Hello!

I'm hoping someone can help me. I was diagnosed with PCOS in my mid 20s and went on the pill. I am now 33 and still on the pill, however the growth of facial hair on my chin and neck as well as on my stomach hasn't gone away or subsided. I went to my dermatiligst and she said nothing will really take that away, even laser may not work. My ob/gyn said she could give me water pills. What does water pills have to do with it? Would they make me retain water? I've heard the only "cure" is to lose weight. At my highest I was 260lbs and now I'm stuck in a five pound up and down cycle at 175-180 pounds. I'm extremely proud of my weight loss and want to get to 160 healthy pounds. I work out at the gym 4 days/week hour and half/day. Weight training, abs and cardio....all out ....full out all the time.

Can you ladies give any suggestions for the hair growth? I'm a brunette and have to shave it and tweeze every so often. It's fustrating! If it wasn't for not getting regular periods, I would wonder if I'm even PCOS at all!

i have it too im not bursting your bubble but losing wt will not make hair go away i lost wt n its still there. i get it waxed

Ugh...I was so hoping that it would go away once I lost all the weight.

Mine went away

I'be been on Spiro and Met for years and it did NOTHING for the hair. Weight loss hasn't seemed to make a difference either. I started Flutamide in September for hair GROWTH on my head (a common side effect of PCOS is hair loss) and now the hair growth has definately slowed.

witchy you said you are taking something for hair growth on your head, and that hair growth has slowed down...has the medicine helped with head hair growth?

ABSOLUTELY !!!!

I started it in September and had my first "real" haircut in October (only had trims prior to that). My stylist noted how thin it was - you could see my scalp as she was combing it out after washing it. I just went back last week - I had felt I could see signifigantly less scalp but I've been terrified to look closely so I wasn't sure. I generally comb without looking - lol. My stylist sees tremendous hair regrowth - my hair is getting thicker - hardly see any scalp - I can't wait for another 3-4 months to go by !!!!!!!

I'm 37, and spent my teens and twenties tweezing excess hair from my chin--when I was about 30 I decided to go for a consult at a laser hair removal clinic. Long story short, it was worth the expense--I had maybe 6 treatments, about 2 months apart, and got rid of most of the hair. I was told to quit tweezing, because it actually encourages hair growth in areas where sex hormones control hair growth. I also had a couple of electrolysis treatments afterwards, to clear up a few strays.

I was a good candidate, pale as a corpse with very dark hair. But the technician told me the newer lasers can work well on people with more pigmented skin.

My advice--find a couple of places that do laser, and go talk to them. Hopefully you'll find a place that'll treat you with respect and honesty. Good luck!

Flutamide has helped hair regrowth on your head and slowed your facial hair? Do you mind me asking if this is covered by insurance? Does it have any side effects?

I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and tried spiro to no avail. My endocrinologist says it's my weight.

I had no idea the PCOS could be causing my thinning hair. I thought it was my thyroid (I'm also hypothyroid). Or some of the psych meds for my bipolar.

Thinning hair on the head and facial hair growth really embarasses me, like I need any help at my weight.

Amy

Yes - the Flutamide is both causing regrowth on my head and slowing of facial growth. It IS covered by my insurance and since it is a generic the co-pay for me is $ 1.00 It IS an off-label use but my insurance has not questioned it. I did have some initial stomach discomfort - but not enough to make me stop taking it. Like Metformin it can cause liver issues so you have to be tested regularly - my endo had me checked at two weeks - two weeks and now every 3 months. It does make my urine a bright yellow but that is listed as normal with this med. IF you can get someone to prescribe it - which I understand some women have trouble with - I recommend you try it.