Let me begin with a little bit about me, I have trouble with my skin now, after years of messing around with my hormones through various contraceptive pills. "Dianette" was the main offender, but i am not entirely blameless in this story, so here's how it happened...
At the age of 18, I was pretty much your typical teenager. I got the odd spot, which seemed to be the end of the world, but looking back, I can see now that my skin was pretty flawless. However being a hyper-sensitive teenager, and with a few spots on my chest, i felt like an ogre. Also, at this time I had just become sexually active, and was thinking about going on the pill, so I booked an appointment with my doctor, and went to see him.
++ PERSCRIPTION++
The week I saw my doctor, I was pre-menstrual, and so my skin was quite oily, as many teenagers find, and so when I said I wanted something to clear my skin, the doctor had no reason to believe that i wasn't so spotty usually. After a bit of humming and a few health checks, he asked if i was sexually active, I was mortified, but said yes, so he gave me three months of Dianette.
++ HORMONES ++
Dianette, also known as Diane 35, is a pill perscribed almost solely to acne or excess-hair sufferers, as the contraceptive benefits are merely a side-effect of the hormonal blend. It contains small amounts of hormone, much less than you would find in the more common pills, cyproterone acetate (a progestogen with antiandrogenic properties) and ethinylestradiol (an estrogen). When something is antiandrogenic, that means that it is good for hormonal skin problems, but i'm no doctor, so i'll not delve too deply on that point. However, for those of you reading this for information, pills with higher estrogen (like dianette or brevinor) are best for acne.
For two months i took Dianette religiously though I thought it was useless on my skin.It also made me feel ill for the first three months, but this is a side effect that you are warned about in the notes. Although it did take the full three months, my skin cleared up to be perfect. i can't honestly remember having a spot in the two years that I used Dianette. even my doctor said he was impressed.
As a contraceptive, the pill was effective. Although personally I found sex to be a little more difficult, due to altered lubrication (sorry that's so graphic) I know for a fact this was due to the hormones in this particular pill. I did also find that this pill made me very emotional. There were times that i would cry at the daily news! At the time i felt that these changes were worth the clear skin i now had. However looking back, I see that I was an emotional rollercoaster, and that is quite frightening. My periods were short and light, which I thought was great, and running two packets together was just so convienient when i wanted to skip my period altogether.
I did not want to come off Dianette, but my doctor advised otherwise, saying that staying on it for longer that a year or two is quite sore on your liver, and might cause damage. I was perscribed Microgynon, which was an absolute nightmare, and then eventually moved on to Brevinor, which I highly recommend.
++ MY OPINION ++
Dianette did not suit my body. It made me depressed, emotional, tearful and very moody. Although at the time I was willing to put up with anything for vanity's sake. Moving to Brevinor was the best decision I made, as I no longer cry at silly things, and it does the same job with my skin, although it did take longer that Dianette to be effective. in my opinion, Dianette should really only be perscribed to very severe cases of acne. It is extremely effective, but must definitely be used with caution.
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This review had totally helped me make up my mind!! :) thankyou
jeno81 14.01.2005 12:07
helpfull review! i stopped taking dianette a couple of months ago and now have spots popping up on back and chest, i dident have this before i went on dianette or while on it! now not sure whether its just my hormones getting back to normal? dunno whether to go back on it :-/
perox 13.06.2004 10:55
I've taken this for years and it's suited me quite well, however, I have been known to cry at adverts or Aneka Rice on TV so maybe it was affecting me after all. It's difficult to tell as I think you do become more emotional as you get older. My doctor has now put me on to Marvelon as I was suddenly getting break-through bleeding on Dianette so maybe it is better just to use Dianette for a couple of years at a time.
Advantages: Good skin Disadvantages: Nightmare moodss, bloated tummy
hannah_haubinda 02.06.2008 (02.06.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Dianette Contraceptive Pill
Advantages: Helps skin to clear somewhat, prevents pregnancy if taken correctly, prevents period pains. Disadvantages: Weight gain, mood swings, varicose veins (these may not affect everyone but there is a possibility of those side effects and more).
Advantages: Clear skin, reduces water retention, effective contraceptive Disadvantages: Dry skin, feeling sick, new pill (long term side effects unknown)
Apr 22nd, 2004
exceptional by (2%):
very helpful by (89%):
helpful by (9%):
