Which Birth Control Method Is Right For Your Skin
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We all know that contraception is one of the most important things in our reproductive health toolkit, but for many women, birth control is also an essential part of their routine for beautiful skin. With all the barriers, pills, implants and patches available today, though, it can be difficult to understand the benefits that each type of contraceptive has on acne. So, weve done a little fact-finding to break down the most common methods of birth control and their effects on the skin.
Most birth control medications have side effects, though theyâre different for each woman.
Both the pill and the rod could cause:
- Headaches
Nationwide Childrenâs Hospital: âBirth Control: Nexplanon Implant.â
UpToDate: âEtonogestrel contraceptive implant.â
University of Michigan Health Service: âContraception Cost, Insurance and Payment.â
Nemours Kids Health: âAbout the Birth Control Pill.â
WomensHealth.gov: âBirth control methods,â âFrequently Asked Questions: Ovarian Cysts.â
Mayo Clinic: âCombination birth control pills,â âContraceptive implant,â âMinipill .â
Cleveland Clinic: â6 Things That Can Happen When You Stop Taking The Pill,â âBirth Control: The Pill,â âShould You Wait to Get Pregnant After Stopping the Pill?â
American Family Physician: âHow to Switch Birth Control Methods.â
Nexplanon.
Who Can Use The Contraceptive Implant
Most women can use the contraceptive implant. It can be used by women who cannot use contraception that has the hormone oestrogen in it.
You should not use the contraceptive implant if:
- you think you are pregnant
- you have some health conditions including a history of breast cancer or severe liver disease – your doctor will need to talk to you about this so that you can decide if it is safe for you to use
- you have unexplained bleeding from your vagina – your doctor will need to talk to you about this beofre putting in the implant
- you take medicines which may stop the contraceptive implant from working properly including some epileptic medications and herbal remedies
It is important to talk to your doctor or nurse to see if the contraceptive implant is a good choice for you. If you are at risk of sexually transmitted infections you can use condoms at the same time as using the implant.
Menstrual Effects On Discontinuation
Bleeding length emerged as an important predictor of discontinuation, no matter which method was being used. From a clinical perspective, this finding has several implications. First, providers should recognize that medical views on contraceptive side effects do not always resonate with women using the method. For example, literature on the implant and injectable often emphasize the overall reduction in blood loss and its positive effect on women’s hemoglobin levels.24 However, providers should recognize that even light bleeding, when prolonged, may lead women to worry and discontinue use. Reported increases in bleeding length predicted discontinuation, even when women’s perceptions of those changes did not.
Second, our findings on bleeding length highlight the need to identify treatment regimens that work to reduce menstrual blood loss and regulate menstrual cycle changes induced by contraceptive use. Unfortunately, there have been few studies of simple regimens that might improve continuation rates. According to a survey conducted by Family Health International, provision of combined oral contraceptives was the most commonly used intervention, followed by estrogen only, to treat bleeding problems associated with progestin-only contraceptives.25 However, among the 73 providers who said they treated bleeding problems, no two used the same dosage and duration.
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How Does It Feel To Get An Implant Inserted
Most people just feel a little pinch or stinging when they get the numbing shot. After that, you shouldnt be able to feel the implant being inserted. After the pain medication has worn off, your arm may ache a little where the implant was inserted, but it goes away quickly.
You may have some tenderness or swelling around the implant for a few days and it may look bruised for a week or two. Your doctor or nurse will tell you how to wash and take care of the skin around your implant for the first couple of days.
How Well Does The Implant Work
- The implant is a very reliable form of contraception.
- It is usually 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, which means that about one out of every 100 women who use the implant will get pregnant each year.
- The advantage of the implant is that it lasts for up to 5 years but it can be removed at any time.
- Once the implant is removed there is an almost immediate loss of contraceptive effect and you are at immediate risk of getting pregnant.
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Does Starting On Birth Control During Your Period Stop Your Flow Immediately
One question experts get asked a lot is: If I start birth control on my period, will it stop? If taken correctly, there isnt one birth control method that is guaranteed to stop your period at all, let alone immediately. There are some cases where birth control can stop heavy bleeding, though, Lucky Sekhon, MD, ob-gyn and endocrinologist at RMA of New York and assistant clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells SELF, but it must be done under the direction of a doctor.
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Birth Control Implant Possible Side Effects
- Changes in menstrual cycle: This may mean longer, shorter, or irregular periods or spotting. Talk to your gynecologist if you experience heavy menstrual bleeding, long periods, or have concerns.
- Headaches
- Mood changes
- Weight gain
As always, if you have questions or concerns about birth control implant side effects, speak with your doctor. If you are experiencing any of these side effects, speak with a medical professional.
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When On Birth Control Shot
This is known as a Depo-Provera Shot which is typically used by women to prevent hormones that will release ovum for fertilization for three months.
It also makes mucus often found on the cervix much thicker as well as makes your uterine lining to change, so that it s much difficult for sperms to get into or survive once it has entered into the uterus.
If you experienced unexplained or unsuspected bleeding having a depo shot then it is recommended to visit your medical provider for a checkup.
Usually Depo shot may mask any symptoms of a more serious condition. Therefore, those women with a known or suspected pregnancy should not use Depo-Provera since it may result in this abnormal bleeding that may last for long.
Women who are using Depo-Provera will have reduced chances of having ovarian and endometrial cancer as well as the PID (pelvic inflammatory disease. They may also have fewer instances of menstrual cycles, less cramping and pain during periods, as well as reduce chances of being anemic.
However, continuous use of this type of contraceptive as a woman, you may experience loss of bone density that is according to the recent studies undertaken.
Contact your nearest gynecologist for more information on the best pills to use and their side effects.
When Does It Start Working
Its immediately effective if inserted during the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle, which starts with the first day of bleeding.The implant is effective after 7 days if it is inserted at any other time in the menstrual cycle. Other contraceptive measures such as condoms should be used for these 7 days. If changing from the Pill or another method of contraception discuss the best time for insertion with your doctor.
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Will Other Medicines Affect The Implant
Some medicines can make the implant less effective, such as:
- medicines for HIV, epilepsy and tuberculosis
- complementary remedies, such as St John’s Wort
- some antibiotics, such as rifabutin or rifampicin
If you’re taking any of these medicines, you’ll need additional contraception , or you may wish to use a different method of contraception that isn’t affected by your medicine.
Always tell your doctor that you’re using an implant if you’re prescribed any medicine. You can also ask them whether the medicine you’re taking will affect the implant.
Is It Really Ok To Not Have My Period
One of the most common questions I hear from patients is whether or not it is safe to not have periods. Most women are so accustomed to their menstrual cycle that the notion of not having a monthly period feels strange and unnatural. However, the reality is that not having a period can be perfectly safe in certain situations.
Its helpful to understand that the monthly bleeding that women experience while taking some forms of birth control, including the pill, patch or ringis not the same as a natural menstrual period. Natural menstruation occurs as a result of the changes in hormones that are triggered by ovulation, or the release of the egg from the ovary, and the buildup of the uterine lining in preparation for pregnancy. When pregnancy does not occur, the body reduces the amount of those hormones that it makes. This withdrawal of hormones causes your body to shed that lining as your monthly period.
The hormones in the pill, patch and ring methods of birth control are similar to your bodys natural hormones. They stop ovulation from happening and prevent the uterus from building up a thick lining. When you take a week off from these methods , this mimics the natural withdrawal of those hormones that occurs during a menstrual cycle. This is considered a withdrawal bleed.
If youre considering your birth control options or want to discuss your period, contact a Womens Healthcare Associates office to schedule an appointment.
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What Is The Best Birth Control To Stop My Periods
Using birth control pills to stop periods is a common practice, and relatively safe for most women. Some birth control options are more effective than others for suppressing periods. For example, many women enjoy the freedom of using implants for birth control, and while they can help to minimize periods, cessation only occurs in around one-fourth of the women using the patch.
Menstrual Suppression Options
In addition to the implant, there are a variety of birth control options available that are effective at eliminating periods. Among these options are pills, patches, shots, and even an IUD. With any method of period suppression, however, you can experience breakthrough bleeding, mood swing, and other PMS-like symptoms.
Birth Control Pills and Patches
Both birth control pills and patches are designed to run 28 days, with the last seven days being a placebo during your cycle. However, if you replace the patch or start the new batch of birth control pills after 21 days, you will prevent ovulation and stop your period from happening. To be most effective, you need to remember to take your pill daily around the same time or replace your patch on schedule.
IUDs and Period Cessation
If you are interested in learning more about menstrual suppression or birth control from Dr. Katayoun Motlagh, please contact our office today or schedule an appointment by filling out the appointment request form right on this page.
Influence Of Bleeding Changes On Discontinuation
Women who discontinued method use were asked to give their most important reasons for stopping. More than 40% of discontinuers of each method cited heavy or long menstrual bleeding as one of the most important reasons . In addition, lack of menstrual bleeding was mentioned by almost one-third of injectable discontinuers. Although nearly half of implant discontinuers cited other side effects as an important reason for discontinuing the method, none mentioned desire for pregnancy. However, this was a factor for 7% of women who stopped using the injectable and 20% who discontinued the IUD.
Using menstrual diary data, we examined whether there were differences between continuers and discontinuers in the proportion of total days recorded for each level of bleeding. Compared with IUD and implant discontinuers, women who continued using those methods recorded a significantly greater proportion of nonbleeding to total days . In addition, implant continuers recorded a significantly smaller ratio of regular and heavy bleeding days to total days than did discontinuers. There were no such differences between women who continued using the injectable and those who did not.
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How Does Implantable Contraception Work
The implanted tube slowly releases low levels of the hormone to prevent . If a girl doesn’t ovulate, she can’t get pregnant because there is no egg to be fertilized.
The released progestin also thickens the mucus around the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. The progestin also thins the lining of the uterus so an egg will have a hard time attaching to the wall of the uterus.
Is It Safe To Use A Birth Control Pill To Stop Periods
Generally, it is safe to use birth control to stop periods. However, there may be some types of birth control that certain individuals should not take. A person should always discuss with their doctor before taking anything to stop periods.
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First Is It Safe To Skip Your Period
The short answer is, yes, you can safely skip your period by either ditching the placebo week and going directly to a new pack of pills, ring, or patch. Some people may naturally just stop getting their period over time while using certain forms of birth control.
The long answer, however, is a bit more involved. First, the period you get on hormonal birth control is not even really your period, its actually withdrawal bleeding, according to the Mayo Clinic. During a menstrual cycle without hormonal birth control, your endometrial lining thickens in anticipation of an embryo implanting. If pregnancy does not occur, your body sheds this lining, and you get your period. Since hormonal birth control works by suppressing ovulation , theres nothing extra to shed if you dont become pregnant. The bleeding is simply your bodys response to stopping the hormones.
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Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Implant
Advantages:
- it works for 3 years
- it doesn’t interrupt sex
- it’s an option if you can’t use oestrogen-based contraception, such as the combined contraceptive pill, contraceptive patch or vaginal ring
- it’s safe to use while you’re breastfeeding
- your fertility will return to normal as soon as the implant is taken out
- it may reduce heavy periods or period pain
Disadvantages:
- you may experience temporary side effects during the first few months, like headaches, nausea, breast tenderness and mood swings
- your periods may be irregular or stop altogether
- you may get acne or your acne might get worse
- you’ll need a small procedure to have it fitted and removed
- it doesn’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections , so you may need to use additional contraception as well
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