You may develop coarse, dark hair growth on your upper lip, chin, chest, abdomen or back instead of the fine hair sometimes referred to as “peach fuzz” that commonly grows in those areas. Hirsutism can cause distress, but it's treatable.
Key points about hirsutism
For women, the hair may grow in places where men often have a lot of hair but women often don't. This includes the upper lip, chin, chest, and back. It can run in families. It may also be caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or other problems.
things you can do at home to remove or lighten the hair – such as shaving, waxing, plucking, hair removal creams or bleaching. a prescription cream to slow hair growth on your face (eflornithine cream) taking a contraceptive pill if you've not been through the menopause yet – this can help control hormone levels.
Symptoms of Hirsutism
This is sometimes referred to as "peach fuzz" and develops normally during childhood. People with PCOS hirsutism have coarse, visible, dark hairs growing in these parts of the body. These hairs are referred to as androgenic hairs; the term "androgen" refers to male hormones like testosterone.
Cysts: Many people with PCOS have ovaries that appear larger or with many follicles (egg sac cysts) on ultrasound. Skin tags: Skin tags are little flaps of extra skin. They're often found in your armpits or on your neck. Thinning hair: People with PCOS may lose patches of hair on their head or start to bald.
Hard to Touch: A PCOS belly typically feels hard to the touch due to the accumulation of visceral fat in the lower abdomen. High Waist-to-Hip Ratio: Many women with PCOS have a waist-to-hip ratio of >0.87, which is often referred to as an apple body shape.
Ovarian cysts and PCOS are related conditions with many of the same symptoms, meaning that women often confuse the two, or wrongly believe that they have PCOS when they do not.
Hirsutism causes thick, coarse, dark hair to grow on parts of your body that would commonly grow as fine, thin hair. For example, hair may grow thicker and coarser on your face, chest, back, lower abdomen, upper arms or lower legs.
Often, the skin can be a window to what is occurring inside your body. For women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, this this may mean acne, hair loss, excessive facial or body hair growth, dark patches on the skin, or any combination of these issues.
This leads to the evoluation of vocal characteristics that are masculine and irreversible if the androgen level exceeds 200µg/dL( 3). Hannoun et al.( 7) reported certain vocal symptoms such as a sensation of a lump in the throat, clearing of throat, deepened voice as well as reduced loudness range in women with PCOS.
Electrolysis and laser are both called "permanent hair reduction" techniques. However, for females with PCOS, hair will grow back after either treatment, unless medication to suppress hair growth is also taken (a birth control pill or antiandrogen).
If you have acne from PCOS, it's more likely to be: Deeper under your skin, like cystic acne. Lower on your face, such as on your chin, jawline or lower cheeks. Red and inflamed (acne papules)
Symptoms: there are no noticeable symptoms in around half of women with the condition, and there is usually no vaginal soreness or itching. Symptoms may include a greyish-white, thin and watery vaginal discharge with a strong fishy smell, especially after sex.
Best age to get pregnant with PCOS
The best time for women with PCOS to get pregnant is before they turn 30. It's possible to conceive up to the age of 37, but fertility declines after the age of 32 with steeper decline occurring after age 37.
Because there is a distinct degree of hyperandrogenism in PCOS, this hyperandrogenism can exert inhibitory effects on progesterone and consequently leads to increase mammary epithelial cell proliferation, breast growth, and fibrocystic breast formation [25,26,27,28,29].
To be diagnosed with PCOS women generally need to have two out of three of the following: Irregular or absent periods. Acne, excess facial or body hair growth, scalp hair loss, or high levels of testosterone and similar hormones in the blood. Polycystic (many cysts) visible on an ultrasound.
Interestingly, buffalo hump can also be associated with conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), insulin resistance, and diabetes. These conditions often lead to hormonal imbalances and metabolic changes, contributing to abnormal fat distribution.
The “hidden” symptoms of PCOS
These, Dr Bajekal says, can include excessive daytime sleepiness, breathing problems like sleep apnoea and snoring, darkened skin behind the neck, underarms and groin, as well as psychological signs such as heightened depression and anxiety.
PCOS belly occurs when you develop excess fat or weight gain around your abdomen. This symptom often occurs due to an underlying diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. Hormonal imbalances and insulin resistance due to PCOS can influence your weight, causing you to gain unwanted weight.
Recent studies have shown that women who were diagnosed as having PCOS 30 years ago have a completely normal life expectancy. An inspection of more than 700 death certificates from women with PCOS has shown that there is no excess risk of cancer in any organ or of heart disease.
Mood swings: Because of the hormonal imbalance, women with PCOS also have a higher risk for depression, anxiety and extreme or rapid changes in mood. Heavy, painful periods: PCOS can cause painful periods with heavy bleeding. This can cause additional issues, such as anemia, and is often unpleasant and even scary.
"It's such a complex condition that presents differently from person to person. "Women's health does not have enough prioritisation, time and investment in education. "During medical training, women's health topics are often underserved and that's a problem that results in delayed diagnosis."