Laser Hair Reduction with PCOS – Will it Really Work?

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Firstly – What is PCOS?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (known as PCOS for short) is a hormonal imbalance disorder common amongst women ages 18 – 44. Signs and symptoms of PCOS often develop around the time of the first menstrual period during puberty. One of the most common signs that you may suffer from PCOS is having infrequent, irregular or prolonged menstrual cycles.

Excess androgen in the hormones is also a comment effect from PCOS. Elevated levels of male hormone may result in physical signs, such as excess facial and body hair (hirsutism), and occasionally severe acne and hair loss.

Women may also have enlarged ovaries which have fluid-filled cysts or follicles that surround the egg, resulting in the ovary being unable to function correctly.

Here at Beyond Skin, we treat symptoms of PCOS in our patients very frequently – from excess hair growth to skin conditions such as acne, we’ve seen it all. One of the most common symptoms that come with PCOS is excess body and facial hair growth, however, it is something very rarely spoke about as women can be really embarrassed about it, and unfortunately, there aren’t many ways to treat the symptoms of PCOS.

Many women who come to us have tried shaving, bleaching, waxing and plucking their facial hair and are fed up trying to treat their symptoms every few weeks, and for some, it’s a daily task – and that’s where Laser Hair Reduction comes in.

Laser Hair Reduction works by applying the laser to the skin which is then attracted to the dark pigment in the hair (we describe this as the melanin). The laser beam travels through the hair follicle and cuts off the blood supply. There are only around 1/3 of your hair attached to the blood supply at one time – this is called the Anagen growth stage and for hairs to be successfully treated they must be attached to the blood supply. Therefore, we always recommend repeat appointments every 4-6 weeks depending on the area being treated.

One of the most common questions we get is ‘will laser actually work if you have PCOS?’ and the answer is yes!

Laser Hair Reduction is absolutely your best option to permanently reduce your hair growth. Using our Medical Grade Cynosure Laser, we generally recommend between 6-12 sessions (this can vary from patient to patient) and throughout your sessions, you should notice fantastic reductions in the thickness and colour of the hair and the hair should also grow slower. Laser hair reduction will also really improve any issues such as ingrown hairs and skin irritation from waxing and shaving. Our Laser practitioners are highly skilled and have produced life-changing results for our patients.  

Unfortunately, we cannot treat deeper rooted issues such as the actual causes of your PCOS, so we always recommend you visit your GP for more investigation into your condition as medical intervention can often help symptoms of PCOS.

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, or if you are interested in knowing more about how laser hair reduction can help you, book a consultation here with one of our Laser Hair Reduction experts to find out how we can help you.