Hello everyone,

I'm new to these forums. I came across this website as I was researching hirtusim, and I'm glad to be here. I'm 25 year old female and I've been suffering with abnormal facial hair since I was 15. Ever since I first started menstrating, at age 11, I have had irregular periods. I stopped menstrating at age 13/14. I have seen Dr.'s for this, but I was never diagnosed with PCOS, though I'm convinced this is what I have. I was placed on birth control. It regulated my period, but it did nothing for my facial hair (which I had hoped it would). I sought out electrolosis until I went completely broke, and it still did nothing for me (I blame the electrolosist). Now as an adult, I am currently too poor and uninsured to further my quest in being diagnosed and treated. I have always been an obese person, and have tried losing weight. 2 years ago, I lost more than 100lbs (from 300 to 196lbs). The weight loss brought back my periods(though still a little irregular), but one year later I gained all the weight back and my periods ceased again. At 322lbs, I recently started another diet in which I have lost about 60lbs. I hope to reach 180lbs (or anything under 200lbs) for my ultimate goal.

I still have extremely coarse black hair and a lot of it around my chin, lower chin, neck, and side burns. The hair is a little thinner on my upper lip. I pluck my chin (1 or more hours a day), but shave my lower chin, neck, and side burns. I use Nair for my upper lip. The facial hair has had extreme negative emotional affects on me. I've never had a boyfriend because it's made me feel so undesirable, beyond ashamed, which in turn has made me feel so alone and just plainly depressed. I cannot deny that it has even driven me to the point of wanting to commit suicide (it's been that bad for me). I don't know what to do. I have no one to talk to, because there is no one I feel comfortable enough to talk to. I'd give anything to make this go away, and be a normal girl.

This has been the first time I have ever been able to tell my story. I know I'm not alone, but never having anyone to talk to has always made me feel this way.

Anyway, thanks to everyone that bothered to read this. I hope to find some support through here. It would do me so much good.

-bless you-

Hi Lily! Don't give up! You've come to a great place, here. Someone will know something useful...

Hi Lilly!! This site can offer lots of support/info. Also, have you tried soulcysters.com? There is tons of useful info from other women with PCOS. I'm 25 with PCOS also. I'm currently on the insulite labs system which claims it can help reverse the condition. I am on week 4 and so far so good. I was having problems losing hair and that seems to have slowed down a lot and I was struggling with depression. I seem to be in much better spirits, but if I miss any pills I can feel it affect my mood. It is a lot of pills to take and a bit pricey, but very worth it for me. You may want to check it out. The site is insulitelabs.com.

You are definetly not alone. If you ever want to talk feel free to PM me. I was diagnosed 2 years ago and have been to more doctors than I care for, but I can share my info with you. Keep your head up! Congrats on the weight loss! I'd love to know how you did it.

Lilly,
I am now 39 and have lived through some of what you are facing. First of all when you go to an electrologist they should tell you that the quicker less painful "thermolysis" method is much less effective and takes more treatments per follicle than the "galvanic" or "blend" methods. The "t" only uses a quick burst of heat; "g" uses a galvanic electrical pulses that reacts with the fluids in your skin to actually create a lye that destroys the follicle; "b" blends the two methods together so it is not as quick as thermolsyis but not nearly as slow as galvanic, but very effective. Hair follicles are very determined to live so each individual follicle must be treated a couple times with any method, but with 'flash thermolysis' it can take many many times, so just because a girl can clear your whole chin in a fifteen minute session, it is not better than the slower work because it will have to be done more often. BTW, I was licensed in MI many years ago and worked on a few transgendered folks; I noticed that when their testosterone was well inhibited and they were receiving the higher doses of estrogen and progesterone their hair was easier to remove and more likely to stay gone than in their early stages. I know it kind of hurts to feel compared to someone who wasn't even born a girl, but our hormones being out of balance, kind of gives us some of the same struggles. Oh yeah, and just forget about the silly lasers all together. Look in your area for an electrolysis school that may let you come in for the students, the instructors are always there so the fear of scarring isn't too bad. I know what you mean about being broke and uninsured, that is where I am right now. I wax my lip, chin, & throat, a couple times a month and pluck every couple days and also shave my throat, cheeks and jawline every once in awhile. Your problem sounds much more advanced than mine ever was, my heart really does go out to you. If you have a Women's Resource Center in your area, maybe you could ask them for help with a birth control like D***ette or G**ette along with A****tone, those are very commonly used to help with pcos, but are also just a straight up bc and a mild diuretic, so they might be okay with helping you out with them, even if you can't see an endocrinologist, they should at least have a nurse practitioner on hand. Bravo on the weight loss, do not give up, and as unpleasant as it may sound try finding a way to see some sort of health practitioner i.e. free clinic, health & human services or something. I started my cycles at age 9 they were normal until about age 13 then by 19 they were totally gone and then I gained a 100 pounds in a little over a year. They came back when I was around 27 and a doctor who finally bothered to diagnose me encouraged me then to try and get pregnant asap or I could lose my chance, well now I am 39 and have gone through fertility treatments several times going from clomid which started making me nearly psychotic to injectables which financially devastated us, my husband died and now low and behold my f***ing body has decided to resume cycles on a twenty eight day schedule for the first time since I was in junior high...Don't let this happen to you. Swallow your pride and ask for help from every agency you can find, I wish had when I was in my early twenties. Also if you can find books and web sites that list individual herbs that may help in some areas rather than the proprietary blends, then maybe you can get started on something that won't cost as much as the already formulated ones, and don't forget to check out glandulars as well as herbs and nutritives, if you decide to go the alternative route until a medical route opens up for you.
(i asterisked out the middle of the bc and diuretic things I thought you could ask about, because I don't want to sound like I am giving medical advice, only trying to share some of the treatments I have done in the past. Also ask about dexo****isone for inhibiting the androgens until then look up info on chaste berry) .
Sorry for the way too long post.
Blessed Be

Welcome to the forum! I don't have any advice to offer about the facial hair issue, but this is DEFINITELY the place to be for weightloss info -- Good luck and welcome aboard!