Place your patch on clean, unbroken skin on your thighs, abdomen, buttock, upper outer arm or upper body. Wherever you chose to place the patch, you should make sure that it won’t be rubbed by tight clothing.

These are the only parts of the body where you can place the Xulane patch. You should not place the patch on your breasts, for example, because it’s not safe. It also shouldn’t be placed on dry, broken or irritated skin.

Be mindful about using any creams, lotions, powders or oils around the area where you’ve placed your patch. The patch might not stick properly or might come off as a result.

When it’s time to change the patch, you should switch sides. So if you’ve been wearing your patch on the left side of your body, for the next week it should be worn on the right.

The Xulane patch should stick to your skin and should stay there for the whole week. Place it on carefully and firmly press it down to make sure it isn’t loose. The skin the patch is placed on should be clean and unbroken. Avoid putting creams, powders and lotions on the patch.

Wearing tight clothes that rub against the patch could make it more likely to fall off. If you’re concerned, try to place it somewhere that clothes aren’t going to rub against it.

If your patch does come away, don’t panic. What you need to do next will depend on how long the patch has been off.

Should your patch fall off, and you realize within the same day, you can reapply the patch that came off. Press the patch down for at least 10 seconds to make sure it sticks to you as it should. If it doesn’t stick to you properly, then apply a fresh patch to your skin.

If your patch has been off for more than a day, or you’re not sure how long it’s been off for, then the effectiveness of the patch has likely been compromised. So you should apply a patch and start a new four-week cycle from that point. This will now be the day you change your patch. Because you could now become pregnant, you should use another birth control method for the next 7 days. Make sure the back-up method you use isn’t hormonal — instead, use condoms or a diaphragm.

You should begin using Xulane on the first day of your period, or on the first Sunday after the beginning of your period. When you start using Xulane, you should use a back-up method of birth control when you do have sex. It will take at least 7 days for your body to adjust to the hormones and for the patch to become effective.

Your patch should be changed on the same day you applied it. It’s important that you get into a routine of this, because if you’re late changing the patch, its effectiveness might become altered. You might want to set an alarm or some sort of reminder when you need to change the patch.

When you apply the next patch, you should opt for the opposite side to where you have just worn it. This will help to make sure that your skin doesn’t become irritated, as you might find some sensitivity where the patch was worn.

Whenever you use hormonal birth control, like the Xulane patch, side effects are a possibility. They could occur when you use any kind of medication. Many side effects aren’t anything to worry about.

Some side effects are really common, and normally go away as you continue using the patch after a month or two. But for more serious side effects, you should seek medical assistance and stop using Xulane.

Breast swelling or tenderness, nausea, unexpected bleeding or breakthrough bleeding are some of the more common symptoms of the Xulane patch.

If you get side effects that persist or become a nuisance, you should speak to a doctor. Log in to your account and send the doctor a message if you are experiencing side effects and want to discuss switching birth control.

For example, this may be if your side effects go on for several months of use, or if you have any symptoms that are uncomfortable or affect your everyday life, like stomach cramps or changes in libido.

Rarely, Xulane may cause more severe side effects. But it’s very unlikely that you’ll be recommended Xulane by a doctor, if you have any health factors that put you at increased risk of these.

If you notice any serious side effects, go to your nearest emergency room. This includes symptoms of an allergic reaction, a blood clot, chest pain, heavy bleeding or lumps or changes in your breasts.