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Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women

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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?
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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.
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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
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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
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Scout
04/19/09

@Scout: DONG Quai
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Kate- Kate
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.
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nessalicious
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
Did anybody ever see the BBC docu 'Fuck Off I'm a Hairy Woman' that aired a couple of years ago? I thought it was fascinating to see all these women who had given up shaving, and how they felt about it. Although I refuse to believe the documentary maker wasn't doing her eyebrows, they look VERY groomed. Anyway, she wrote about it for The Guardian too: [www.guardian.co.uk]

As someone who has PCOS I am a wee bit hairier than whatever normal is, but ack who cares? I get rid of what bothers me, and revel in my Brooke Shields eyebrows.
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RoseColette (fewer thorns; more coffee)
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
Others have mentioned it's not just PCOS that can cause excess hair but also adrenal issues. I'll add to it: birth control pills, hormonal imbalance, and thyroid issues. Especially the thyroid. If your doctor claims you're "borderline" or "within normal" and says not worry, get a second opinion. That borderline shiz only gets worse with each year.
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Cimorene
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
This is what I fucking hate about magazines. They airbrush these women into freakishly perfect alien robot womenoids, and nobody can fucking tell whether what they have is normal or not. It fucking kills me. I have hair on my nipples, and I thought I was a fucking FREAKFACE until I got involved in feminist internet circles. There, everybody is brutally honest about body stuff (seriously, anybody who's pregnant and wants to know what it's like, look online for radical feminist mother stuff. They will give you the Honest Truth about their experience, no sugar coating at all).

However, now my random, stiff-beardlike hairs on my body are getting more frequent. Under my belly-button there used to be a small happy trial, not there's a full on black curly mess. My chin hair has grown from one long witch-strand to patches of blond, stiff hair on each side of my cheek. I also now have three long, black, curly hairs coming out of my fucking collar bone area. It's freaking me out. My doctor did a blood test for PCOS, but is that definitive? I'm worried because it's been getting noticably worse for the past couple years. And I'm only 25. And also am fair-skinned, blonde eastern european/Irish lady. The hair all over my body is pale blonde and very soft, but now there are patches of dark and/or stiff hairs, and I don't know if that's normal.

It's so fucking frustrating to spend so much time hearing about women's bodies, reading about them, seeing them on billboards, commercials, magazines, the internet, everywhere! And yet I have no idea what is a normal woman's body, or rather what are variations of normal for women's bodies! I have no idea where I can go to get reliable answers, and I feel like my University clinic is too busy/overworked/used to dealing with hypochondriacs to spend time working with me on this. As am I--too busy and overworked. But then we-all are reduced to posting on a website that's supposed to be about celebrity, sex, and fashion for information about cysts on our fucking ovaries? No offense to Jez, it's an excellent website, community, and resource. But it's ridiculous that this is the only resource most of us have to any community of honest women that will help with this stuff.
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rd2uk
04/19/09

@Cimorene: I don't think jezebel is our only resource to figure out what is 'normal' for our bodies. like someone has said above, every body is difference based on genes/race/environment/habits etc. IMO magazines/media arent supposed to tell us what is 'normal' for us and should not be looked to, to do so. Instead, I think, we should determine what is 'normal' for our own bodies by referring to women with whom we share genes/other attributes.

I honestly cant see why one would assume that magazines/tv etc would be a legitimate source for such information. I get that you're saying it SHOULD BE (i think?) but I seriously doubt that it would be an effective source, given that there would be no real way to identify genetic/hereditary similarities and differences!
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lucystrawberry: Tier 2 is the new black
04/19/09

@Cimorene: I urge you to check out livejournal and the many amazing communities that exist on that site that are a TREASURE TROVE of information on womens bodies and womens health. I suggest starting at the VaginaPagina community where you can probably find links from there to more specific communities. Check out their looong FAQ and memories section.
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Cimorene
04/19/09

@rd2uk: No, I understand that Vogue (or whatever) aren't for teaching me about what is normal for my body. My point is that most women don't casually talk about their nipple hair, and my perception of the female body is completely skewed and confused by media representations of women (and I am a woman, with lots of female friends, and am bisexual and dated women for several years). I mean, this is something we talk about often, right? Women see airbrushed bodies, part of their brain registers it as "normal" because the bodies on display most often are in the media. So then they think that they look weird, or are paranoid about their cellulite or hairy vagina or whatever strays from the normative. Even the articles in, for example, Cosmo that are about health or "You're Body!!!" or whatever are accompanied by photos of women with un-real bodies. My first perception of the female body, outside of my own (and I was a teenager, so my relationship with my body was mostly a series of "...Guh?!") was in Seventeen or Cosmo or whatever. I always thought I was ginormously fat, because I thought even though I knew that the models were especially thin, I figured that "normal" or "acceptable" was somewhere between me and them--and I was very far away from them, even though I was technically a smaller size than the average American woman. And I still don't have a foundational understanding of what a non-adjusted female body is like--or, rather, I do, in my intellect. But not in my emotional knowledge, see?

Also if I ever asked my mom about the hair on her body, her brain would explode and her face would melt off, so I'm going to continue to keep mum around my relatives.

Mostly, I think it's frustrating that there's so much shame about the real human body. Either with makeup, airbrushing, lighting, spanx, waxing and shaving, it just seems like externally adjusting the body is normal.
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rd2uk
04/19/09

@Cimorene: do you think that some of the 'shame' and confusion about the womans body that you refer to stems from your inability to talk about it with your mum/relatives? From you message i father (and i may be wrong) that the female body is a no-go in your family (and I assume it was so as a child) - i think maybe your lack of what you call 'foundational understanding' and 'emotional knowledge' of the human body is a result of your access to discussions/materials pertaining to it, rather than a failing of the media.

I don't think it is the job of the media to ensure that we have a healthy understanding of our own/other peoples bodies.
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nadoush86
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
after spending 2 years doing laser hair removal treatments with little to no results I knew something was up. Found out I had PCOS and while the most common symptoms were not present in me, I showed all the hormonal signs. It wasnt until I was placed on spironolactone that I noticed a slight reduction in hair growth (it would take several weeks for it to grow back instead of the one week). However, I also noticed that I was drained of energy, depressed and started to miss my periods (I have always been regular). When I brought these issues up to my doctor he dismissed my irregular periods and had the audacity to claim I was depressed because of my facial hair and not the drugs I was using. It was then that I knew I had to look for a new doctor and new treatment options.

Anyone treating PCOS with something else other than spironolactone? I have considered the pill but not sure if i can deal with all the side effects, also I have a strong family history of stroke.
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Evie Havok
04/19/09

@nadoush86: My doctor put me on a combination of spironolactone/Aldactone and birth control pills. As long as your blood pressure is normal and you go to regular check ups you'll do fine with the birth control pills. Also, the doctor suggested I lose weight and manage my nutrition levels. It makes all the difference.
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MIXED
04/19/09

@nadoush86: I'm on Metformin and anti-depressants...the pill won't do anything for me, because I was on the pill for years before I knew I had PCOS but still had all the symptoms. I feel like my mood swings are under control and I am sleeping better, sweat less, and am not so sensitive to pain, but it is still A BITCH to lose any weight. I work my ass off and usually just continue gaining, even with lots of exercise and nutrition vigilance. I am also looking for other suggestions for treatment.
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Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
As someone who suffered with undiagnosed PCOS for TWELVE. YEARS. (Don't get me started) I urge anyone who is concerned about it to get checked out. I still think I should have been more insistent about getting checked earlier (despite having protested about my symptoms, my ex Dr just threw more painkillers at it and said my other symptoms were "normal), and I would hate to think other people were suffering in relative silence like I did.
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rogue_reporter
04/19/09

@Green Goth Brit Chick - Bestarred (Thanks Hortense!) - Alte...: what were your symptoms like? did you miss periods? have painful periods? have cysts?

i have always had painful periods but have never had cysts, and my cycle is pretty regular. i just wonder if something is missing for me too and maybe i should get checked.
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Triana Orpheus
04/19/09

@Green Goth Brit Chick - Bestarred (Thanks Hortense!) - Alte...: It's extremely difficult to find a doctor willing to discover if you have a problem. They seem to want to pass the buck or assure you that it's normal and you shouldn't feel bad about it. But I [i]know[/i] something is wrong with me.
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prestocaro fears the culling
04/19/09

@rogue_reporter: I, too am curious. I've been diagnosed with cysts and my former gyno never mentioned PCOS. Is it possible to have PCOS, or would my gyno have caught it if we were already talking about my history of painful pre-period/periods and depression?
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bananaballs
04/19/09

@trianaorpheus: Go see an endocrinologist. I had undiagnosed PCOS for 2 years until the OBYGYN referred me to an endo. Sometimes it takes a little digging to figure out which specialist to see, but once you do, you should be on your way to treatment.
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Triana Orpheus
04/19/09

@bananaballs: I went to one, but they were pretty...(be nice) unresponsive. I had to constantly call them to see if my test results came back. So I definitely have to find another one.
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anonanimal
04/19/09

@Green Goth Brit Chick - Bestarred (Thanks Hortense!) - Alte...: My weight has always been an issue with me and my doctor. He says I have to lose it, and I swear, I keep trying. At one point in my life, I started the pill, and I lost a significant amount of weight. I remember asking him if I possibly had thyroid problems and he smiled and said, "no I don't think so." That made me so angry.

I have not been on the pill in years and I only get my period about twice a year. I've gotten very hairy, I've gained a lot of weight and I've been trying to figure what's been going on. I read about PCOS about a week ago when someone on the OT told me about it. Now it's just a matter of me finding the right doctor.
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deitybox
04/21/09

@Green Goth Brit Chick - AlternatEve: I was just diagnosed with PCOS, after not getting my period for about 6 months. I was so frustrated, since I've been trying to conceive. My gyno had no idea what the problem was, as I didn't have noticeably excess body hair and am not overweight. I finally saw a women's health specialist, who referred me to an endocrinologist. Now I'm on metformin, and we'll see what happens.
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rogue_reporter
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
I have a lot of facial hair, like the bearded lady, but when I was a teen my doctor said I just had a high testosterone level. Polycystic ovary syndrome has very specific symptoms so not everyone who has a ton of facial hair is ill.

I remove mine but you can tell that I do and it's embarrassing. I've always been a size 12-16 and that's never bothered me. If I could change one thing, it would be to laser this shit off. For free, preferably.
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laetitiae
04/19/09

@rogue_reporter:

I was diagnosed with PCOS somewhat recently(ish) and I was told that PCOS is actually somewhat difficult to diagnose because there are a cluster of symptoms and not everyone has the same symptoms (with the exception of, well, polycystic ovaries). Some women skip periods, others have much shorter periods, some have trouble ovulating, others are fine, some have blood glucose problems, others not, and so forth.

Here's a site with some great information about PCOS: [www.womenshealth.gov]
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AndNowForSomethingDifferent
04/19/09

@laetitiae:

I was diagnosed with PCOS in my early teens, and I had atypical symptoms. I still had periods, though mine were only 2 or 3 days long (though EXTREMELY PAINFUL), and I didn't have excess hair growth. The only typical symptom I DID have was that my ovaries looked like raspberries.
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chatterboxwriting
04/19/09

@AndNowForSomethingDifferent: Hey, you sound like me. I went to the doctor because of some symptoms, but was told I don't have PCOS because I get my periods regularly. Then I finally saw an endocrinologist and he diagnosed me with PCOS. My periods come regularly, but they last only about 2 days and are HELLISH. I also have excess testosterone, which could be balanced by taking hormonal birth control, only I have such severe high blood pressure that no doctor will prescribe the pill for me for fear that I will have a stroke. Also, I had an ovarian cyst removed via laparatomy, and even though I was cut open, my OB/GYN still could not see my left ovary.
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WickedLittleHigh
04/19/09

@laetitiae: Yeah my periods have always been like clockwork, but extremely painful, I was put on birth control 2 months after I got my first period because I would almost pass out in class. I have the high glucose levels, and weight issues. I have only noticed hair issues (which may not be that bad, but it is to me) recently, since I haven't had enough money for my medications. I'm just lucky I had a great doctor who automatically thought of it and tested me.
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laetitiae
04/19/09

@WickedLittleHigh (formerly BoredButNoLongerInNH): My doctor is on that list of people that sometimes I think to myself 'Hmm. If I have a firstborn who is male, should I name it after him?' (If I have a first born girl, I have plans to name her Rose Marie. Yes. After the herb. Because I am a freak. But that's neither here nor there.)

The hair issues is what gets me most, though I'm not all that bad at all. But you best believe at least twice a week I inspect under my chin for stray hairs and get out the tweezers. :)

About glucose levels w/out meds...one of the best pieces of advise I got was to start strength training. I guess that when you lift weights (or do kalisthenics like lunges, push ups, etc) your body metabolizes the sugars differently and so you don't have the spikes that you normally do. And have lots of oatmeal and cinnamon (cinnamon is supposed to be GREAT for helping regulate blood sugar). I'm not on any meds yet b/c, well (1) I'm very poor and (2) I'd really like to see what I can do without meds before committing myself to going on them...though that's a very personal decision, obvs.
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Alys Brangwin has a huge talent
04/19/09

@laetitiae: Be careful with that name. My only living (also evil) grandparent is named Rosemary.
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Remedios Varo can't see no huevos.
04/19/09

In reply to Excess Hair May Be A Sign Of Health Problems In Women
In a textbook for my queer theory class, there was an essay about a lesbian who due to some hormonal imbalance sprouted a full beard, but chose not to shave it or get it removed in some other way. She self-identifies as a bearded woman, basically, and she is very interesting.

Here is her Wikipedia page: [en.wikipedia.org]
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