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Does Using Retin-A Reduce the Effectiveness of Birth Control Pills?

I am on birth control pills but my pimples still keep appearing. I want to try using Retin-A since when I used it before (without the pills), it worked on me really good. But, now it's back, so I want to know if the birth control pills loses its effectiveness if I use both pills and Retin-A?

Asked 30 months ago by popolo in Malden
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Retin-A does not interfere with birth control pills at all

I think you are confusing the issue of birth control pills and oral antibiotics. There would be no theoretical risk that a topical Vitamin A product would have any effect on oral administered birth control pills. As far as birth control pills and oral antibiotics, we have a situation in which their is a theoretical risk. Some people, mostly trial lawyers, maintain that antibiotics can displace the estrogen from its carrier protein thereby lessening the potency of "the pill".... more
Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD
Virginia Beach Dermatologist
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