Slynd: What You Need to Know

Reviewed by Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726). Last reviewed: October 2026.

What is Slynd?

Slynd is a progestogen-only contraceptive pill, also called the mini pill. It contains one active ingredient: drospirenone at a dose of 4 milligrams per tablet. It is manufactured by Exeltis.

Unlike older mini pills, Slynd comes as a 28 day pack of 24 active tablets followed by 4 inactive tablets, so you take a tablet every day without a break. Unlike the combined pill, Slynd does not contain oestrogen. That makes it suitable for people who cannot take oestrogen, including those who are breastfeeding, have migraines with aura, smoke and are over 35, or have raised blood pressure.

Drospirenone is the same progestogen used in the combined pill Yasmin. The difference is that Slynd is progestogen-only and contains no oestrogen, so it does not carry the small blood clot risk that combined pills do.

How does Slynd work?

Slynd prevents pregnancy mainly by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg in most cycles. It also thickens the mucus at the cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach an egg, and thins the lining of the womb.

Taken correctly, Slynd is more than 99% effective. With typical use, where pills are occasionally missed or taken late, effectiveness is around 91% (FSRH, 2022).

Because drospirenone stops ovulation in most cycles, Slynd is more effective at this than traditional mini pills containing norethisterone or levonorgestrel, which rely mainly on thickening cervical mucus.

How do you take Slynd?

Take one tablet at the same time each day. A pack has 24 white active tablets followed by 4 green inactive tablets. You take one tablet every day with no break, and you may get a bleed during the 4 inactive days. When you finish a pack, start the next one the following day.

If you start Slynd on day 1 of your period, you are protected straight away. If you start on any other day, use condoms for the first 7 days.

For personalised missed pill advice, use our missed pill tool.

What if you miss a Slynd pill?

Slynd has a 24 hour late window, which is more forgiving than the 12 hour window of desogestrel mini pills and the 3 hour window of traditional ones. If you take an active tablet less than 24 hours after your usual time, you are still protected.

If you are more than 24 hours late with an active tablet, take it as soon as you remember, continue the rest of the pack as normal, and use condoms for the next 7 days. Missing an inactive (green) tablet does not affect your protection, so throw the missed one away and carry on.

Does Slynd help with acne?

Slynd may help acne for some people. Drospirenone has anti-androgenic properties, meaning it lowers the effect of androgens, the hormones that drive oil production and can worsen acne. This is why drospirenone is sometimes chosen when acne or oily skin is a concern.

Slynd is not licensed purely as an acne treatment, so your pharmacist supplies it as contraception that may also help your skin, not as a skin medicine. If acne is your main concern, read our guide on the pill and acne, and mention it during your consultation.

What are the side effects of Slynd?

Slynd side effects listed as common in the patient leaflet (up to 1 in 10 people) are headache, nausea, abdominal pain, changes in sex drive, altered mood, acne, breast discomfort, painful periods, irregular bleeding and weight gain. In long-term trials the most frequent were acne (3.8%), irregular bleeding (2.9%), headache (2.7%) and breast pain (2.2%) (Slynd SPC).

The table groups the side effects in the Slynd patient information leaflet by how often they are reported. Most appear in the first 2 to 3 months and settle as your body adjusts.

Changes to your bleeding pattern are the most frequently reported effect. Some people find their periods become lighter or stop, while others get irregular spotting, especially in the first few months. Both are normal and not a sign that anything is wrong.

Drospirenone has a mild anti-mineralocorticoid effect, which can raise potassium levels. For most people this is not a problem, but it is why your pharmacist checks your kidney health and other medicines before supplying Slynd. Slynd contains no oestrogen and is not thought to raise the risk of blood clots in the way combined pills do.

Does Slynd cause weight gain?

Slynd lists weight gain as a common side effect (up to 1 in 10 people) and weight loss as a rare one, so weight can move either way. Current evidence does not show that Slynd directly causes significant weight gain for most people, and changes are usually small.

If your weight changes and it bothers you, speak to your pharmacist. Our guide on the mini pill and weight gain explains what UK guidance says about progestogen-only pills and weight.

Does Slynd stop your periods?

Slynd can stop your periods for some people, but it is not guaranteed. Bleeding often becomes lighter or less frequent over time, while irregular bleeding or spotting is common at the start. A bleed during the 4 inactive tablets is normal, and a change in your bleeding pattern is not a sign the pill has failed.

If bleeding is heavy or persistent after 3 months, speak to your pharmacist. Our guide on whether the pill stops your period compares the patterns on different pills.

Is Slynd the same as Yasmin?

Slynd is not the same as Yasmin. Both contain drospirenone, but Yasmin is a combined pill with 3 milligrams of drospirenone plus ethinylestradiol, an oestrogen, while Slynd has 4 milligrams of drospirenone and no oestrogen. Without oestrogen, Slynd is not linked with the raised blood clot risk of combined pills and can suit many people who cannot take oestrogen.

The two also differ in how they are taken: Yasmin is 21 tablets then a 7 day break, while Slynd is 24 active then 4 inactive tablets with no break. Read our Yasmin guide for the combined pill side of the comparison.

Who can take Slynd?

Slynd is suitable for most people aged 16 to 49 through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. It is usually suitable for people who are breastfeeding, have migraines with aura, smoke and are over 35, have a higher BMI, have raised blood pressure, or have had a blood clot, as none of these usually rules out a progestogen-only pill.

Slynd is not suitable if you have severe kidney disease or sudden (acute) kidney failure. If you take medicines that can raise potassium, or have been told you are at risk of high potassium, it needs extra care and you may need a blood test first. It is also not suitable if you have or have had breast cancer, severe liver disease, or unexplained vaginal bleeding. Your pharmacist checks your full medical history and current medicines before supplying it.

A blood pressure reading is not usually needed for the mini pill. Your pharmacist will confirm what is required when you book.

How does Slynd compare to other mini pills?

Slynd is a genuinely different mini pill. Its 24 hour window is the most forgiving of the mini pills, and its anti-androgenic drospirenone may help acne and reduce water retention. The trade-off is a narrower age range under the NHS PCS, 16 to 49, compared with 16 to 54 for the desogestrel pills.

The desogestrel mini pills (Cerelle, Cerazette) are the most commonly supplied and have a 12 hour window. For help choosing between them, read which contraceptive pill is right for me.

How to get Slynd free

Slynd is available free on the NHS through your GP, a sexual health clinic, or a pharmacy through the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. With Contraception Direct, you book a free phone consultation, your pharmacist checks your suitability, and your pill is posted in discreet packaging within 1 to 3 working days.

Slynd is supplied by brand rather than by a generic equivalent, so if it is right for you, that is what you receive. If you are currently on Slynd and want to continue, or want to start the pill for the first time, book a consultation and your pharmacist will confirm whether it is right for you.

This information is for general guidance only and does not replace advice from a clinician, pharmacist, or doctor. A clinician will review your consultation before any medication is supplied.