Does WLS help reduce facial hair? I have been reading, but can't seem to get a definite answer.  Guess everyone's different?  I'm not on any meds for pcos (didn't want to take them), been diagnosed since 1999.  My only symptoms are rare periods, facial hair, no cysts, and weight gain of about 10+ lbs a year.  Oh, not to mention the big big age gaps with the children (21, 16, 3).  If you guys can let me know how things went with you, I'd appreciate it.

unfortunately it seems that it will not reduce your facial hair.  but losign the weight will help it from gettign worse.  Only lasers will make it go away though.

I am 4 months post op and my periods are regular, I feel great, many of my PCOS symptoms are going away, but my facial hair is still here.  UGH!  I am saving up for treatments though

Thank you for your reply

HI there!
I was diagnosed with PCOS in the year 1994. I began noticing the physical symptoms when i was 19. I can tell you one thing about facial hair. I have been taking spironolactone is the best prescribed medication for hiritsuism (facial hair). It doesn't completely remove the unwanted hair bt in situation it brought it down to a minimal and I have to pluck a "few" hairs out weekly. It has made a huge difference in my life. Let me explain a few things about this medication. I have been researching PCOS for years and as a medical professional I have had alot of help in my area of research, not to mention I went to one of the FEW doctors in the nation that was treating PCOS at that time as it was not as common then as it is now. I would drive to Atlanta Georgia from central FLorida just to see this physician as noone in my area would treat PCOS or muchless understood it. Back to Spironolactone (Aldactone, Brand name) I started taking this once I was diagnosed with PCOS. (there was still no REAL treatments for it) Spironolactone once used as a blood pressure pill years and years ago so it also has the diuretic benefits which helps with PCOS if your anythign like myself, I tend to swell in the evenings. This drug is commonly used for facial hair growth (in Florida anyways) and at first you might start with a low dose of say 25mg. twice per day but might need more. I take 100mg. twice daily because the lower doses weren't even making a difference in the facial hair. Now people with PCOS, in my opinion shouldn't try the laser hair removal as it may be a huge waste of money and dissapointment. I went for the so called 5 treatments on my chin, neck and sideburn areas. I paid $500.00 a session to get 0 results with scaring from the burns it left on my neck. When I approached the physician who performed this laser hair removal , in his spare time as he was a grastroenterologists who decided to purchase this machine to make an extra income, he stated that they will not treat patients that have PCOS as this will not keep the "thick black hairs" from recurring, only peach fuzz type facial hair. SO ALL PCOS PATIENTS STAY AWAY FROM LASER HAIR REMOVAL!!! Anyways the spironolactone is a cheap effective way to minimal hair growth. If you have any other questions feel free to e mail me at [email protected]. Anyone may e mail to discuss or ask questions. I also take the metformin, have been for 9 years. Tried conceiving since i was 22 and then when I was actually placed on the Metformin(glucaphoge) in 1999 after seeing the specialist in Atlanta and after 6 months of the use, without birth control, we conceived........... Yes quite a miracle. Now if you are on spironolactone, but begin to take the Glucophage to try for conception, it is safe to continue the use of spironolactone while trying to conceive, but I was told that during the pregnancy I was to stop both the Glucophage and Spironolactone(aldactone) as this could be detrimental to the fetus.  The glucophage is also began usually with a minimal dosage of 1000mg per day, but in my case, to get my insulin level to decrease, I was up to 2000mg per day and have been ever since.Thanks and Email with anymore questions.

I am also on the Spironolactone 100 mg for PCOS but haven't been given the metformin yet, I have insulin resistance.  I've only been on this for about 2 months now so haven't noticed a big difference yet.  I, too, have the swelling. 

I like spironolactone.  I also like laser hair removal.  It helped me tremendously for awhile, but then when I got off the spironolactone and hormones raged again, the hair came back. The two together did wonders.  I had been on spironolactone a long time, so knew what those results were... . the laser did work for me.  BUT, as I said, I got off the spiro and had an outbreak of hormone problems AGAIN, argh!  I don't mind paying the money for the laser hair removal.  I need to go back for a treatment right now as its been awhile.  The two together just really do help me.

Thank you for all your input.  I hate the hair.  I don't do much as go away for an entire weekend wtih friends because of it.  They dont mind it, but i sure as heck do.  I feel like a guy and need to tweeze all the dang time and it takes about 2 hrs to get it all.  Thanks so much.

   I just wanted to let you know there are a few studies published online that do say that WLS lessens symptoms of pcos including reducing facial hair.  Laser surgery can be helpful but according to my endocrinologist you should first have your hormone levels checked because the laser surgery does no good if your hormones are imbalanced.  I am having RNY in October and have been dealing with PCOS symptoms for about 14-15 years now.  I hope you find the information below useful,

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Original article

Effective treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome with Roux-en-

Y

gastric bypass

George M. Eid, M.D.

Samer G. Mattar, M.D.

Pooneh Hindi, M.D.

a,b,*, Daniel R. Cottam, M.D.a, Laura M. Velcu, M.D.a,a, Mary T. Korytkowski, M.D.c, Gabriella Gosman, M.D.d,a, Philip R. Schauer, M.D.a

a

Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

b

Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

c

Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

d

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Abstract Purpose:

investigated the impact of weight loss surgery on the clinical manifestations of this disorder in

morbidly obese women with PCOS—a major risk factor for the development of heart disease,

stroke, and type II diabetes.

Many women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are overweight. This study

Methods:

loss surgery at the University of Pittsburgh between July 1997 and November 2001. We evaluated

the changes in menstrual cycles, hirsutism, infertility, and type II diabetes.

We reviewed the outcomes of women diagnosed with PCOS who had undergone weight

Results:

A total of 24 women with PCOS were included in the study. Their mean age was 34

9.7 years. The mean preoperative body weight was 306

44 lb, with a body mass index of 50

7.5. All patients were oligomenorrheic. Of the 24 patients, 23 were hirsute. All women underwent

elective laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. The mean follow-up period was 27.5

mean excess weight loss at 1 year of follow-up was 56.7%

menstrual cycles after a mean of 3.4

12 (52%) had complete resolution at a mean follow-up of 8

resolution at a mean of 21

women reported no change in their hirsutism at 32

after surgery without the use of clomiphene.

16 months. The
21.2%. All women resumed normal
2.1 months postoperatively. Of the 23 women with hirsutism,
2.3 months, 6 (25%) had moderate
18 months, and 3 had minimal resolution at 34
14 months. Two
7 months. Five women were able to conceive

Conclusion:

of multiple clinical problems related to PCOS. © 2005 American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

All rights reserved.

Gastric bypass surgery and its consequent weight loss results in significant improvement

Keywords:

Polycystic ovarian syndrome; Laparoscopy; Gastric bypass surgery; Weight loss; Treatment; Obesity; Surgery

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects approximately

6% of reproductive-age women in the United States

and is a leading cause of infertility [

by chronic anovulation with biochemical and/or

clinical evidence of androgen excess and without other

specific diseases of the adrenal, thyroid, or pituitary glands

that can produce similar manifestations. The clinical manifestations

of PCOS include menstrual dysfunction, hirsutism,

acne, alopecia, obesity, infertility, increased libido, and

a high rate of miscarriage. The endocrine abnormalities of

PCOS include elevated serum androgen concentrations, elevated

mean serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone,

normal or low levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, elevated

luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ra-

1,2]. PCOS is characterized

G. Eid, P. Schauer, D. Cottam, and L. Velcu were supported by a grant

from U.S. Surgical; and P. Schauer was also supported by grants from

Computer Motion, Inc., Stryker Corporation, and Berchtold Corporation.

*Reprint requests: George M. Eid, M.D., Magee Women’s Hospital,

Suite 5500, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

E-mail: [email protected]

Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 1 (2005) 77–80

1550-7289/05/$ – see front matter © 2005 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. All rights reserved.

doi:10.1016/j.soard.2005.02.008

Thank you.  I have saved this.