Hey Everybody. This is really embarrassing, but I just have to ask. I am of middle eastern decent, so the women in my family are prone to very very thin but dark upper lip hair. I have always been "hairy" with a lot of dark hair on my arms, thick eyebrows, and of course, that really fine/dark upper lip hair. I have noticed that as I gained this past 70-100 pounds, the hair has increased.. everywhere! I have serious facial hair growth on my sideburns/jaw line, chin, upper lip, and even on my stomach now. I have read plenty about excessive facial hair in women being caused by obesity or PCOS. I have been tested thoroughly for PCOS and do not have it. If this is just being caused by obesity (I know fat cells hold on to different types of hormones differently), after I lose weight, will the hair growth stop? be reduced? or is it just there forever once it has started? I have been looking into laser hair removal, but I do not want to spend that kind of money on something that is not permanent, and that has not worked for so many. I just had some blood work done last Friday to check some hormone levels and talked with my primary about everything. I am hoping that if this is hormone related, that once I lose the weight and my hormones are back in check (if that is the problem), the hair will at least reduce.

Has anybody else had this problem? Anybody with any advice?

Thanks,

Rachel

Hi Rachel,

I do have PCOS. I am 27 and I am so hoping that with the weight loss it will help with the unwanted hair. It is horrible. I joke now that I can grow a nicer beard than most men. I shave my face faithfully every morning. I also shave my chest every day. My whole body is really bad. Including my back. (even my butt) How embarrassing is that. My bf shaves my back for me. I am in the same boat and hope that it gets better.

Right now I am taking birth control to see if it helps with the hair. Also my dr has me on spirinolactone, it is a Water pill but they say it has been shown to help with unwanted hair growth in women.

Good luck! Hope this helps.

Melissa

Thanks Melissa. I have to shave/tweeze/nair at least twice a week now. Should probably do it more like 3 times a week but.. ugh! I am not sure what my back looks like. I am pretty sure it is not covered.. yet. I know that it is a problem on my rear as well though. You are lucky to have a bf that is so supportive of you with this problem. Mine is grossed out by it a lot. He knows that I am trying to figure all of this out, but it is just weird to him. Girls aren't supposed to be hairy like this! I guess I forgot to mention that right around the time I started gaining my weight, I also stopped taking my BC. I am sure that my hormones are all out of whack. We will see when I get the test results back!

Good luck to you!

Rachel

I also have PCOS. and i have issues with hair on the face and chest and abdomen. i havent noticed a big change with the first 38 lbs...but hopefully as i continue to lose it will get better.

since i do have PCOS my doctor did start me on Spironolactone which is supposed to help with the hair. i guess it did slow the growth down some, but it didnt reduce the amount.

good luck with everything, and hang in there!!!

also one of my friends who is egyptian got the laser hair removal for the facial hair and she swears by it!

maybe when i have the money i will try that since it is a permanent fix and even if it does improve with weight loss i doubt it will ever go away enough to make me happy.

I didn't have PCOS, but after 4 yrs. of infertility treatments, the docs finally discovered I had a hormone inbalance, too much testerone, which also caused me not to ovulate (irregular cycles). Ultimately I had a partial hysterectomy for adenomyosis (internal endometreosis). I am not very hairy, however, I have more than my share of stray black hair, I noticed after my hysterectomy and my hormones evening out, the hair problem lessened ALOT.... And my leg hair is softer and not as much, as is under my arms....

Hope this helps....