hairyissues - Jezebel

posts about #hairyissues more →
Hair Apparent
Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
It Beats All
Hairy Issues

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

andBegorrah
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
You posted her numbers??!? Can we get a *Hair Trigger Warning*, please?!! #dreadlocks
Reply

andBegorrah was starred andBegorrah was unstarred

JessickerFletcher
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
I just hope that she never has an unfortunate run-in with the University of New Mexico's women's soccer team.
Reply

Edited by JessickerFletcher at 11/11/09 11:45 AM JessickerFletcher was starred

boxspelunker
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
Wow! My dreads are tiny little buggers. They are about an inch or two.

I can't imagine the crazy amount of work that goes into caring for that long of locks. #dreadlocks
Reply

boxspelunker was starred boxspelunker was unstarred

keldo
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
She must dread washing her hair. #dreadlocks
Reply

keldo was starred keldo was unstarred

morninggloria
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
I bet her hair can totally dunk. #dreadlocks
Reply

morninggloria was starred morninggloria was unstarred

CurtCole
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
I can't beweave this! #dreadlocks
Reply

CurtCole was starred CurtCole was unstarred

DarcyMcCarbomb
11/11/09

@CurtCole: I dread the thought of carrying around that much weight! #dreadlocks
Reply

CurtCole promoted this comment DarcyMcCarbomb was starred DarcyMcCarbomb was unstarred

o-line
11/11/09

In reply to Hair Apparent
Only three pounds? I chop off a five inches and it feels like I've lost three pounds. #dreadlocks
Reply

o-line was starred o-line was unstarred

serreca
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I was on the pill for years, until this past August when my husband and I decided to try to get pregnant. I suddenly had the worst acne of my life, and now I have to Nair my upper lip every 3-4 days. I've been diagnosed with PCOS, I guess the birth control pills kept it at bay all those years.

I also notice that the hair on my legs grows faster, and my neck is getting fuzzier. Ack.

I'm on Metformin (Glucophage) to treat it. It is interlinked with insulin resistance. Anyone else taking this?
Reply

serreca was starred serreca was unstarred

brendastarlet is on it
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
PCOS generally occurs in women who have family histories of it. If you ever hear your mom, grandmother or aunt say, "yes, it was like that for me" tell your doctor.

Be very careful about the drugs they give you, because docs all want to use drug therapy first. Before you go on anything, try dietary changes, and above all, quit smoking. The tar and nicotine from cigarettes prevent your blood from getting enough oxygen, and a lack of oxygen plays havoc with your hormones.
Reply

Scout
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
dare I say I think too many of you are overly reliant on western medicine and pharmahceuticals when some diligence with natural alternatives are better for you across the board and worth any minor out of pocket expense.

lifestyle changes are the ultimate solution but feel that most people don't have the discipline necessary to make them.

I speak from experience with having eradicated / gotten under control several immune deficiencies, depression and even minor things like sciatica and bursitis WITHOUT the false help of western medicine.

That said, because I know there are plenty who would pile on the shit storm for that statement, there are times when Western Medicine can play a significant role and should.

I always post about synergy and I believe it is of the utmost importance.

If you want to get better, you MUST take your OWN health in your OWN hands - knowledge is power
Reply

Scout was starred Scout was unstarred

Princess Leela
04/20/09

@Scout: lifestyle changes are the ultimate solution but feel that most people don't have the discipline necessary to make them.

Except you, of course. Right? See, it's not your suspicion of Western medicine that ought to bring the shitstorm ... that just demonstrates a healthy skepticism and willingness to try sensible alternatives. It's the judginess. You all are just lazy/in denial/overreliant on pills. Only I have the true answers.

Sorry, case of the Mondays here. But I still think I have a point.
Reply

Princess Leela was starred Princess Leela was unstarred

andromache
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
hm this makes me think. I have a dr's appt for the first time in like 5 years (hello, no insurance = no dr appt) and I'm trying to come up with things to discuss. I think this might be one thing to bring up. I've always, always had irregular periods, except the several years in high school and college that I was on the pill. However, once my insurance stopped covering the pill and then I had no insurance, I just went off it. and didn't have my period for almost a year. I'm not gonna lie, it was kind of awesome, until suddenly my uterus felt like it was trying to evacuate completely. so in my natural, unmedicated state, I am hairy enough that I do daily facial hair checks, I get my period once every few months at most, I have bad skin, hair in the most inconvenient places, my blood sugar is always low, and losing weight is just about impossible. and all this crap has led me down a complex path of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. I wonder if it's all actually connected, or I'm just imagining this shit?
Reply

andromache was starred andromache was unstarred

brendastarlet is on it
04/19/09

@omnia vincit andromache: call your doctor and ask to have your blood drawn before your appointment (that way, the doctor will get the results). Ask that your FSH levels and your thyroid be checked, along with a cholesterol panel.
Reply

LatestBy
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I'm so naturally hairy that a doctor insisted on testing me for PCOS when I was a teenager. I brought my sister in from the waiting room to show him hair runs in the family. Poor sister got dragged down with me.
Reply

LatestBy was starred LatestBy was unstarred

Scout
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I really DONT recommend anyone getting hormone replacement therapy - please see a certified herbalist to get your hormones & adrenals in balance.

Red Clover, Vitex, Black Cohosh and Dogn Quai have proven efficacy (papers published, statistical studies et al) to help with this.

I highly recommend taking a hormonal analysis test which you can do without visiting a doctor - its a kit sent to your home with complete instructions and result explanations which costs between $75 and $125.

Body Balance Female Check is a decent kit.

EFA's are essential as well.

And for those of you who have the VERY NORMAL occasional hairs on the chin, upper lip, jawline - use the Hair Off facial buffer (unless you have acne)

Also, keep yourself at a healthy weight because being significantly overweight / obese can cause hormonal imbalance and often accompanies PCOS - eliminate white foods, eat more veggies/fruits, cut down on meat - you know the drill

.....and get at least 30 minutes of an activity which raises your heartrate....even if that means just a quick walk somewhere
Reply

Scout was starred Scout was unstarred

Scout
04/19/09

@Scout: DONG Quai
Reply

Scout was starred Scout was unstarred

brendastarlet is on it
04/19/09

@Scout: yes but you can't generalize. HRT has saved the sanity of millions of women after surgical menopause.

If you're monitored on a yearly basis, have pap smears, and are otherwise normal (blood pressure, no family history of cancer, cholesterol) it's not dangerous. By the way, there are no FDA studies on black cohash and those other substances. They are unregulated, and you can do your digestive system some harm if you take

And those Hair Off facial buffers take off the top layer of your skin, so if you're going that route, use sunscreen.
Reply

artyfarty
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I was diagnosed with PCOS almost 5 years ago after I had gone off the pill to try to get pregnant. I told my dr that I had suddenly gained 12 lbs in about a 2 month period of time, even though I had not changed my eating habits and I had started to grow hair on my face. I had been a very overweight child and it wasn't until I was about 17, also when I went on the pill due to horrendous periods, that I began to lose weight. He did an untrasound and showed me my ovaries, which were covered in cysts. He broke the news that I might be infertile, which is the case and referred me to a fertility doctor. I went on metformin for months but I was sick all the time and was still unable to lose the weight, which they kept telling me was contributing to my infertility. I was not extremely overweight at the time, maybe 20 lbs at most and this was very difficult to deal with because losing weight, no matter how hard I tried, was just not happening. I continued on metformin and fertility treatments for almost 3 years before I threw in the towel. I went back on birth control 2 years ago and have been on it ever since and 90% of my PCOS symptoms are under control. I still have issues, the pill isn't a magic pill after all, but overall they are manageable. I still have to keep the hair issues under control so I am constantly plucking but I'm used to it at this point. The hardest thing for me has been the weight issues. I have to work REALLY hard, even on the pill, to keep my weight at a reasonable level. I'll never be thin but I've accepted that. I agree with other posters who said that this condition is seriously under-treated and I wasn't really given a lot of options other than to go back on the pill. I do worry a lot about ovarian cancer and I am diligent about going to the gyno every year, which I urge anyone who has symptoms to do as well.
Reply

artyfarty was starred artyfarty was unstarred

MIXED
04/19/09

@artyfarty: This brought tears to my eyes. I was diagnosed with PCOS after two years of insane weight gain DESPITE working my ass of to lose. I gained close to fifty pounds on my 5'3" frame--you can imagine what that does to self esteem. I'm on Metformin now and feel like my mood swings are much better but I still am having a lot of trouble losing weight. SIGH.
Reply

MIXED was starred MIXED was unstarred

Miss Scarlett
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I have abnormal hair growth due to PCOS also. It bothers me a lot but laser doesn't interest me. I don't think it really bothers Husband so I just deal with it.

I sort of mentioned PCOS ( I have a lot of the symptoms) and she did a blood test and it pointed to PCOS. I haven't done much about that either but I know at some point I will have to.
Reply

Miss Scarlett was starred Miss Scarlett was unstarred

Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

#hairyissues

Jezebel

SUBSCRIBE TO Jezebel

Hair Apparent

Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women

It Beats All

Hairy Issues

Login

Reset Password

Register

Submit Your Comment