PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support - Anyone have the symptom hirsutism (hair!!!)?

That is my worst symptom. When I was just thirty pounds lighter it wasn't a problem...so my first goal is to get to 199. I hope this symptom goes away! It's so hard to lose weight..this can be an effect of PCOS as well. So frustrating.

At the gym yesterday, I took my shower and was getting dressed in the locker room and I was chatting with to women who are also regular members and one woman said, "you girls are lucky - just wait until you get to my age, and you start getting hair on your FACE!" And the two other women went along talking about menopause and hormones and such. I wanted to say, I DO have it and I'm only 26!

It started when I got to around 215 pounds, I'd get a few stray hairs on my chin but then they became regulars. Shaving them only made them blunt and more noticeable, so I started plucking. I do swipe the "moustache" area with my razor daily because it's too fine really to pluck...not noticeable. But the chin area really frustrates me. I have to pluck every single day. DH has started helping me with this because he found me crying over the tweezers one day a year or so ago. So now I pluck what I can see daily and he gives me a thorough plucking a couple of times a week. There are many that I can't see. They just keep growing back!. And when they are plucked, they are very thick and black. On the sides and front of my chin, and under my chin. I also have thick sideburns. Lately, Dh has found a couple strays on my cheeks.

A couple of years ago when I was diagnosed, my doc gave me a prescription for Spironolactone which is a diuretic used for other purposes as well but is supposed to help control androgen/testosterone levels, especially for women with PCOS. It didn't do much for me. The hair did seem to thin a bit, but it just made plucking hard to do. So I stopped taking it.

I really don't think it's that noticeable unless you look closely and you can see the stubs of hairs on my chin if I haven't plucked, but the main thing is how the hairs become ingrown on my chin...thus causing them to have to be dug out and plucked or they'll become infected. This happens very often for me. DH is constantly digging them out of my chin and this has left many little scars on my chin area, and the appearance of a "shadow" around my chin area in general. Another symptom of PCOS can be slower healing of cuts and bruising/scarring which I definitely have noticed. My tinted moisturizer that I use helps a lot. It's just so embarassing and a pain, and frustrating.

I also get ingrown hairs on my legs often, specifically my inner thighs where my legs rub together - I do a lot of cardio on the elliptical machine and this often leads to ingrown hairs becoming infected and I get blisters in that area often. I had a bad one last night that DH took care of. I am so glad he's so understanding and helpful but I can't help but feel ashamed sometimes.

I don't know, I guess I just wanted to vent and see if anyone else has the same problems. Fortunately, my period has gone back to being totally regular, just slightly long (35-36 days) and I do ovulate...so I'm not on any meds any longer...but this hair thing is really making me upset. It's so embarassing I am re-thinking about posting this!!! But there's no other place I can go, so I'll just submit this and go on about my day. Thanks for letting me vent!

Girlie

I found this site for anyone who suffers or just wants to know more.

http://www.sarahealth.com/health_hirsutism.html

Girlie,
I have that symptom as well. Its been pretty bad, and I do have to shave. I don't pluck the hairs. I don't get ingrown ones on my face, but have gotten them in other locations including my arms and inner thighs, also my back and occasionally my chest. I've not noticed slow healing though, and don't scar for the most part unless I scratch a scab open by accident. I have a cat, and have had him bite me and claw me. You can't see very many scars from his attentions or from the occasional attentions of my students when they are mad.
I take spironolactone, and have been for about a year. It took at least 10 months (about the time I've been on it regularly, because we tried aldactazide (spiro mixed with HCTZ) first, and then spironolactone on its own a few months later, so I've really only been on spironolactone since the end of March 2004) before I noticed any changes. My good friends noticed it first, because they're always looking for ways to encourage me. The first thing that happened was I stopped getting most of the little hairs on my arms. By this point, the ones that are there are very thin and fine, hardly noticable at all. I teach students with emotional disturbance so you can imagine that they will find ANY weak area to pick on, so my arms and chin were sore spots for me. I had no choice but to wear short-sleeves during spring and summer, but I would purposefully buy the shirts too big so the sleeves covered the lower part of my arm just under the elbow which was the worst area.
I was shaving daily (sometimes TWICE a day!) to keep the chin under control, and while it wouldn't kill me to do it every day, the hairs are thinner and fine, so its not as noticeable.
The notes with spironolactone says that it takes many months for the drug to work on things like hirutism, or hair loss. That is a big issue with me as well, and horrible because I used to have very, very thick, fine hair. The one time they tried to give me a perm, it turned out like a puff-ball, and to get any curls at all I had to put curlers in when my hair was very wet and leave them in for at least 12 hours. My hair never had a barrette it couldn't get rid of, and french braiding my hair was nearly impossible. Now its very thin and fine. Its worst when its wet, which is hard on me since I swim so much. It is also hard to find a hair stylist that knows what to do and how to handle my hair to minimize the really thin spots. The only bright spot there is that without the weight of the thick hair, my hair curls nicely on its own.
They just increased the dose of spironolactone I take. I was taking 1 50 mg tablet per day, and now take 2 50 mg tablets. I'm hoping that will help the thinning hair on my head issue, because I've read that once the drug starts to help, the hair can grown back and things like Rogaine for Women will work.

:mouse:

Mouse:
Thanks for sharing your story. I have thought about seeing a dermatologist...a friend of mine has a very mild PCOS...she had a form of electrolysis/laser therapy for her chin. I just want to lose the weight and see if that works.

I used to shave my chin area, but since I have thick black hair, it would start to look like stubble and be very noticeable underneath my skin. I do still shave my "moustache" area once a day very lightly with two or three swipes. My chin is so out of control and thick that I have to pluck. It's not like a beard or anything, but each day I have to pluck at least 10-20 hairs. When DH does his bi-weekly cleanup, he plucks many, and has to dig out several.

Arrgh.



Have you ever

I have dark hair as well, and while I had olive-toned skin when I was younger (probably until my junior year in college), I no longer have it. I used to keep my summer tan for months into the winter, and that was without trying to tan (just swimming or being a camp counselor), with SPF 30! ;) Now, of course, I wear a shirt whenever I swim outside and lots of suntan lotion because the spironolactone, contraceptives, and phenergan I take all carry warnings that they can make you sun sensitive. I also take benedryl for an insect allergy (I'm allergic to the protein in insect venom, and get extremely high blood pressure from any type of bite... I kinda wonder how taking all this spironolactone, which lowers high blood pressure affects that allergy...) and that drug can make you heat sensitive. With all of them together, I'm not a fan of being outside in the summer anymore.
If you want to hear something really funny: with all the swimming I've been doing, the ends of my hair turned blonde. It looked like the reverse of a bad dye job (you know, when the roots grow out at top, and the person doesn't get it taken care of?). So my hair is REALLY short now because I had to get it cut off.
My chin hair is noticeable, and I hate it... but I couldn't pluck things out. The shaving works for me. I've thought about getting one of those ultrasonic shavers they advertise on TV, but don't want to order it off a TV ad.

:mouse:

I have it as well, started when I was about 16 and got worse over the years. I was shaving every day. Last year, at the age of 28, I decided to get laser treatments which have improved it greatly with only a few hairs here and there.

It was a very emotional issue for me and I am glad that I did the laser treatments, even if they were expensive.

HI Girlie
I have had thicker sideburns and at one stage before my operation(for endometriosis) I had thick dark hairs on my arms which felt coarse. I have had 5cm hairs grow on my arms! Luckily, I do not seem to have it around my chin, although I do have a shadow there which is related to PCOS.
I am with you on the slow healing. A while back my cat scratched my hand and it left a cm long scar. My dog just gave me a little scratch and it scarred.
It IS so frustrating to see others lose weight if they ate a triple cheeseburger days before. MY DH has not been on a diet and has been eating take out. He went without it for one day and lost five pounds. I was crying because I think of how much I try, and how much more difficult it is for us sufferers. I think even though it is so hard, it is important not to give up. If we can lose the weight we will feel so empowered as we know it has been achieved through true willpower.
Good luck with your weight loss journey, I am sure you're doing great. Sounds like you have a lovely guy taking care of you. Try not to let the hairs get you down too much. Remember it's hormonal imbalance, not you. :-)

I have the same problems and I was taking spironlactone but had to stop recently. The spironalactone was making my period last for 2 weeks and my breast started to leak and I developed a kidney stone. I did see a difference while I was taking it after the first few months. I wax my chin area and I am attempting to wax my lip but it HURTS! The other thing the spironalatone helped and I really miss it for is acne and water retention. I gained 10 lbs of fluid and my face broke out when I stopped taking it and it still has not gone away. I really wished I could take the spironalactone but it just doesnt agree with me :(

I'm taking Spironolactone for hair loss from an adrenal condition. My doctor knows I have bad facial hair, but he never told me Spironolactone helps control that too. Nice to know. :D
I tried the cream Vaniqa (is that what it was called?) that's suppose to slow down facial hair growth. It left the spots where I'd plucked very red and irritated. Didn't use it for long.
I used to religiously pluck every night back in high school. Nowadays I pluck once in a while and just use a small electric trimmer to keep it down. I've actually seen other girls on campus with more prominent facial hair that me. Besides, I didn't think I attract that much attention, lol.

Many of you have mentioned waxing. Do you get it done professionally or at home? If at home, what brands are good for tackling the darker hairs?

I get my brows waxed professionally, but nowhere else. The problem with waxing is that you have to let your hair grow out a bit before waxing will help and well, I don't want to let my chin hairs grow!

Plucking is a pain but it works. I have read instances where people who've lost weight lose their symptoms of PCOS so I'm going to hope that this goes away as I lose weight.

Girlie

Girlie,
As you can see you are not the only one with the hair problem. I also have to worry about if anyone can see it, and if they can what are they thinking. I have to shave my face ( chin, neck, and side burns) just so I feel better about myself. I have sensitive skin, and cant put all the creams and such on my face. I think my DR. did give me the Spironolactone but I discontinued taking it for some reason or the other. I am very greatful for my husband, he understands why I have to do this, and he tells my brothers all the time he would rather have a WOMAN that shaves and tries to take care of the problem, instead of let it go. As you can probably tell, I am new to this site, but just wanted to give you my support. Good luck with all of your goals.

Hi, its my first post to the PCOS area.
Dark facial hair really sucks. I am inspired by Nelie saying laser treatments really helped, when money is spare I would love to look into it. How bad was your problem Nelie?
I shave every day and wear heavy makeup to disguise shaving rash/regrowth. I try not to let it get me down but it's a freaking hassle and I hate it.
Nearly a year ago I decided I was going to fight back against my body and change the way it worked. I walked like a madwoman every morning, ate small amounts during day and big meal at night, no bread but still pasta, brown rice, crackers etc and basically put up being hungry. I also visualised myself shrinking and KNEW I could do it no matter what. I think that helped.
I've lost 130pounds (60kg) and about 40pounds (20kg) to go.
Of course I still have a chin full of hair with no changes.
I am getting some more blood work recently to see how it's all going.
I feel we can get control over this strange cluster of symptoms that still has doctors slightly confused.

Goddess:

Awesome, you have worked really hard! Let us know how the bloodwork goes!

Girlie

For those of you that pluck, Revlon has a new mirror out that is super-magnified. They sell it, and some $12 'diamond tweezers' on a big display that says the mirror 'finds hairs you didn't know you have'. This is at my Walgreens, right in front of the front door in the middle of everything, lol. A man must have chosen the location of the display. :D

For those interested in laser, call your endocrinologist or other facilities in the area that treat PCOS patients, and see if they do it. My endo's office does it at a reduced rate. They charge enough for expenses and labor, but don't make a profit. I think they average $50 a visit.

I hate the hair thing so much! Not only do I have PCOS, but I am of 100% Mediterranean decent (known for extra hair)! I take 150mg Spiro daily, 500 metformin, and BCPs, but none of that seems to help. I've also had laser hair removal 4 times. The laser works for about a month, which is worth it to me, but it is expensive at $350 a pop (I think the doctor is even giving me a little bit of a discount), and the hair grows back eventually.
It seemed, for a while, that I was getting over the bad feelings I had due to the hair on my face, but lately these feelings are returning. I can only pluck the dark hairs because the razor produces quite visible stubble. And of course, the plucking injures my skin, leaving blemishes that only call attention to the areas of my face I don't want people looking at.
For now, I guess I'll just have to deal. It takes me nearly two hours a day to pluck so sometimes I just don't do it. If other people are bothered by my manly appearance, they can pay for my laser *lol*
So for anyone suffering...YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

Wow...this is the first time I've read about people that are going through the same thing as me. I started growing facial hair when I was 13 or 14, used creams back them to get rid of it, and for the last 6 or 7 years I've been going to have my chin waxed. It's horribly embarassing...I have it on my lip, sideburns, chin, and down my neck. When I'm growing the hair long enough to get waxed I wear a lot of turtlenecks in the winter, and in the summer I just suck it up and pretend that people looking at me doesn't bother me.

I went to an endocrynogist (sp?) for a few years. He ran tests on me, but they always came back the same....not normal, but not positive for PCOS either. He was pretty sure that was what I have, but again, the tests never positively showed it. He put me on Spironolactone. I took it for awhile but never noticed a change. I started noticing side effects (I was getting my period every 2 weeks), and went off of it. He also prescribed Vaniqa which I used for about a year. Definitely noticed a difference, but hated how the cream burned when I put it on. I stopped going to the doctor when he pretty much told me that unless the tests came out positive, there wasn't much he could do for me.

I plan on trying laser hair removal. My mom offered to help me pay for it, after seeing me one day after getting waxed. 7 years of waxing has caused some skin problems for me. I break out terribly after each waxing, have gotten burned a few times, and it's made my skin rough. I'm hoping the laser works for me, I can't imagine going through this for the rest of my life!

I shave my sideburns, upper lip, cheeks, fingers and toes. In the summer, I shave my arms too...the hair on them is so dark and long that I am embarassed. I pluck my chin.

I have found a really great razor. I used to use those pink disposable "Daisy" razors all the time. A friend of mine's father had a ton of disposable razors and she gave me about a dozen of them because he doesn't use them. They are Schick Extreme 3 razors. I These razors have 3 blades and starts with a moisturizing pad and ends with a moisturizing pad. This totally cuts down on razor burn of any sort (I usually shave with my facial cleanser on) and the shave is smooth every time. I've had no irritation or bumps since I've started using these (I use a fresh razor often). I feel confident during the day that I have no stubble or burn on my face. They work GREAT on legs too.

On the weekends if I'm not doing anything but being around the house, I'll give my face a break and let the hair grow for a day or two before I start up again on Monday.

Thanks for letting me share!

CD

I know exactly how you feel. I think I might win the prize as most hairy here. I was born literally with hair all over - my mom said I looked like a little chick when I was born, I had a fine down all over my back... and from there, I have grown up and suffered with being hairy all my life. My lower back and butt is completely covered in hair. My DH waxes it for me and he has become a pro at waxing. Because of the PCOS, I have grown more hair. I have to shave under my chin, lips and sideburns. I did three rounds of laser all over my face including my nose, and it is less now in the upper lip, but all the thicker hairs have come back full force. I basically have given up. When the doctor examined me recently, she asked "What does my husband think of this?" I took it to mean "how did you ever find a man to marry you since you are such a hairy freak". I told her he is the best man in the world and helps me wax. She shut up after that.

Homesick:
THANKS for sharing your story. I also have a very hairy butt...it's embarassing and I've never really thought about it until a while ago...I get afraid someone will see it in the gym when I'm changing clothes! Shaving to go swimming is a nightmare.

What a rude comment for the doctor to make! Your hubby is awesome like mine, who plucks my chin/face for me. We caught ourselves a couple really great guys! I'm really glad for you!

Did the doc ever put you on any meds?

Girlie

Hi everyone, This is my first post and I hope I can really find some community here. I am an American woman living in Brazil. When it comes to the weight, the PCOS, etc. it can be good and bad to live here. Good because I was diagnosed here...no one had ever even mentioned PCOS before and I have obviously had it for a good. long while. Bad because I sometimes fear that I am missing out on things relying on a third-world medical system. Bad because it is impossible to buy clothes in this string bikini culture. Good because I have far, far better health insurance here than I would have had in the States. And ... great on the topic of hair. You know the Brazilian women are fanatic waxers!! I only have the hair growth on my chin, but it was bad, bad. I started on BCPs and Metaformin at about the same time I started waxing regularly, so I don't know what has made the difference, but the growth is much slower, the hairs are finer and more sparse and not nearly as dark as before. I do have to wait a bit longer between waxing than I would shaving every day, but I find the results to be far superior. I can go 3 weeks before I have any significant re-growth. Plus, it costs me about $2 to get my chin waxed.

Oooh waxing a chin. I guess that wouldn't be so bad, I could stretch it out and minimize the pain. I tried waxing my upper lip ONCE. I think 50 percent of my nerve endings are right above my lip. That was the most painful 'beauty treatment' I've ever experienced!

Ahhhh.....women who know what I'm going through :goodvibes
I can literally grow a thicker beard than my ex-husband if I don't do everything within my power to avoid it. Cheeks, chin, moustache, throat, sideburns....but that's not all. Many of you have said the same. It's the fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet, excess hair on the legs, the stomach and abdomin, the breasts, the rear. And you can only wax, shave and pluck so much. There are other things that life demands of your time.
If I wax my chin today, I just have to do it again tomorrow. If I pluck, it's an all day process. I have to shave, but that's a twice a day thing at least.
I've been on BCP's backed up by Spironolactone for years. Before that was three months of Lupron therapy. There have been some good years, some bad years. All in all, I'm not any more free of hirsutism than I was when I started the therapy. I don't have acne anymore and my period is regular, but I'm still hairy and infertile. I don't think it's really helping. I want some new options.
I considered trying laser treatments, but I've been told that you shouldn't if you have Vitiligo (which I do) because it will leave scars devoid of pigment. I would like to try electrolysis, but have been told that it scars the face. I have been told to never wax the face because it can scar and leave ruptured blood vessels because of the differnt skin texture, so I don't do that either. Dipillatory creams and such don't work on my hair, it's too thick and coarse (I'm sure many of you understand this situation). Other than shaving and plucking, is there any other safe methods of hair removal for the face out there that I haven't mentioned? I'm running out of options.
BTW, found a great recipe on-line for homemade sugaring wax. It works like a charm if you can get the consistancy just right and is really cheap to make. If anyone wants it, just ask ;)

Boy am I glad I found you guys! I just spent 20 minuted pulling out hairs and still couldn't get the "short, blunt ones". It really is a frustrating thing.

I've had PCOS probably since I was a teenager, but wasn't diagnosed until 2 years ago. Way after the beginning and after all sorts of pregnancy/fertility complications including gestational diabetes. I'm a minimum of over 30 lbs overweight and I fight to stay here. I take 1700 mg of glucopahge daily.

I have tried low carb (Atkins) and felt awful. I did lose weight but at the expense of my health. I immediately put all I lost and then some back on. So now I am aiming for healthy eating.

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.

I have very dark thick hair and it horribly noticeable and have done laser treatments on my chin and upper lip area and it has helped a ton!! I have very dark thick hair and it horribly noticeable. We have a franchise clinic in our are called "Affordable Laser" and I pay about $29 per treatment..very reasonable. The only problem is a keep thinking of more and more "areas" that I can use hair removal on my body:-)

I wonder if laser treatment would work for me? I have vitiligo and I heard that laser treatments can leave noticable scarring. I would rather not go from a beard I can shave to a white outline of a beard that never goes away! :o
If it did work, I think my main problem would be the same as groovymommy's.....always finding new places that need treatment ;)

Heheh, I tried electrolysis but new dark hairs kept growing back in to replace the ones that got zapped.

I have hairy arms, which I bleach from time to time, and I have whiskers under my chin (some black, some white and they're THICK) that I do my best to pluck. I also have to shave myself from the belly-button down to my ankles because my legs and tummy are covered with course hairs :dizzy: .

My only hope is that the hirutism stops when I get my weight down to a healthy one. Then, with luck, I will resume electrolysis treatments (maybe mix it up with some laser) and there won't be any new hair growth to make it a waste of time.

Ah the joys of chin hair...and sideburns too! Luckily for me, the hair on my face comes in blond, but the chin hairs drive me crazy! I just discovered the PCOS syndrome recently, and realized that I have had it, and been treated for it but no one ever told me about it. I just knew when I got to fat my periods went crazy. But I started getting chin hairs when I was somewhere about 18. I pluck or shave the chin and moustache, but leave the sideburns alone as they aren't really noticable. Never even thought about it being unusual until I realized that that was a symptom. :dizzy:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tracker/img/bar057/slider-snail1/lb/252/125/220/.png (http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tracker/index.php)

Oh the sheer horror! I have finally gotten down to a healthy weight, I have been on meds for years and, alas, I still grow a fine beard, moustache, sideburns, stomache hair, more leg hair than many men and the occasional chest hair. That's not to mention the hairy arms that I don't even bother with or the hobbit feet. I'm thinking it will never go away on it's own. What's the average price range for laser treatments? Anybody? Thanx!

Lazer treatments in my area ( Arizona) run about $29-$49 on the smaller area such as the chin and upper lip, brows, etc. I am sure the larger areas could run up to $99. I would be really please to just rid myself of the unsightly facial hair..Laser has really done the trick for me with NO side effects to note . I a currently on my 5 treatment

Hey, groovymommy, where do you get yours done at? That's a pretty reasonable price! :write: Can you front me a phone number for them? :^:

I can't remember life before laser hair removal! :lol:

Sue

In all seriouness, can anyone recommend a good but inexpensive place for laser treatments in the Tucson area? I have no idea what to look for and I'm still pretty nervous about it, but I'd like to talk to a professional and find out if it's a viable option for me. Thank you!

Ana,
Maybe you can start with your insurance company to see if any of it would be covered? Perhaps as a symptom of PCOS, it can be considered a medical problem...?

I have several other things I need to do before I try to pursue laser...but hubby and I are thinking about it!

Unfortunately, that's a no-go. My insurance won't cover anything they don't consider "medically necessary". I may not like having a beard, but it's not harming my health, so they won't pay to have it removed. :( I'm on my own on this one.

Try your endo's office, or call all endo's and gynecologist offices. My endo does it at a reduced rate (no profit) as a courtesy to their PCOS patients. My gynecologist office does it also, but I'm not sure what their rates are. My guess is that they would be cheaper than a dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon.

I just wish my hair was darker so that I could get it lasered.

Jennifer and Girlie,
Thanx, loves! You know, I didn't even know that doctors offered laser treatments? I thought you had to go to a specialist beautitian or something :dizzy:
This will make things alot easier. I'll ask my doc at my next appt and see what she can do or suggest. I've been totally barking up the wrong tree! :lol:

Hi Girlie,
I just stumbled across this post & saw your mention of problems w/rubbing of the thighs when exercising. I don't know if anyone has suggested this yet but I love Gold Bond Medicated Powder. It smells a little 'minty' at first but you don't notice it after a few moments. It really keeps away the moisture & prevents that annoying friction. I use it before I take my morning walk - especially in the summer when the humidity is so high. I think it really helps better than baby powder & I'm not big on heavy frangranced stuff so I stay away from Shower to Shower & those types.
HTH & best of luck!
Betty :coffee:

Hello,
Looks like I'm not alone when it comes to an abundance of hair. Just wanted to let you know that you shouldn't get laser treatments if you are taking any meds. that make you sensitive to the sun. My water pill causes me to burn very easily. I recently went to get a laser treatment and was turned away because of the medication I'm on. They told me I would get a real bad burn if they treated me. I'd hate for anyone to damage their skin even more. Check with your doctor before getting a treatment if you are on medications.
janicej

Hi Ladies! I am new to the forum. I was dxded with PCOS/IR in 03(I started showing symptoms in 98 after my 2nd child). I've had a lot of damage on my face from acne because I kept getting misdiagnosed as having stress, depression...while the whole time it was PCOS/IR! My 1st husband left me because of all my "emotional and medical baggage" :(
I have hirutism. It is bad on my tummy, got thicker hair (down there), and it's pretty bad on my face. I wax my brows. But it hurts toooo much to wax the upper lip and cheeks so unfortunately I use a razor. The mustache (yes it almost becomes that if I don't shave) and the chin are the worse. The hair is so dark and thick. It used to make me cry and even now, I get so self concious about it. My dear fiance has been so wonderful. You feel so unsexy when you are caught by your man shaving your upper lip! But he's been extremely gentle and understanding. Even though he doesn't understand what I go through, he has by far been my best support!

Hey....I'm new to 3FC's. Have been looking for a place to talk about my hirsutism....and am glad to find this spot.
I too have hair growth on my chin, side burns, even a trail on my navel. I have to shave my legs endlessly, and am constantly finding ways to remove the hair on my face, hiding it with tons of make up....I never ever wear my hair up, and people notice. Anyway, I have not yet gone to a doctor about this...I am so embarassed about it to the point that I have been living like this and have never talked to anyone about it openly until now. It is something that is so painful for me, that I cannot talk about it. I am married, and not even my husband and I talk about it...yet I know he knows, but just does not say anything to me about it...cause he knows how much it must bother me.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what my first step would be in addressing this issue?

Thanks!

So gald to know I am not alone with the hair issues. I have had PCOS since I was 23, I am now 35 and the hair growth started about a year after being diagnosed. I can now grow a perfect beard if I wanted to. No mustache growth but it grows on my chin and on my neck and a bit on my cheecks. It isnt just a few here and there and I actually get a 5 o clock shadow. I shave every day and made my best friend promise that if I was ever unable to do it myself that she had to come shave me every day. I HATE it....I also have them growing on my chest and around my breasts...talk about feeling manly. (sp?) I have to shave that area too. My son plucks the ones that decided to show up on my upper back around my shoulders. The weight gain from PCOS I can handle but the hair thing is just awful for the self esteem. There are places I have heard of that have laser treatments that are garanteed for up to two years..seriously thinking about that one. I know from being a hair dresser that once hair starts to grow in it doesnt go away no matter what meds you take. You have to kill the root and papilla of the folical to get it to go away. I also had severe cystic acne when I was diagnosed which left major scaring, did anyone else get it too?
It is nice to read other's posts to know I am not alone out there. Thank you for letting me vent. My friends listen but can't truly understand what it feels like to have PCOS...the only thing about the disorder I can say I dont mind is not having my period. THAT I don't miss.

Meecha, there are creams that will make the hair growth slow down. Maybe that would help your growth slow down enough so that you don't get the 5 o'clock shadow?

My actual pimples have gotten much, much better since I hit about 25, but when I do get a pimple, I am left with very bad scarring - a big round black scar from one single pimple!

That is what sucks along with the hair growth, I tend to feel so ugly!

Jennifer3FC -
As you've lost weight, have you noticed a difference in hirsutism? They do say that it should help - I've heard of some who've lost weight and no longer have problems.

Yes I have noticed a difference in hair growth and also acne. Hairs grow much slower now!

I used to visit here regularly but dropped off for awhile. Yes, the dreaded facial hair. I have this problem on my chin and my upper lip (or at least those are the only areas I care about). I made a decision in the summer to try laser. It is going to be a very costly adventure. The hardest part for me has been not plucking - you can not pluck for six weeks prior to the treatment. Also, you can not have any suntan on the area that is to be lasered. So, I bought my package in August and I am booked to go October 18, 2005. That means that since August I have been forced to shave the hair off. That is a psychological shift in and of itself. I can't believe what an impact shaving has had on my self esteem. It just feels completely unfeminine and yet there are so many women who need to remove facial hair. It is also hard for me to see the amount of facial hair that I actually have. When plucking, you are removing spots of hair each day so you don't necessarily see the full amount. Well - it is all there now and I hate it. So, I will update you on the laser. I am crossing my fingers and hoping that the $1000 plus that I will spend on this adventure will actually work (what is VISA for? I do hope I win the "win your purchase for a Month" in October!!

Cheers,

This is my first time posting in here. I have to say I am encouraged by all the support I have seen. I am 27 years old and was diagnosed with PCOS/IR about 5 years ago. I have hirtusim (sp) and until now have not been able to talk about it. A year and 1/2 ago I went to get the laser done on my chin and sideburns and neck. I finally worked up the nerve to tell my fiance (at the time) b/c it was going to be such a large expense. He said he'd known about this from the time we started dating 5 years ago. I've always tried to hide it with TONS of make-up. I didn't want to have to shave on my wedding day so we went together to the laser technician. I've been going for about 2 years now and have not noticed any changes. Luckily there is a 3 yr. guaruntee b/c I paid $1500 for all of this. I asked my dr. to put me on spiro as I had heard good things about it. It's so embarrassing and I feel so alone sometimes. My self esteem has gone out the window and it's hard to feel sexy when you know the following morning it's time to shave again. Recently I've started getting the razor bumps on my chin. THAT's the worst. I try and hide it with make-up but it doesn't do a good enough job. I constantly mosturize and that doesn't help either. Does any one have any ideas about how to make that go away?

My dr. has also put my on metformin. So far on the 2 meds I have lost 10lbs. I've hired a personal trainer to continue to lose the weight and strengthen everything. I have about 90lbs to go before I'm at my comfort weight. (I am currently 235 but b/c I am tall I carry it pretty well). B/c hubby and I want to try to start having kids in the next year and 1/2 so I want to make sure I am as healthy as possible to make the process easier and hope that once I loose the weight I will start getting my period again.

Thanks for letting me vent and FINALLY have someone to talk to about this so that I don't feel so unfeminine and freak like.

I was diagnosed with PCOS 17 years ago when I was 21. I had a terrible problem with hair on my chin especially for a long time. Now I have no hair on my chin at all! :) I spent about the first 10-12 years plucking and having electrolysis done. The hairs always came back to the point of having to go for electrolysis a few times per month (at $20 a pop).

A couple of years ago my endocrinologist switched me to Yasmin. I had been on other BCPs for the whole time. She also had me take Spironolactone. It took awhile and I kept going to electrolysis but after 6 months I started to see a difference. At 9 months it was better and at a year the hair was gone. I kept taking the Spironolactone for another 9 months and then stopped because my skin was getting awfully dried out. I'm still taking the Yasmin but at 38 yrs. old I've been on BCPs for 17 years. I would like to stop taking the Yasmin but that's all that is holding the hair back at this point. I need to lose about 35 lbs. I'm hoping if I lose the weight the hair won't come back.

I would recommend to anyone with facial hair problems to definitely see an Endocrinologist and ask about Yasmin and Spironolactone. I still can't believe after all this time that I'm hair free!

Good luck to you all and don't take no for an answer from any of your doctors. If you're a woman with thick facial hair...it's just not okay and you don't have to live your life plucking every morning. Male doctors are not as helpful as female for PCOS, I have found.

hey, i'm relatively new to 3fc's and just want to post my two cents here. i've been pcos dx'ed for 2 years, but have had mild facial hair problems since my late teens. currently, it is a little more than i would like it to be. i've got "fuzz" on my cheeks and sides of my neck and darker terminal hairs on my chin and above the lips. ugh. talk about negative self-esteem. people just don't realize what we go through everyday. bleaching every couple of weeks helps the fuzz and i use a delipatory on the lip area and pluck strays from my chin. having said that, i've noticed a HUGE difference since i've been on meds. since taking diane-35 (a bcp) for 2 1/2 months, i only have to pluck a couple of chin hairs every few days and the above-the-lip hair is lighter, finer and i pluck/delipatory those much less frequently. i am also on spiro, met, saw palmetto and evening primrose oil.

VeganArtist:
While I admire your decision to take control of your life and be involved in the treatment of your PCOS, some of the things you said concern me. First, while it is true that PCOS and NAFLD have been linked, the link is much more complex than merely saying that the drugs used to tread PCOS cause NAFLD. Rather they are metabolized at least in part by the liver, and so doctors use caution when prescribing them for people at increased risk for liver problems. This is why the study advocates not using tylenol or drinking if you are on certain PCOS medications, because both tylenol (acetomeniphen) and alcohol are metabolized by the liver. Many drugs are metabolized by/are hard on your liver and this does not mean you should eschew them completely, merely that you should use caution with regard to the other things you put into your body.

Second, there is no way the effects of one tylenol pm would have caused you to have an "aching liver" or stabbing pains in your pancreas. There are no pain receptors on either your liver or your pancreas. This is why people with cirrhosis of the liver don't have "liver pain" - the disease is diagnosed through blood tests.

Third, I am concerned about the website you suggested - those pills are "dietary supplements", which means they have been evaluated by no regulating agency, and they are not even required legally to tell you what is actually in those pills. Also that website claims that insulin resistance is the "cause" of PCOS, when the truth is that there is no definitive evidence that IR causes PCOS, but rather there is a question as to whether the PCOS or the weight gain therewith associated causes the IR. Also, some of the ingredients listed in those pills have health warnings of their own that suggest they may be unsafe to ingest in a much more immediate and dangerous sense than any liver damage you may suffer from taking normal PCOS meds.

Finally, not all PCOS meds are metabolized through the liver - there are a number of medications available and different plans work for different people. I have no idea if spirinolactone has any effect on the liver, but rather than simply refusing a treatment because it may have side effects, I would suggest talking to your doctor or pharmacist about it.

An additional note: I am not one of those people that says herbal supplements are useless bunk. I believe that some of them really are helpful. However, I think that ceasing to take your medication without the guidance of your doctor can be a very dangerous thing. If you want to take supplements to help with your condition, that is great - there are doctors out there who are perfectly happy to use concurrent therapies - and if you take supplements with the guidance of a medical professional then at least you have some assurance that the supplement you are getting actually contains the compounds it advertises. I hope that this insulite stuff works for you - however I personally wouldn't go near it without some further in-depth research and certainly not without consulting a doctor first.

Keep on Truckin!
Erin :carrot:

Hey Everyone, I'm so happy to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem. I'm a 21 year old female and excess hair is something i've been dealing with for years. I think I should maybe seek hormonal treatment.

For me, the problem is mostly my cheeks and neck.

Throughout middle and highschool, I had hair on my face. My mom would encourage me to bleach it, and it would somewhat dissapear. This sucks, because when you go outside it looks like you have a glowing beard.

So on my 19th birthday, my mom bought be a package of laser treatments for my face. 2 years later, I've seen little change. This offers PERMANENT HAIR REDUCTION which is better than nothing, yet very dissapointing. The clinic wants to send me in for hormonal testing next week, hopefully if i get on some drugs it will help the problem.

Laser treatments allow me to be hair free for about 2 months.

I'm thinking about doing electrolysis instead if this is permanent. I'm scared that I might not be diagnosed with POS, and then what will I do?!! I'm so self conscious, it really sucks. :( I'm crying right now :( It's nice to know i'm not the only one with this problem.

One positive thing about the laser is it removes hair from non hormonal areas, like the forehead and for me my lip is much clearer, but my cheeks are still really bad. :(

Does anyone have any suggestions for me to try? Thanks so much for listening.

Using a quality men's electric razor has helped me. The physical improvements are less ingrown hairs and none of the accidental nicks and cuts that make it REALLY obvious that I'm shaving my entire face. Its also much faster and convienent than wet shaving with a razor blade: I don't have to be near water and shaving cream and the process is faster. Emotionally it helps because I don't even have to be in front of a mirror to shave and lathering up my face and shaving with a gillette mach 3 just made me feel so horribly masculine and bad about myself every day. With an electric razor those feelings are easier to ignore for some reason.

Also, I haven't seen threading mentioned yet as a hair removal method (its an asian/ middle eastern epilation process, kind of hard to explain so just google it if you're not familiar with it.) I've never had it done on my face but I get my eyebrows done every 4 weeks or so and I really prefer it to waxing. If you're currently waxing your lip/chin you might want to look into it because basically all they use is a thread to pull hair out by the root so you wouldn't have burns or irritation from products being put on your face like there is in waxing and bleaching and its less time consuming than tweezing. There have been a lot more threading places opening up in the US recently. But I have to say it is pretty painful getting my eyebrows done so I'm not going to try anywhere else, but I've seen people having their upper lips threaded and they didn't seen to be in agony....

I only really have thick hair that is natural and some stray chin hairs. I have thick side burnish hairs.

I'm not PCOS but I do have experience with facial hair removal. IME threading stings more than waxing. It's a sharper ouch than you get with wax but it's not actually more painful, if that makes sense.

Maria have you ever been tested for PCOS or do you show any other signs?

No other signs, never had any reason to test. (I saw the thread in New Posts.)

Remember that there are any number of ethnic groups in which the women tend to be hairier than contemporary western culture prefers.

Very true!!

Just thought I might throw that up to you!

You guys will probably think I'm making more of a fuss that I ought to, but a couple of months ago I found 2 hairs on my chin. I've been plucking them but I'm really scared that this will get worse. If you do lose the weight does this symptom go away?

No fuss at all! I suppose it varies...for me, as I lost weight, the insulin resistance improved, and overall, the whole hormonal system changed it's balance. I did see a decrease in symptoms.

Good luck - and :wel3fc:

I have this symptom as well. I do a lot of plucking and a lot of glaring at the mirror- it is getting better as my weight decreases. My good friend does as well, and for her it is 10X worse than mine. She has 15 or so laser treatments to no avail and shaves daily which often leaves her with a rash.

ihave always had the hair problem no matter my size i have excessive facial hair my dh tells me i grow it better than him (wish he understood how badt hat hurts)

i have really hairy arms

haveto shave my legs daily

i have a really hairy belly

thats part of the reason i hope my dr on the 12th will put me on met it seemed to slow the growth down

I just wax the face, shave the legs and arms and call it a day.
It sucks though, and I feel like people are staring if I miss a hair.

Hi all ! I take 2450 mg of Metformin daily and have for at least 5 years. It can be VERY hard on your stomach so you have to work up the dosage slowly but the symptoms do subside. I had no luck losing weight but in all honesty I didn't do a consistent healthy diet and exercise together until last summer. Now the weight is literally falling off. I have not noticed any improvement with the hair (been on Spiro for about as long) and am convinced the hair on my head is getting thinner. PCOS is tricky because a lot of really good MD's know absolutely nothing about it. You need to find a good endocrinologist. There is a GREAT website just for PCOS (www.soulcysters.com) that has TONS of resources for this disease.

Hi Witchy! :wel3fc:


Do you eat many carbs on your diet? I had a terrible time with Met if I had practically any carbs at all. My Met weight loss consisted of that lost with Met induced diarrhea. :lol: It was always much worse with carbs.

Hello Ladies,

I got the courage to post on this thread. I feel blessed that I am not alone with facial hair issues. Since I discovered my facial hair issue back in 99. Ever since then been searching hi and low on the net to find people who have this issue. My facial hair is like a beard like when not shaven. I had tried OTC creams,spent over $1000 on a laser treatment and did not solve it.

I had seen a endo doctors back in 2000, and all they told me was to lose weight and the hair will disappear. One doctor that I had seen and done plenty of test back then and was discovered with PCOS.

From that time till now..I never did a follow up treatments. I ,however did tried to see one specialist in 2005, the one who told me that I have pcos..but could not able to make appointment with her, since she treats patients with diabetes. I don't have diabetes or runs in my family.

Since 2000, struggling with my weight loss efforts.. Had tried points to carbs counting and never able to stick with it. Now, am doing my best on low cal,low fat with complex carbs. Doing great with my plan, which now I got tom..which I get missed for a length of time.

Now it is up to me on losing and praying when this unwanted weight is reduced, my facial hair is gone as well.

Thank you for letting sharing my story.. :hug:

I have horrible hair all over the place. I started noticing a few hairs on the side of my chin when I was 15 or 16, and by now at 19, I have them all over the underside of my chin, upper neck, and cheeks! I've always had thick leg and arm hair (so much so that when I was 13, my brother told me I had more hair than he did so I was traumatized and started shaving).

My doctor however said that it's not PCOS because my periods are, in her words, ridiculously regular. From day one, my periods have always been regular almost down to the hour. However, I read that 98% of women with hirsutism have PCOS. My doctor didn't take it seriously enough to evaluate it further though >.<

I am in the same boat! I hate it. I have shaved my face sooo much that I literally have bumps. I used to love wearing my hair up in so many different styles but now I have let my hair grow so long and I leave it down to cover the sides of my face. My friends talked about giving me a make over and redoing my hair but I dont want to touch it. Plus, is anyone else experiencing the hair loss on the top of your head? My hair has thinned out sooooo much.

Im scared to date because of the hair on my face. I met someone and we went on one date but he said we should go our separate ways because he didnt like the hair. So ever since then I just dont date.

I dont have the money to go and get laser treatment. I dont even have the money to pay for my prescriptions for this. Its horrible. Anyone have any suggestions if you shave? I always thought I was alone too. Its horrible we have to go through this but I am glad this site is up because I have only talked about it with my very best friend.

Nico- have you tried tweezing? It's a pain and it can take forever, and it does hurt a bit the first time, but it gives me a lot of confidence. I normally have to tweeze every day but it's only a few hairs a day after the first time- or every time I go a few days without tweezing. Now I find it kind of therapeutic. I go through tweezers like crazy (between my thick black scraggly hairs on my chin and my bushy eyebrows) but it's worth it. All you need is a decent magnifying mirror.

My chin hair grows really fast so shaving doesn't work for me. If I shave the night before in the shower or in the morning, by that night I have visible hair.

Hi Jennifer -
At the time I started the metformin I was eating horribly - and after the initial adjustment period I never had any other problems with it - no matter how poorly I ate. I'm now at the point where - because of my weight loss and exercising - my bllod work shows no signs of diabetes so my doctor is going to cut my meds back - WOO HOO !!!!!!!

Oh - just noticed you mean now - LOL. I don't count carbs or calories at all. Just eat low fat and try to limit carbs but I'm not always successful. I do alot of Lean Cuisine & Weight Watchers and add a salad or veggies. Lean Cuisine and Weight Watchers seem to be in the 45 carb range I think. I do eat out and have grilled chicken or broiled fish - a potato (with very little butter or none) and a veggie or salad. On Sunday I sometimes take my son to a local place for brunch and I have a regular egg omelet, homefries (just like my Dad made - omg !), toast and sometimes bacon. For me the difference is the exercise I think.

Charolastra - I did the tweezing but I have SOO much hair that I would literally have to spend a day doing it. It goes from my chin and below my chin (that area between your neck and tip of your chin) Its crazy. and since they are so small that would take a long time. :( its frustrating

Just wanted to mention - in regards to laser or electrolysis - my endo told me that both are a waste of money with PCOS because you have to get your hormone imbalance straightened out BEFORE any of that will work. While it may temporarily help - the hair follicles will become active again.

Nico- just focus on the thicker hairs then. I have the same thing and after the first time I tweeze everything, it doesn't take that long. You can try in sections even to split it up and make it less of a chore. Or have you tried waxing? Terrifies me but if people can wax their upper lip (I can't even tweeze because it HURTS), then waxing your chin shouldn't be THAT bad.

Thanks for starting this Thread! I have serious facial hair issues. Just like a man I get up in the morning and have to shave around my chin and somewhat under my jaw line. It's such a chore! I can NEVER just get up in the morning and go! Ingrown hairs at times can be terrible-it's so hard to treat when in a sensitive area like neck. I am VERY interested in getting laser treatments. I think they'd work well since I have dark hair and fair skin. Good luck to all who have this problem-I truly feel ALL your pain

Charo - I cant wax because my hair is soo dark that I literally have to shave everyday. You have to let it grow out a ways to wax. Ive asked :( But I think I will try tweezing in sections. Sounds like a good idea.

Hi ladies, I have tried electroloces(sp) and it doesn't work. The endo is right. Mine just came back stronger. I tweeze everyday and wax once a week just to get the fine hairs. Sometimes if I don't feel like waxing I take my hubby's trimmers and use those to get the fine hairs, but I never and I mean NEVER go more than 2 days without tweezing. I feel like everyone is staring at my chin. I wear concealer and then foundation over that then I put powder ontop of that. You have to take a spatula to get my make-up off...lol. I feel all of your pain ladies. I am glad to know I am not alone in this. I don't know anyone else who has this problem, except on the net. Sometimes I just feel so lonely and feel like such a freak! i just don't know how my hubby can deal with it sometimes. But he does, thankfully!

OMG I am so glad I found this thread. I always felt like I was a freak for having to shave like a man!! It's so embarassing and I'm constantly wondering if it's showing and if anyone can see it. I have to shave everyday now because I've been doing for so long now that if I don't I literally look like a man. I also have hair on my upper back between my shoulders. I've thought about doing lazer hair removal but I don't want to spend all that money and have it come back in a few months. I've never talked about this with anyone, not even my fiance. Although I'm sure he's noticed the hair on the weekends when I slack on shaving but thankfully he's never mentioned it. I would be mortified!!!

So I decided to go ahead and start tweezing. The hair grows back so fast that I can shave today and it will be back tomorrow long enough to tweeze. I like it because a lot of the hair is gone as opposed to when I shave you can still see the shadow. But omg it hurts. aaaand I have sooo man little hairs that its sooo time consuming. And I didnt realize shaving gave me soooo many ingrown hairs ... grrr.. those suckers hurt :(

I have the same problem with my upper lip and now about 6 months ago I started with a few stray chin hairs and now I have quite a few. I Usually wax both, I do it about once a week and then I use my tweezers daily to grab the few stray faster growing hair. Waxing does hurt but it is instantaneous and over in a second whereas shaving has to be done more often and plucking hurts the whole time you do it. One thing that does help with the plucking, I use it on my eyebrows and anything else I need to pluck (you guys are gonna get a kick out of this ) I buy the Prolong creme they sell at adult parties or adult stores, it has lidocaine in it and numbs the area. I went to an adult party that my friend threw and the demonstator that sold the stuff recommended it for plucking your eyebrows so I tried it and it does really work (Im not sure how it works for the issue its meant for, I have only used it for plucking)

Thank goodness there is tthis forum! Ok, I have hair, chin hair, and lots of it! I get ingrown hairs, pluck almost daily and when I went to get my eyebrows done, I asked the woman to do my chin she told me 5$ for the chin plus 2 for the eyebrows, so I said "lets do it". She finished my eyebrows and I lifted my head for the chin she got this startled look on her face and said "there is more hair here than on the rest of your face combined!"

I get threading done, it is cheap and lasts about as long as waxing if you don't have too much hair (which I do) but I only have to get it done maybe once or twice a month and just pluck the odd ones in between. Im black so the hair isn't too noticable if it is thin, but I notice it and end up scratching and now my chin is one big scar, and we (AA's) scar darker than our original skin, Im not that dark to begin with so now I have almost black scars all over my chin!

Can anyone recommend a cream or something I can do for the rough skin on my jaw line? :(

Can you define rough? :)

Well its bumpy from all the shaving ... and it just feels really dry so thats where the roughness comes in :(

I have had the hair issues since I was maybe 13 or 14. I have really thick dark hair on my arms. I hate to get manicures because they massage your arms. I don't like anyone to see them, let alone touch them. In spite of the insecurities, I still wear tank tops in public.
The facial hair started out with just a few that I would pluck, but I'd end up in situations without tweezers and end up shaving. I've plucked and / or shaved ever since, and now am dealing with thick hair on my chin. I had been shaving for a while (daily) because the tweezing was just too much time for me to spend in front of a mirror. I hated to look at it. Today was the first day that I took the time to tweeze in over a year. I had forgotten how much it hurts! And my face has been red ever since, but it is nice to not see the shadow.
It is encouraging to know I am not alone in this fight. Thanks to all of you who have the courage to post your stories.

I like this thread a whole lot!!

I am 24 and have always been hairy- my mother was hairy, so no surprise. I am at my heaviest weight ever, tho- 197 from 199- and I have about 20 dark hairs that grow out of my chin. I pluck- I will NOT shave, since that always looks bad, but I spend abt 20 min a day plucking chin, lip, eyebrows and the worst of my sideburns. I wax those every few weeks, too.

The worst, though, is my bottom!! It is as hairy as my fiance's, although his hairs are longer. I wax that the best I can but it is hard to do well on your own a**. I have been wanting laser hair removal, but with the PCOS and fat, I can't justify the money when it will just grow back.

Glad to hear that weight loss DOES help w/the hair!

Is there something out there to use to numb the areas you want to pluck? Plucking hurts!!!

I think Sally Hansen makes something for this in a little spray can. Also, you can buy it at a beauty supply place, sold with the facial waxing supplies. It isn't 100 percent, but it helps.

You can also press down on the skin and spread your fingers apart, almost as if you were trying to pull the skin so that the hair follicle would fall out. Spread that area thin, and pluck firmly. Don't do those little fast whispy plucks like you're swatting a fly. Grab ahold of it and pull back the skin and just pull the tweezers out not so far from your face - maybe 1/4 inch.

That is how I pluck my eyebrows, and those other strays. It is totally painless on my neck and chin, and minimal on the eyebrows. Nothing helps my upper lip, though. That will just keep on hurting!

How often do you have to pluck? I figured out that the bumps on my face is just irritation from shaving everyday! I want to stop shaving and stick with the plucking ... I am off on Fridays so I am picking that day to pluck since it grows out over night

:hug:I'm 28 years old, and there have been times when I thought I was totally alone in this issue. Nice to see that I'm not! By the way, I'm white, but do have Native Indian and Irish backgrounds, so that probably contributes a little to this. :dizzy:

My problem areas are these:

Chin
Between the breasts, and on the breasts
Around the belly button, down from the navel, and on the bottom of my belly fat
On my neck
Sideburns
Upper Lips
Was on my forehead, but after a while, it's no longer there :carrot:Basically, I pluck on my chin and breasts. Everything else I shave, which I mostly do while taking a shower so it's just another thing to do while shaving the legs. :dizzy: I prefer to pluck because then it usually doesn't grow back enough for me to notice it till a week later. But I would N E V E R pluck the more sensitive areas.....

I'm not crazy about doing medicine as a rule. Heck, I barely pop pills for my headache unless it's really bad. I'm just hoping that the more I lose, the less symptoms I'll have of this. Time will tell...