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When young women suffer from acne to the extent they feel the need to take action, for some, birth control pills have become the method of choice. Is this really a safe way to control a condition like acne?

Acne is not pleasant, but it is not life threatening either. Taking the birth control pill as a means to rid themselves of acne, flies in the face of reason. The potential side effects of the pill include things like mood swings, nausea, water retention and weight gain. The health risks can be even greater with prolonged use, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Using this means to cure a condition that is far less serious in nature is a worrying trend being pursued by young women. The thinking behind this method is that the birth control pill will regulate hormones in a way that it will prevent the onset of acne. There is a possibility that even if it does work, it will be a temporary relief as the acne may well return when the woman ceases using the pill.

If acne is considered a problem that must be dealt with, other methods should be tried before ever going down the birth control route. There are other options open that may or may not work, but which are not a threat to a woman's good health. Given the side effects possible with the birth control pill, perhaps women in this position should be content to live with the acne problem rather than create more serious ones.

The real acne problem we face in society, is the perception young people have of the condition. Many well-balanced teenagers accept acne as part of the journey toward maturity whereas others seem to view it as a complete stain on their character, as if acne makes them an unlikable person.
The advertising world have much to answer for in this regard as they present television advertisements depicting young people losing out on romance because they have acne problem.

If society, and the media in particular were to present acne as something natural and acceptable, perhaps young people wouldn't feel the need to resort to things like the birth control pill as a means to cure it, putting themselves at risk.

Learn more about this author, JC Campbell.
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