Patch vs Injection

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Patch

£From £0.32/day

Injection

Add your Injection review

Overview

Rated 3.5

115 reviews

Weekly

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.9

301 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

94% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Patch ingredients

Main hormones in Patch

progestogen

oestrogen


Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

36% no impact on mood

35% lighter periods

50% no impact

50% no impact

43% no impact on skin

Cycle return

37% don’t know impact

32% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

57% lost sex drive

48% gained weight

48% no impact on skin

Cycle return

43% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

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£From £0.32/day

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Add your Injection review

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Patch reviews

115 reviews

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Aug 25

Evra patch  

I love using the patch. It has made using contraceptive so much easier and I went through a phase of recommending it too everyone I know. I've had a few symptoms recently, but not sure if that is related to the Patch or a different medical issue. In the last year, I've had more hormonal acne than I did before, but that's the main side effect that I would say I've been affected by. We are coming off contraceptive soon, so hoping it is a smooth process

Read more

Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Jul 25

Evra patch  

I found this much more convenient than a pill as it only has to be thought about each week. The patch cover seemed to often slip leaving the adhesive to get dirty through the week however, and I was told to stop using them after a short time as they brought back migranes that I had not experienced in years.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th Jun 25

Evra patch  

I really liked the patch with my moods, periods, only having to remember once a week to change it, etc, but it gave me a rash. I went to my doctor and was hoping they’d be able to say the rash isn’t a big deal or offer me a patch for more sensitive skin but there isn’t any other patch so sadly I had to come off it and go on the pill


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  6th Aug 25

Evra patch  

I love using the patch. It has made using contraceptive so much easier and I went through a phase of recommending it too everyone I know. I've had a few symptoms recently, but not sure if that is related to the Patch or a different medical issue. In the last year, I've had more hormonal acne than I did before, but that's the main side effect that I would say I've been affected by. We are coming off contraceptive soon, so hoping it is a smooth process


Very positive mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5th Jul 25

Evra patch  

I found this much more convenient than a pill as it only has to be thought about each week. The patch cover seemed to often slip leaving the adhesive to get dirty through the week however, and I was told to stop using them after a short time as they brought back migranes that I had not experienced in years.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Patch  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  30th Jun 25

Evra patch  

I really liked the patch with my moods, periods, only having to remember once a week to change it, etc, but it gave me a rash. I went to my doctor and was hoping they’d be able to say the rash isn’t a big deal or offer me a patch for more sensitive skin but there isn’t any other patch so sadly I had to come off it and go on the pill


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Injection reviews

301 reviews

Injection  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 days ago

Noristerat injection  

It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Noristerat injection  

took some time before i ever come here mainly because i was scared , shy , & hated myself for what im about to talk about here❤️ trust me when i say it’s hard ( im even trying not to cry ) shap so i started my pregnancy prevention journey this year on April it’s been 6 months now & never missed even a single dose (big ups!!) Starting it was so fun & games bcs i would notice some changes & that for me was a game changer bcs I’ve always wanned to gain weight so badzzzz ( i lost weight before so starting this journey for me was a bounce back ) may started eating a lot!! , June my periods desappeared July i got some pimples , august i experienced painful headaches, September my mood swings would change here & there & all that came unoticed to me because that one thing I’ve always wanned does not happen im not gaining still , bro im so drained i feel like it’s so useless for me to inject i don’t know but yeah hey i just hope god pulls through im even thinking of leaving it


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Sayana Press injection  

I have had no negative side effects with Sayana Press and my periods have stopped completely, of the four different contraceptives I've tried over the years, this one is my favourite.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
23 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 days ago

Noristerat injection  

It's a good injection for me, I have been using it for longest time since I was 16 years started to use it. Who recommended it? Clinic nurse.


Decreased sex drive

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
17 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Noristerat injection  

took some time before i ever come here mainly because i was scared , shy , & hated myself for what im about to talk about here❤️ trust me when i say it’s hard ( im even trying not to cry ) shap so i started my pregnancy prevention journey this year on April it’s been 6 months now & never missed even a single dose (big ups!!) Starting it was so fun & games bcs i would notice some changes & that for me was a game changer bcs I’ve always wanned to gain weight so badzzzz ( i lost weight before so starting this journey for me was a bounce back ) may started eating a lot!! , June my periods desappeared July i got some pimples , august i experienced painful headaches, September my mood swings would change here & there & all that came unoticed to me because that one thing I’ve always wanned does not happen im not gaining still , bro im so drained i feel like it’s so useless for me to inject i don’t know but yeah hey i just hope god pulls through im even thinking of leaving it


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Sayana Press injection  

I have had no negative side effects with Sayana Press and my periods have stopped completely, of the four different contraceptives I've tried over the years, this one is my favourite.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

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

Depo-Provera injection  

Depo-Provera was great for me and it stopped my periods completely. I liked not having to take a pill everyday and I didn't want to get another copper coil so this worked well for me. However after being on it for quite a while I got unlucky and ended up with an abscess at the injection site which eventually had to be operated on, however this could have happened with any kind of injection and was just bad luck. I have since switched to Sayana Press so that I can do my own injections at home and clean the injection site beforehand to prevent another abscess.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Depo-Provera injection  

Worst experience I’ve ever had. Since taking this I’ve felt constantly irritated, had complete lack of concentration and it’s completely wiped out my sex drive. I have now been bleeding for 2 months with no break. I have never regretted taking something so much it’s honestly made me miserable.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Aug 25

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve used it on an off for years sudden lost of weight within a month since using it again.


Very positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  26th Aug 25

Sayana Press injection  

i think it’s amazing


Somewhat positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  15th Aug 25

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

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Patch with other contraceptives

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