Progestogen-only / Mini pill and body hair getting darker

How our community feel they have been impacted by body hair getting darker on progestogen-only / Mini pill

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

None or not sure

87%

A bit

6%

Quite a bit

3%

A great deal

2%

A lot

1%

Out of the 1358 reviews for progestogen-only / Mini pill, 174 people (13%) reported body hair getting darker.

Reviewers that reported body hair getting darker as a side effect

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

I have been on Cerazette for 4 years now. Initially, I had headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. These symptoms subsided after 3 months. My periods became very irregular and then stopped altogether. Although my doctors deny this all the time, I feel like the pill caused excessive weight gain. Yes, I have had circumstances that affected my life but the weight gain was dramatic. In the first year alone, I gained 15 kilograms. After 4 years, I am up to 25 kg extra weight (BMI 29) and I am struggling to lose the weight with diet and exercise. Lately, I have had more bodily hair growth and am losing some hair on my head. Not many mood swings but definitely feeling angry most of the time. I am also struggling with a very low sex drive, which is starting to affect my marriage. I have an appointment with my GP, will try to switch to the combined pill to try.

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Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Monitor your moods closely. Don’t recommend using if you’re not in a somewhat ok place mentally.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Feb 25

I had an unpleasant experience using Cerelle. It was the first birth control I tried and wasn't given any other options or choice by the GP at the time. I had a 2month long heavy and painful period, worsened skin, hair loss, severe backne to name a few side effects. Really bad experience for me sadly. Having now tried over 10 other birth control pills- mini and combined, I learned that I am very sensitive to progesterone so the mini pill just isn't for me sadly. I'm now on the Patch and loving it.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill common side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

51% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported tender breasts

46% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported period like cramps

42% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported vaginal discharge

40% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported breast enlargement

38% of progestogen-only / Mini pill reviewers reported vaginal dryness


Possible progestogen-only / Mini pill side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

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