PIP: Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) affect the skin 3 different ways. They decrease the amount of androgenic hormones produced in the ovaries and adrenal gland. They also limit the quantity of biologically active circulating testosterone. Finally, estrogen markedly decreases oil production in the sebaceous glands. Physicians should prescribe to women with acne a COC that is low in progestogen and high in estrogen. A biphasic pill with no more than 500 mcg norethisterone/day meets these requirements. If a woman is taking systemic antibiotics to treat acne, however, the physician should prescribe a biphasic pill containing 50 mcg ethinyl estradiol. Even though many believe that using COCs causes hair loss, there is little evidence to support it. Nevertheless, if a woman has indeed experienced hair loss, she should take a COC with a high estrogen to progestogen ratio. As in some pregnant women, cholasma may occur in women taking COCs when not protected from sunlight. Physicians need to prescribe the lowest possible dose of hormones in these women and counsel them to shield their face from sunlight. To err on the side of safety, women who have had a malignant melanoma should not use a hormonal contraceptive. In addition, women who have experienced many bouts of skin candidiasis should use an alternative contraceptive. Other skin disorders that they have been found to be more prevalent in women taking COCs include erythema nodosum, accelerated systemic lupus erythematosus, porphyria cutanea tarda, herpes gestationis, spider naevus, and telangiectasia. There also exists an association between dermatitis and barrier methods and spermicides. Some articles have suggested that copper containing IUDs have also cause a variety of skin disorders.