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African-American Women with PCOS and Hirsutism
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.
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.
Black women with PCOS,makeup tips,hair tips and Q&A.. on facebook. I also want to start a private group for women to talk without everybody in our business and that is on facebook,just request me: Dimplezz Allday
I also am a african american women with PCOS,I have just started a page on face book for black women dealing with PCOS it is helping me deal with it because for awhile it was a secret,but I see more and more women now with many symptoms,we need to all be there for each other because ofcourse when we turn on the tv all we see is flawless women and it makes us feel worse,but then I remember that nobody is perfect and the women on tv and magazines have been airbrushed or can afford things we maybe can not.I just pray and keep my head up because we still have life and that is what matters at the end of the day..GOD still loves us
Hi ladies,
This is so weird for me, I am only 20 years old and I have more health problems than my mom and all my grandmothers put together. I was diagnosed with PCOS march of 2012. It took me an entire year to find a doctor to listen to me about the changes that my body was going through. I was certain that I had Pcos before I was even diagnosed. I did daily research, to figure what was going on with my body and my prognosis was right, PCOS was the cause to my ever plummeting health. PCOS has controlled my life for a very long time. I isolate my self from society because of the mental, emotional and physical tole that it has taken over me. One of my biggest problems of many is definitely the hirsutism, I'm young I'm engaged to be married but its so scary to be so low when this is the hiighest Ive ever felt in my life. I'm with a man who understands me and loves me for me and I'm so afraid that I would just bring him down with me. If anyone has any encouraging words please get back to me. Thank you
This is so weird for me, I am only 20 years old and I have more health problems than my mom and all my grandmothers put together. I was diagnosed with PCOS march of 2012. It took me an entire year to find a doctor to listen to me about the changes that my body was going through. I was certain that I had Pcos before I was even diagnosed. I did daily research, to figure what was going on with my body and my prognosis was right, PCOS was the cause to my ever plummeting health. PCOS has controlled my life for a very long time. I isolate my self from society because of the mental, emotional and physical tole that it has taken over me. One of my biggest problems of many is definitely the hirsutism, I'm young I'm engaged to be married but its so scary to be so low when this is the hiighest Ive ever felt in my life. I'm with a man who understands me and loves me for me and I'm so afraid that I would just bring him down with me. If anyone has any encouraging words please get back to me. Thank you
Hey there everyone
I'm glad i found this forum.
I'm 25, been diagnosed with PCOS about 12 years ago and have been suffering with hirsuitism for a long time. I'm of caucasian / aboriginal descent and have struggled for a while. I hope its ok i posted here - i'll share what's helped me.
I can definitely relate to all the feelings of not feeling attractive, poor self-esteem, feeling cursed etc.
We are not alone - i feel overwhelmed about my condition when i think about it but i try not to - even though its very upsetting.
I think that any women with hirsuitism can suffer feelings of insecurity and hopelessness but hopefully you can get help!
For a few years i was on spiralactone and metformin, i stopped taking spiralactone b/c i didn't want to be taking anti-androgens, but noticed that my hair growth increased on my face after not taking it for 12 months. I started taking it this december again but now i have ingrown hairs on my neck and face and i just feel so unattractive. I currently use a St. Ives facial scrub that helps remove dead skin cells and then this epicare stick to remove the hair.
Something that's really helped me is this technique that uses threading = called epicare - https://****.com/ - however, i've ordered the same stick on ebay from china for about $1 - it really helped remove alot of the hair - I use it daily and it takes the hair out of the root. I hope that this helps you too if you have excess hair on your face and neck.
I've felt helpless for a long time, i went to a few endocrinologists and they said ï've never seen this problem before. I'm going to try and get a new endocrinologist / dermataolgist. If anyone in Canada is struggling with this problem, please let me know and we can help each other. Alternatively if you are suffering and need some support, feel free to contact me.
I'm glad i found this forum.
I'm 25, been diagnosed with PCOS about 12 years ago and have been suffering with hirsuitism for a long time. I'm of caucasian / aboriginal descent and have struggled for a while. I hope its ok i posted here - i'll share what's helped me.
I can definitely relate to all the feelings of not feeling attractive, poor self-esteem, feeling cursed etc.
We are not alone - i feel overwhelmed about my condition when i think about it but i try not to - even though its very upsetting.
I think that any women with hirsuitism can suffer feelings of insecurity and hopelessness but hopefully you can get help!
For a few years i was on spiralactone and metformin, i stopped taking spiralactone b/c i didn't want to be taking anti-androgens, but noticed that my hair growth increased on my face after not taking it for 12 months. I started taking it this december again but now i have ingrown hairs on my neck and face and i just feel so unattractive. I currently use a St. Ives facial scrub that helps remove dead skin cells and then this epicare stick to remove the hair.
Something that's really helped me is this technique that uses threading = called epicare - https://****.com/ - however, i've ordered the same stick on ebay from china for about $1 - it really helped remove alot of the hair - I use it daily and it takes the hair out of the root. I hope that this helps you too if you have excess hair on your face and neck.
I've felt helpless for a long time, i went to a few endocrinologists and they said ï've never seen this problem before. I'm going to try and get a new endocrinologist / dermataolgist. If anyone in Canada is struggling with this problem, please let me know and we can help each other. Alternatively if you are suffering and need some support, feel free to contact me.
hi everyone i only 23 and but i been noticed this for some years i never been diagnosed for pcos but i have been on depo provera for 7 months and i noticed an increase in the hairs i always tell my mom like ma i got a lot hairs growing on my chin the lower sides of my face and now i plucked and shaved. i cant stop rubbing them because they are so rough i even told my boyfriend because i'm sick of it. i been had them but on my chin like only three hairs. now its too many to count i don't wanna be the old lady with a beard and mustache i'm very feminine and i'm girly so i hate it an i'm young its awful especially because you don't want the hairs so you pluck and don't want the freaking spots its like i dont know what to because i don't want anymore chemicals in me i think about not taking the shot but i'm not ready for kids. i even noticed a few darker colored hairs on my shoulders. help please
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