African-American Women with PCOS and Hirsutism

[coco727272]

Hello  everyone, I hope all is well. I was just diagnosed with PCOS although I've had symptoms of it since I was 12 (hirsutism) and I am now 36. My hirsutism was diagnosed as idiopathic because the testing I had did not indicate an elevated testosterone level. I don't know if the testing is more sophisticated now but I had new testing done and it did indicate that my free weak testosterone was elevated.

Anyway, I have a few hairs under my chin, a lot on my neck, chest, stomach, and inner thighs. I know...it's not attractive and very depressing. I pluck (which is not good for you and causes hyperpigmentation) and I shave. I've become very skilled at covering the hyperpigmentation up with concealer but I'm so tired of it. The plucking on my neck has caused so much hyperpigmentation that I have to conceal it or people would look at me and ask me, "What's wrong with your neck?" The skin on my chest also has hyperpigmentation and I only shave this area. I feel like a freak every time I shave my chest because I'm a woman and I'm a woman who loves makeup, clothes, fashion, shoes, etc. It just seems so wrong! If I wear low cut blouses I have to try to conceal the hyperpigmentation but it's difficult because the skin is not completely smooth and it looks like I've shaved so I'm always on the search for really nice big necklaces that would cover this part of my chest. It's difficult being me!!

If anyone can relate to me send me a message and let me know your struggle or what you've done to help this problem. It was difficult for me to share this because although I know it has to do with having PCOS and I did not cause this to happen, it still is embarrassing.

Also, I don't want to seem superficial or extremely vain because I do have other health concerns that are potentially much more damaging than the aesthetic ramifications of hirsutism but I just want to know if other African-American women are experiencing this because our skin is slightly different.

Thanks.

[nameless8]

I am 24years old Black Female.  I was just diagnosed with pcos. I didn't start my period until I was 16 but had been shaving since I was 12. I believe you can see a mustache in some of my baby pictures. Honest to god truth. I was always obese as a child, as a teenager, and it didn't matter whatever I felt was wrong with me doctors would say "just lose weight and that will fix it" Well I lost over 100 lbs with diet and exercise. Cut down starchy carbs and sugar.  I'm still chubby, but nothing like I was. My periods regulated with the weight loss.

My facial hair went from a mustache, side burns, and light patches on my chin at 290lbs, to Chewbaca at 180lbs. My cheeks have hair, it's a full connecting goat tee type thing and all kinds of thick patches under my chin. so sideburn hair  connects to the cheek hair, cheeks connect to the chin, chin connects to the stache. The hairs don't grow long, just thick and dark so it can't be waxed. I've tried an epilator that just left me with the worst dark scars ever, and the hairs grew back within 12 hours, and my skin scabbed over the hair so I wasn't winning any beauty pagents that day.

So I went back to the doctors, and looking at a much smaller me I was finally taken seriously. and diagnosed and given bc. Needless to say like my weight wasn't enough of a self esteem crusher, I just don't feel desirable. I don't want to be touched or seen, and relationships don't last because of it. I've only been on the pill for a month. I hope it will slow down the growth. I am currently looking into electrolysis. Doctors have told me that shaving isn't the best thing to do. I don't know how else they expect me to get rid of a full beard. Usually when looking this up online there are a bunch of posts from women posting about plucking "stray hairs" I'd kill for just a few stray hairs, or just a mustache, and no scars or sore pimples.

I see men with clear skin and I get jealous. It's interesting men will hit on me all the time, even when I was heavier. All I can think is don't they see that I have more hair than they do? I have hair on my fingers, and on my toes, I'm now getting hair on my chest. and of course arm and leg hair. crack hair is fun too. I have normal pubic hair, and oddly enough almost no underarm hair. I would trade my baby hair pits for a a clear face and buckwheat in a headlock any day.  I have to work super hard to loose weight, I'm still going at that. I can't even look at a donut without gaining pounds. I'm not trying to have children, but since my periods regulated on their own I'm hoping it won't be an issue for me.

Sometimes I wish doctors would look at symptoms as a cause of being overweight or obese instead of automatically assuming that a person is having symptoms because they are overweight. I want to tell you all that loosing weight will help and it's great, but don't expect it to cure. It may even worsen like mine did.

[Lovethyself31]

Girl all you have to do is reasearch the herbs based on what you are trying to do. And then get you a base... My base is Castille Soap. Some herbs that promote hair growth is Horsetail, Stinging Nettles and Burdock... You cook all the herbs and use the the juice... put it with the soap and then BAM!!!  There it is!!!.. It is easy!!!

I understand what you are saying about organic being expensive... it is funny how fast food is so cheap but the things that are healthy are so expensive. A shame!!!

[truebeliever]

Wow that is amazing how u changed your lifelstyle so drastically. I went to the groecery store over the weekend and I kept telling myself on the way there think healthy think healthy lol! So I didnt do to bad I bout lots of veggies and some oraganic foods not nearly enough cause its so expensive! i told myself from now on i will try and buy all organic for myself because its an investment in my health and thats always worth every penny. Honestly I been sooooo down about this whole TTC thing and I just cant find the strength to get up and go excersise!! 6 miles is amazing I know I cant even run 1mile anymore lol! If this cycle does not work i plan on sitting out for a couple of months and really focusing on my weight loss. I mean I guess I really dont feel like 50 pounds is to much to loose and with motivation and dedication I know i can do it! Some women loose 100 plus pounds!! Also amazed that you make your own shampoo how do you do that? well thanks for adding me and for the message I really appreciate it

[Lovethyself31]

Hello My Sisters of Color,

I was diagnosed with PCOS March of this year... For years I was telling my doctor that something was wrong with me and the idiot would not listen...  I had hair on my chin... I was loosing my hair in the middle of my head and I had the worst period cramps known to man. All of this started at 25 (I am now 31). I had high cholesterol but I wasn’t really a horrible eater.

I also have hair on my toes. Try explaining that on a first date!
SO finally I left and went to an internist who then diagnosed me with PCOS. I then went to go see an OBGYN and got placed on YAZ. But the one thing that this doctor did and that the others did not do is encourage me to change my lifestyle. He told me not to depend on the birth control to change my situation but allow the medicine to assist the situation. "You are in control".

So the next thing I started to do was to pray and ask GOD for the strength to get through this. It has been a process but I am still working towards my goal.
I went from exercising 1 time a week to 4 times a week. I can run up to six miles and when I started at the beginning of this year, I could not even finish one.  I swim about twice a week and I also spin once a week and I lift weights on Mondays.
I changed my diet to eating all healthy organic fruits and vegetables. I even change my vitamins to organic!!... I started making my own shampoos and conditioners and stimulate hair growth and yes my hair is starting to grow back!!! Praise GOD...  

In the beginning if all of this I weighed 180 now I weigh 165 and I am still pushing. You can not let this disease or any other dictate to you what is going to happen. I will not give up... I will not give in... I will not let this defeat me... I can win...  I hope that my story encourages someone to keep the faith!

[truebeliever]

I am 29 years old living with PCOS. I am african american. I didnt start a period until I was 18 and then I thought it was just luck because I didnt have to deal with the tampons leaks and super thick pads in high school. Then went straight to college and was on BC so i never really noticed how crazy my periods are. If im not on fertility meds then i would have a period every 3 months or so and when it would come I would bleed sometimes up to 28 days straight not all heavy days but it was there! I am currently TTC my first baby and have been trying for 6 years now. 3 failed IUI's several failed clomid cycles. This is the 4th month on femera and metformin. Im trying to get up to 2000ml of it a day but for those of us taking this pill we all know what it does to your stomach and the frequent use of the toilet. I am overweight and like someone mentioned on this post its all in my mid section. I have small thighs and legs but plenty of belly fat and back phat that just wont go away!! As far as the hair thing I just recently started to notice more thinning in my hair in the mid section and I have the unwanted hair under my chin. I mean its not overwhelming at this time and I have been able to keep it under control using a eyebrow razor and coco butter helps keep the bumps away. My mom and her sister and my grandma all had the hair under the chin thing but all of them have a full head of hair and no issues at all in trying to concieve, The thing I hate the most about this pcos crap is that it sometimes makes me feel less than a women due to the fertility thing the hair issues and the weight issue. I am very girly as far as the way I act sit talk and carry myself but i just sometimes have these angry thoughts about my fertility, I hate it sometimes when my hubby tries to kiss my neck cause i think it should discuss him. I asked him about it before and he said women are there own worse critics and he said all women have some unwanted hair somewhere on there bodies. Then he asked me "do women really think us men  pay attention to your eyebrows? I would still be attracted to you if u didnt wax them cause I can never tell the diff unless u tell me u got them waxed" LOL!! Anyways he just says little things to try and lift my spirits and i love him for that and more. It tears me up mentally that I cant give him a little one caue I know how bad he wants one and daily he says "when we have kids...." God is awesome and I know he will make this happen for us. We have to remember that he made a promise to fullfill your every hearts desire and this will happen as long as we remain faithful and stand on his promise. So im standing on his promise and keeping the faith. Its hard to go thru every month saying i hope this is it and I feel pregnant just to see AF show her ugly face month after month. My bundle of joy is sooo close I can feel it!!! Good luck to all and inbox me anytime with any ?'s or if u just wanna be friends! Stay strong ladies! For this to shall pass

[JODY111]

I have PCOS, I didn't start getting real hairy until I started to gain weight.  My voice even started to get deeper and the hair just keeps getting thicker.  I have waxed only to have a big red patch that lasts for days, and the hair has to get so long before you can even wax it.  I begged my husband to let me use part of our income tax check to get the lazor treatment done. I can't think of anything that would make me happier then to be able to not worry anymore about hiding the hair.  I feel cursed like the rest of you, I just don't understand why I am the only one in my family to have this.  Why not my sisters or mother?  Why are there so many fat women out there that don't have this hair issue?  To me it is a riddle that I will be trying to solve until the hair is gone.  I saw two other women today that have the same problem, I wanted to talk them about it but I figure they are like me and would prefer to think that no one else can see it.  I feel for everyone of you on here, I know the pain of wanting to be normal  and the fear you feel everyday as you go out in the world.  I pray someone out there finds a cure fast.  I find myself wanting to stay home and avoid people.  I hope I get the lazor treatment and it works.  I am so ready to be done with this thing that has plagued me for so many years.  Would love to hear a succuss story but I am sure if anyone finds a cure to this they will not be telling their secret on here....lol