Mirena and Acne

[Angelica Douglas]

I am on my second Mirena but the 5 year mark is coming up soon so I am getting it removed next week. I have not had any major problems with it. I don't really have a period, just some light spotting for two days out of the month. No cramping. My biggest issue is that I have really bad acne around the chin, jaw line, and right under the nose (but not really the mouth). I just finished a Whole 30 around Easter and eliminated nightshades about two weeks ago to see if this would clear up the acne but it hasn't. I've been reading on-line about the area that I have acne and everything is pointing it to be a hormonal issue. Of course, this is making me think it's a Mirena issue. I am really loving the convenience of the Mirena but if this is what is causing the acne, then it's really not worth it.

 

Anyone else out there that had acne issues go away once they had the Mirena removed? Any recommendations on other birth control options (other than the pill?)

[Karen]

Mirena and any other progestin-only birth control are known for acne and/or greasy skin.  Progesterone in the body is higher during the second half of your cycle - think PMS and hormonal acne.  Progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone, has a similar affect, only instead of it being cyclical, it's all the time...  I had Mirena for about 3 months and my skin was greasier then than it was when I was a teenager.  It was disgusting.  After I had it yanked, it cleared up pretty quickly.  

 

If you want to continue on some form of hormonal birth control, pick one with estrogen as well.  That helps with the hormonal acne.  I've been off BC for a while now, but had pretty good luck acne and side effect wise with nuvaring.  Other people may have other experiences, but that's my 2 cents.  

 

If you want another IUD, there is a non-hormonal option; however, copper IUDs are known for causing heavier bleeding and potentially heavier cramping.  

 

If you want to go all natural, check out Taking Control of Your Fertility or similar resources regarding avoiding pregnancy by tracking fertility signals.  

[GreenThumbGal]

Girl, I'm right there with you. I've had my Mirena for two years and my cystic acne came back with a vengeance right after I got it.  I was not willing to take antibiotics for 3 months (!) and use an irritating prescription cream as the dermatologist prescribed.  Last year I stopped using soap and commercial moisturizers entirely for my face. I now wash my face with raw honey in the morning and use a blend of oils (castor, jojoba, grapeseed, sunflower, etc) to clean my face of makeup at night. The only "moisturizer" I use is aloe vera gel.  Shortly after starting that regimen I had a period of time where my skin looked the best it has in a LONG time! Since then I've had some ups and downs, which is one of the reasons I'm on Day 3 of my first Whole30 - to see if diet can continue to help me. I also added supplements a while back that help regulate hormones - DIM, milk thistle, and burdock root. I also used Vitex for a while too, but I stopped that out of concern it would actually interfere with my Mirena. Those supplements have helped a great deal as well.

 

If you want more information about honey and oil cleansing there are a lot of great resources out there. My favorite is CrunchyBetty.com, but Wellness Mama or Frugally Sustainable are other good sources.  Good luck!!

[Angelica Douglas]

@GreebThumbGal, I also use OCM and honey (and tea tree oil, and ACV, and aloe vera, etc...LOL). I also haven't used shampoo or conditoner in over two years; instead I wash with baking soda and rinse with ACV. Washing my hair this way has cleared up most of the back and shoulder acne I was having. When trying different ways to wash my face, I do try them for at least 3 months to make sure I'm really giving it a good try. When I did the Whole 30, I hoped that would clear up my acne but it didn't really help so that made me think it was hormonal and being caused by the IUD. My five years was up on the Mirena so I had it taken out last week. I did get a little upset with my doctor. I asked her if I would have any spotting after the removal and she said none at all. Within hours of getting the IUD taken out, I was having the heaviest period I remember ever having and it lasted 8 days. Pre-Mirena days, I didn't have a heavy period and while on the Mirena it was very light and some months I didn't spot at all.

 

Anyways, my last Whole30 wrapped on Easter and since then I've kept my diet pretty clean, following a 90/10 rule (instead of 80/20). I haven't had any breakouts since I've taken the Mirena out. I'll keep up with my current eating habits for the rest of the month and if I continue to get breakouts, I'll try a Whole 30/AIP on the 1st. And if that doesn't work I may try some of the supplements you mention above. I'll admit that I'll miss the Mirena since I didn't seem to have any other problems with it and it was so convienent but the acne is just not worth it (if that was what really caused it)

[ultrarunnergirl]

Copper IUD is a great option. Your periods will be slightly heavier, and the first 3 weeks you might experience some cramping as your body adjusts. No hormones to worry about.

[GreenThumbGal]

Angelica - glad you've reached a point that you're happy with! I'm soooooo resisting removing the Mirena because I love everything else but the acne. And I'm worried about the aftereffects from having it removed! I don't spot at all with my Mirena. I have heard that Vitex is a good supplement for those coming off the Mirena - to help regulate your hormones.

 

ultrarunnergirl - I have considered the copper IUD. I might go that route if I decide to remove my Mirena.

 

Right now my acne is more under control than it was, but certainly not perfect. There are so many variables to control - for a time I'd stopped using honey and things flared up so I'm back on that. Maybe I could try a different oil instead of the blend I've been using. I have heard good things about pumpkin seed oil, others use avocado. I am also on day 5 of my Whole30 to see how much diet can help. I had tried to cut out sugar before by quitting soda, switching to unsweetened tea, but in reality I probably still had many sources of sugar in my diet. So we will see if I get any results from this more drastic diet change.

[Angelica Douglas]

It's been about three weeks since I've had my IUD removed and I'm already happy with the changes to my skin! I'm currently not doing a Whole 30, but sticking to the diet 90/10. Immediately after removal, I had one more breakout, but it was smaller than some of the breakouts I've had in the past. The biggest difference I noticed after the IUD removal was the condition of my skin. My face has always had a grainy feel to it, which I just thought was how my skin was. I could exfoliate, use scrubs, whatever… My skin always felt kind of grainy and never smooth and I never really thought much about it. By the end of the week after removal, my skin actually felt smooth. And the look of it is different, better. I can't really explain it, but it's just different. I started my cycle this past Friday and didn't get the usual breakout around the chin and jawline. One other thing I was afraid of was something called the Mirena Crash. There are blogs all over the web of women getting depressed and many other things happening to them after they get their IUD's removed. Thankfully, I haven't experienced any of these things. I really think it's my eating and exercise habits that has helped to stay on track hormonally.

[Craggy]

It would take a lot to get me to part with my Mirena. The hell I've had with other types of contraception... And I get unbearable period pains. I have slightly greasy and spotty skin, but I don't think its much worse on the Mirena than off of it. I put the spots down to sugar, so I'm also interested to see whether the Whole30 helps there.

 

I hope you find a good solution!