Skyla and Acne: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Joj...
• January 11, 2016

For Birth Control "At 21 years old, I decided to get Skyla. I can't be on the pill because of a clotting disorder, so my options are limited. A few months after having the IUD inserted, it came out! My OB/Gyn insisted it was very rare. I had another one put in, and I've had it for probably about 6 months now. I've been having dizzy/fainting spells, headaches, back pain, sore breasts, bad acne, plus many UTIs since then. I even went to the hospital to have tests done for my fainting spells, but the tests were inconclusive. I believe it is because of the IUD. It's unfortunate that I've been having so many side effects because I loved not having to even think about it. I think I'm going to get it removed because the side effects are becoming too much for me."

• Cin...
• January 9, 2018

For Birth Control "I had Skyla for about 10 months. For the first 6 months, I bled every other week. Before Skyla, my normal period would last 3-4 days. With Skyla, after the 6 months passed, I stopped bleeding every other week, but my periods were long, 9-10. Also, my skin was the type that I would get acne once a year (not kidding). I’m 25, by the way. And with Skyla, my face got terrible. I have so many acne scars now. Plus, I gained 17 pounds. I come from a very small-framed family. (My mom had 5 kids and weighs 103.) I went from weighing 110 to 127. I had it removed 2 weeks ago and already lost 6 pounds."

• Mar...
• July 11, 2018

For Birth Control "I only had Skyla placed for about 4 months, which isn't that long to have your body adjust to the hormones. I switched to this IUD after having taken birth control pills for about a year and 3 months. I wasn't a fan of this IUD's side effects. My skin isn't perfect, but I never used to have major breakouts. With Skyla, I started breaking out in areas that I never used to break out in around the time of my periods. I was spotting sporadically for the first couple of months, so my skin would just continue to break out. Also, I never used to get terrible cramps, but they just went from a 2/10 to a 7/10 on the pain scale (10 being unbearable). I also experienced intense cravings around the time of my period and vaginal dryness. Lastly, my periods went from lasting 4-5 days to lasting 11 days, but they were light periods. Because my periods were so close together, all of these side effects would just essentially continue throughout the whole four months I was on it."

• Onn...
• March 9, 2018

For Birth Control "The insertion of the Skyla IUD was the most painful experience of my life. My periods have gotten heavier, longer, and inconsistent over the past 7 months. I either bleed for two weeks, an entire month straight, or do not bleed at all for a month. My cramps are unbelievably painful, and painkillers do not help them. I have gained weight. I have acne for the first time ever, and it gets really bad around menstruation."

• Nat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 29, 2018

For Birth Control "I am 27, no children, and intend to stay that way (afraid of the sterilization surgery). I've been on hormonal IUDs for 8 years now and have hardly had a period in 8 years, just occasionally spotting. My Skyla IUD insertion wasn't as bad as my first IUD, the Mirena, but it was still uncomfortable overall. My Skyla comes out in less than a month now, and overall it's done its job, but the side effects are what's forcing me to switch to a non-hormonal method after this... I've had ovarian cysts, irregular spotting, vaginal discharge almost every day, ridiculous cramping, more acne than I've ever had in my life (never experienced acne before this), and weight gain (I went from 150 to 220). This is my second IUD, and like most IUDs, I've come to realize they work great but at a high price, so I will not be re-upping, instead, I'll try the Paragard next..."

• jc2...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 24, 2015

For Birth Control "I am 39, no kids. I have found Skyla to be worth it. Like all BCs, initially you experience the hormonal flux with acne and side effects. After 3 months, it regulates. I like OB/GYNs, my preference due to abnormal situations. I am highly sensitive to medications. Process: (Clamp, measure, insertion, ultrasound). My doctor's explanation, and I do agree: Skyla for those with no children. Mirena - had children. Paraguard - older women going through the change. My experience: Take a Motrin the night before and morning of. First day, mild pain/lightheadedness at insertion, then take a Motrin and lay down. Second day - less cramping. Third day - normal. Look at it this way, you hit your knee on a table. The bruise hurts for about 2-3 days, then you're fine. Same experience."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 11, 2018

For Birth Control "Before Skyla, I tried 2 other forms of birth control. Tried pills, which are hard to keep track of. I tried a birth control ring, okay but very expensive. I really wanted birth control for the obvious reason: not to have a baby. I mainly needed help because my periods without it were crazy! Insanely heavy periods-I'm talking hemorrhaging. Anyway, I opted for Skyla because it was something I could forget about and lighten my cycle. The insertion of the IUD almost made me puke, but it was over with pretty quickly. For about 3 months, I spotted, and then no periods at all! It was great! By months 8 or 9, I noticed I was spotting again and cramps were back. They range from mild to sharp pains on either side. I had check-up after check-up to ease my mind. I've had this IUD for about 2 years. My acne is worse than high school, and my hair thinned out. The last few weeks I've spotted one week, off for one, and right back to spotting. Today, I've scheduled a gyno visit, and I'll have this removed."

• Vik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 16, 2018

For Birth Control "I got Skyla inserted in May 2018. So far, I haven’t had any issues with cramping or heavy periods. Sometimes, I have small breakthrough bleeding a few days a month, but it’s nothing too concerning. I have noticed an increase in acne around my chin area (hormonal acne). I’ve eliminated dairy and started using an AHA/BHA exfoliant, and it has actually helped quite a bit. My breakouts are way less severe than they were. Other than that, I have no complaints! Lots of unprotected sex and no pulling out, and I’ve yet to have a pregnancy scare, so I’d say Skyla does its job pretty well!"

• Lex...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I got this implant in while I was on my period, so it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. I’ve had this implant in for 6 months, and it was rough just in the beginning. My cramps would get bad, but my periods weren’t as heavy as before, it was much lighter. I was 142, now I’m 150 pounds. I don’t go to the gym. At the time, I was taking these vitamins for hair growth, and the implant made me break out. I thought it’s probably the vitamins, so I stopped taking them, and my face got cleared."

• Ano...
• June 18, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had my Skyla for almost 9 months. I love it. My experience with Skyla has been great. Insertion was not bad at all (24, no kids). It went very quickly, was slightly crampy, and then it was over. The months following were also not bad. I get a regular period, but it is VERY light, to the point where I am using panty liners or light tampons. It comes at the same time every month and lasts for 4-5 days. The reason I gave Skyla 9/10 is for a couple of reasons. 1) Acne. I notice I struggle with acne more often than I ever have. 2) Cramping. Even with a light period, I still cramp way more than I ever have. Sometimes they are deep cramps that I have to pause and breathe through. Occasionally, I get cramping in between periods, but for the most part, the cramping is either the week before my period or during my period. However, those two things don't keep me from loving Skyla. I love the convenience of it. I also love that I don't feel hormonal or moody as I have on other birth controls."

• Adr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I got Skyla in Jan 2017, and I loved it at first. The pain was tolerable for the insertion, no pregnancy scares, lighter periods, and occasional cramping. I loved it, but after about 5 months, I started getting really bad mood swings, weight gain, and horrible acne on my neck and shoulders. I don't do well with birth control, so I thought this would be the ideal one with the hormones being so low. I did like it because it did what it was supposed to do, but the side effects were too much for me. I was at 150 lb when I got it inserted and went all the way to 166 lb. I removed it, and within 2 weeks I dropped below 160 lb. Overall, I would recommend it for not getting pregnant, just hope that you don't have the same side effects as I did."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 11, 2015

For Birth Control "I got Skyla when I was 17. I've had it for about 8 months, and it's coming out tomorrow, and I'm absolutely terrified because of the fact that the insertion was incredibly painful. When I got it inserted, they said I had a highly tilted uterus, which meant it was more painful than usual. Once it was inserted, I passed out, but when I woke up, I could feel my uterus cramping, and when it did, all my muscles would shake. I bled for about a month. After that, I had regular periods but terrible cramps to the point of throwing up. I also have terrible acne, excessive facial hair, lack of sex drive, and major depression. I am ready to get this out and get back on the pill and be my normal self again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 9, 2018

For Birth Control "I had the Skyla placed almost 3 years ago. I'm due to have it replaced in a few months. I had the Mirena previously, and it caused so many cysts I had it removed and went with the Skyla. Insertion was painful! I had to be dilated to have it inserted, and I've had two kids. I experienced some cramping and spotting for about a month on and off after having it placed. After that, I regularly had a light period or no period at all some months until it became completely nonexistent. Overall, I feel like this is a great birth control. It has done wonders to help keep my endometriosis in check also! I have experienced the acne, weight gain, or mood swings/depression others have mentioned, but everyone reacts differently. I would definitely recommend this IUD. I just wish it lasted longer than 3 years!"

• Rey...
• January 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I got my IUD inserted in June 2020 after being on the Depo injection for almost 2 years (I had my period once on the Depo). The insertion was very painful, I was extremely nauseous after due to the pain. After taking some Gravol and a nap, I felt much better and was able to go back to my regular activities. While on the Skyla IUD, I experienced a lot more headaches, acne breakouts before and after my period, mood swings, and an increase of discharge. For the first few months, I didn't get my period besides a little spotting here and there. Now, for the past couple of months, I've had a regular period with cramps that are still uncomfortable but bearable. And the most important part of it all is that I'm not pregnant. So far, so good."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I had been using an oral birth control for about 9 years and decided to switch to Skyla because I had been forgetting to take the pill. A couple of weeks in, I started experiencing significant hair thinning and hormonal breakouts on my otherwise clear skin. Needless to say, the experience has been pretty awful, so I scheduled an appointment to get it removed next week."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 22, 2017

For Birth Control "Skyla is the third birth control method I’ve tried. To date, I’ve had an IUD for ten months before getting it out today. In regard to its effectiveness and convenience, it’s a 10/10 option for birth control. No condoms or trips to the pharmacy for refills in ten months, and no pregnancies. It’s nice to not have to actively think of your birth control, especially if you lead a busy life. However, there were some downsides to this method, which is why I switched back to the pill today. The insertion process was unbearably painful for me; I’d rate it a 9/10. I’ve always had heavy periods with severe menstrual cramping, and this was by far the worst pain I’d ever experienced. After insertion, I experienced mild cramping for the rest of the day, but I experienced sporadic, severe cramping for the first two months. Like, “knock the wind out of you, can’t walk or talk” cramping, and it would come and go in spontaneous waves. Those passed after the first two months, and for the remaining eight, I experienced cramping maybe two or three times, and it was when I got my period. Speaking of, I spotted for no more than two weeks after insertion; my periods became significantly lighter during the first three months and by the fourth plateaued out but remained light the rest of the time. I noticed the more long-term side effects I experienced with Skyla around the sixth month, which were fatigue, weight gain, acne, irritability, and mood swings. The acne is mild, but the weight gain, irritability, and mood swings were more significant. I gained about 25 pounds within the ten months and I noticed I was tired, irritable, and hormonal all the time-not just when I had my period. I waited a few months to rule out any other factors contributing to these symptoms and to see if they’d subside, but they remained. So, I switched to a low-dose birth control pill today, Taytulla. It contains estrogen and progestin, instead of just progestin like Skyla. Hopefully, my symptoms will begin to disappear. Skyla was effective, but unfortunately didn’t react well with my body chemistry. But it’s different for everyone."

• Not...
• September 14, 2016

For Birth Control "This was absolutely horrible. Terrible acne, abdominal swellings, and feeling very isolated and depressed. Kept it for 6 weeks. My doctor wanted me to keep it for another 6 weeks, but I couldn't take it anymore. After removal, I felt almost immediate relief and mentally much better."

• Kir...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I've had 2 children, so the insertion could be described as a mild contraction feeling. Got through it. Take pain mess before and after insertion and plan to take a few days off. Bad cramps and spotting for about 6 weeks, but then I've not even had a period now, and it's been almost 6 months. So happy with it, and acne a bit more, but no horrible side effects, and it's been wonderful to know I'm not going to get pregnant unplanned again. Takes the worry away, and no periods really rocks!"

• Cas...
• November 21, 2016

For Birth Control "After years of bad experiences with birth control, my OB recommended the IUD for me. I'd taken Orthotricycline and Trisprintec for many years, and a few years on NuvaRing. I suffer from acne, migraines, and depression very badly and also have had problems with weight gain and decreased sex drive with other birth controls. My doctor told me about Skyla, and I signed up for it that day! About a month later, I got the call from my doctor's office that they received my device and scheduled an insertion for the week of my period. Well, my period was late, so my cervix wasn't dilated and was extremely sensitive, and the insertion was super painful. I had a normal period and spotted for a week after. Now my sex drive is great and my acne is better!"

• JC2...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 23, 2017

For Birth Control "I had Skyla placed in August and was really excited for it. I thought, '3 yrs of not having to deal with BC, sign me up!' but as time went by, I noticed my body was not loving it. About 3 months in, I noticed that my hair was falling out and feeling very thin. The hair loss continued for the next three months and got to the point I needed to start using hair cover-up makeup, Nioxin, and hair extensions to thicken my hair. I also noticed I could turn my ponytail holder a few more times than I was used to. In addition to the hair loss, I also noticed an increase in acne, which had never been a problem for me. I decided that these side effects were too much for me and had it taken out."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2023

For Birth Control "I had Skyla put in about 2 months ago. It has been the worst experience I have ever had with birth control. I am constantly cramping and spotting brown blood. I get periodic pain on my right side going down my leg. My first period after I had it inserted was heavy and very painful. I was not able to use tampons because the pain was worse when I used them. I wake up in the middle of the night with cramps so bad they go into my stomach. I have had more breakouts now than I did as a child. And now I have to go get an ultrasound because at my follow-up appointment the physician couldn't see or feel the strings. So there is a chance it has moved. I have had nothing but an awful experience with this birth control. After doing a lot of research and reviewing the birth control I thought this would be good, but it is not. I don't see how this is still on the market."

• Lex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2017

For Birth Control "I had my IUD put in over 3 months ago. About 36 hours after, I went in the sun and immediately broke out in hives! Mostly on my face, and they were itchy as hell. I called my gyno, and she assured me it was IMPOSSIBLE that the IUD caused the hives. I took Benadryl, and they mostly went down. I still get hives every time I'm exposed to sun/heat. About a month in, I started having more and more trouble having a BM, which wasn't the case before the IUD. I drink plenty of water and eat fibrous foods regularly. I'm CONSTANTLY irritated and emotional, I get acne more than ever, and the constant spotting is becoming annoying. I feel gross, itchy, tired, and bloated every single day and truly don't even feel like myself. I'm getting this thing out Thursday."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 2, 2017

For Birth Control "I have noticed acne pick up, no weight gain. I also have noticed mood swings more. Periods are really light. Just seem more emotional. Overall, it's better than taking a pill every day. I have had mine for about a year now."

• Ute...
• May 25, 2016

For Birth Control "I got Skyla inserted Nov 2016. I'm 28 with no children. I got the insertion because my periods were hell to deal with, bleed for 7 days, I would throw up, bleed everywhere, extra poopy, and deadly PMS. The insertion was horrible! The insertion took no more than 5 minutes, but afterwards I cramped, bled heavily, threw up, and had major gas. I had to lay down in another room because I was so weak and felt as if I was going to pass out. Finally got home, cramping and throwing up still. (Fast forward) I bled, cramped, bled, bled, until the end of March 2016. As of today, random spotting, random painful cramps (seriously), PMS, no weight gain, and a little bit of acne (nothing major). Still better than my period. Good luck to your uterus."

• Pow...
• April 13, 2016

For Birth Control "HORRIBLE! Before Skyla, I was on Jaz for 5 years until my doctor said no more! With Jaz, I had chest pains but never acne, and I lost 20 pounds while I was on it. So, I decided to switch to Skyla. 1. Insertion: I can't describe how painful it was. I thought I was going to pass out. 2. Never stopped bleeding, then spotting for 3 months. After that, it seemed that the spotting stopped! ... Nope! The spotting stopped, but my periods from 4 days turned into 8 days (not an exaggeration or lying), everything is on my medical records. 3. I developed cysts and fibroids, and the Skyla hormone was feeding it. 4. I developed the worst acne ever throughout my life. I never got acne that bad, not even in the worst times of my life. 5. Enough! When my period showed twice."