.
Progestin-only is effective contraception. The lack of estrogen (which controls your menstrual cycle) can manifest itself in unpredictable breakthrough bleeding or failure to have your period.
Combined preparations
Contain Progestin and Estrogen. Both are female hormones. Together they cause your natural cycle to be suppressed. No ovulation takes place, mucous membrane in the cervix becomes tougher and implantation of an egg is impossible.
Variations:
– Combined pill
– Contraceptive Ring
– Contraceptive Patch
There are three types of Estrogen, with ethinylestradiol being the most common. If you want contraception with natural hormones, you can choose a pill with the partially body-own estradiol valerate (Qlaira) or a pill containing the body’s own estradiol (Zoely). Some progestin converts faster to testosterone = androgenic (male effect) progestin. Other progestogin nullifies testosterone = antiandrogenic progestogen.
Acne safe contraception
If we want to avoid increased sebum production then we want a combination preparation with Estrogen and an antiandrogen (acne friendly) progestin.
Acne safe contraception best contains two female hormones, estrogen and progestogen. The main function of the progestogen is protection against pregnancy. Estrogen is added primarily to ensure a regular and a predictable menstrual cycle.
Contraceptives are to avoid pregnancies, but we should also care for our skin. So I hope reading this article has made it more clear for you to make a choice.
