Cerelle pill vs Cerazette pill

Need help choosing? Speak to a doctor
Cerelle pill

£From £0.20/day

Cerazette pill

£From £0.24/day

Overview

Rated 2.8

314 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.6

404 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Cerelle pill ingredients

Main hormones in Cerelle pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen


Cerazette pill ingredients

Main hormones in Cerazette pill

Less-Androgenic progestogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

29% somewhat negative

54% stopped periods

48% lost sex drive

39% gained weight

45% no impact on skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

32% somewhat negative

52% stopped periods

54% lost sex drive

45% no impact

38% no impact on skin

Cycle return

33% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Period pain

Period pain

Try it now

£From £0.20/day

Try it now

£From £0.24/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Cerelle pill reviews

314 reviews

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Cerelle pill  

honestly haven’t experience any negative side effects, it was a bit rough for the first couple of months but after about 8-12 weeks it settled and it’s been great, i gained a little weight but no more than about 7lbs so overall it’s been brilliant

Read more

Somewhat positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 8+ yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Cerelle pill  

Been on this pill for about 15years its great i have no periods at all, i have no symptoms of periods etc and i have gained weight but i dont think i can put that down to taking cerelle haha all in all i love this pill and most importantly i havent gotten pregnant while taking it so its main job is done


Very positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Feb 25

Cerelle pill  

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  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  5 days ago

Cerelle pill  

honestly haven’t experience any negative side effects, it was a bit rough for the first couple of months but after about 8-12 weeks it settled and it’s been great, i gained a little weight but no more than about 7lbs so overall it’s been brilliant


Somewhat positive mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 8+ yr
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Cerelle pill  

Been on this pill for about 15years its great i have no periods at all, i have no symptoms of periods etc and i have gained weight but i dont think i can put that down to taking cerelle haha all in all i love this pill and most importantly i havent gotten pregnant while taking it so its main job is done


Very positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Feb 25

Cerelle pill  

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


Cerazette pill reviews

404 reviews

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Cerazette pill  

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.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Cerazette pill  

I really tried to give it a chance and persevere despite a lot of breakthrough bleeding. My skin got worse. My mood/anxiety got worse. The bleeding never stopped. I would be spotting nonstop for 2 weeks, get a period (heavier bleeding), then no bleeding for ~1 week, and then back to spotting. I didn't notice any changes to my sex drive but the constant spotting was a huge deterrent. I am now switching to a combined pill.


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Feb 25

Cerazette pill  

Was on this pill for about 4/5 months. Positives were that it got rid of any cramps/ period symptoms - great as I was previously prescribed meds for dysmenorrhea. However, it gave me constant spotting and light bleeding - I bled for about 75% of the time while on this pill and it didn’t get any better. Doctor recommended that I doubled dose (from 75 to 150mg) - this killed my sex drive and didn’t fix the bleeding issue, so I eventually came off.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Cerazette pill  

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.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 week ago

Cerazette pill  

I really tried to give it a chance and persevere despite a lot of breakthrough bleeding. My skin got worse. My mood/anxiety got worse. The bleeding never stopped. I would be spotting nonstop for 2 weeks, get a period (heavier bleeding), then no bleeding for ~1 week, and then back to spotting. I didn't notice any changes to my sex drive but the constant spotting was a huge deterrent. I am now switching to a combined pill.


Somewhat negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Feb 25

Cerazette pill  

Was on this pill for about 4/5 months. Positives were that it got rid of any cramps/ period symptoms - great as I was previously prescribed meds for dysmenorrhea. However, it gave me constant spotting and light bleeding - I bled for about 75% of the time while on this pill and it didn’t get any better. Doctor recommended that I doubled dose (from 75 to 150mg) - this killed my sex drive and didn’t fix the bleeding issue, so I eventually came off.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Jan 25

Cerazette pill  

I took this for a month and had issues everyday from nausea to headaches. My mood was terrible and I was crying or anxious regularly. I stopped because during my last week of being in this pill I had a breakthrough bleed that was so painful and heavy I couldn’t leave my bed. It was worse than my regular period so I stopped this pill.


Very negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  28th Oct 24

Cerazette pill  

My periods are much lighter now, I probably bleed for about 3 days in 3-4 months - it is irregular though unfortunately so I can't predict when it may occur. My mood is much more stable than it was before and whilst using other hormonal contraception. I have been getting much more increased sweating recently though and had not made the link that it may be connected to the pill before seeing it on the Lowdown website. I have had a really positive experience with the mini-pill, especially after having used the implant before.


Improved skin

1 more effect

1 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  14th Oct 24

Cerazette pill  

I’ve never have had a pain free period over the years my periods of gotten drastically worse which it gotten to a point that i was physically sick during my periods and was house bound for the whole entire wake up period I have PCOS and i was scared using the pill as I read up online that the pill is bad for it I had gotten to point that I was tired and fed up in having painful periods so I as recommended by my nurse to try the Cerazette pill I’m shocked in how quick that this pill stopped my periods however I am over moon that this is the case I don’t wish become a mother so I will be taken this pill till menopause positive effects periods stopped acne on my face and back is starting go Low moods have gone no longer feel bloated Negative effects Little bit of breast pain Little bit of period like cramps only a week coming to what would be my period due this doesn’t last long and I just take paracetamol which helps


Very positive mood

2 more effects

1 helpful

3 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2nd Oct 24

Cerazette pill  

It helped with my anxiety and insomnia. I definitely started sleeping better


Somewhat positive mood

0 helpful

1 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  9th Sep 24

Cerazette pill  

Most of my life I was on Mercilon combined pills which was the only one working for me after tried few in my early 20tis. Had them with some breaks . Later I tried mini pill for few months which didn’t work for me. Mostly because of painful red spots on my neck like acne. Now I am 50 can’t take combined pills and trying the progesterone pills. Tried 1 month Cerazette but stopped after 1 month. I didn’t want to eat Titanium dioxide . Now 2 months in I am on Zelleta. Having acne on my chin and around my mouth. Now have very bad numbness in my hands especially during the night . And some in my legs too . Finishing 2nd pack but coming of it now . Can’t feel my fingers. My hands hurt . It’s not menaupase or lower estrogen level as got this suddenly within days. Very low sex drive like I am switched off completely . Also mood swings with anxiety. I am done with desogestrel pills they are not good for my heath, never was. I am trying natural cycles with app next . And my period should be completely stopping soon with my age.Also, Didn’t have any period with these pills.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  15th Jul 24

Cerazette pill  

I had breakthrough bleeding every day for almost 6 months starting from the day after my first pill. Sometimes heavy like a period but mainly spotting but it never stopped. Eventually the nurse advised it’s probably not for me and told me to stop taking it. It gave me no other negative effects but I thought that was negative enough!


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Progestogen-only / Mini pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  10th Jul 24

Cerazette pill  

Since beginning this pill I have been strictly observing my weight and other side effects. Other birth control methods were unsuitable for me as I experience migraines. So far, I have had minimal side effects and have not noticed any impact on my mood or weight. I have had some small spots appear on my chin, I feel my breasts have gotten a little bit bigger (but I have actually lost weight since starting cerazette). I have had irregular bleeding/periods as the hormones are settling into my system, which has been annoying for myself and for my partner but better than the alternative, which is the point in taking the pill anyway. So far I'm happy to have chosen Cerazette and hope this will continue.


Worse skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Cerelle pill with other contraceptives

Compare the Cerazette pill with other contraceptives

Order online

Order online now

Use our online prescription in under 5 mins

  • No GP appointment needed

  • Free standard delivery

Speak to a doctor

Not sure yet? Speak to a doctor

Schedule an appointment now

87% of women are happier with their contraceptive choice after speaking with one of The Lowdown's doctors

The Lowdown Footer

Women's health, reviewed.

Get the best women’s health info in your inbox

You are signing up to receive The Lowdown's latest findings and news in women's health. Your data will be used in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie policy

Built by doctors and experts

Our tools are made by medical professionals for your peace of mind

Our website uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click on them