I am beginning to wonder if starting birth control is the cause of my acne. I've been on it for three years and since I've started it the breakouts have been getting worse. 3 months ago I switched from Cyclessa to Ortho Lo and there has been the slightest difference(better). When I first started BCP I noticed I have several small tiny bumps on my forehead and that stayed like that for 2 years then the bumps moved to my cheek and the only time my face looks almost 90% clear is on the sugar pill week. My period day my face gets inflamed and I get a few whiteheads that I pop and they get red and irritated, but the day right after it calms down and is almost clear 4days after.......until the 2nd week of pills my face slowly starts getting bumpy again. The thing I dont understand is that one week its fine, the next week it's bad. I am debating on going off of them, but I am scared it might get worse, but then again I think it may be causing it?!?!?!?! I am supposed to go see my PCP on friday to get a referral to a derm, but I am due to start my new pack of BCP tomorrow. It seems that the end of every week that my face kinda clears until I take the placebo pills and period day comes and it goes whack, until the end of that week. Maybe I need a monophasic pill, I dont know I am at wits end.

What would you do, if you had these symptoms?

Is it possible that the week I am off the pill, having my period, that my complexion could clear? Because it is almost 100% clear. Should I take my pill tomorrow or no. I wonder if taking it screws my skin up and the week I am off of it, it can breath and try to be normal. I see a derm dr. for the first time in two weeks, should I take it until she can do a hormone test, or what. Please help, what would you do?

If you need more info, ask. Thanks so much for any advice..