Women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) often exhibit excessive dark-colored hair growth known as “hirsutism”, causing increased self-consciousness.
Medication such as spironolactone may help manage symptoms associated with PCOS, including excess hair growth. But some women prefer permanent solutions.
Cost
Women living with PCOS often experience excessive hair growth due to an underlying hormonal imbalance. Combining treatment for PCOS itself with laser or electrolysis hair removal treatments may significantly diminish this issue; however, this process will likely require multiple sessions before desired results can be realized.
Costly procedures can be prohibitive for those with limited resources, yet there are ways to save money on treatments. Individuals can search online or ask their physician’s office for discounts for these services; alternatively they could join myPCOSteam support groups and connect with other members who may recommend a provider.
Electrolysis involves inserting a needle into each individual hair follicle and sending an electric current through it, to destroy and prevent future hair growth. Although electrolysis may seem painful at first, treatment for an entire area takes some time as insurance usually won’t cover its costs.
Laser hair removal uses short bursts of light to target melanin in people’s hair follicles and is much more efficient than electrolysis, requiring no plucking or waxing of hair to achieve permanent results for facial areas such as the lips or eyebrows. Most individuals require 10-12 laser hair removal sessions before seeing permanent results on their faces; waxing or plucking before laser hair removal treatment starts can interfere with its effectiveness and disrupt hormonal levels that control growth of new follicles in this way.
Electrolysis and laser hair removal are generally safe methods, though it’s essential to work with an experienced licensed professional. Both procedures may cause some pain during their implementation so it is wise to find someone with considerable expertise in the field, read reviews from past patients or ask friends or family members for recommendations before selecting a practitioner.
Pain
PCOS women often find unwanted hair growth one of the most vexing symptoms. Shaving, waxing and plucking often results in painful stubble, ingrown hairs and red patches of skin; while laser hair removal offers an efficient and more permanent solution.
Laser treatments work by heating light energy to target pigment in hair follicles with heated light energy, either professionally in a salon setting or at home with an IPL device. Lasers offer faster, less painful and more precise treatments compared to electrolysis as they can target multiple follicles at once compared with electrolysis treatments.
Laser hair removal typically requires multiple sessions for best results; those results should last at least a year after treatment has completed. Furthermore, this procedure is much safer than waxing, shaving, or plucking; but to maximize safety it’s still wise to limit sunlight exposure before and after sessions.
Electrolysis and laser hair removal may reduce the appearance of unwanted hair, but they cannot treat the root cause of PCOS: excess androgens that trigger new hair follicle growth will continue to spur unwanted hair growth until this issue has been properly addressed. Spironolactone can help lower androgen levels to limit excessive hair growth caused by PCOS but will never completely eliminate it.
For optimal treatment of PCOS symptoms, women should visit an endocrinologist or hormone specialist. An experienced healthcare professional will be able to determine the most effective approach, which may involve insulin resistance medications or an ovulation-boosting diet, among other solutions. Weight loss, regular exercise and hair removal techniques such as electrolysis or laser hair removal can all be part of an overall strategy against excessive hair growth – contact our team of specialists now so we can provide more details and provide guidance towards finding your solution!
Time
Both methods require time and patience, with laser hair removal typically being faster and covering a wider area. Furthermore, laser is usually the more cost-effective long-term option.
Laser hair removal involves short bursts of light that target melanin in hair follicles and convert it to heat, damaging and stopping future hair growth. A dermatologist will then glide or stamp their device over your skin while often applying numbing cream to reduce any discomfort; most describe this experience as similar to plucking with tweezers.
Electrolysis can be time-consuming and ineffective on all skin and hair types, particularly light-colored hair. Electrolysis relies heavily on your electrologist’s skill as well as how many active hairs there are during treatment; consequently, this process may be slow and frustrating.
As neither electrolysis or laser are permanent solutions for hair loss reduction, both will need periodic follow-up treatments in order to maintain results. While individual schedules will differ, most prefer weekly or bi-weekly visits in order to ensure that hair follicles don’t return to an active growth phase and produce new hair again.
Both treatments may cause temporary side effects, including redness and swelling at the site of treatment. Others may experience temporary hair growth where treatment was administered; this condition should subside with additional sessions.
When seeking laser or electrolysis for PCOS-related hirsutism, it’s crucial that you select an experienced and licensed provider with extensive training. While spas may offer such services, for optimal results it would be better if a clinic specializing in these procedures with medical oversight was used as well.
Though PCOS cannot be completely cured, managing its symptoms with diet and exercise can improve treatment results and lessen unwanted hair growth. By controlling PCOS symptoms and decreasing unwanted hair growth, you can focus on achieving your career goals without being distracted by excessive hair growth.
Results
Women living with PCOS often experience excess hair growth as the result of increased androgen hormone levels, often manifesting itself in coarse dark hair on their faces, nipple areas, chests and lower abdomens which is difficult to control using traditional methods like shaving or plucking but electrolysis is an ideal permanent solution.
Electrolysis, unlike shaving, can remove hair at its source – unlike shaving. Electrolysis requires precise execution to avoid painful stinging. An experienced technician will insert a small needle into each hair follicle before applying an electric current to destroy them – which may take up to several hours per follicle! Therefore it’s essential that you select an experienced technician with great reviews in order to achieve satisfactory results.
Laser hair removal can be more convenient and quick than electrolysis; however, its results may be less effective for people with darker skin tones due to lasers targeting melanin in hair follicles, preventing further growth. Lasers work by targeting melanin to stop future hair from sprouting back up; more sessions than electrolysis may also be necessary when treating dark complexions.
At its core, choosing a procedure tailored specifically to you is of utmost importance. While laser and electrolysis offer more permanent solutions for unwanted hair growth, ultimately only you can determine which option best fits into your lifestyle. If excess hair growth caused by PCOS has you feeling frustrated and helpless, schedule a consultation session today so we can explore all available solutions with you.
PCOS is a hormonal condition that impairs fertility and causes side effects like irregular periods, acne breakouts, obesity and excess hair growth. While not life-threatening, its symptoms can severely limit quality of life and confidence levels. For treatment options to address your particular symptoms of PCOS you should visit either your primary care physician or endocrinologist who can determine which therapies would be most effective in managing them – laser and electrolysis are particularly useful approaches for eliminating excess hair growth from PCOS patients.
