Excess Hair

[milly143]

I am begrudged to ask this but please don't think of me as hideious as I sound. For years I have suffered from excess hair around my chin and neck. I have been to two different docs who tested me for PCOS but negative both times and they give me the usual advice of wax, shave removal cream, etc. I usually pluck it because in order to wax it you have to let it grow and I would hate for my bf to see it (I'm sure he probably has in the 2.5 years together but has been too kind to say anything). It seems to be getting worse recently and I am getting so fed up of having to get the tweezers out almost daily. Has anyone else got this problem and got any good advice on what to do? Other people have told me there are tablets you can take but neither doc ever mentioned anything.

[society]

Ask your doctor about Vaniqa cream. - http://www.netdoctor....icines/100005125.html

[wolf63]

Laser hair removal works - try a local beauty salon. It hurts, it is expensive but it does work.

[ethandron]

from memory, the contraceptive pill dianette used to be prescribed for reduction of excess facial hair. perhaps there's a reason why your doctor hasn't suggested it, or maybe it's not used any more.

[China Doll]

Dianette is also used to treat PCOS and if you take it for a bit and then stop it can increase the growth of hair on the face. Laser hair removal is good but I think there's some information that tells you it works better on dark hair than light (although I may be getting that confused with something else). You can get epilators with facial hair attachements that can be good. If they've tested you for PCOS then I assume they've done the injection, the ultrasound and the insertion of a giant tampon. It took over a year for me to get diagnosed with it and it wasn't until the insertion of the giant tampon to look inside me that they finally saw for sure it was PCOS but I did have other symptoms which is probably why they went to all the trouble.

Threading is another option but hurts like a bar steward.

[Eve]

I was going to suggest the pill but I guess it depends on the cause and how the pill helps it (am guessing to do with hormones). I tried it for PCOS but can't tolerate Dianette as it gives me headaches.

Laser hair removal may be a good option.

[Dozy-Mare]

Have you used hair removal cream or tried electrolysis? You can get a small lazer removal system from Argos for £99 pounds but i have no idea whether its good or bad.

http://www.argos.co.u...d+waxing|14418452.htm

[milly143]

China Doll - I have never have those kinds of tests! Both Docs just took blood and tested that. Would it be worth going back and asking them to do more tests?

Have tried hair removal cream which works well for the fine downy hair (although I'm not that bothered about that) but it doesn't really work for the thick dark hair and the regrowth is fairly quick. Oh, it gave me spots too. So does plucking all the time but not quite as much. hhhmmmpppphhhhh.

[ladyalex]

You could try electrolysis.
Beauty salons do it.
It hurts a bit, but not much. It takes a while to get all the hair removed and you have to let it grow back a bit each time so that they can get hold of the hairs to pluck them out. (The electricity kills the hair, then they pluck it out.)
Why don't you go to a beauty salon near you and ask their advice ?
They will have seen everything and can probably also give you an idea as to whether you should go back to your GP again .

[B00]

Nowt to do with your question milly, but can I ask you, if you don't mind- why that avatar?

[jno]

I expect there wasn't room to say 'strumpets'.

[milly143]

Hi B00. There was an advert on TV a while back for the natural confectionary company which had two jelly bears shouting at each other and one of them just kept shouting bring on the trumpets. It never made any sense but for some reason it struck a cord with my childish humour. It still makes me laugh. Very sad.

[looobylooo]

hi millie,
a friend of mine uses the vaniqa cream that society suggested.
its prescribed by the doctor.
it really does work, slows the hair growth right down.

[China Doll]

I think the blood test looks for androgeons and depending on how much of those are present would depend on whether it's likely you had PCOS. I can't remember exactly what my test results were but I guess they were ambigious and that in conjuction with my other symptoms was enough for the quack to take a close look. I was under the impression that PCOS couldn't be diagnosed without some sort of scan but I would query that as I'm not sure that's correct.

If you've had other symptoms that sound like PCOS, (loads of websites for you to read through to see these) then I would think you could ask to be sent for an internal scan (the giant tampon insertion). If you've no other symptoms, it might be harder to ask for this sort of scan.

[joko]

those laser machines for around £80-100 are not very good on thick hairs
i have pcos and have used the laser many times more than recommneded...not worked at all...even on the fine hairs...

needle electrolysis seems to be the only one that actually works

[MissCommando]

I have PCOS but it seems to have got better since I've had a child. My periods seem to be regular now.

I was put on Dianette as I had a bit of acne and I'm a hairy mary. It did help but unfortunately, I had to come off of it as it gave me high blood pressure.

I use a bit of hair removal cream on my upper lip. I told my husband almost straight away when I met him that I'm quite hairy (I've got hairier arms than him) and it saves all the embarrassment of trying to hide/feeling awkward.

I'm sure your partner doesn't care whether you're hairy or not. It's not like we can help it.

My advice would be to go for laser treatment if you can afford it (I'd go if I could), or get it waxed regularly, or use hair removal cream.

P.S China Doll, I didn't have all of those tests. I had an ultrasound on my ovaries which showed one of them was covered in little cysts, blood tests (which had a slightly raised testosterone level). I also had a bit of acne, irregular periods and always felt sick before my period (which is another symptom). Doc said I had it.