Female facial hair and Acne as a result of PCOS

[Amy124]

I came across this site trying to gather information on what has been happening to my face. I have always suffered from acne, yet in the past years it has gotten out of control (i am 27). I do not have cysts regularly, but my face is cluttered with numerous small acne bumps, most hidding little very thick hairs beneath them and puss. I know my acne is rooted from facial hair. I try to pluck them and I get acne when they begin to grow back, and ingrown hairs. I try to get the ingrown hairs out and it results in wounds and scaring. I really do not know what to do at this point. I tried laser, yet after the first session my face got out of control. I believe it must have happened when they first shaved my face (standard procedure for laser hair removal)- yet the shaving opened all the little acne bumps and must have allowed it to spread.

Someone mentioned diabetes and menstral cycle problems. I have very irregular periods and have been diagnosed with " PCOS " (a pre-diabetic stage).  I know my facial hair is rooted to this problem, yet I do not know how to fix it. If others reading this have facial hair, acne, and gain wegiht easily (even if you are not overweight, yet it is hard for you to maintain a stable weight across the year) , then I would get tested for PCOS. I have acne, thick facial hair around both my cheecks leading from my mouth to my side burns, and across the jawline and chin. I am not what you would call overweight, although I could loose 10 pounds, but as a child I was.

I know what is causing my horrible acne, yet no one (and believe me I have been to MANY doctors) has given me any solutions. I have tried birth control, topical/oral treatments for acne, laser hair removal, anything and everything (at one point rubbing pure aloe vera on my face), yet NOTHING has worked. These things have controlled the situation, until the new batch of hairs grow, I remove them (because I feel very uncomfortable with them), and then when they start growing back its the same process of acne, etc.. all over again.

Can anyone relate to this? any reccomendations? treatments? I don't know what is worst, a face full of acne or a face full of hair as a female... or worst, a face with BOTH and the scars from having it happen over and over again (my current situation). HELP!


This discussion is related to Facial Cysts with Ingrown Hair.

[Elianoos]

I have PCOS and I have tried everything, this is what works for me. If you want, do it step by step:

1. You have hormonal imbalance. If you are fat you have to lose weight, if you are skinny, again you have to lose weight .Even a pound makes a difference!

2. Go on birth control pills only for 4- 6 months. this is a good kick start. you will get balanced hormones even if they are artificial, your periods get regular, no more acne, facial hair still grows but no new hair. if no ovulation occurs for a few months ovarian cysts may go away

3. No more dairy for the rest of your life, specifically, Milk! In the beginning no dairy of any kind for at least 4 months, then you can have cheese twice a week. "Do Not substitute dairy with Soy." use Almond milk and nuts to get daily dosage of calcium. Icecream is dairy, frozen yogurt is dairy.. NO NO NO

4. No sugar, no sugary drinks for 4 months

5. no coffee, drink green tea instead

6. Go on a protein based diet, it will keep you full and will help you to eliminate potato, rice and white bread, Do not substitute protein with fruits they have lots of sugar. eat veggies as much as you want. eat moderate amount of fruits, No bananas!

7. Exercise twice a week, go for a walk or treadmill or..

8. 8 glasses of water is mandatory

9. Take Folic acid, B1,B6,B12, vitamin D and zinc supplements

10. After 2 months of starting the regimen make an appointment for laser hair removal. They won't go away by themselves! Do not worry, after the first or second session you will lose most of the hair, when there is no hair your face is less oily and the acne will clear eventually. continue with 5 to 6 sessions of laser and you can go for touch ups once every year or two.

11.After 4-6 months get off birth control pills but you have to keep the diet for the rest of your life or it will come back! Sorry to say it but there is no cure for PCOS you just have to keep it under control.

Good Luck

[Nicole3p]

Hi I'm Jasmine I can totally relate, you have a hormone imbalance, I have one to. I get hair on my face,but I have less bumps this is why,Ok i have acne but what's really causing it?no medications working? You have pcos? Then you have a hormone problem?these products helped me I get less acne and my face is not irritated,I leave the hairs on my face alone in till I've got to the root of the problem, I have oily skin, so how can I reduce the oils then start removing the hairs? Well:) this one day I'm about ta cry. But this one day she introduced me to flack seeds, well wats flack seeds?seeds that help with hormone imbalence, less oil prediction,for pc is that helps regulate your periods,and more!!!we I used it for 21-30 says to try it out I felt a huge difference in my skin:))I got less breakouts, my period came on but that too like a while to get back on track, and my face felt less iritated:) I was amazed cause no products worked for my acne:]for better taste u can put it in par meal,and add in a little bit of boiled ginger juice. Your not done yet:) then after you are little 3-4 little bumps go ahead an ask your doctor if it's a good idea to remove the hairs from your face,then try using acne medications that work for you:) hope I could help. Ps I'm not a softer just a girl who felt like helping:) I used to get about 10-15 bumps on my forehead now I have none:) I also noticed after using the flakseeds for a while that when I piped a numb they would rarely become scars,Because every bump I got had a scar left. Hope I could help, again let me no how it worked:)jasminelln.***@****:)

[Nicole3p]

Jasminelln.ja

[rosepink45]

I feel your pain I have pcos as well its like a curse my whole world turn upside down Im not the same girl I used to be  .. I used to be confident I had perfect clear skin now it looks horrible :( I dont t even wanna go out anymore I have try so many things nothing work doctors are no help it seems like they clueless when it comes to pcos. I'm trying electrolysis next week for the first time to get rid of some of the facial hair hope it helps ... Pcos is the worse that can happen to any women I really think its a curse .., makes it very difficult to get pregnant facial hair body hair acne dark spots on face bad moods irregular period painful periods Its very hard dealing with this :(((

[Nailpaint]

I can relate to each and every issue mentioned here and it ***** :(

[hottiemommy]

I have read a lot of comments from other people suffering from the same thing as me, please research 100% Organic Spearmint Tea. Trust me, it has worked for me and I've only been drinking it for less than 2 weeks! PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND READ ABOUT IT!!!!!!!

[epeaches]

Itchy hairs suggest you may have a skin fungus, I used an antifungal shampoo and condition and it helped with the problems with my skin, infcection and taking hot baths with baking powder.  They say skin fungus is normal but it's ugly and it looks like acne.

[epeaches]

I have bumpy patch on my chin, looks like acne.  I'm a diabetic.  Then I read something about skin fungus and I bought some antifungal shampoo and an antifungal cream.  Also read that baking soda has antifungal properties.  Taking a hot bath in baking soda helps relieve some of the symptoms, seems like skin is peeling off my face, chin, neck and it brightens the skin.  Some improvement but not totally relieved of the issue.  Hot baking soda baths helps to some degree and using a hot baking soda compress, hot water, baking soda and towel, resting on the face.

[amarna81]

I totally understand I'm a 32 year old African American female and your situation is a mirror image of mine. I'm problem started when  I was about twelve years old, but it not nearly as bad as it is now. It started of as really. Thin soft hair that you could not really notice. My older sisters and mother noticed it though and would tease me about it so I started shaving it when I turned 13. And that's when the bumps started. My mother wouldn't help me so, it just resorted to shaving and tweezing which left me with horrible scars under my chin. The hair grew back the next day (a sharp prickly stubble with large bumps) the hair on my legs grows back the next day (no bumps though) my bikini line is like my chin , and of course the nipple issue ( my biggest secret,I don't have the bumping issue there , I just want it all gone. I started getting laser treatment  when I was in my mid to late twenties and it works but I couldn't keep up with the treatments, its expensive. And the laser technician zapped the wrong part of my chin and now I grow hair on my jaw line too. So now I don't shave anymore more because it caused severe scaring ,I just use cream hair remover with aloe vera gel and it stopped most of the ingrown hair bumps. I just can't get rid of the scaring. I've used fading creams  but I don't think it works because it causes white heads on my jaw line and it lightens the skin around and underneath the area and not the intended area . Its a painful,embarrassing,disfiguring situation,and its not fair that this happens to women. I think the only cure for it is laser hair removal which can cost between $500.00 to $1000.00 .I plan to continue treatment as soon as I can afford it. I just want to feel comfortable being me. I completely empathize with you

[Trennettc]

The skin cream with aloe is something you buy or something you mix yourself? I would like to try.

[chinooka]

hmmm....so was I.....my parents have always told me about having abnormal hair on my face and body when I was born...

[chinooka]

I am certain this has been my fate too. I want to find some relief. Hormonal balance.

[DoubleJNow]

I use spironolactone for acne, one of the benefits - no facial hair!! It helps stop the growth of facial hair!! Ask your doctor to put you on it!!

[ktg21]

herro there,

irrespective of your system problems, to treat pimples and wart's > aspirin :D
nothing better than this - honestly - im 21 and im suffering from this hideous annoyance since maturity. uncoated aspirin mixed with water to form a thick paste > 1 aspirin tablet might require just 2 drops of water , according to your requirement you can make the paste and dot just the pimples/acne white bubbles.

what it does exactly is-it removes the layer of skin-no side effects, no scarring, or pits, just the best as a scrub and acne treatment.

also good for stroke patients, and blood clot's [taken internally]

[Kamyashree]

Hi All...
I am also suffering from this PCOS.

Over Wight
Facial hair
Acne on arms back bumps blackheads
Heavy feeling, not feeling fresh in office
Tummy incresases
Hairs on chin, Stomach

What do I do?


Doctor prescribed me METFORMIN for this. But after taking this metformin tablet, i was feeling so tired all the time. It reduces my weight, pimples but not feeling fresh.

I want to come out of this.
Please suggest me something..

Thanks,
Kamya

[Maiah13]

I can relate to your situation.  I was born with hirsutism.  Not sure if I have pcos (I did get pregnant although had very irregular periods) and have a weight problem.  I used to get the occasional pimple as a teen, but never so bad as an adult.  My really bad adult acne started when I started threading my facial hair.  For a long time, I didn't realize the connection..I just thought my acne just got worse over the years.  For 12 years, I threaded my face out, put makeup on open pores and had huge cystic nodular acne that left so much scars.  Then, a couple of years ago, I bought a handheld laser hair remover (silknflashngo) and used that on my face to save me my weekly threading expenses.  I noticed that I don't get as much acne anymore as before...which further reduced the more my facial hair became less with continued use of the laser gadget.  I stopped wearing foundation too (whereas before I couldn't even step out without using one to hide my ugly skin) and started using BB cream instead.  I take Pantothen supplements for acne, and that reduces my facial oil production so much.  At night, I use gluta-c which is a retinol with glutathione, to gently peel away my skin and it has faded most of my scars...amazing cream.  I still get an occasional pimple or two, but no more cystic acne.  I strongly recommend getting rid of your facial hair first...and then things will get better once they are gone.

[Lindyloo29]

Hi, I have pcos and have suffered with facial hair and spots for as long as I can remember, i've tried every cream and natural remedy I could find to no avail, 6 months ago I started on an eating program called food combining which is basically you never eat carbs with protein, anyway its designed to keep blood sugar under control, help hormonal balance, digestive ailments etc and I also take a probiotic, I havent had a spot in several months and i've noticed the hair i grow on my face and tummy, thighs, lower back etc feela much finer and much less course. Just a suggestion, the eating plan is hard to start off with but you get used to it. Oh yer and an added plus is i've gone from 13st 4lbs to 9st 12lbs. I have battled with my weight since about 12 yrs old.

[mfmwk]

Your experiences sound very similar to mine.  I had my last child at the age of 30 and had my tubes tied.  Later I had very irregular periods that were very heavy and went on for weeks.  I also gained weight, a lot of weight - 50 lbs.  by the time I was 35 I only had a few very light periods each year.  I was finally diagnosed with Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome.  I was not told of this as a risk to my decision to have my tubes tied - but I understand that it happens in about 5% of women who decide to have the procedure.  It is a hormone imbalance caused by damage to the ovaries due to decreased blood flow.  It is to much estrogen to too little progesterone. Unfortunately for me I was not diagnosed until I had gone into early menopause and suffered from weight gain, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  
It can be treated by using topical hormones.  You should have a hormone balance test done and discuss the results with an open minded Dr.
Good luck - I hope this information helps you.

mk

[moninavarro]

Wow ...this blog has been very helpful.. I had my last baby in 2011of June I meant later I decided to tie my tubes. The biggest mistake I've ever made. Even though my periods are irregular perform I tie my tubes. Getting them tied just made it worse it seem like I was getting him every 2 months for at least 2 weeks. Extremely heavy the first 3 days where I was going to a tampon and pad every hour
Not to mention the pain in my back and my stomach It felt like I was in labor again. I would sit on the toilet and clots of blood it would just come out. Sometimes I wouldn't think I was having a miscarriage. Along with the heavy periods I started to get picked a facial hair... I have always been a hairy person but it was controllable. I would either wax up like every once in awhile. I have never had a problem with acne at all in my face. Now when I put those pictures all I get is ingrown hairs Carine mass pimples. I'm 28 years old now And now dealing with acne it's horrible. I try to avoid parking but I'm so like complected that the dark thick hair Is way too noticeable. Not to mention in August My daughter started kindergarten... So I decided to try to lose some weight and run her to and from school with my two sons  in a double jogging stroller. By October and November I haven't really seen any results on the weight loss and I was having extreme pain in my legs... more like pounding nerve pain. I went to see the doctor and they took stays  did blood work and said that I was .3 below having thyroid problem. I'm extremely tired all the time... I have hot flashes constantly I'm always emotional sad happy mad no patience patience... add for my apperance ..
I have a lot of gray hair now and pimples where i have thick dark facial hair.... even under my arms when I shave I get pimples... and it's to the point now where I can even apply deodorant... maybe I do have PCOS..... I'm going to have to ask my doctor or get a second opinion... is anyone else deal with the same same symptoms as i do.. besides a facial hair and pimples?/

[Ilhaam83]

Hey Amy- I know This is a few years late. My pcos has gone into remission- the cause of it for me is food allergies- gluten, dairy and eggs. Pls go on an elimination diet ( which will be hard at first), stick with it and see if things change. I believe for some women pcos is an immune dysfunction- sort ure immune system out.

[JamBah11]

I feel your pain, i get hair on my cheeks, jaw line, neck and my chest, I swear i have a full beard on my neck. They all itch like crazy growing in so i scratch, but i guess that doesn't help because i will later get a pimple or something. The hairs on my face are black and thick and even if i trim them instead of plucking i still get a painful bump in its place that will stay on my face for weeks and then discolor my skin. The only way to get the bump to go down is to leave it alone for weeks or squeeze it, which is very painful. I'm very self conscious of anyone getting too close to my face or even staring at me. reading this makes me think twice about going to the doctor who will not understand my pain or will proscribe me something i that wont work. I'm on birth control now and i feel like it hasnt done anything for my skin, only mess up my perfect period cycle. ( i get my cycle every month for seven days with or without the pill) i dont feel like any guy will want a girl with facial hair and wish i was born a guy, but im glad im not the only one who feels this way. I would not wish this on any female.

[kittymomma1]

You aren't psycho. I am in the mirror for at lat thirty minutes every single night, sometimes more, tweezing hairs from my chin and eyebrow areas. Been doing it for years. I've never had perfectly clear skin, but I do know that were it not for my chin hair and all the tweezing I do in that area, it would not be as broken out and irritated as it constantly is. I've tried Vaniqa, but since I don't want to put it on the broken skin on my chin, I've never been able to use it consistently enough to see if it really works for me. I'm constantly touching my chin throughout the day, feeling for hairs. I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time. If I find one, I obsess over it and touch it all day until I can get home and get in the mirror and pluck it out, then waste more time in the mirror searching for hairs to pluck out. The skin on my chin has paid the price for this. I currently shave off the hair on my upper lip...plucking that area just isn't possible. But I refuse to shave my chin. I know this isn't normal, but it's my life. A constant, never ending battle.

[LondonRain]

100% get electrolysis, the only thing that really is permanent,  and not that expensive either. Would solve your chin problem.

[emmmaay]

i am just basically going to say ditto to all of the above comments situations etc.  the chin swelling and the pain and the fact that i look like a crystal meth tweeker is my biggest concern.  i look absolutely horrible.  i feel like unless i go through the whole scenario that people might actually think i am on drugs or dirty or whatever.  i don't really care what people think, but i am beginning to start on a change in career path and i am reluctant due to my face.  and the other factor is i have a daughter and i am sure her friends are asking why i have huge sores on my chin.  i am not sure if i missed any replies that had to do with injections.  i had a roommate who traveled from Oakland to downtown San Francisco just so she could get a shot (almost two hundred dollar) injection of cortisone i think that was the ingredient...and her so called pimple was about the size of the top of a pin.  not that it matters, because small ones can hurt too.  so my point is ... has anyone tried?   also it seems like nothing has really even worked over the years???  so far without insurance, i have no idea if there is a deeper issue, which for some reason, i am quite sure i won't like the answers once i do go...but for now, what works for me is ice after washing my face, i use fabulous face wash by bliss, amazing, but only like every other day, and in between i use murad c facewash.  lotions have been a battle for various reasons,  the best so far for me have been la roche posay, i think i spelled that right, touleraine ultra or soothing serum...for intolerant skin, as soon as it hits my face i can literally feel it calm down.  the ultra is a bit heavier, and unfortunately i do not have much money, so i am unable to try any others yet, also physicians formula purple moisturizer has a similar effect at about half the cost, but def not the same.  the ice is what takes the swelling down and if thety are really bad i use the peroxide, it seems to work the best.  i would like to use the acne formula from la roche posey, but again, money.  the other lotion i also use, forgot is the nutragena spf 15 oil free face lotion.  i don't wear face make up all over only on the spots which can take a long time to cover nicely i was hoping to find a clinical trial and possibly get some help and help find a cure at the same time...anyone know of anything?  thank you so much for making me feel not alone and have a little more hope...

[littlemascara82]

Hello all I am relieved to read on here that I am not alone so I really am glad I found this website. I am a 28 year old middle eastern female and I too cant keep up with my facial hair and body hair. My nipples are scarred because ive been plucking hairs around and now the hair is ingrown so I feel so unattracitve because of all the scars and I feel like no man wants me.. Its not that bad but it is to me if that makes any sense.. I shave my legs andt the hair grows so fast and so rough the next morning they are so spikey. I cant keep up with the maintenance. Its truly an inconvenience and I dont wish this upon anyone. I went to a dermatologist awhile back and I had a blood test and they did confirm that I did have more male hormones (so yes, androgens) they put me also on Sprionolactone but I couldnt afford to keep getting it refilled because I dont have insurance., and I wanst on it long enought to know if it gave me any progress but the sounds of what  just read above from some of the ladies here doenst sound too promising with that.  About those huge zits under peoples chin/neckline I have those too and i just pop them. I just saw an ingrown facial hair and i was getting so frustrated and felt so damn ugly that I just poked and poked with a tweezer and I couldnt pullt he hair out I ended up bleeding like crazy and finally scarred my face for no reason... I wish sometimes that I was born a man because life for me this way is just so hard. I cant keep up with the constant upkeep/maintenance of facial hair and I am VERY self conscious when i am standng close to someone (or next to my boyfriend in bed) someone help... chromium sounded like a good idea

IF ANYONE wants someone to talk to about this feel free to shoot me an email I undesrtand your situation ***@****

[surfergirl880]

Wow, I have been dealing with all of these problems for years & have always squezzed black heads, popped pimples, tweezed hairs, dug up ingrown hairs for that matter! My face is scarred, I cover it with make-up. Lately I have had large & very hard painful lumps around my chin & jaw line. I have been putting heat compress & hydrogen peroxide & guess what came out? Tons of yellow infected puss! I am so embarrassed & feel so disscouraged, I wonder since you posted ur first comment it was a few years ago, do you still struggel with this? I need to see a doctor, I just keep thinking I can naturally solve this but I can't keep my hands off my face! How lame this sounds, Im not crazy really, even though my picking problem sounds kind of physco!

[jennyk6]

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