Levlen and Acne: What Users Say

• Sha...
• April 22, 2020

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "My doctor recommended this birth control pill (Levlen) to me because of my heavy cramping and acne (46 years old). I am on my 5th pack of this pill. If I had read the reviews before I started, I probably never would’ve started. So my advice to people is every pill is going to work differently for each person, so try what your doctor recommends. This pill has changed my life, my periods were so heavy that it caused me to be dangerously anemic. I got anxious during my cycle because they were so heavy that I couldn’t go an hour without having to change my pad and tampon. Now my periods are super light and last only about two days, and I no longer have cramping. I’ve had acne my entire life up until 4 months ago, I hardly break out at all, my skin looks great, and I’m no longer getting the hormonal cystic acne on my chin that I would get monthly! I have gained about 6 pounds, but I can’t necessarily say it’s from the pill. I hope you all find what works for you! Good luck, ladies!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2020

For Birth Control "Like many others, I have been on Norimin for 11 years. Due to COVID, I had to switch to Levlen and had the worst experience. I’ve become super anxious, the worst acne outbreaks on my chest, back, and face. I rarely ever had any pimples, and now have extremely painful ones that don’t seem to heal. I’ve gained close to 4 kg and have started to get bad tummy pains and bloating."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2020

For Birth Control "Like many others, I have been on Norimin for 11 years. Due to COVID, I had to switch to Levlen and had the worst experience. I’ve become super anxious, the worst acne outbreaks on my chest, back, and face. I rarely ever had any pimples, and now have extremely painful ones that don’t seem to heal. I’ve gained close to 4 kg and have started to get bad tummy pains and bloating."

• Nai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 16, 2020

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I had painful periods my whole life, and for about 11 years, I went from doctor to doctor, trying different pain medications, herbal medicines, and undertaking multiple ultrasounds in the hopes of detecting endometriosis. Finally, one good doctor suggested going on birth control before doing my endo surgery. I was extremely hesitant at first and scared, but I gave it a go and do not regret it since. With LEVLEN ED, I have had no acne, no weight gain, no painful periods, no problems whatsoever. It felt almost like a magical potion I had taken. I was hesitant to initially take it as I read some bad reviews online, but this was my wonder drug, and I had to review it."

• Anonymous
• September 29, 2020

For Birth Control "I came to the web to see if anyone else was experiencing what I was after taking this pill, and wow!! Ok, I'm not going crazy. Firstly, I've only been taking the pill for two weeks, and I've noticed constant bleeding, but after research, I have found that that is quite normal. So I'm OK with that. But I'm sitting here, 26 years old, with cystic acne, mood swings of a 13-year-old, constant drowsiness, weight gain, and headaches. This pill, according to my GP, was supposed to minimize pimples and stabilize my cycle. I won't be putting another pill into my body. The worst ever!"

• exc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2019

For Birth Control "I started Levlen as a form of birth control, and I hate it. Never in my life have I ever had really bad acne, only a few occasional pimples, but Levlen caused me to have cystic acne, specifically around my mouth area but also on my forehead. This was notable after finishing the second packet, how much worse my skin was getting. I can also note how I gained visible weight after taking this. I would not recommend."

• Ker...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 8, 2018

For Birth Control "I do not recommend using Levlen! I’ve used it 3 times so far over a span of 4 years. First time broke out with chronic acne. Second time, same thing. Thinking it could have been because of another reason, since I stopped, my skin cleared up majorly, as I have never been prone to acne or even pimples in general. Started back on Levlen less than a month ago. My doctor said it probably wasn’t the Levlen giving me the acne, so I decided to try it again (face fully clear at this stage). Turns out it was 100% the Levlen pill. I don’t write reviews on anything, but it’s that bad I am warning anyone else thinking about using it. DON’T!! Yasmin is the best birth control pill I’ve tried yet!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2020

For Endometriosis "Levlen is the worst thing that ever happened to me! I was on Norimin-1, but as a result of COVID, they were unable to import the ingredients for it. My doctor then switched me to Levlen... worst thing ever. After 3 weeks of use, I had severe hormonal acne all along my jawline. The pressure from the acne hurts my face (I’ve never ever had any issues with my skin). I thought this may be just because of a hormonal change from trying a new pill. After 3 months, it became worse and worse. Never have I had severe headaches, but daily I now have severe headaches that come out of nowhere. I have severe depression now from this pill, my mood swings are absolutely insane."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been using Levlan for the last 4 months. I don’t recommend this pill at all. Previously, I was on Estelle with no problems. Dr. changed me. I know everyone is different and their hormones and bodies act differently, but I’ve never had any problems with any medication before. I’ve always had relatively great skin, especially on my face! A few weeks after on Levlan, my cheeks, chin, and forehead have been covered in tiny lumps and almost cyst-like pimples since! I’m 24 years old and have never had acne. I’ve also been having crazy mood swings or been upset/depressed, and I don’t even know why. I’ve never been like this before, and I’ll never use Levlan again. I’ve been back on Estelle for 1 week, and my face is already 3x better. Hope this helps!!"

• Cha...
• April 1, 2016

"I've been on this pill for about 4 months, and since the first month, I started getting cystic acne. I've never had acne in my life, and I feel no longer confident with my skin. I do not recommend this pill at all. I have so much acne around my face and neck."

• nbe...
• November 9, 2011

For Birth Control "This was the first pill I tried. My periods were always regular, and I had very mild teenage acne beforehand, but after taking this for 3 months, I had the most awful cystic acne on my chin and forehead. I swapped to another, and it disappeared. A friend of mine had the exact same experience."

• ell...
• July 22, 2015

For Birth Control "I was on Levlen for around 8 months. I started it a month before my wedding day, and because I'm still quite young, I was really adamant about contraception. After researching about pills, I figured as long as I didn't get acne breakouts, gain weight, or get hairy, it was perfect. Boy, was I wrong! I was completely depressed, anxious, and stressed the entire time, my libido was almost non-existent, and I started to get cystic acne on my face... you can imagine how all of this would affect newlyweds!! It wasn't until I had a major breakdown a month ago that I knew I had to get off Levlen ASAP! I'm now on Femme Tab, and it's working fine, just waiting to see how my hormones will react!"

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2020

For Birth Control "I'm onto my second month, and I'm experiencing constant sleep breaks, waking every few hours and nightmares, heavy head, and two migraines so far. I usually sleep with no issues at all. My mood is very short-tempered, and I seem to get anger snaps, which is so unlike me. Also, acne all around my chin area has worsened. I started this pill because of the lower dose, previously, I was taking Brenda ED to control acne, but that made me so depressed to a point where I was crying at the smallest things and thinking the worst. Was hoping Levlen would help because of the lower dose, but sadly not. So disappointed."

• Lul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2019

For Birth Control "I took Levlen ED for 1 year and gained 5 kg, was very anxious and moody, but eventually it settled down. I then stopped the pill, and a few months later I am back on it... After 10 days on Levlen ED, my anxiety and moodiness have increased, and I have gotten TERRIBLE acne all over my face. As someone who barely ever gets pimples, I am mortified. I have also completely lost my appetite (although it might be because of stress?). Anyway, I will be stopping the pill tomorrow and asking my doctor for an alternative. Not worth it."

• Sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2022

For Birth Control "I started Levlen purely to prevent pregnancy, and in that regard, it has worked well. I never had acne before taking this pill, but I’ve been taking it for a year now, and my skin is the worst it has ever been. While adjusting to it, I experienced severe nausea and bloating, but after six months, these symptoms have disappeared. There was no effect on my libido as far as I’ve noticed, but I did notice that my mental health has taken a turn for the worse. Really bad anxiety for a while after taking the pill, and some symptoms such as hot flashes and hyperventilating, that I’ve never experienced before. Yes, in my experience, it works to prevent pregnancy, but it has had some considerable negative impacts on my life too."

• Vic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 9, 2018

For Endometriosis "I was diagnosed with endometriosis and put on Levlen to help reduce the length and pain of my periods. I would have periods that lasted over a month, they are now drastically shorter. They are also much lighter, and the pain is much better. I would need to take Advil multiple times a day, but now I can usually go without it. I've been on it for about four years, and from memory, I didn't have any side effects when I first started it, although I think it took a few months to really start working effectively. I know other people have said they got bad cystic acne, I used to break out during my period, but I have found it is actually now much better, however, I still do get a bit. Also, being able to skip periods is really great."

• Ali...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 3, 2022

For Birth Control "I've had a wonderful experience on Levlen 20/100. I moved to this pill about 5 years ago from a higher dose because I didn't want to be taking more hormones than necessary. I will eventually want to wean off birth control. I originally went on a higher dose pill for acne as a teenager. My skin is perfect on Levlen during times when I'm also cutting back on sugar, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep. I'll get a couple of pimples mainly on my chin if I'm not watching my diet/sleep/water intake. My period is maybe 2 days - I actually stopped using menstrual products because I found my period was so light it barely needed anything. I occasionally get slight cramps for a couple of hours on the day, but otherwise, I don't even think about my period. No mood swings as far as I can tell (although I've been on birth control for 10 years, so I don't know what it would be like without any BC). My experience is likely influenced by the fact that I am quite fit and do a lot of exercise."

• uhm...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 29, 2022

For Birth Control "The only thing good that came out of Levlen was not getting pregnant. Other than that, my anxiety and depression got worse (now I have to go on medication), my periods got heavier and more painful, and I continued to get acne, but also, I got severe chronic migraines after being on it. I also completely lost all sex drive, and this caused issues between me and my partner. Now I have a copper IUD and likely cannot ever have any other hormonal birth control when this wouldn't have been an issue before. It also increased issues with my other chronic illnesses, and I became more fatigued and struggled to do anything in the afternoon."

• NCa...
• June 22, 2020

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "After 13 years on Diane35 (Estelle), I switched to Levlen. At first, it seemed fine, and for quite a long time, it appeared to be keeping my PCOS under control. Around the two-year mark, hair growth and acne reappeared at quite a fast pace, and nothing I tried seemed to help. After 6 months of battling acne, I’ve moved back to Diane35."

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I am 23 years old. I was on Levlen for 4 months. I don't want to say anything bad about this pill, but I will share my experience. The first month was constant headaches, no breakthrough bleeding, and on-and-off heartburn. Second month, I began breaking out on my chin, as well as heartburn and headaches. Third month, the breakouts got really bad and extremely painful, and I began getting ‘dermatitis’ around both my eyes and lips. By my fourth month, I had constant headaches, heartburn every few days, and the dermatitis got worse, as well as the acne. Might I add, I never had acne prior to this. But I must say, birth control and period pain-wise, it was incredible. I did gain weight on this pill, but I didn't mind because period pain-wise, prior pill, was extreme."

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I am 23 years old. I was on Levlen for 4 months. I don't want to say anything bad about this pill, but I will share my experience. The first month was constant headaches, no breakthrough bleeding, and on-and-off heartburn. Second month, I began breaking out on my chin, as well as heartburn and headaches. Third month, the breakouts got really bad and extremely painful, and I began getting ‘dermatitis’ around both my eyes and lips. By my fourth month, I had constant headaches, heartburn every few days, and the dermatitis got worse, as well as the acne. Might I add, I never had acne prior to this. But I must say, birth control and period pain-wise, it was incredible. I did gain weight on this pill, but I didn't mind because period pain-wise, prior pill, was extreme."

• Ana...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I received a prescription for Levlen ED about two weeks ago. My doctor warned me that some brands of birth control can trigger people that suffer from migraines, which I used to suffer from but haven’t in a long time. I made the switch to the pill after a bad experience with the Implanon, but I’ve only been using Levlen for one week, and I’ve come to realize it’s worse than the Implanon. Every day I’ve experienced migraines and nausea, and have had an outbreak of cystic acne (I’m 19 and have never had acne in my life), as well as developing a yeast infection. Switching brands ASAP or going off birth control completely, this pill isn’t worth the money or side effects based on my personal experience."

• Imo...
• January 11, 2022

For Birth Control "I went to my doctor and asked to be moved from the bar to the pill. All I asked was that nothing would affect my weight and skin, as after 2 years I had finally lost weight and my skin was clear for the first time ever for about a month. After I started taking it, my skin broke out the worst it ever has. No weight gain though, except for my boobs, and I find it can make my moods 10 times worse. Definitely do your research and tell your doctor if you’re not comfortable with a certain pill."

• Imm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2021

For Birth Control "I was on Levlen for 27 days. It made me depressed, caused severe anxiety, horrible acne, and nausea. Absolute worst I have ever felt. Started crying at work for no reason, was sent home by my manager and switched to a different pill that night. After a week, I was back to normal. - Levlen is the worst."

• Ana...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2019

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome "I have been on this pill for a month. So far, I have experienced severe depression and some acne. However, I have not put on any weight while being on this pill. As I have read in the comments below, some girls have experienced profound weight gain. I would not recommend this pill. I will be going back on a pill called Femme Tab, which had controlled my hormones and stopped my acne. I had only gone on this particular pill because I started to have breakthrough bleeding. This pill is horrible and has been a complete disaster for not only myself but for other women too."