Despite many changes in birth control pill formulations over the past 40 years, certain "myths" about the Pill and its possible side effects still persist.  One of those myths-that the Pill causes your face to break out--has not only been disproven, but has been shown to REDUCE acne to such an extent that the FDA has allowed this to be touted as a benefit of the pill.  In fact, new data presented at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting (Washington, DC,March 2001 ) showed that even ultra-low dose birth control pills have this benefit.

This data also debunked another popular birth control Pill myth-that the Pill can cause you to gain weight.  In this study, women who used an ultra low-dose Pill had no differences in weight after six months than women taking a placebo or sugar Pill. And of course, even though the Pill has many non-contraceptive benefits, taking the Pill properly can avoid a major cause of proven weight gain in women: that's pregnancy.

For more information on birth control Pills, click here.

Created: 7/12/2001  -  Donnica Moore, M.D.