What is Diane-35 all about?
Diane-35 is a medication that became available in Canada in 1998 for treatment of mild to moderate acne, hirsutism (abnormal hair growth on the face and body), and oily skin. It contains two hormones: ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen) and cyproterone acetate, a progestin. Estrogen and progestins are present in all combined oral contraceptive pills (COC), but the cyproterone acetate in Diane-35 is better at improving acne than other progestins. Although in Canada it approved only for the treatment of acne and hirsutism, Diane-35 is also a very reliable form of contraception. Its failure rates are similar to other birth control pills on the market in Canada. There was some concern raised recently about the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE or blood clots) while taking Diane-35. Like any COC, the risk of VTE is higher when taking Diane-35 than if no medication is taken. The absolute risk of VTE in combined oral contraceptive users is 1-1.5 per 10,000 women years, and is slightly higher in
