As we’re posting this, COVID-19 is running rampant throughout the globe. It’s a very scary, stressful time and many of us are in lockdown - here in New Zealand, we are now pretty much completely stuck at home! I hope you’re all staying as safe and healthy as possible!

So right now while many of us have some more time on our hands, it’s a great time to start focusing on your body and understanding your PCOS.

This week we’re talking ALL about hirsutism - otherwise known as unwanted hair growth. It’s one of the more obvious (and quite possibly one of the most frustrating) PCOS symptoms. And women in PCOS are so much more likely to have to deal with this unwanted hair growth than other women - 70%-80% of us women with PCOS will have to deal with these pesky, dark hairs compared to only 4%-11% of the general female population.

I know, it’s a pretty staggering difference.

Let’s face it, as women, we don’t want to look like we’re prepping for Movember a few months early. No thank you, I’m not competing with my SO on who can grow their mo the fastest!

So how do we get rid of these annoying little hairs? Laser? Hair removal cream? Shaving? I know so many other women who have spent an inordinate amount of money on hair removal treatments only to have the hairs sprout straight back up. ARGH!

But, if there’s something else going on - something underlying - no amount of hair removal cream will make them magically disappear. And if it does, it won’t be a long term solution.

Since I haven’t before, I want to take today’s episode as an opportunity to focus solely on unwanted hair growth (also known as hirsutism). I’m going to be talking about what classifies hirsutism, how the hair growth actually works, what hormones are involved and the various treatment options.

If you’re feeling frustrated with these annoying dark hairs that keep sprouting up no matter how many creams, razors and treatments you use, this is a must listen episode. Think of it as your go-to guide for unwanted hair growth!

This episode is for you if:

• Have noticeable hair growth on your face, stomach, back and/or chest
• You want to know how to get rid of unwanted hair
• You have insulin resistant PCOS.

Some things we cover in this episode:

• Which hormones are responsible for hirsutism
• What proportion of women with PCOS deal with hirsutism
• Different types of hair and how they change with hirsutism
• The two-pronged approach to treating hirsutism
• The top three things we need to address for hirsutism
• The effectiveness of prescription drugs used for treatment
• Lifestyle changes for hirsutism

References and Articles:

• Association of Hormonal Contraception with Depression
• Efficacy of a new oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol in the long term treatment of hirsutism
• Insulin-sensitising drugs versus the combined oral contraceptive pill for hirsutism, acne and risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and endometrial cancer in polycystic ovary syndrome
• The evaluation and management of hirsutism
• Hirsutism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Management