Melasma And Other Skin Manifestations Of Oral Contraceptives
January 1967
in “
PubMed
”
TLDR Oral contraceptives often cause melasma and other skin issues.
The document discussed the skin changes caused by oral contraceptives, focusing on melasma, a blotchy hyperpigmentation of the face. In a study of 199 patients, 24% developed melasma, while another study of 212 patients showed a 29% incidence. Melasma often appeared 1-4 months after starting the pill and showed minimal improvement even after stopping the drug. Other skin issues included acne, alopecia, aphthous stomatitis, and erythema nodosum. Reducing sunlight exposure and using hydroquinone cream provided slight improvement, while changing the type of pill had little effect. Reducing progesterone might help.