Birth control pills and skin spots?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-07-2003
Birth control pills and skin spots?
1
Sun, 07-02-2006 - 11:15am

Hi,

Now that i'm back on the pill.... I read in the information sheets that come with both ortho-tri-cyclen lo and tri-sprinitec that these pills may cause darkened skin spots or melasma.

I do notice this effect on my skin. A year ago we went to Jamaica, and i developed these ghastly dark patches on the skin above my upper lip, under my nose. I've been treating them with 4% hydroquinone day and night but they haven't faded. The pill information also says that the spots may persist.

My question is whether all combined pills can have this effect, or only certain ones. Does anyone know, or those of you with another brand pill (other than OTC lo or tri-sprinitec), does your information sheet also mention this side effect?

I read that it has to do with the estrogen, and would fade after discontinuing pill use. But i wonder if some brands of the combined pill are less likely to cause this effect.

fuchsia




Edited 7/2/2006 11:17 am ET by fuchsia_g
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-02-2004
Sun, 07-02-2006 - 4:15pm

That's a risk with any method that involves estrogen. Switching to a lower estrogen method (Nuva Ring would be the lowest) may help. Also, wearing a good stable, UVA/UVB protective sunscreen also can help. Unfortunately, most US sunscreens have very poor UVA protection. Neutrogena Dry Touch SPF 55 and Hawaiian Tropics Oil Free Faces SPF30 have the highest UVA protection in the US, but their estimated PPDs are still much lower then most European sunscreens.

Allison