desperate

Hi, all - I have not been diagnosed with PCOS, but I am fairly certain I have it - I have coarse, dark hair that grows along my jawline, thinning hair on top and terrible acne.  Not sure at this point if infertility is due to my weight, PCOS or a combination of both.  Lately I've been shaving the hair, which has made my skin problems even worse - I saw a laser hair therapist who told me that my skin would have to clear up before she'd do any treatments. I am having a Duodenal Switch on January 9.  I am praying, praying, praying that this surgery takes care of some of these issues.  For those of you who have any of these symptoms and have had WLS, can you tell me if anything cleared up for you?  I am desperate for some feedback. Happy New Year - health, happiness and love.

I have PCOS with the same symtoms you have. I have had laser hair removal and it is great. I have had 5 treatments and will need about 5 more. My husband and I started the hair removal at the same time but he is actually done. That is just wrong!!!  I'm 7 weeks out of RNY and acne is still present. (actually I have had a hysterectomy so my acne has improved but not gone) My laser nurse had no problem doing it with the acne but I did know if I had a treatment when I am really breaking out the area that was treated tends to get infected so they told me to exfoliate everyday for like 5 days after treatment. 

Good luck on your DS.

 

 

Hi.  I'm new to the PCOS board, just found it after being on the lab-band board. I was banded 12/19/2006.  Anyway, I am asking about the laser hair removal. I will soon be going to a free consult locally.  You say probably 10 treatments in all (maybe not counting later touch ups?).  Was this just for your face.  I have some hair on my back, and maybe no one sees it but it bothers me to know it is there, and my neck and chest area are pretty bad, too. I could probably spend the next 10 yeras there!!

are you on spironolactone/  that medicine helps TREMENDOUSLY.  takes a few months of taking it to notice change, but i took it for several years and women I had not seen in awhile thought i had some sort of cosmetic thing done because the hair was not there.  but then a few months ago, my gastric surgeon took me off it thinking it was causing dehydration... now my facial hair is growing back, faster.  I can't stand it... so I got his permission to take it again and got my gynecologist to check my free testosterone labwork.  I hope to start on spironolactone again this week.  I cannot express enough how much it helps... I would guess about 85% success.   My m other used to shave my back... like every month or 6 weeks... then the hair stopped growing on my back and I didnt need it anymore.

Spironolactone didn't do much for me. None of the drugs have. Laser hair removal has been my greatest help. It's very expensive but very helpful. I would recommend going to a dermatologist, not one of those store fronts. I had some reactions to the laser at first, infections, and they were able to give me antibiotics to help with that. Their technicians also have medical training as opposed to beauty school training. My technician also has told me stories of people she's had to help after they've gone to some of those cheaper salons. You get what you pay for.
Dr. Samuel Thatcher has written a great book about PCOS in which he calls it the thief of feminity, and for me that certainly describes it. But laser hair removal has made me feel so much more feminine. I don't get called "sir" anymore. I've got hair all over my body too but I told my technician that I wouldn't do more until I got some of this weight off (I've had my face, arms and lower legs worked on). Just had the lap band done the other day and am more excited about what my future holds.

"Their technicians also have medical training as opposed to beauty school training." I've always been told that you have to be at least a nurse or a PA to be involved with laser hair removal... where have you heard that beauty school training can allow you to do laser hair removal?

I should have put beauty shool in quotation marks. I think you just need to be careful because it can cause damage if not done right.

hello, i use to be on spiro and i got ipl light hair removal......it wasnt a magic cure but it was def worth it.....made the hair much less and softer.......i still shave everyday but there is no shadow and i could skip a day if wanted but i dont lke the rough feel.  i havent even been taking the spiro for a while i guess i should get back on that huh.......