Patch and acne

After switching from the combined pill due to depression, I was interested in the patch as I could change it weekly instead of remembering to take a pill everyday. I started the patch and my periods became regular and my mood increased greatly, I do experience bad PMS but It is much better compared to when I was on the pill. I do get cramps sometimes between periods but nothing too bad. You can also use the patch to skip periods but I enjoy having a regular “cycle” and when I did use it to skip a period for a holiday I ended up spotting for a month! Overall the patch is great for me and I don’t plan on changing as it has helped my mental health so much.

I’ve been on the patch for 8/9 months now and my experience is mixed. I love the convenience of a patch, and that stomach issues don’t affect the effectiveness like the pill. However, I have had the worst skin I’ve ever had with rosacea suddenly appearing after 3 months on patch use. I’ve never had bad skin before and suddenly have done after this with no other lifestyle changes. Recently I’ve had spotting in my 3rd week of using the patch, this never happened previously. I’ve also had a weight gain, and tender breasts.

I was prescribed this following the birth of my second child at 7 weeks pp. It seemed like a good option because taking a pill every day was difficult for me and it was discreet and easy to remove when we wanted to conceive again. I very quickly noticed a drop in supply of my breastmilk - I did contact the GP who told me this wasn’t related because I was more than 6 weeks post partum. I also rarely get spots or skin problems but I saw a large increase in spots around my chin and face. When I stopped using the patch my milk supply jumped back up almost immediately.