Implant vs Injection

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Implant

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Injection

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Overview

Rated 2.8

612 reviews

Every 3 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

294 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

94% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Implant ingredients

Main hormones in Implant

progestogen


Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

37% somewhat negative

49% irregular periods

50% lost sex drive

40% gained weight

56% no impact on skin

Cycle return

31% in 1 month

32% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

56% lost sex drive

49% gained weight

47% no impact on skin

Cycle return

43% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Heavy periods

Ovulation pain

Period pain

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

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Try it now

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Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Implant reviews

612 reviews

Implant  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Implant  

All the great wetness I was feeling down there is all gone. I have painful sexual intercourse and I'm sad.

Read more

Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

Poor experience. Great at preventing pregnancy however side effects on mental and physical health were not worth it. I chose to prioritise my health and swap to condoms.


Very negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Nexplanon implant  

Bled constantly for months, then no period for ages, then bleeding again for weeks on end. Really heavy which is abnormal for me. No sex drive, I was really depressed for the nearly 3 years I was on this and I thought that was just me, funnily enough when i came off it I felt so much better and couldn’t believe most my problems were probably being caused by this implant


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Implant  

All the great wetness I was feeling down there is all gone. I have painful sexual intercourse and I'm sad.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6 days ago

Nexplanon implant  

Poor experience. Great at preventing pregnancy however side effects on mental and physical health were not worth it. I chose to prioritise my health and swap to condoms.


Very negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Implant  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Nexplanon implant  

Bled constantly for months, then no period for ages, then bleeding again for weeks on end. Really heavy which is abnormal for me. No sex drive, I was really depressed for the nearly 3 years I was on this and I thought that was just me, funnily enough when i came off it I felt so much better and couldn’t believe most my problems were probably being caused by this implant


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments


Injection reviews

294 reviews

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Noristerat injection  

I had no problems while using noristerate but I would get annoyed sometimes because I would experience spotting for 2 weeks before my next injection. I had little to no menstrual cycle.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Jul 25

Injection  

Side effects are bad


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Jul 25

Depo-Provera injection  

All women should really do the research before starting this medication. I have read quite a few stories online of women who have felt the same. I have basically felt like a completely different person. I am near on the end of one injection and I will not be going back for another. It’s absolutely ruined my relationship with my partner. I’ve been absolutely horrible to him and it’s only now I’m starting to realise just what this injection did to me. Thank goodness he’s so understanding and helped me through it because I was literally horrendous. Literally a few days after I had it I was a different person, I hated him. Everything he done annoyed me, I was rude and hurtful and I couldn’t control it. I would snap in and out of moods so badly that we named the other “person” Patrica. He was constantly walking on egg shells as he never knew which version he would get. I am so upset that I have felt this way in the last few months. So much so I was having suicidal thoughts. I pray that anyone doesn’t risk it because it’s been 3 months of hell for us.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Noristerat injection  

I had no problems while using noristerate but I would get annoyed sometimes because I would experience spotting for 2 weeks before my next injection. I had little to no menstrual cycle.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Jul 25

Injection  

Side effects are bad


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
34 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Jul 25

Depo-Provera injection  

All women should really do the research before starting this medication. I have read quite a few stories online of women who have felt the same. I have basically felt like a completely different person. I am near on the end of one injection and I will not be going back for another. It’s absolutely ruined my relationship with my partner. I’ve been absolutely horrible to him and it’s only now I’m starting to realise just what this injection did to me. Thank goodness he’s so understanding and helped me through it because I was literally horrendous. Literally a few days after I had it I was a different person, I hated him. Everything he done annoyed me, I was rude and hurtful and I couldn’t control it. I would snap in and out of moods so badly that we named the other “person” Patrica. He was constantly walking on egg shells as he never knew which version he would get. I am so upset that I have felt this way in the last few months. So much so I was having suicidal thoughts. I pray that anyone doesn’t risk it because it’s been 3 months of hell for us.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3rd Jul 25

Depo-Provera injection  

This has been great for me helped regulate my moods no longer huge crashes i get around periods. Also it has completely stopped my periods which were heavy and painful, I get the occasional period pain leading up to when my injection is due but they are very very mild and don’t really effect me.


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Jun 25

Depo-Provera injection  

Things I’ve had history struggling with in the past: depression, anxiety, weight Things depo increased: depression, anxiety, weight


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  20th Jun 25

Noristerat injection  

im not gaining weight is that normal?


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Jun 25

Noristerat injection  

started using it on April but so far my body is still the same & haven’t experienced breast enlargement yet


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 8+ yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th May 25

Sayana Press injection  

Used for over 10 years, completely stopped my periods which was fantastic. The devices became harder and harder to use, needing a lot of force to inject so I ended up turning myself into a pin cushion & wasting a few, which made reordering a faff. Don’t think I gained weight and if anything my skin improved (but that could just be normal from teenage to late 20s). The only negative I noticed was decreased sex drive - but it didn’t totally go so not a massive issue for me.


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  13th May 25

Sayana Press injection  

I was on this injection for 2 years, the whole process put me off . when i started the injection i had a period of 16 days (over two weeks) and it was so heavy, months went on and my periods stopped all together, i didn’t have a period for minus 2 years , i’m now on the combined pill but i did receive higher anxiety and depression towards taking it for ages, the doctor offered me antidepressants but i didn’t want to be taking them as i am a quite smily happy person but i literally lost all my energy and motivation to do anything.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  8th May 25

Noristerat injection  

With the contraception I experience a lot of abdominal pains frequently


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Implant with other contraceptives

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