Kyleena and Acne: What Users Say

• Coc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2021

For Birth Control "So, I first want to start off by saying that the worst thing you can possibly do is read medical reviews... Yes, we all do it, but it is a terrible decision. I got my Kyleena IUD placed on January 15th, the night before I read numerous reviews and almost backed out. I was so scared of the daunting reviews. But I still went to my appointment. I can say that getting the IUD implanted was painful and slightly uncomfortable, but manageable. Since getting it, I had little to no spotting for three days. I also had cramps for about four consecutive days, but the cramps can last longer, mine are off and on periodically. I also have slight acne, but nothing crazy. Overall, I am having a great experience so far. I will definitely keep up with writing reviews because I do believe that the only people who take the time out to write reviews are the people who are unhappy with the Kyleena, but I can attest that the Kyleena was the best decision I could’ve made! I recommend!"

• Anonymous
• January 30, 2021

"Kyleena is the BEST THING I EVER DID!! There are a ton of bad reviews but don’t let them scare you. I was on the pill for three years but they made me depressed, I gained weight, I’d get migraines, they made my acne worse AND my periods were TERRIBLE!! When I’d get my period before I had Kyleena, I would bleed for 7-10 days and it would be excruciating for the first 4 days. I wouldn’t be able to even move! So I switched to Kyleena. The migraines went away, after the first month, my skin cleared up, I lost weight, my mood was better and my first period was miraculous. I literally was only in pain for an hour. Period lasted about three days, was super light, and the weirdest part is is that even though I was still bleeding, THERE WAS NO PAIN!!! The procedure hurt a little but not quite as bad as I expected. I was not lightheaded, I felt totally fine, and the light cramps only lasted about a week. I’m so thrilled I finally found the perfect birth control. Sex is also wayyy better!"

• Mel...
• April 8, 2021

For Birth Control "I had my IUD for 1 year and 9 months. The good part is I did not get my period much, but of course I panic because I always think I’m pregnant lol. Anyways, while using Kyleena... my mood swings were crazy. I was super mean to my husband, I had severe depression and anxiety, and acne. I gained so much weight with it, and IT'S SO HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT WITH KYLEENA. Also, vaginal dryness was awful, I constantly had yeast infections, tears, lost so much hair... and my sex drive decreased. Overall, I did not like it, I got it removed today I just couldn’t handle it anymore."

• Mia...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 20, 2020

For Birth Control "Okay, I’ve never written a review, but I wanted to, so I could maybe help someone out. I was on the pill for 3 years before I got my IUD. It honestly just seemed easier to go on the IUD so I didn’t have to take a pill every day. I’ve had my IUD for 8 months, and it is the worst thing. I got such bad acne. It reminds me of when I was in high school. It was extremely painful acne as well. I have also gained SO MUCH weight for literally no reason. I have the exact same diet that I did before. I get such bad cramps now, and I never usually got cramps. I also have extreme back pain that is sometimes unbearable. I get moody and lightheaded all the time. It also amps my anxiety for sure. I’m getting it out in a week, and I’m so excited. I want to go back on the pill."

• bea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 3, 2021

For Birth Control "I had the Kyleena inserted 2.5 years ago, after taking birth control and suffering from hormonal mood swings. Like others have mentioned, I was told by my gyno that since the hormones were released into my uterus, this wouldn't be a worry. The insert wasn't too bad, honestly, but the rest hasn't been great. Best pro -- my period disappeared after about a month of spotting and never came back. That being said, I have always been a confident girl, etc., and I have had panic attacks and extreme anxiety for the first time in my life. Also, non-stop cystic acne along my chin and my forehead. I kept telling myself the non-period and protection was worth it, but after doing more research, I can't handle this anymore. I just regret the years I spent not being myself with this birth control. If you have any history of mood swings or acne with previous birth controls, I would seriously reconsider this investment. I'm having mine taken out in the next few days."

• P G...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on Kyleena now for a year after being on Depo-Provera for 5 years. I have extremely painful periods, and I stayed on Depo because I was scared of the pain coming back (despite my horrible depression, weight gain, and acne). I made the switch to this IUD, and the only bad experience so far was insertion. My doctor suggested prescribing a pain reliever for before the appointment, but I was dumb and didn’t accept it. Ask your doctor for pain pills for those first couple of days, and enjoy your pain-free uterus! I also have lost almost 20 lbs of Depo-Provera weight as well! Not every experience is negative."

• MiS...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 28, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve been using Kyleena for almost two years now, and I haven’t had any complaints at all. The insertion went super smooth, it took about 3 minutes for the whole process. It didn’t hurt that bad either, it felt like one hard cramp, and then it was done. I didn’t get any cramps afterwards either. For the first two months, I had some spotting here and there and some acne, but now my periods are way lighter than they were before hopping on Kyleena, and they are a lot shorter too! My acne has also significantly improved to where my skin is almost always clear, except for a couple flare-ups here and there. Getting Kyleena was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I know there are a bunch of scary reviews out there, but there really are a lot more people with positive things to say than negative. The people that have had a good experience with it aren’t writing reviews, shoot, it took me almost two years to write one! Don’t be afraid, it’s always better safe than sorry!"

• Rae...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I chose Kyleena because I wanted an extremely effective, low-maintenance, long-lasting, and hormone-low form of birth control. So far, my experience has been incredible. While the insertion was uncomfortable, I took ample pain meds and drank plenty of water, which really helped. The only pain I have experienced is abnormal and unpredictable cramping and some headaches. I have barely bled, but there has been a lot of discharge. I have not gotten any acne-the hormones have seemed to help my skin! I have had some bloating, but nothing too extreme. I gained maybe a pound, if any weight at all. Neither my partner nor I have felt the IUD during sex. I am still experiencing a very, very light period. Overall, I am very happy with my choice and encourage anyone who is considering Kyleena to get it."

• Csm...
• March 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I have been on dozens of birth controls, pills/rings/patches, you name it. Whether it was depression, anxiety, an increase in aura migraines, or weight gain, I felt like Cinderella but having to search for my own damned glass slipper. Well, I got Kyleena about 1.5 years ago to help combat endo. The first month was unpleasant, but I stuck it out. Flash forward, I don't get a period (score!), hence my cramping has reduced substantially. It hasn't prevented the growth of some cysts, but without depression, anxiety, weight gain, or migraines? I'm a major winner. One downside is a little bit of acne around my jawline/chin occasionally. For 5 years of worry-free birth control? I’ll take it. Will it be the same for you looking for your glass slipper? Who's to say. Honestly, all our bodies are different, and what fits me is not a one-size-fits-all. I never write reviews, but I love this IUD. Do your research, but don’t let bad reviews discourage you. I almost did, and that would have been a big mistake."

• Lil...
• October 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I got my Kyleena IUD in Sept 2017 when I was 18. The insertion sucked, I did stay at the doctor's for nearly a half-hour because I was going to faint. I was menstruating when I got it inserted, I'm not sure if that made a difference. The periods for the first six months were regular, but heavy. Then, starting 6 months after I got the IUD, I experienced regular but light periods. With the IUD, I have had very little cramping when before my cramps would keep me home from school or work. After I had my IUD for about 2 years, my periods have completely gone away. I have been having unprotected sex (same partner) for two years, and I have never had a pregnancy scare. My boyfriend has felt the strings, but it doesn't bother him nor me. Since getting the IUD, I have gained weight, but I know it's not from Kyleena. I have the same acne as I did before I got it. I plan to have my IUD removed in July 2021, and I am dreading the removal."

• MLP...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I never write any reviews. I feel like I have to after 2 years of using Kyleena. The side effects are way too much for anyone to handle the pain. In the past, I have had gallstones, 17-hour labor, a 10-pound baby, and never had this much pain in my life. Also, the bleeding was out of control and spotting all month. No sex drive, depressed, an overwhelming sadness like life is not worth living, weight gain, acne, anger, thought I was pregnant, vomiting, breasts hurting, truly unstable. The doctors wanted to put me on antidepressants - no way! I should be happy: new wed, new home, new car. WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THIS??? I decided to remove Kyleena and put in a copper IUD. OMG, now life is great, periods are normal again, having amazing sex, no issues, feeling happy, feeling amazing. Everyone told me it was stress, and in my mind, NOPE... IT WAS MY KYLEENA IUD... no more hormone IUD ever again. Be careful, ladies."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2020

For Birth Control "The insertion didn’t hurt much, just a few cramps that my gyno warned me about in advance. However, my body went into shock afterwards and passed out and wasn’t even able to drive myself home. It’s been 3 months since I started Kyleena, and I have already gained 10 lbs with no change in my diet. I have extreme mood swings and get a very short temper most days when I have always been a very forgiving person. My bloating is constant, and I’m always uncomfortable. I’ve never had a problem with acne before this, but now I constantly break out around my chin. My sex drive is lower than when on the pill, which could be from my self-consciousness because of the weight gain and bloating. I don’t recommend this to anyone, and I’m counting down the days to get this removed."

• Kat...
• August 21, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the Kyleena IUD a year ago. I was taking the pills for years and wanted something different. Insertion was pretty painful, my doctor prescribed me a cervix softener to take before, and I took some Tylenol. There was a series of 3 painful cramps, but the overall process took 5 minutes. I was able to drive myself home after, and I had bad cramps the rest of the night, but I woke up completely fine. Everyone has different experiences and different levels of pain, each one of my friends had a different reaction. The next 6 months, I randomly got intense, painful cramps and sometimes pelvic pain. I also noticed breakouts, which I never had before. I went to the doctor a few times for check-ups, but everything was fine and in place. I just stuck it out, and eventually, it got better. I still sometimes get a random day of intense cramps, but overall my periods are barely there, and the breakouts stopped!"

• Pri...
• March 7, 2021

For Birth Control "PLEASE DO RESEARCH BEFORE GETTING THE KYLEENA IUD :( Getting this thing in is one of my biggest regrets! First off, it hurt SO BAD to get in... After insertion, I bled for almost 60 days straight!!!!! It was medium to light spotting EVERY SINGLE DAY! If that was not enough... I developed an ovarian cyst! Sometimes the pain would be so bad I would just cry... THEN I started going through - and still am going through till I get it removed - major insomnia, mood swings, and even depression. Oh, also not to mention I get constant yeast infections because of the IUD, and it constantly smells like fish (BV). Don’t forget the cystic acne either! Oh, and one more thing... the strings were cut too short, so they went back into my uterus, and now I have to get surgery to get it removed :) So thank you, Kyleena, for giving me depression, mood swings, cystic acne, an ovarian cyst, insomnia, constant bleeding for 60 days, and lost strings that now have to be surgically removed."

• Lei...
• April 6, 2021

For Birth Control "PLEASE READ THIS! I was so hopeful to get the Kyleena since I had a bad reaction to birth control pills! I originally wanted the Paragard, but my old doctor talked me into the Kyleena. Soon after it was inserted, I started getting side effects (mood swings, acne, hair loss, depression, insomnia, loss of appetite, but still being constantly bloated, etc.). I found a new doctor who is double board certified and extremely knowledgeable, and she explained that synthetic hormones (specifically BC pills) compromise the gut microbiome, which is responsible for almost our entire body’s function. As doctors say, “the gut is the second brain.” Unfortunately, medical findings take 10 years to hit medical school, so that is why only doctors who are constantly researching know modern info. The vagina actually has its own microbiome too! Since the synthetic hormones leak into the gut and bloodstream, this is why I had so many side effects."

• T G...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 5, 2020

For Birth Control "Had my Kyleena inserted a year and 2 months ago. Was it painful to insert? Honestly, yes. I had bad cramps for 48 hours after, but my doctor was great and filled a very small T3 prescription for me, which was great! I had on-and-off spotting for the first 3 months and then no period for 10 months. I just had my period and no cramps at all. I got Kyleena because I used to have 9-day, heavy bleeding periods, so this has been amazing for me. 10/10 worth the pain during the insertion and adjustment period. I did have 2 months of pretty bad hormonal acne around my jaw, which was new for me, but I was also having a rough time then (lol thanks COVID). Overall, I highly recommend it and have had zero pregnancy scares even though my partner and I have unprotected sex every time."

• pre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I had my Kyleena inserted in June 2019 (previously on oral birth control), and it did NOT feel good. The insertion was quite painful, definitely worse than any period cramps I've ever had, but I only had cramps for the rest of the afternoon and evening that day and have felt nothing since! My periods stopped completely (so far), and I'm not pregnant, so those are perks! My acne has flared terribly, though. I'm 28 and experiencing hormonal acne around my jaw area that I can't get rid of. I'm also pretty sure that I am having a hard time losing weight because of the IUD. I have been working out at least 5 days a week (training for a half-marathon) and eating very clean/healthy for two months consistently and have not managed to lose any weight. I'm now down a wormhole reading these forums and debating getting it removed!"

• Ala...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 13, 2020

For Birth Control "3rd check-in - 3.5 years with Kyleena! Yes, there have been side effects - specifically hormonal acne and some intense cramping once every 2-3 months, but I honestly am very happy with my decision. I will keep the Kyleena in until the 5-year mark. Everyone is different, but after bad aura migraines on the pill, awful systemic effects with the Nexplanon matchstick arm implant, I am relieved I found something that worked. Something to know: my OBGYN said today that spotting may become a little irregular as you round out your last year of the IUD. I can attest to this. Had virtually no bleeding of any type the first 2-3 years with this, now I spot every month or so. Still nothing bad. Hope this helps!"

• Bro...
• September 16, 2020

For Birth Control "It was the most pain I have ever felt when I got it put in. I just laid on the table after the insertion because I wasn't sure if I was going to pass out or not. I bled for 4 months straight after getting it put in. I feel like I woke up one day and gained 20 lbs. I am an active person and stay on a healthy diet, but it didn't matter because I still gained weight. I just feel bloated ALL THE TIME. I also got put on prescription acne medicine because I break out around my mouth constantly. My periods are super irregular. Sometimes I don't have a period for a couple of months and then I have a period twice a month. I will say that my periods are significantly lighter! The cramping is one of the main reasons I am going to get it taken out because they are AWFUL. I know that the IUD works for some people, it just did not work for me. The only good thing about it is not having to worry about getting pregnant, but I don't think it is worth it."

• Lua...
• December 16, 2019

For Birth Control "I've had this fitted 11 days ago. Nobody tells you this, but we're not lab rats. Without a proper hormonal screening, this should not be inserted. It's absolutely bad having it fixed. Side effects: painful acne all over my neck, back, and face. Thrush that won't go away. Cramps. I haven't even had the courage to have sex, my drive went from horny rabbit to absolutely gone. I feel like I'm losing my mind - crying 5 times a day at least. Migraines, headaches, anxiety over the roof. Not being able to be myself though, having terrible mood swings and feeling depressed to the point where I isolate myself from everyone and feel like I'm a stupid experiment due to this product. I'm having it removed and will probably use non-hormonal contraception. This has been the worst thing I've done to myself in 30 years."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 1, 2020

For Birth Control "It’s been 11 months. Two nights ago, I couldn’t move for an hour, my fiancée holding me, because of the severe pain in my uterus. Utter torture. I had ridden my bike for an hour that day and was paying the price. I could never have imagined this pain I have put up with for the past year. I put up with it, thinking the “symptoms” would go away. For 5 months, I had excruciating attacks in my uterus, multiple times a day—doubled over and paralyzed, many times in public. I’ve been depressed and unmotivated. My skin had developed cystic acne. My sex drive has gone down. But most of all... the pain. The debilitating pain. No woman should have to go through this. It’s been long enough, and I plan to free myself as soon as I can. Freedom is calling. And Kyleena, you're gone."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 10, 2020

For Birth Control "Ruined my body. I've had Kyleena for a little over 2 years now, and I am so traumatized from the horrific pain of it being inserted that I'm too afraid to remove it despite it destroying my body: ovarian cysts every month, horrible untreatable cystic hormonal acne, abdominal pain so bad that I double over in public constantly. This was the worst thing I did to my body. I feel so trapped."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 9, 2020

For Birth Control "Had Kyleena inserted a year ago, and it was incredibly painful. Even a week after, still got cramps as bad as when it was first inserted. The cramps were horrible. No pain medication or heating pad could help. I was moody, getting acne, constant cramps, discharge, and spotting. I had it removed yesterday, and as soon as it was removed, I instantly felt better. My boyfriend even said I instantly seemed like my regular self prior to getting the coil. I can't take the pill because it reacts badly with my epilepsy medication, so thought this was a better choice, but honestly, it was not worth it at all!"

• GGa...
• December 31, 2020

For Birth Control "Had the IUD inserted in March 2018. It wasn’t terribly painful. Even though my cervix had a crazy pinching sensation, I didn’t experience the wooziness or the fainting, which is ironic because I have POTS disease. I had level 8 cramps for a few weeks and was spotting and having irregular heavy flows on and off for the first 6 months. I sort of stopped spotting, but my irregular periods just lasted longer (2-3 weeks) and went 2-3 weeks waiting for my next irregular period. I gained weight, had hair loss, got acne on my face, scalp, neck, shoulders, back, chest, and randomly on my stomach. Went to a dermatologist, cycled through many products, stopped using scented anything and oil-based products. Nothing helps. My libido slowly decreased to zero. Mood swings. I am unmotivated to do anything; sports, exercise, cook (yet increased appetite), etc. I can no longer say this is worth it. I’m hoping my body can get some relief from all these side effects once I do."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 7, 2021

For Birth Control "Horrible, horrible, horrible experience! Worse was only Mirena! I’ve been on it for over a year…still everyday spotting, still awful cramps…mood swings, acne (which I have never had before). Protects - yes, for pregnancy it is 100% - no issues with that, but be prepared for the nightmare of its side effects."