Why I Quit Hormonal Birth Control
Am i the only one who once thought of birth control as a vitamin?
Everyone tells you you should be on it, we are never warned about the health risks, and it's so easy to get. It didn't seem like a drug to me. However, upon further research and talking to other women, i realized there was a lot more to hormonal birth control that i didn't understand.
For starters, You do not have an actual period when you're on hormonal birth control. Birth control is synthetic steroid hormones that keep your body from making its own estrogen and progesterone. Your body uses these hormones for many vital functions
like blood pressure, sleep, mood, and bone formation, to name a few.
In addition, if you have a REAL period, you will know if your cycles are irregular, which is essential because irregular periods increase your risk of cancer, infertility, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression, diabetes, and heart disease. An irregular period is a warning sign. Your period is like a report card for your health!
Birth control is commonly used as a bandaid for acne. Excess androgens cause hormonal acne, so doctors often prescribe birth control to balance activity with synthetic estrogen. Although that may stop the acne, your body will go back to its old ways and overproduce androgens as soon as you go off the pill. So your acne will come back with a vengeance.
I see this happen all the time with my clients. They found me after their doctor prescribed birth control that made them "crazy," so they stopped taking it, and now they are back at square one (or worse) with their skin. You don't need to take birth control to manage hormonal acne. (you also don't need spironolactone, another commonly prescribed bandaid)
When it comes to hormonal acne, it's the same as all other acne. The same bacterium grows at the base of the pore, which triggers inflammation, and you get an acne lesion. The only difference is androgens cause excess oil production, and that causes more frequent breakouts.
The truth is you can manage your acne-prone skin without medication. You CAN have a healthy natural period and treat your acne topically and with lifestyle adjustments.
I understand that birth control helps prevent pregnancy. I am simply pointing out the problems that arise when it is used as a bandaid.
I am not an expert on birth control, hormones, and prescription drugs. Therefore, I want to provide you with my resources in hopes that you will continue your education on this subject!
Web
Books
The 5th Vital Sign By Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Period Repair Manual By Laura Briden, ND
Fertility Awareness Mastery charting workbook By Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
I am, however, the expert on managing acne-prone skin through skincare and targeted corrective treatments, so you can book a consultation with me, check out my E-book or shop at my online store.