How to deal with acne after coming off the pill

At Pai we hear from so many women experiencing skin troubles after coming off the pill – ranging from greasy, oily skin to cystic acne.

The most common skin complaint after coming off the pill is adult acne. I, for one, know how upsetting and confidence shattering that can be.

I don’t want to give false hope here by telling you that one skincare product will magic your spots away. Everyone’s skin and hormone levels vary, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Also, hormone-led acne is extremely hard to shift with topical products. You need to look inwards at the root cause.

Allowing your hormones to rebalance naturally can take time and patience. But there are a few things you can do to help your skin transition when coming off the pill.

Why do you get acne after coming off the pill?

Female hormones are so delicately tuned that balancing them is rather like walking a tightrope.

In the most basic terms, when you are taking the contraceptive pill your hormone levels are controlled to prevent pregnancy. When you stop, the carefully maintained hormone levels are thrown off balance. These hormone disruptions play out on your skin, which can result in acne, and more oily or greasy skin after coming off the pill.

How to come off the pill without getting acne

While your hormones will eventually settle, it can take time – for some people, this may be weeks, while for others it may be many months or years.

Maintaining a consistent skincare routine – with detergent-free cleansing and a rebalancing, detoxifying face oil like Carbon Star – will help combat post-pill acne. Or, try a gentle exfoliating face wash, like Phaze – our PHA-powered cleanser. As will packing your diet full of skin-boosting vitamins, minerals and avoiding inflammatory foods. Good skin foods to eat include apricot, mango and dandelion tea.

There are some natural supplements you can also consider to help encourage your hormones to rebalance after coming off the pill. I’ve caught up with Lorna from the NutriCentre to get her advice on this, who recommended the three most important supplements to help balance hormones after coming off the pill:

VITAMIN B6

Dose: 1 capsule a day with breakfast.

Vitamin B6 is really important for hormone balancing. It’s also worth getting a formula with all the other ‘Bs’ which offer additional support.

AGNUS CASTUS

Dose: 2 capsules with breakfast.

This is a fantastic herb for rebalancing the menstrual cycle. It doesn’t contain hormones, but works by naturally encouraging your body to balance itself. It is often recommended for alleviating PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms.

KENKO OMEGA SUPPLEMENT

Dose: Refer to directions on the label.

This is a really good all-round omega formula for women – to support hormone production and rebalancing.

All of these supplements should be used for at least three months, as it can take at least three menstrual cycles to really begin correcting hormones.

For more information, read our guide to the best skincare routine for acne here or book a free skin consultation with our coaches