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.

[Hsldy]

Good day ladies, I was born that way (according to my dad) so I just figured it was my normal. I started to notice the chin hairs after the birth of my third child at age 33 and I waxed my chin until it seemed waxing caused more hair so I cut the hairs with scissors. I started to research laser hair removal when I moved to Dallas TX and found The National Laser Hair Removal school that offer discounted sessions ($50) if you allow students to sit in and  ($75) for private session. I am light skinned so I'm praying all goes wells I start my first session on valentines day! I havent seen a dr about it yet but I have an appt this week and I hope to get his approval to move foward. It feels good to know I'm not alone. I hope I helped someone in our quest for hairless skin. Be blessed everybody.

[mizzray1]

Hey, I was diagnosed with PCOS a couple of years ago, but have had symptoms for about 10 yrs. I also live in Cleveland and saw that you went to a Dr. here. If possible could you give me his first name so that I can look him up? I considered laser hair removal but wasn't sure. Thanks!

[1prettybrownlady]

I'm not sure if I have PCOS but I do have facial hair on my cheeks, chin, sparsely around nipples and on lower stomach. I use small scissors to cut down my hair. I get to the base and i cut. Plucking and shaving is very bad. I was diagnosed with a cist at 19 when i found out I was pregnant..I had an abortion...big regret now. So now I'm 35 with no children. I began to see hair on face about 22. I also have mild acne. So I'm not sure if i have PCOS or not. Anyway I wanted you guys to know I recently started laser. It is the absolute best thing I could have ever did! I love it!  Be sure your going to people that know how to use the laser..the correct laser the correct setting the correct hands. I dont care if you have to get a second job sweetheart this is soooo worth it. Mine is not very expensive though...I'm in Cleve Ohio at Dr Saffold office..his is 50$ every 2weeks. I've only had 2 sessions so far and its working already. I'm so damn happy its crazy. I get so sick of pulling that mirror out and cutting that hair. Good luck ladies

[sassy10683]

Hi anm1626 I have also had this problem for many years I am a 38 year old Black African American female as well mine started when I was 18 and I had these couple strands of hair and when I started my first job they gonna tell me I had to cut them and my golly I must have cut those couple strand of hairs and I swear it grew back a full face I was so mad (lol). However I have not been dignosed with the diease but I am going thru the same problem it is so embrassing as a female to have all this facial hair I once asked my mother was I born a male and you got me a sex change or something lol!!!!  I was just being curious about it. I am so glad to be on here reading other people posting that is going thru the same thing I'm going thru because I thought maybe I was the only one in the world to be going thru this problem. Some times I could control the dark spots but here lately I have not been able to I guess because I'm doing more stressing about than tryna to keep it down. I'm currently in a relationship and I swear sometimes my boyfriend be embrssed of me but it just be my insecurty because he will rub my face and kiss on it but he aint got to embrassed of me cause I'm embrassed of myself sometimes and sometimes I really don't care but lately I have been burning my face up using all kinds of products on my face to get rid of the dark spots.

[PurpleHeartz]

I'm A African American female and I don't know if I have pcos but I know I struggle with a lot of excess I guess hirtuism? I'm 20 & in college & since I was 10 I had hairy legs and arms. I even had sideburns. To this day I do not wear shorts or skirts because I would have to shave everyday. My freshman year of h.s is when I started noticing bumps on my neck. I thought it was acne untill I picked it & saw a thick curly strand of hair come. Every since then I've had these marks on my neck. I'm lightskin & I have these black marks on my neck which makes it worse cause its very noticable. I can admit it has lowered my confidence because I have hair everywhere on body. Chest. Back. Stomach. Thighs. Legs. Arms. Even on bottom (butt). I've never had a boyfriend because I'm I don't feel comfortable with my body. Its so sad especially when I really like a guy & he likes me back because I know i would be very uncomfortable showing skin & I would never let it get as far as a relationship because of my insecurities.

[Missreaper08]

Hello. I've been looking around on the internet trying to find out the term for having facial hair as a woman, but mainly if the cause for the facial hair can make it difficult to concieve. I have hair under my chin (thick, black trans) and it also grows on my inner thighs, lots on the back of my legs, my upper lip a little, I have little fine hairs on my breast, the same under my navel and I grow lots of hair on my booty. I am only 21and I'm tired of it.

I sometimes use a razor for the chin hair, but to shave everything else takes forever, so I don't even but razors anymore. I use Nair Hair Removal with baby oil, put it on, 4 minutes and wash the hair right off. Your shin is as smooth as a baby's bottom. The advantage to that also is the hair stays away longer. They also have Nair facial hair remover, but the hair on my chin grows back within 3 days.

My husband doesn't grow hair on his thighs, he gets a whisker once in a blue moon, basically I can say he has a full head of beautiful hair, nose hair, and hair on his lower legs THAT'S IT. He looks at me and gets jealous which is shameful. But to veer away from that, my biggest problem is weather this can be a problem in conceiving because the hormone and testosterone levels aren't balanced?