Birth control patch

There are a lot of great things about being on birth control that go beyond pregnancy prevention. Protection against ovarian cancer, an added boost to your vitamin D levels, lighter and less painful periods, the list goes on.

For most people, the risk of blood clots when using the ring, the patch, or the combined birth control pill (which is the most common type of pill) is low. But smoking increases this risk. If you are over 35 and smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day, the combination pill, patch, and ring are not safe options for you. If you’re over 35 and you smoke less than 15 cigarettes a day, talk to your provider about whether these birth control methods are safe options for you. People who smoke can always use the IUD, the implant, the shot, the mini-pill (progestin-only pill), and any method that is hormone free (like condoms, for example).

If you feel like your birth control is changing your behavior, it’s time to talk to your health care provider. Everybody responds to birth control differently, and your provider can help you decide whether it’s time to try something else. It might be a matter of switching hormonal methods or deciding whether to avoid hormonal birth control altogether, or you may choose to wait it out since some negative side effects go away with time. The bottom line: If your current method is making you feel blah, don’t settle. There are a lot of methods to choose from and sometimes it can take a few tries to get it right.

If you’re under the influence of alcohol—or anything else—a birth control method that doesn’t require action right when you’re about to get your freak on may be your safest bet. Fortunately, there are plenty of options. Note: These methods will cover you against pregnancy, but you should pair them with a condom for STI protection.

And speaking of covering all your bases, here are some tips for safer, smarter hookups.

The relationship between birth control and depression is complicated, especially since different methods can affect people very differently. If you feel your birth control might be contributing to depression, talk with your health care provider. Remember, there are a lot of birth control methods out there—don’t settle until you find the right one for you!

It can be complicated to tell exactly how hormonal birth control affects mood, but you’re the only one who truly knows how you feel. Everyone reacts to birth control differently, so if you feel your birth control might be contributing to depression, talk with your health care provider. Remember, there are a lot of birth control methods out there—you can find the right one for you!

No need to worry, it’s most likely just bits of dust and dirt catching in the adhesive that makes the patch stay on your skin. While the patch is in place there isn’t too much you can do about it without running the risk of making the patch un-sticky. Once you take the patch off, you can try rubbing a little bit of baby oil on the marks. They should come right off with a little scrubbing.

Try this: First, give it a couple months to settle out.

Some women do experience irritation from the adhesive.

Try this: You could try moving it to another recommended spot to see if that lessens the effect. You can also put a little over the counter cortisone cream on the irritated area and it will probably get better quickly. Or, if you’ve been moving it around, try keeping it in one spot (and watch Geraldine talk about how this has worked for her).

Patches fall off only about 5% of the time—so not very often. But if the patch falls off, no worries. You can stick the same patch back on if it’s been less than 24 hours and the patch is still sticky. Or, you can just apply a new patch.

DO NOT use bandages, tape, or adhesive to make a non-sticky patch stick. The hormones that keep you from getting pregnant are mixed with the adhesive, so if it won’t stick, it’s also not going to be effective as birth control.

Try this: Make sure you don’t use any “lotions or potions” (you know, powders, creams, medications, etc.) on your skin where you put the patch. Even moisturizing after the shower can interfere with the patch sticking.

Most birth control methods will not cause weight gain. Everyone’s body responds to birth control differently, but research shows that the pill, patch, the hormonal IUD, the ring, and non-hormonal birth control methods like a copper IUD or condoms don’t cause weight gain (or loss). Studies do show that about 1 in 4 people who use the shot will gain some weight (around 5% of body weight).

Any medicine has some side effects, but when people hear the negative stuff, it sticks in their brain like a cheesy old song you can’t stop humming. That’s just human nature, and it happens to all of us.

Remember that drug companies list every single scary thing you could possibly experience with a medication. Even if it’s super rare. They have to. It’s the law. So before you run for the hills, consider this: the potential side effects of something as harmless as aspirin are pretty scary when you read them, too. Birth control is definitely worth it if you aren’t ready to have a baby. Trust us, pregnancy has more side effects than we can count. There are so many different birth control methods that there’s something for everyone.