[huntersmommy]

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

[AmbaLove]

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.

[witchyonadiet]

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.

[Jennifer 3FC]

Hi Witchy!


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. It was always much worse with carbs.

[Liliann]

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..

[charolastra00]

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 >.<

[Nicoyaangel]

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.

[charolastra00]

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.

[witchyonadiet]

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.

[Nicoyaangel]

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

[witchyonadiet]

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.

[charolastra00]

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.

[vealcalf2000]

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

[Nicoyaangel]

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.

[mkjohn]

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!