Is the contraceptive patch (hormonal contraceptive) effective for acne?

From the Guidelines

The contraceptive patch can be an effective treatment for acne, as it contains hormones that reduce androgen levels, decrease sebum production, and improve acne symptoms, as supported by the most recent guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris 1. The contraceptive patch, which typically contains ethinyl estradiol combined with norelgestromin, works similarly to combined oral contraceptive pills that are FDA-approved for acne treatment. Some key points to consider when using the contraceptive patch for acne treatment include:

• Consistent use for at least 3-6 months is usually needed to see significant improvement in acne symptoms 1.
• The patch should be prescribed by a healthcare provider who can evaluate your specific situation, as it may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with certain medical conditions or risk factors for blood clots.
• Not all users experience acne improvement, and some may initially experience worsening before seeing benefits.
• The patch is not specifically FDA-approved for acne treatment, but it can be a helpful option for individuals who desire contraception and have acne symptoms. It's also important to note that the guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris conditionally recommend combined oral contraceptive pills for acne treatment, based on moderate certainty evidence from 10 studies 1. Overall, the contraceptive patch can be a useful treatment option for acne, but it's essential to consult with a healthcare provider to determine the best course of treatment for individual cases, considering the potential benefits and risks, as well as the latest evidence from studies such as 1 and 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

The data provided reflect the experience with the use of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets in the adequate and well-controlled studies for contraception (N=1,056) and for moderate acne vulgaris (N=536) For acne, two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies, in 536 women aged 14 to 45 with moderate acne vulgaris who took at least one dose of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets, evaluated the safety and efficacy during up to 6 cycles.

The contraceptive patch (hormonal contraceptive) is effective for acne, as evidenced by two multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies in women with moderate acne vulgaris 2.

• The studies evaluated the safety and efficacy of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets during up to 6 cycles.
• The results suggest that the hormonal contraceptive can be used to treat moderate acne vulgaris.

From the Research

Effectiveness of Hormonal Contraceptives for Acne

• The contraceptive patch, a form of hormonal contraceptive, is not directly mentioned in the provided studies as a treatment for acne. However, the studies do discuss the effectiveness of other forms of hormonal contraceptives, such as combined oral contraceptives (COCs), in treating acne 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
• COCs have been shown to be effective in reducing acne lesion counts, severity grades, and self-assessed acne compared to placebo 4, 7.
• The effectiveness of COCs in treating acne can vary depending on the type of progestin used, with some progestins (such as drospirenone and cyproterone acetate) appearing to be more effective than others (such as levonorgestrel and desogestrel) 4, 5, 7.
• Other forms of hormonal contraceptives, such as depot injections, subdermal implants, and hormonal intrauterine devices, may worsen acne, while the vaginal ring and COCs tend to improve acne 5.
• The use of spironolactone in combination with a COC containing drospirenone has been shown to be effective and well-tolerated in the treatment of severe papular and nodulocystic acne in women 6.

Comparison of Different Hormonal Contraceptives

• Drospirenone-containing COCs appear to be more effective in treating acne than levonorgestrel-containing COCs 5.
• COCs containing chlormadinone acetate or cyproterone acetate may be more effective in treating acne than those containing levonorgestrel or desogestrel 4, 7.
• The vaginal ring may be more effective in treating acne than other forms of hormonal contraceptives, such as depot injections and subdermal implants 5.