If dolphin-smooth skin is what you’re after, you’re in the right place. At RoseSkinCo, we’re on a mission to help all women give their skin the love it deserves. How do we do it? Our IPL devices help you remove hair easily from the comfort of your own home (but more on that later).
Still, getting rid of unwanted body hair is not always so easy, especially for those with a PCOS diagnosis. It can feel like your own body is working against you when it is producing more hair than desired, especially on areas where you don’t want it.
Luckily, there are many different ways you can get rid of that unwanted body hair and feel in control.
Keep reading to learn more about PCOS, why women with PCOS experience excessive hair growth, and how they can regain their confidence by finding the right hair removal method.
What Is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects between 6% to 12% of American women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS have reproductive hormones that are out of balance.
The hormones in our body are responsible for all different sorts of bodily functions, like controlling our sleep-wake cycles, regulating our ovulation cycles, and much more. So, when our hormones are imbalanced, a lot of our normal bodily functions are affected. Here are some of the most common PCOS symptoms:
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Irregular periods: Infrequent periods, very light periods, and even prolonged menstrual cycles are some of the most common PCOS signs.
- Weight gain: Gaining weight (especially around the abdomen) is very common in women with PCOS.
- Acne: Many women with PCOS experience acne on their face, chest, and back.
- Polycystic ovaries: Many women with PCOS have either enlarged ovaries or ovaries with many cysts.
- Excessive hair growth: Many women with PCOS may get hair growth on the chin, face, and other body parts where they usually would not have hair growth.
Why Does PCOS Cause Hair Growth?
Of course, every body is different. One woman’s experience with PCOS may look completely different than another woman’s experience. Still, one of the most common and most frustrating symptoms of PCOS for many women is excessive hair growth.
Everyone has hair on their face, but for most women, these hairs are super fine, light, and barely even noticeable. If you have dark, coarse, thick hair growing in place of your usual peach fuzz, that could be a sign of hirsutism.
Hirsutism is the formal term for the excessive facial and body hair growth that comes with PCOS. It affects between 70% to 80% of women with PCOS. This excessive hair growth is caused by the increased levels of androgen in the body.
Androgens are the hormones that are responsible for male characteristics, like facial hair and acne. While all of us are born with some androgen in our bodies, men have much higher levels of the hormone than women.
How To Remove Excess Hair Growth
Nobody really knows for sure exactly why some women develop PCOS and why people develop different symptoms. We’re not doctors, so we can’t tell you how to manage your PCOS symptoms (and we wouldn’t try to).
What we are is a team of hair removal experts. So, if you happen to be dealing with some unwanted hair growth as a result of your PCOS, that’s something we can help you with. Below, we’ve brainstormed some quick and easy hair removal solutions.
If you are looking for other ways to manage other PCOS symptoms, we definitely recommend reaching out to a doctor or another medical professional. They may suggest lifestyle changes (such as diet and exercise) and medications to help you manage your PCOS symptoms.
In the meantime, let’s stick to what we know and talk about hair removal. Here are four ways you can get rid of any unwanted body and facial hair (and get your confidence back in the process).
Shaving
Shaving is one of the most common hair removal methods and for good reason. It’s cheap, easy, and painless. You can find razors pretty much anywhere, they’re super affordable, and you can use them on most body parts (but you might find yourself in some weird positions trying to shave behind your legs).
Shaving works by using a razor to cut the hair off close to the skin. This means the root of the hair is still intact. When you shave, your hair usually grows back pretty frequently (... annoyingly frequently, TBH).
Even though it’s one of the more popular hair removal methods, shaving is not really a long-term solution for those with hirsutism because of how quickly hair can grow back — we’re talking shaving on the daily.
It’s an okay short-term solution, but if you are looking for a more long-term solution for unwanted hair growth there are other options.
Still, if you’re looking for your easiest, closest, and more comfortable shave ever, check out our 4D Shaver. With five dynamic heads that rotate to remove hair at every angle, this electric razor is perfect for larger areas like your arms, legs, and face. If you have to shave, you might as well do it in style (and with the most effective razor on the market).
Waxing
It may be more painful than shaving, but waxing is still a common hair removal method for some reason. The effects do last much longer because waxing removes the entire hair follicle. This means it takes longer for the hairs to grow back… but at what cost?
Waxing can be done at home, but the thought of ripping a hot strip of wax off yourself is kind of scary. Many people can’t get themselves to do it, and we can’t blame them.
If you have sensitive skin, waxing can also cause irritation. Ouch!
Laser Hair Removal
One of the most effective long-term hair removal methods is laser hair removal. Laser hair removal uses a concentrated light to essentially shock and destroy each hair follicle. Yeah, we know it sounds pretty dramatic, but trust us: This stuff works!
Many people see their hair completely gone after six to eight sessions, making laser hair removal a great contender for permanent hair removal. But getting laser done with a professional can be very expensive, painful, and a bit of a hassle. (Leaving the house? Yeah, no thanks.)
IPL
IPL stands for intense pulsed light. This hair removal treatment works by sending pulses of broad-spectrum light deep into the skin. The pigmentation in the hair follicles absorbs the light, and that destroys the hair follicles.
Like laser, IPL offers pretty permanent effects. The benefits? It is much cheaper and easier to do in your own home. Our IPL devices will last years and let you get rid of that unwanted hair fast. Most of our customers notice a decrease in the growth of their hair after just four uses of Lumi, with full results after 12 uses.
Plus, this method you can do on the couch while watching Netflix.
Unwanted Hair Be Gone!
We get it. Living with PCOS can be difficult! There are so many things that can feel out of your control — but luckily, getting rid of that unwanted hair is firmly in your control.
We hope this piece helped you figure out your next steps in removing any facial and body hair that you never wanted there in the first place. Cheers to smoother skin!
Sources:
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and Diabetes | CDC
Treating Hirsutism in Women With PCOS | VeryWell Health
Hirsutism in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Management | Bentham Science
