What type of birth control is best for acne?
Rachel Hickman
Published Feb 17, 2026
What type of birth control is best for acne?
Yaz is the most popular birth control pill prescribed for acne. The active ingredients in Yaz are a progestin called drospirenone and an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol.
What birth control is best for acne and weight loss?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 4 birth control medications to treat acne:
- Yaz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol)
- Ortho Tri-Cyclen (ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate)
- Beyaz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol/levomefolate)
- Estrostep FE (ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone acetate/ferrous fumarate)
Which birth control causes less acne?
The hormones in combination birth control pills can help reduce acne. The pills decrease the circulation of androgens, which decreases the production of sebum. The pills must contain both estrogen and progestin to be effective against acne. The minipill only contains progestin, so it doesn’t improve acne.
Which birth control causes the most acne?
Birth control pills containing the androgen progestin (the manmade version of progesterone) are more likely to cause acne than other forms of birth control. Some of the most common are Norgestrel, Norethindrone acetate, and Levonorgestrel.
Is Yaz or Yasmin better for acne?
The main differences between them may be use and side effects. Yaz is approved to treat PMDD and acne as well as to prevent pregnancy, while Yasmin is only approved to prevent pregnancy. Yaz and Yasmin contain somewhat different amounts of hormones, which could make the amount of side effects differ slightly.
Is Yaz pill good for acne?
Yaz. Yaz is considered the most effective of the three as it contains drospirenone which is a synthetic version of the sex hormone, progesterone. It helps to treat acne by blocking the effects of testosterone, a type of androgen.
Can Yaz make acne worse?
Birth control helps control the hormones that cause excess oil in your skin. The FDA has approved 3 types of birth control for treating acne: Yaz, Estrostep, and Orth-Tri-Cyclen. In some cases, it’s possible that birth control can make your acne worse. Visit Insider’s Health Reference library for more advice.
Does Yaz cause weight gain?
Yes. Yaz may cause weight gain in some women. Based on a trial in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), around 2.5% of those taking Yaz experienced weight gain. This side effect may be enough for some women to choose a different contraceptive pill.
Does Yasmin clear up acne?
In actual practice, doctors prescribe birth control for the full spectrum of acne, from mild to severe. In addition, doctors may prescribe additional birth control products for acne. For example, the oral contraceptives Yasmin and Alesse have both been clinically shown to improve acne.
Why was Yaz taken off the market?
FDA Adds Warning Rather than taking the drugs off the market, the FDA decided to change the labels for Yaz, Yasmin, Beyaz and Safyral to warn patients and doctors about the increased risk for developing blood clots.
Which is stronger Yaz or Yasmin?
Are Yaz and Yasmin the same? Yaz and Yasmin contain ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone. But they are not the same drug. Yasmin contains a slightly higher amount of ethinyl estradiol compared to Yaz.