PCOS and facial hair growth: How to treat it the right way?

Here is how facial hair growth due to PCOS can be treated.

By: Debjani Arora | | Published: March 22, 2018 1:51 pm

Polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS is known to be a very common hormonal disorder in women who are in their reproductive age. A woman’s hormones play a very important role in maintaining her health and well-being at every stage of her life. The female reproductive hormones are secreted by the ovaries which govern many functions of the body and are responsible for her fertility and physiological developments. The ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone and traces of the male sex hormone testosterone too. When the balance of these hormones goes haywire it leads to a condition like PCOS. Read to know the difference between PCOS and PCOD.

In PCOS, the ovaries develop small follicular cysts that hamper normal hormonal secretions and increase production of the male hormone testosterone. This also leads to anovulation where an ovum or egg is not released from the ovary every month, menstrual irregularities, obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, infertility, hair loss, excessive body hair growth, etc. This disorder affects between 7 and 10 percent of women of childbearing age. Since this condition is triggered by hormonal imbalances treating this under the supervision of an endocrinologist and a gynaecologist is the best choice. However, some women also try to take help of a dermatologist to treat conditions like excessive acne, facial hair, pigmentation etc., due to PCOS. Read to know if going to a dermatologist to treat skin problems due to PCOS help.

One of the major concerns that women suffering from PCOS have is an overgrowth of facial hair. The excess growth of hair on the neck, chin, upper lips, cheeks or forehead can be frustrating and embarrassing – calling for a medical intervention or surgery like laser treatment, bleaching, waxing or shaving. Many dermatologists advise women with PCOS to go for a laser hair removal procedure to get rid of facial hair. Read this to know if laser hair removal really helps to treat PCOS.

Dr Kiran Lohia, Dermatologist and Founder, Lumiere Dermatology, says, ‘For women who suffer from PCOS the frequent process of waxing or shaving can be both time consuming and harmful for the skin, resulting in recurrent boils ingrown hairs and marks that worsen over time. Laser hair removal can remove unwanted hair by means of exposure to pulses of laser light that destroy the hair follicle.’ She further adds: ‘There are special lasers that work even in the most difficult regions and minute growths, including fine hairs, hormonal hairs and resistant hairs. Laser hair removal treatment has a minimal side effect such as less redness, fewer pimples or sometimes it can lead to folliculitis (small bumps) which is curable. Rarely a tiny scab may form where a hair is particularly difficult to treat, but that falls off and resolves within a few days.’

Here are few dos and don’ts to follow before and after laser hair removal

Before the procedure:

Avoid tanning or self-tanning of the skin before, immediately after or between treatments. Tanned skin may absorb a portion of the energy that should be striking the hair follicle, resulting in pigmentation problems and a less effective treatment
Moisturise daily the areas that are being treated since the dry skin may be more sensitive to laser
Avoid any products on the day of treatment on the area which is to be treated
Avoid waxing, tweezing or electrolysis treatments on areas to be treated, however, you can shave or clip hair
Do not take Isotretinoin
If you start a course of antibiotics then wait till you have completed the course. You cannot have a laser treatment done while on the antibiotics and for a week afterwards.

After the procedure:

Apply sunscreen as the most important precautionary measure after the treatment to avoid tanning and sun sensitivity
Don’t exercise or working out for a minimum of 12 hours (if area is still red after 12 hours, wait until as redness has subsided)
Avoid saunas, hot tubs or hot showers for a minimum of 12 hours (if area is still red after 12 hours, wait until as redness has subsided)
Avoid any other activity that will cause sweating for at least 12 hours
Apply a cold, wet compress to treated areas several times a day if redness or irritation is bothersome
It’s not recommended for pregnant women and lactating mothers

Word of caution:

Treating facial hair overgrowth with laser id just a supportive treatment for PCOS, one needs to get checked for the hormonal irregularities by an endocrinologist or gynaecologist to keep the condition in check. If your hormones (androgens or male sex hormones) are too high it could lead to a resurgence of the symptoms and facial hair growth too.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published: March 22, 2018 1:51 pm

Disclaimer: TheHealthSite.com does not guarantee any specific results as a result of the procedures mentioned here and the results may vary from person to person. The topics in these pages including text, graphics, videos and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only and not to be substituted for professional medical advice.

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