Hormonal fluctuations throughout life can result in an increase of hair growth. These may include puberty, menopause and PCOS as well as other medical conditions like adrenal gland disorders that alter hormone levels and trigger unwanted hair growth.
Hormonal imbalances may lead to an abnormal hair growth condition called hirsutism, and electrolysis is one effective solution to permanently remove unwanted hair in smaller body areas. But in order to treat its source, the root cause must also be addressed.
Symptoms
Ovary (the female sex gland that produces eggs), and pituitary (a small gland near the hypothalamus that controls ovulation by secreting FSH and LH). When women have PCOS, their two hormones become imbalanced due to higher-than-normal levels of androgens; this disequilibrium interferes with normal ovulation leading to symptoms like long menstrual cycles, irregular or heavy periods, hirsutism, or acne.
No one knows exactly what causes PCOS; however, obesity may play a part. Excess fatty tissues produce excess estrogen which interferes with proper FSH and LH secretion. Furthermore, insulin resistance contributes to PCOS by encouraging your body to produce and release more androgens than usual.
Untreated PCOS can result in more than acne and hirsutism; unchecked it can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, pain and an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. Luckily, treatment options exist that can alleviate most symptoms while decreasing risks over time.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, speak with your physician immediately. He or she may refer you to a gynecologist specializing in reproductive organs or endocrinologist for further assessment.
Unregular or abnormally long menstrual cycles; severe menstrual cramps; excessive menstrual bleeding or spotting between periods; heavy, clotted, thick menstrual blood; a lump or bump on your tummy; numerous missed ovulation episodes and infertility are symptoms that should not be ignored.
Mild to moderate hair growth is normal for many women; however, PCOS symptoms such as hirsutism can become particularly bothersome if left untreated. Treating hormonal imbalance is key as hair growth will continue until excess androgens have been eliminated from the system. Your doctor may suggest prescribing medications such as spironolactone to suppress androgen production and combined with electrolysis treatments this will permanently rid yourself of unsightly hair growth. Adopt a diabetic-healthy eating plan in order to manage your weight effectively; extra pounds can increase cholesterol levels and put you at higher risk of heart disease. Achieve this through diet, exercise and medication.
Diagnosis
PCOS affects women by creating an imbalance of hormones which may result in missed or irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, infertility and acne. PCOS increases risk for metabolic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and type-2 diabetes as well as endometrial hyperplasia (excessive thickening of uterine lining) as well as pregnancy complications like preeclampsia or early delivery.
PCOS can be diagnosed through a physical exam and review of medical history. Your physician may refer you to an endocrinologist, an expert in hormonal disorders. They will perform pelvic ultrasound imaging to look for signs of ovarian cysts that might indicate PCOS; additionally they’ll test urine samples for excess androgens or signs of ovulation.
PCOS patients typically have elevated androgens (male hormones), which can inhibit ovulation and lead to irregular menstrual cycles. Furthermore, many experience a buildup of fluid within the ovary’s follicles (small egg-shaped structures that contain eggs). If this fluid doesn’t move freely through them it could form cysts which prevent production of an egg necessary to trigger ovulation; this causes slow blood flow through fallopian tubes leading to heavy and irregular periods.
PCOS affects women of both sexes equally, yet those diagnosed with PCOS tend to produce male hormones at levels higher than average. While its causes remain unknown, insulin resistance and obesity could play a part. Obesity can make the ovaries produce more androgens while at the same time leading to fat accumulation that blocks pituitary gland’s release of FSH – required for ovulation.
Gynecologists can remove cysts associated with PCOS and provide prescription medication to regulate ovulation if necessary, along with providing other treatments like oral contraceptives, diet and exercise or insulin-lowering drugs. They may also recommend electrolysis treatment by licensed professional electrologist who is part of American Electrology Association (AEA). For this procedure to work, needles will be inserted into each hair follicle prior to applying small doses of electricity and killing it before being pulled out with tweezers after killing by electrolysis technician.
Treatment
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, commonly referred to as PCOS, affects about 6 percent of women during their reproductive years. Symptoms may include irregular or infrequent menstruation periods, excessive hair growth or severe acne breakouts, obesity and other issues with ovaries. PCOS gets its name from numerous small cysts that build up within them and produce androgen hormones which prevent ovulation from taking place and cause other issues in ovaries.
Women with PCOS tend to gain weight rapidly, which increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. They may also be at an increased risk for sleep apnea – which causes brief interruptions of breathing during sleep – as well as insulin resistance — where your cells don’t respond normally to levels of insulin that regulates glucose levels — as one risk factor for PCOS.
Though PCOS cannot be completely reversed, treatments can help alleviate symptoms and avoid some health complications. Your primary care physician or endocrinologist may suggest medication like Spironolactone to decrease androgen production and hair growth; long-term use could increase calcium levels dangerously high though and it should only be taken under medical advice for short periods.
Healthcare professionals may recommend electrolysis for unwanted hair removal. This treatment uses needles inserted into follicles to destroy their growth follicles and thus stop new hair from growing; any remaining hairs will then be thinner and lighter in color.
Finding an electrologist that specializes in hair removal by electrolysis and is licensed in your state can be challenging, so do some research or ask a healthcare provider for recommendations. Also inquire about any numbing measures or comfort measures available before choosing one; opting for someone affiliated with American Electrology Association (AEA) or Certified Professional Electrologist is another great idea.
Your AEA electrologist should be able to answer any of your queries about electrolysis treatment and explain its mechanics, providing an estimate for how many sessions will be necessary and their associated cost; in certain instances they can even bill insurance directly for this expense.
Results
Women diagnosed with PCOS may experience various symptoms that vary between women. Most commonly, symptoms begin around puberty; however, in some instances they can appear later during adolescence or adulthood.
PCOS symptoms often include abnormal or irregular menstrual periods caused by lack of ovulation; without it, endometrium doesn’t shed and regrow correctly, potentially leading to heavy, prolonged, unpredictable bleeding as well as increasing your risk for endometrial cancer.
Insulin abnormalities are another hallmark of PCOS. Insulin is produced by special cells in the pancreas to assist the body with processing sugar (glucose) as energy, yet in people with PCOS their insulin levels remain high even though blood glucose is normal; this condition known as insulin resistance contributes significantly to PCOS symptoms in terms of abnormalities of the ovaries known as polycystic ovary syndrome.
PCOS often presents itself with elevated androgen levels (male hormones). While most androgens originate in the ovaries, some also can come from fat tissue or the brain. Insulin resistance or abnormal pituitary gland signals may lead to excessive production of androgens which in turn contributes to PCOS features like hirsutism, acne, and obesity.
People living with PCOS often suffer from metabolic issues, including high blood pressure and issues affecting the heart and vessels. If left untreated, these disorders can become serious and increase the risk of diabetes or pre-diabetes.
Treatment for PCOS doesn’t cure it, but it can alleviate symptoms and help avoid serious health issues. Treatment might include lifestyle modifications or medication, while fertility treatments might be used by those having trouble becoming pregnant due to PCOS. Electrolysis to remove unwanted hair growth as part of PCOS treatment should also be investigated; insurance contracts often cover this procedure but a letter from your primary care doctor must confirm its medical necessity as part of treating androgen excess or PCOS.
