Acne after Stopping Pills in a Teenage

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi, I'm almost seventeen years old and I've been on the Diana(Think you wrote it like that) pill for about 1-2 years now. I've heard stories about acne coming back when you stop with the pill. I'm scared that it will come back (sometimes even worse) and if it does I want to stop now to give it time to maybe go away. At the moment I only have hyperpigmentation on my face and now and then a pimple. Is it true that acne will return after you stop the pill and will it go away over time?

Dear Dorsa: Acne is a common problem at your age, mainly because of the changes in the sex hormones production that accompany growth during puberty. These sex hormones cause the enlargement of the sebaceous glands which feed into the follicles or the pores of the skin. Increased sebum production from the sebaceous glands, along with dirt leads to the blockage of the pores and causes acne. When these blocked pores get infected it leads to inflammation and damage of the surrounding skin tissue. In females, the hormonal changes accompanying the menstrual cycles also contribute to the appearance of acne.

Stabilizing hormonal levels in the body will slowly clear the acne eruptions and reduce its frequency over time. Diane pills are essentially pills containing hormone supplements which can also be used as contraception but its continued use has increased risk of developing blood clots, and so it is only used for severe cases of acne.  Other side effects include headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, abdominal pain, appetite changes, weight gain etc.

The response to the treatment varies individually and it is likely that one may find acne coming back after stopping the treatment while others may not. You seem to have a mild form of acne which may not require any drug treatment, I would recommend you to discontinue diane and take preventive measures including proper hygienic practices to keep your skin clean.  A healthy diet and exercise will help clear your acne and prevent future eruptions. You should avoid fast foods and other foods that are high in saturated fats or salt/sodium. Also avoid touching your face. Don’t pop pimples, especially with your fingers, this just makes it worse by spreading the infection.