Ortho Tri-Cyclen gave me facial hair...

Hair Removal Methods Prescription oral medications
#1

I went on birth control around the end of summer last year. I got generic Ortho Tri Cyclen from Planned Parenthood, took it religiously…and about a month in, I noticed that I’d gotten hair all over my cheeks. It wasn’t too sparse, but I’d never had facial hair before.

Most of the doctors I’ve been to have denied birth control being the cause of my facial hair, saying it was a “coincidence” and that I most likely have an underlying problem or it’s just genetic. I was 19 at the time…wouldn’t my facial hair have manifested itself earlier if that were the case? And why was it so SUDDEN? It was literally about a month or two into the BC. Am I right for being absolutely convinced it was the birth control that caused this? The most frustrating part was that my hormone levels showed up normal after being tested. So I’m fairly sure I was just extra sensitive to some ingredient in the pill.

So now I’ve been battling hair for an entire year now, first with laser (didn’t do anything) and now with electrolysis (which is helping, but very, very painful for me and frustrating). And I eventually do need to go back on BC.

So my main questions are:
-Does Ortho Tri Cyclen have an ingredient that could have caused my facial hair?
-What is a good brand of BC that would help reduce facial hair?
-Can I be on BC while getting electrolysis done?

Thanks in advance!

#2

Hi,

I’m sure you will be told the time period is too short for it to be the BC, as I have read here before.

But in my own experience, my facial and chest hair has been very sensitive to BCP.

I was first given microgynon and a few months in, I noticed the hair on my cheeks (I have lots of downy fur), seemed to be getting longer. I didn’t think too much of it, until I stopped taking it for other reasons and my facial hair went back to ‘normal’.

I was then put on Cilest (which is Orto Tri Cyclin?), which has anti androgenic properties but I gave up after 2 months as my skin and eyes were getting very dry to the point that my optician told me to use artificial tears.

Then, my GP suggested Yasmin and so far no probs of the kind I had with the other two pills. And on top of that, two months in, I noticed the hair growth seemed to have slowed.
This is some info about it:
Yasmin is a combined oral contraceptive. It contains drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. Drosperinone is a fairly new progestogen, and is the closest to the natural female progesterone hormone. It also functions as an anti-androgen.

So even though Cilest and Yasmin (and Dianette) are all anti androgenic BCP, there are differences. I think you just need to keep trying until you find one you are satisfied with.

I don’t understand how hormones or sensitivity to them can actually cause a change in how fast/slow the hair grows but I certainly noticed this.

Keep going with the electrolysis. It’s the only way to resolve the problem. You can go on BCP but it will interfere with the results (either negatively or positively). You may want to get rid of the hair before trying again.

http://www.hairtell.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/70550/BCP_and_Facial_Hair.html#Post70550

#3

I agree with stoppit. If you have to be on birth control, you may just have to find the one that is right for you. I suggest that you read the book The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman by Dr. Redmond. I am one of those “hormonally vulnerable” women. Although I have always tested within the normal range in hormones, my body is hypersensitive to these normal levels which led to excessive male pattern growth on my face, below belly button and bikini area and hair loss on my head. My facial hair became even worse after years of plucking and laser treatments… all I can say is THANK GOD FOR ELECTROLYSIS!

I used to be Dr. Redmond’s patient. He is an endocrinologist that specializes in women’s hormones. His belief is that certain birth control pills are better than others for women who are “hormonally vulnerable”. For me, being on Yasmin did not increase hair growth, rather it helped slow down the recruitment of other hair follicles. I was on Yasmin prior to seeing Dr. Redmond and he kept me on that AND added other medications.

I stopped taking all medications about a year and a half ago and I do notice that I have new hair growth. I have accepted the fact that I will probably recruit new hair follicles for the rest of my life. The difference is that now it is very easy to take care of the new growth with electrolysis since I took care of the bulk of the problem a few years back. As stoppit already mentioned, keep going with electrolysis since there is no other way of dealing with the hair that is already there. ELECTROLYSIS CHANGES LIVES!!!

#4

There are categories of drugs that cause hair growth and birth control pills is one of them. Your physician can prescribe the better types of BCP’s that are better for hair issues.

#5

Hi, I have been taking tri cyclen lo since june now. I always had some extra facial hair for which i was getting a laser treatment done and had superb results but since i started taking this evil pill my facial hair not only grew back but i have noticed horrible long hair on my neck which is very unsual. I am getting off the pill and would highly recommend anyone having same problems to do that too…if you have any doubts that the pill might not be causing it then please dont cuz i have been telling my doctors that and no one believes it but i have experienced it and i know how bad it feels