Naturopath FAQ: Should I take the pill for hormone balance or to fix my skin?

This is a question asked by many of the women who I work with.

Ultimately, only you can decide what is right for you and your body.

When asked this question, I can only provide you with information on the pros and cons of the pill, how it works and what you can do alongside the pill to minimise side effects or potential detrimental effects on your body. We also need to consider why you are considering using the pill, whether it is also providing a source of contraception or whether it has been recommended as an answer to hormonal issues or skin complaints.

Many women are told that going on the pill is the only way to regulate their hormones.

In reality though, the pill doesn’t regulate your hormones, it controls them. When you take the pill, your own natural hormone production is altered. This has an influence not only on your reproductive hormones but on all hormones and on your neurotransmitters (one of the reasons that many women experience mood changes or depression when taking the pill).

The bleed that you have on the pill is a chemical withdrawal bleed rather than an actual period.

The pill also alters your gut flora and can make you more prone to candida overgrowth and digestive issues as well as reducing your insulin sensitivity meaning that your cells don’t respond to insulin as well which can contribute to cravings for carbohydrates and sugars and also difficulty metabolising them – more sugar + more carbs + less effective insulin can lead to weight gain, especially around the middle or on your stomach.

When you’re taking the pill your need for zinc and B vitamins also increases and because your body is having to process and excrete a synthetic hormone, liver support is also important.

What about taking the pill for hormonal acne or other skin problems?

I work with a lot of women who are experiencing hormone related acne or other skin problems. A lot of them have a history of being on the pill to manage their skin from an early age and they feel fed up that now as adults, they’re still having to deal with adult acne. Unfortunately many women who have taken the pill for their skin see a return of their skin symptoms once they stop the pill. If you're taking the pill to keep acne at bay, there are things that can be done to support you through the process of coming off the pill to minimise skin flares.

What about acne in teenage girls?

Acne can be a source of stress for any one who s experiencing it and teenage girls are often particularly sensitive about their appearance, so wanting to find a way to quickly clear up their skin is totally understandable.

However, it can take some time for the body to establish a regular hormonal cycle during the teenage years and taking the pill during this time can really interrupt that balance. So unless the pill is required as a contraceptive measure during the teenage years, I do tend to recommend that we try to work with the body to support it to establish it’s own rhythm rather than disrupt it unless absolutely necessary.

What about taking the pill to manage painful periods or other period problems?

For many women periods can be painful and unpleasant and fortunately there are many effective natural options to work WITH your body rather than to override it when managing hormonal and period issues.

A holistic approach considers the overall picture including your diet, stress and other factors which may be feeding in to the issue. There is a lot that can be done through diet and nutrition and simple lifestyle tweaks to support hormone balance. I also find that herbs can work very well to gently support your natural hormone rhythm to create more balance and reduce symptoms.

If you would like to discuss holistic health support either whilst taking the pill or as an alternative option to address hormonal issues such as acne, irregular periods or other period issues I would love to help- period issues are very common but they aren’t just a normal ‘part of being a woman’ and you don't have to continue to suffer through them each month..

Read about how you can balance your hormones naturally and reduce your symptoms with my 6 session hormone balance package here: https://blossomwellbeing.com.au/my-hormones-are-driving-me-crazy/