text: skin acne clear up and ortho tricyclen vs. seasonale birth control pill to help? hi,  i currently have an iud but my skin is oily and breaking out not to mention my periods are heavier and more painful. cramping is awful. i am wanting to get back on the pill. i know ortho tricyclen is hailed as helping one to clear up skin but there is a new birth control pill--seasonale that allows one to (eventually) only have 4 periods per year as well as lighter bleeding. i am just wondering if seasonale has helped anyone here get their skin cleared up...although its not per se indicated for it. i would love help to both clear up my skin yet also only have a period once every 3 months and ideally, i wouldn't have to choose btwn the two benefits. anyone care to share their experiences on either method but particularly seasonale--since its newer and so less online info about it is available from users. thanks! i'm on my third pack of seasonale and i really like it.  i too have oily skin and that hasn't changed.  no birth control pill i've ever been on has cleared up the oil.  you might break out less, but the oil will stay.  my skin cleared up when i moved to wyoming, but that might not be practical for you.  if your skin is breaking out due to hormones then seasonale should be great for you since, you'll only experience those hormones every three months.  seasonale really helped one of my girlfriends with her hormone induced migraines.  also, seasonale is not a new type of birth control.  it's a regular birth control pill.  doctors have been prescribing birth control in this exact manner for years.  seasonale is just the first company to actually market the product and put it in it's snazzy little case with all three months together.  good luck, hope you like it.  how often do you wash your face and what do you use? you might actually be making your skin oily by washing it too often with a harsh oil stripping product.   use an oil free product, but it doesn't necessarily have to be for oily skin. i like purpose face wash and occasionally use their moisturizer. aveeno positively radiant face wash is also really good. i also keep basis facial cleansing cloths in my purse. i stopped using purpose when i moved to wyoming since the air here is so dry and of the three products purpose is the most drying. i keep it around though for when i travel.  all of these products are readily available and not very expensive. also, i tried all of these products at my dermatologists suggestion. she has also recommended different neutrogena products but i only use their sunscreen. i really like the oil absorbing sheets, it doesn't matter what brand you buy they all work well.