My daughter has been diagnosed with early on set of Pcos -I am lost what to do now.
We have hospital saying loose weight,take dianetteanf use vaniqa cream. She has face and body hair which is the thing I dont know what to do for the best with. She is low,very conscious has fair skin dark hair. I've had only beautician day don't do laser and one say laser is fine to do.
A lifetime of her having to deal with this is crushing me as I think she is blissfull unaware of this fact. I need to trust what I am been told and don't know where to start.
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Jenkins91
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Hi. I think that excess body hair must be the worst. I have heard that laser works best on fair skin and dark hair, so I would have thought your daughter would be an ideal candidate for the treatment.
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I have fair skin and dark body hair. I brought a home IPL (Phillips) device for about £400 pounds and used it on my legs, it's been fantastic though you have to stick with it to see results.
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It is also safe to use and won't turn on if you don't have the right skin tone. All the best to you and your daughter. Hope this was helpful.
Laser is perfect for her skin type - in an ideal world I would say do electrolysis as it is the only permanent way but takes forever so I would suggest laser (not ipl as not as strong). It changed my life hugely and I no longer have a beard and I wish I had had it done in my 20's rather than my late 30s SK:N do a discount for pcos sufferers and do interest free too, but it wont be the six sessions, it will be closer to 15 sessions and then it needs to be maintained as it is a hormone imbalance. I would get it done at a clinic rather than do it yourself as it is much stronger at a clinic. Once the majority of it has been zapped I would then go for electrolysis. I haven't had laser on my face for about 3 years now and do need a top up as the goaty area is starting to creep back !!
The combined pill will help (yasmin is a good alternative) as this will slow down the speed of growth and vaniqa does that too but can take a while to make a difference (you can use this in conjunction with laser too). She must not pluck any hair 6 weeks prior to the appointment as this will get the best results.
One thing also, which may be a bit more tricky with a teenager nowadays is that white carbs and sugar make our symptoms ten times worse, its not to say don't have a treat but our bodies do not deal well with sugar.
PCOS is hereditary and comes done both the male and female line (it is not ovary related so a very misleading name), they are pretty sure my hubby is a carrier and also my son is too (he is 11).
We are at an increased risk of getting diabetes and heart disease so diet really is crucial - I am almost 48 and don't have insulin resistance or diabetes but I have watched my weight/diet pretty much all my life (I am no angel) so there are long term risks with pcos too.
There is so much help for when (or if) she does want a family and it is pretty rare not to conceive due to pcos so you can put her mind at rest if she does ever ask you in the future.
All I can say is I am glad I am not a teenager now as it is a much harsher, imagey world than when I was young. Laser will give her her confidence back, expensive but in my opinion so worth it.
Thank you for this honest post . I am distraught if I'm honest
I am waiting to see the doc - money isnt the issue but it must be awful for those that can't afford it. I am shocked by the lack of support from profesions. Hospital signef her off with loose weight, cream and bill.
No help with diet info -only nagging mum. I've bought flaxseed today as that is a suppressant for adronogen hormone
That is a normal response sadly from GP's - it is still only seen as a fertility issue which it isn't.
Become a member of Verity which is £15 for a year as you get the 11 booklets which advise on each area, their is a teen booklet too
When I was diagnosed almost 30 years ago, there was literally no information on pcos at all and Verity the charity was my only source really but luckily there is a lot more information nowadays but sadly in some ways it is no better than when I was diagnosed and some are still told you wont be able to get pregnant naturally (Ive been contacted by the BPAU I think its called about ladies who have gone their pregnant and not being ready but were told it wont happen due to pcos so then have to make a decision they never thought they would have to). So I am not sure things have improved that considerably sadly.....
Being on the combined pill will control the majority of her symptoms (don't do implant or injections as they make the symptoms worse), also the POP pill doesn't work as well so really needs to be the combined one.
Hi. I am 20 years old and have recently been diagnosed with PCOS, i knew i had it for a very long time prior to being diagnosed however it couldn't definitely be proved due to puberty and the hope that i would grow out of this "phase". I also have just started taking dianette which seems to be okay at the moment. When i found out i had it my mum was super supportive for me and would always help me look at the positives and the idea that now i know what the problem is, it can be managed. Although it is a pain, being on websites like this helped me realise that i'm not abnormal and that plenty of women go through the same thing. I felt encouraged to keep fit and try and lose the weight to make it better, my mum offered to pay for a gym membership for me instead of easter eggs and we started being more healthy together, we went to the gym together and ate healthier together. Now i'm at uni and have gained the confidence to join a gym by myself. As for the facial hair, I currently pluck mine but in the future I will want to get laser or electrolysis done, I've been told to stick with my pill for a year and if the hair doesn't thin out then i will go back to the doctors. Once you get into a routine of managing PCOS, it just feels like a normal part of your day and now it doesn't really bother me.
Epilators are ok if you cannot afford laser, they specifically do one for the face now (not when I used one on my face), get a wet and dry one too as it is much less painful in the shower. Good luck and well done for taking control of it.
Ah thank you all positive. I'm hopeful we can get to this point together. I would do anything for her.
Ive had conflicting comments though that laser create more to grow - she is having quite regular periods which I hope means the are regulating and she has lost weight.
I have booked into a SKN clinic for her to see what they say. These strangers get to look at her as she won't show me.
She won't touch any of the hair only the side bits of face as she knows it come back and likely thicker
We need o see the doc this week and lay some plans
Laser doesn't cause more hair to grow that is for sure. Even after my first appointment I noticed a difference after about 3 weeks, I no longer had the 5 o'clock shadow as I am dark haired and pale/olive skin tone. You need to go every 6 weeks for the best results but she mustn't pluck as it destroys the root so the laser wont work so she will have to shave (which is tough mentally), get a decent mans razor, not the ladies one. I use oil rather than foam as it is less drying (somerset is good and King of the shave I think its called are both really good). I do still shave once a week as I have blond ones that wont get zapped but they do not become coarse, its only the dark ones that feel more coarse). Mentally it is quite tough to shave at first though
I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 21 and was previously put on the pill age 16 as I was having irregular periods. I have been lucky enough to have never suffered with excess hair, however, after coming off the pill to have my daughter age 32 (yes, after being told I would never have children) when I was put back on the pill I started feeling ill. Little did I know I had an underlying condition which causes the blood to clot. When my daughter was 10 months old I was rushed to hospital and it turned out I had 3 blood clots and a bleed on the brain, I was put into a drug induced coma and my family told I had 6 hours to live. Luckily I had enough fight in me to pull myself back, and this was when my diagnosis of Hughes Syndrome was made. Although my case doesn't happen very often, it's known that the pill - because of the hormones in it, can cause blood clots within the body, so although your main concern is the hair growth and weight issues. It's always wise to be aware of clotting issues. I have known a few people to take a children's aspirin everyday to help prevent clots.
If you have clotting issues within your family, or any autoimmune disorders known, then you may want to speak to your GP about clotting issues and how to prevent problems with your daughter.
Not wanting to worry you, but I wish someone had made me more aware of these issues before.
Hi & so sorry you & your daughter are going through this too.
My daughter is 13 & was suffering badly with very low mood with weight gain, carb cravings, excess acne, painful heavy periods & hirsutism.
GP did routine bloods which showed raised testosterone & androstenedione.
We decided to see a gynaecologist privately (Nuffield Health) who ordered an ultrasound scan of abdomen & ovaries, blood work, she also referred us to an endocrinologist for further hormone testing.
I did not want my daughter to take the contraceptive pill due to possible side effects & wanted to explore other options. I read a lot often into the early hours!
Endo commenced my daughter on Metformin, she's been taking it & tolerating it well for about 6 weeks.
There are many studies to suggest it can help with weight loss (along with healthy eating & exercise) & in turn reduce testosterone levels.
My daughter has lost 10lbs already, using a treadmill most days which is lifting her mentally. She still has mood swings but seems on the whole to be in a much better place.
We are going to a private clinic for laser hair removal, there is another method available also called ipl, I believe. Excess hair bothers my daughter greatly so I'll do anything to help her feel better about herself & gain in confidence.
Wish you well, it's very frustrating & dreadful when it's your child affected. I would take it from my daughter in a heartbeat if I could.
Hi, I know that diet , exercise and taking the right supplements can have positive effects . Have you done research on pcos nutrition, supplements and exercises ? Implementing these in your life can relieve a lot of pcos symptoms and through learning this and my own personal pcos type has greatly improved my health and periods. Following good pcos dieticians and nutritionists on Instagram can be very educational for anyone with pcos. Such as: @pcos_supportgroup , @the.pcos.nutritionist , @pcos.weightloss and @a.cyster.and.her.misterOne of the best supplements to buy is Myo and D chiro inositol from freakathletics.co.uk taking this one scoop in still hot or cold drinks once with two meals a day increasing insulin sensitivity and helps sleep , decreased acne , excess hair, bring back and regulate periods and decreases cravings and hunger with no side effects. Remove refined sugars and simple carbohydrates from diet , include good fats with every meal such as avocado , olives , hummus, coconut oil/olive oil/avocado oil , almond butter , cashews , walnuts , yogurt and eggs good fats balance hormones and aids weightloss. Make sure she has good protein with every meal with nothing added. If your going to have sauces make them at home from scratch so there is no sugar. Good protein increases energy and is good for insulin sensitivity. Add complex carbohydrates such as brown rice (you could also trying going gluten free for 3 months and see how that improves symptoms) , legumes and veggies increases insulin sensitivity , good immune system and provides necessary vitamins.
Drink spearmint tea twice daily (make a jug full in the evening and leave brewing overnight) this reduces hair loss and excess androgens that cause excess hair and makes you feel calm.
Incorporate slow weighted workout out to increase insulin sensitivity, increase serotonin , dopamine and energy. Get out in the garden in the morning for relaxation , vitamin d and to feel energised. Make sure she makes time for relaxation whether is yoga , meditation , going for a walk,
ocean noises or classical music and breathing exercises , taking cbd oil and decrease caffeine and alcohol consumption decrease cortisol levels. cortisol levels increases excess hair (hirsutism) anxiety , insomnia , irregular/absent periods , premature greying/aging and androgens (testosterone)
Take good gut bacteria capsules and eat yogurt regular (you can try going dairy free for 3 months and see if that helps symptoms also ) good gut bacteria will improve digestion and immune system.
Make sure she is getting good sleep , lack of sleep increases blood sugar and cortisol levels.
I could tell you more ways to improve symptoms but it’s best to find out what pcos types she has and what her root pcos type is which should be what symptoms she started experiencing and what symptoms she suffers the most.
You don’t have to have every symptom of a pcos type to have that type.
Treat her pcos types and When you find out what pcos type her first experienced symptoms and worst symptoms relate to you can zone in on treating that pcos type which should in turn improve all symptoms . I hope this helped 💜 💜 🙏🏽
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and I wish I had had it done in my 20's rather than my late 30s SK:N do a discount for pcos sufferers and do interest free too, but it wont be the six sessions, it will be closer to 15 sessions and then it needs to be maintained as it is a hormone imbalance. I would get it done at a clinic rather than do it yourself as it is much stronger at a clinic. Once the majority of it has been zapped I would then go for electrolysis. I haven't had laser on my face for about 3 years now and do need a top up as the goaty area is starting to creep back !!
Doctor not diagnosing me, Help pls 
Help - I feel like a man :(
Facial hair getting me down
A bit lost and confused. Normal bloods. 
