The other day I posted the listing of certain birth control pills androgen index which I found on The American Hair Loss Association website. Later that day I received an email from Gracie pointing me to a great resource that provides more in depth knowledge about the hormonal components of various birth control pills. She also mentioned that in her own research she found out that most women seem to have more problems on lower estrogen pills, i.e. 20mg. I didn’t ask, but I think she meant mcgm (micrograms). Glancing over at the list I am about to provide you with, I found that the pill I took, Loestrin FE is among the lowest estrogen pills, listing at 20mcgm along with Aleese, Levlite, Micrette, and Ortho Evra patch. The pill I take now, Ortho-Tri Cyclen is 35/35/35 mcgm with a different type of Progestin (norgestimate) than the one used for Loestrin (norethindrone acetate).
The pills listed as likely to cause worse acne and hair growth side effects (obviously not hair on the head, but perhaps your chin) are those pills high in androgenicity and low in estrogen content.
Such pills might include:
Loestrin® 1.5/30
Loestrin® 1/20 Fe
Estrostep® Fe
Levlen®
Alesse®
Ovral®
Norlestrin® 1/50
For a more complete listing and an in depth overview of the pills, visit: http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm
| Estrogen Levelethinyl estradiol
(micrograms) |
Pill Brand Name | Progestin | Dose (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mcgm | Alesse® | levonorgestrel | 0.10 |
| Levlite® | levonorgestrel | 0.10 | |
| Loestrin 1/20® Fe | norethindrone acetate | 1.00 | |
| Mircette® | desogestrel | 0.15 | |
| Ortho Evra®(patch) | norelgestromin(norgestimate metabolite) | 0.15 | |
| phasic20/30/35 mcgm | Estrostep® Fe | norethindrone acetate | 1.0/1.0/1.0 |
| 30 mcgm | Levlen® | levonorgestrel | 0.15 |
| Levora® | levonorgestrel | 0.15 | |
| Nordette® | levonorgestrel | 0.15 | |
| Lo/Ovral® | norgestrel | 0.30 | |
| Desogen® | desogestrel | 0.15 | |
| Ortho-Cept® | desogestrel | 0.15 | |
| Loestrin® 1.5/30 | norethindrone acetate | 1.50 | |
| Yasmin® | drospirenone | 3.0 | |
| phasic30/40/30 mcgm | Triphasil® | levonorgestrel | 0.05/0.075/0.125 |
| Tri-Levlen® | levonorgestrel | 0.05/0.075/0.125 | |
| Trivora® | levonorgestrel | 0.05/0.075/0.125 | |
| 35 mcgm | Ortho-Cyclen® | norgestimate | 0.25 |
| Ovcon-35® | norethindrone | 0.40 | |
| Brevicon® | norethindrone | 0.50 | |
| Modicon® | norethindrone | 0.50 | |
| Necon® | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Norethin® | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Norinyl® 1/35 | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Ortho-Novum® 1/35 | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Demulen® 1/35 | ethynodiol diacetate | 1.00 | |
| Zovia® 1/35E | ethynodiol diacetate | 1.00 | |
| phasic35/35 mcgm | Ortho-Novum® 10/11 | norethindrone | 0.50/1.00 |
| Jenest® | norethindrone | 0.50/1.00 | |
| phasic35/35/35 mcgm | Ortho-Tri-Cyclen® | norgestimate | 0.15/0.215/0.25 |
| Ortho-Novum® 7/7/7 | norethindrone | 0.50/0.75/1.00 | |
| Tri-Norinyl® | norethindrone | 0.50/1.00/0.50 | |
| 50 mcgm | Necon® 1/50 | norethindrone | 1.00 |
| Norinyl® 1/50 | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Ortho-Novum® 1/50 | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Ovcon-50® | norethindrone | 1.00 | |
| Ovral® | norgestrel | 0.50 | |
| Demulen® 1/50 | ethynodiol diacetate | 1.00 | |
| Zovia® 1/50E | ethynodiol diacetate | 1.00 |
