i was diagnosed with pcos in april because of excess hair growth. i have hairs everywhere - the most are on my arms and legs and i have fine, long pigmented hair on the rest of the body some body parts scarcer/or more than the others. i have them on my face and buttocks, back as well. the ones on my face are manageable i usually just cut the ones on my side of my lips and the ones on the side of my face i just leave and cover with my head hair. a new doctor that i saw this week says that she doesn't see anything wrong with the ones she sees on my face. i asked why they were long but she says that is just the way my hair grows. i showed her the hairs on my shoulder/collarbone and upper chest areas - she said while they're long they are also just fine and she wouldn't even have seen them unless i pointed it out. the ones under my chin are long but she says she can hardly see them. i do have the hairs on my stomach but they're quite sparse with the exception of around the belly button and below belly button that line going down.
i am confused as to what is considered normal and abnormal hair growth. please help. i do notice a lot of unpigmented hairs on my face which are turning black. are the areas where i describe my hair to be considered abnormal?
on 2 out of 3 blood tests, my total testosterone is showing to be normal and my free testosterone have always been normal. where my total t was showing to be abnormal, it was only .15 above the norm.
i am wondering if the hair are non-hormonal related. my father is very hairy when he was young - my younger brother is hairy. he's 21 and have long, thick hair all over his legs and lower arms some upper arms and he has facial hair too. i am wondering if my hairs are more genetic related.
if it's genetic, will it grow in the same male pattern as my brother's? how can i determine if my hairs are genetic or hormonal related? i must admit that the specialist that i am seeing did not really check my hair growth at all. she prescribed the medication to me just based on what i say where the hairs are.
i have never been on any medication (with the exception of tylenol if i get headaches) in my life and am really uncomfortable in taking aldactone esp since i have to take it for the rest of my life if i want to suppress the hair. i am extremely confused.
i also notice lately that in addition to other body changes such as muscles, my facial pores seem to be getting bigger within a short period of time. i am wondering if it is due to the aldactone that i am taking as it retains sodium and potassium could it be causing other health damage that is now being manifested in other areas of my skin?
or is the pores getting bigger a sign of other health related disorder not really due to medication? i know that as we age the skin gets worse but it's strange to have my pores getting bigger within just the last few months. please share if you have any ideas on what may be causing this and how to prevent it from getting worse.
Hello there,I hope this will help you.The excess facial and body hair htat has a "male pattern growth " is due to the excess androgen production/stocking in your body....a direct symptom of pcos.Yes there are some genetic factors involved,but if you were diagnosed with pcos,that is probably the most attributable reason for your hirsutism.My father is also very hairy.I was diagnosed in April of this year based on hormonal level(my free testosterone and my dheas were all high)and also the pelvic ultrasound.The size of your pores could also be the effects of free testosterone.Excess androgens can cause oily skin,large pores and acne.Good news though.....the Aldactone(spiro) was prescribed for you.I have been taking 100 mg for 5.5 months now.I am seeing a mild reduction in the hair growth on my body and face.I was told that the full effect usually can take up to 6 months to a year....so be patient and stick with it.As for side-effects,it is a diuretic....but only a mild one compared to other diuretics.It will make you pee out your sodium and water.You will not excrete your potassium.Chances of your potassium going too high are very low if your kidney function is normal and if you do not use salt substitutes(ie..Mrs.Dash....that is loaded with potassium)In the beginning,you may expereince mild dizziness,that should subside as your body adjusts.Lots of lady take a divided dose instead of the full pill at once.I take 50mg twice a day to keep a steady level in my blood stream.Some experts say that the optimal dosage is somewhere between 100-200mg daily.Good luck to you.Soya
__________________ 5'9'' 150 lbs dx:pcos,gerd,ibs,raynaud's,eczema,chondromalacia patella.
meds:multivit & folic acid....metformin on hold due to breastfeeding.Me:35 Dh:38*babies:mathieu my butterfly boy lost to ic at 23w3d March 2/04,three m/c's....then Aidan,my miracle little dude,on Dec18/06,thanks to clomid,prometrium and a cerclage.......oh and a wonderful high risk OB..Will try again in 2009 for another sucessful pregnancy.
my parents are both very hairy people, I had extreme arm hair (and dark!) way before puberty/pcos, and have hair around belly button and on back of thighs, a few sparsely scattered around breasts, and on face and chin and neck which i tweeze every day because nothing else seems to work.
face hair has lessened just SLIGHTLY since i started metformin, but i still have to tweeze at least 20 minutes every morning, and i bleach my arn hair in short sleeve season. i shave everywhere else.
i know, it's not fun. welcome to the world of tweezing. take care.
Please help 
