I recently started on Spiro to help with hair growth on the face...has anyone had any success with this? I'm also on metformin which seems to be working well.
Yes, I have been on Spiro for over a year and I can say for sure that I have seen results. It doesn't make the hair go away, but it does make it grow a lot slower, lighter in color, and it is less coarse. I used to have to shave everyday, but now I am only shaving every other day. Spiro rocks!!
__________________ Diagnosed in September 2002
Metformin 1000mg
Spironolactone 50mg
Tri-Nessa
A totally spunky cyster and college student at Atlanta Christian College!
PROUD ARMY FIANCE TO SPC. RHODES!!
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has set eternity in the hearts of men yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecc. 3:11
"The sun will rise tomorrow, and who knows what the tide may bring." - Tom Hanks "Castaway"
Visit my site at: www.geocities.com/lamandagw/mycorner.html
I tried Spiro when I was first Dx'd with PCOS and although I did notice slower growth in my leg hair and the trail on my abdomen was greatly diminished, it made no difference whatsoever in my facial hair. The facial hair actually seemed to be getting even worse. I went off all meds and decided to lose weight to try to get my symptoms under control. I lost 56 pounds and my period became regular but the facial hair was worse than ever so I went back to my doc and asked him to give me Spiro again. He did and I have been on 200 mg daily for 1 1/2 months now. The leg hair has slowed down and this time I am noticing a change in the facial hair! It is still growing in quite rapidly but I noticed that a lot of the hairs I am pulling out are white instead of black! You can't imagine how thrilled I am as I am so pale and the black hairs are always showing through my skin! I am looking forward to further improvement as I continue with treatment and I am glad that my theory that the Spiro would have a better chance to work if it wasn't having to fight against the excess testosterone from my being overweight was right. I wish you the best of success in your treatment!
Sorry I haven't posted in a while...I do appreciate the responses...
The growth on my legs seems to have slown down quite a bit, as has the hair on the side of my face...it's just the chin that doesn't seem to be getting any better. I can still see all those dark little dots of hair coming in beneath the skin!! I do tan occasionally and use self-tanning spray with the idea that I can hide most of it, but I'm still spending a good 20 minutes each morning and night just tweezing.
I was on Spirinolactone for my symptoms for a few years. It's a long road. of course I am off of it, now, and the hair came back and then some--you have to keep taking it for it to work.
Within a few months I notice changes--but it took a while for it to really be a big enough change for me to think that it was worth it. I still had to shave, but just not as often. But it really did change the hair growth on my legs, especially, and on my back and chest (yes, and now I have the disgusting hairs back now! Grr!) Basically, I forgot how bad that I had it before the spirinolactone, until I went off of it, and then I noticed what a difference it had been making on my hair....and without it, I am a furrball.
Thanks, love, for your honest reply! Did you ever have problems with hair on your face? That's mostly where I'm having trouble. I had a vague dream of never having to pluck or tweeze again...
Isn't Spiro a medication meant to lower blood pressure? That's what I understood from the leaflet, that is also blocks androgens...
Yes, I believe that it is originally supposed to be for blood pressure, or thinning of the blood--something like that. I remember being weirded out about it, thinking that maybe there was something wrong with my heart, too...but it does block the androgens.
It did help me on my face, that's where I have the biggest prob, and I shave my face actually. I didn't know just how much it had helped me until I stopped taking it, and hair came back. All of the hair on my back and stomache actually went away, until I stopped taking it. But, I always had probs with my face, though it was MUCH better when I was on the spirinolactone.
Good Luck!!! I think that you will eventually see a difference...it just takes a while and it is very gradual.
Spiro has helped with the hair loss on my head. Im not sure if its helped the facial hair as I started vaniqa about 6 months before and that pretty much eliminated it! But I have noticed that the hair on my upper lip is gone and I dont use vaniqa there.
I am also having a lot of problems with my hirsutism and am considering taking spiro...i know that'll help based on the many that have had success with it but can i eventually stop the medication over a period of time and maintain the hairlessness? I think more realistically I'm just going to have to get laser everywhere but I know it'll grow back because of my hormonal imbalance...
welcome to sc yorkshire gal. there is a link to the uk section of sc in my siggie, in case you havent seen it already. But of course, we're all welcome all over the board
anway - getting to your question ive been on spiro about 7 years and it has helped. I still have to do my face each day, but the hair is lighter. My endo said it takes 9-12 months to get to maximum result.
eva
Wow. Spiro seems great. I am so happy that someone inquired about this. i am starting spiro myself in little itty bitty doses so my body does not freak out. Has anyone here had a spiro shed on the head. I hear that some people have short spiro sheds before it gets better. If so, how long does it last?
Spiro 
Yep! 
It is still growing in quite rapidly but I noticed that a lot of the hairs I am pulling out are white instead of black! You can't imagine how thrilled I am as I am so pale and the black hairs are always showing through my skin! I am looking forward to further improvement as I continue with treatment and I am glad that my theory that the Spiro would have a better chance to work if it wasn't having to fight against the excess testosterone from my being overweight was right. I wish you the best of success in your treatment!
ive been on spiro about 7 years and it has helped. I still have to do my face each day, but the hair is lighter. My endo said it takes 9-12 months to get to maximum result.
