Author(s)

Kelly Frasier¹, Grace Herrick², Haily Fritts³, Erika Esquivel⁴, Maddie Moll⁵, Aparna Naik⁶, Guang Orestes⁷, Sarah Lopera⁴

¹Department of Dermatology, Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, NY, USA.
²Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL, USA.
³Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, Meridian, ID, USA.
⁴Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
⁵Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA.
⁶Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Provo, UT, USA.
⁷Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, Las Vegas, NV, USA.

Routine pelvic examinations in women prescribed oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for acne management are scrutinized to assess their impact on dermatological outcomes versus gynecological health. A synthesis of clinical trials, patient surveys, and medical guidelines reveals that these routine exams do not significantly enhance the effectiveness of acne treatment with OCPs but are linked to increased patient discomfort and false-positive results. Evidence suggests that routine pelvic examinations do not significantly impact the effectiveness of acne management with OCPs but are associated with increased patient discomfort and higher rates of false-positive results. The analysis indicates that a more personalized approach, focusing on selective pelvic examinations based on individual risk factors and clinical symptoms, may offer a more practical and patient-centered alternative. The review advocates for a reexamination of existing guidelines to better align with a model of individualized care, emphasizing the need for further research to optimize best practices at the intersection of dermatological and gynecological care. Adopting a personalized approach to pelvic examinations could substantially improve patient care by minimizing unnecessary interventions and discomfort while maintaining the efficacy of acne treatment with oral contraceptive pills.

Pelvic Examinations, Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs), Acne Management, Dermatological Outcomes, Gynecological Health, Selective Pelvic Examinations, Personalized Approach, Reexamination of Guidelines, Intersection of Dermatological and Gynecological Care, Patient-Centered Care

Frasier, K. , Herrick, G. , Fritts, H. , Esquivel, E. , Moll, M. , Naik, A. , Orestes, G. and Lopera, S. (2024) Balancing Dermatological and Gynecological Considerations: Evaluating the Necessity of Pelvic Exams in OCP Prescriptions for Acne Management. Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering, 17, 194-205. doi: 10.4236/jbise.2024.1710016.