I Feel Great! Do I Still Need an Annual Wellness Check?
Annual wellness visits are a cornerstone of primary care for all ages. Here’s why they’re still important when you feel fine.
Consider These Additional Benefits of Birth Control
The most well-known benefit of birth control is family planning: It’s in the name. If you don’t want to give birth anytime soon, getting on birth control is a good idea. Modern birth control options empower you to plan when and if you’d like to start a family.
Although family planning is a major reason many women visit Westmed Family Healthcare to explore their birth control options, it’s not the only reason. At our office in Westminster, Colorado, board-certified physicians Clifton Etienne, MD, Michael Cavanagh, MD, and Flora Brewington, MD, might also recommend birth control for its other benefits.
From skin care to pain reduction, birth control can be a valuable addition to your treatment plan. Let’s explore the lesser-known benefits of birth control.
1. Clearing up acne
It may come as a surprise when your doctor recommends birth control for acne, but you didn’t mishear them. Hormonal birth control methods like the pill help clear up acne by reducing the amount of male hormones your ovaries produce.
In women, higher-than-average male hormones can increase sebum production, the oil in your skin. Sebum can clog your pores, inviting acne to gather within them.
When treating acne with birth control, our team prescribes pills that combine estrogen and progesterone. Progesterone-only birth control options can have the opposite effect, causing acne to get worse.
2. Regulating periods
If you have irregular or heavy menstrual periods, birth control can help. In fact, period regulation and predictability are common reasons for taking birth control pills. When taking the pill, you may notice fewer symptoms like menstrual cramps during your period. You might also notice fewer premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms including:
- Irritability
- Weight gain
- Sore breasts
- Bloating
- Migraines
Talk to our team if your periods are particularly difficult because of PMS, cramps, or heavy bleeding. Hormonal birth control may be your best option for an easier monthly cycle.
3. Treating uterine and ovarian conditions
Conditions affecting your uterus and ovaries can be painful and persistent, but birth control might offer some relief. Our team often recommends hormonal birth control to help treat these conditions:
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a painful, lifelong condition that causes tissue from inside your uterus to grow elsewhere and form lesions. Like typical uterine tissue, this tissue swells and breaks down on a monthly cycle.
Hormonal birth control, including estrogen and progesterone and progesterone-only options, can reduce the growth of uterine tissue outside your uterus.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a hormone imbalance causing your ovaries to produce too many male hormones. It can cause a wide range of symptoms including excessive hair growth and acne. It’s also a common cause of infertility.
While you still can’t get pregnant when taking birth control, hormonal birth control can improve many PCOS symptoms.
4. Reducing cancer risk
Remarkably, birth control pills can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer by 30-50% and endometrial cancer by 30%. While the pill is associated with some other health risks, the reduced cancer risk is certainly a perk.
To explore your birth control options and their benefits with help from our trusted team, call Westmed Family Healthcare today to book an appointment or schedule one online anytime.
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