happiful september 2021

PCOS can affect your
hair and skin
We often talk about PCOS in
relation to periods, but the
condition can affect your hair
and skin as well. This is because
women with PCOS have excess
androgen – in other words higher
levels of male hormones in your
body, which can manifest in ways
such as an increase in facial hair.
Studies have shown PCOS can
result in hair and skin problems,
such as hair loss, acne, and
seborrhea (a red itchy skin rash
with white scales).
People with PCOS are more
likely to develop diabetes
Insulin resistance is why PCOS
is also linked to diabetes. A
recent study published in Human
Reproduction Open that followed
women with PCOS showed that
around 19% of participants went
on to develop type 2 diabetes,
compared to just 1% of the
control group. While this means
it’s certainly not inevitable, if
you experience any symptoms of
diabetes it’s really important to
make an appointment to speak
with your GP.
We don’t know the
exact cause of PCOS
PCOS is thought to run in
families, so you’re more likely
to develop it if a close relative
has PCOS, too. However, that
doesn’t mean it’s simply genetic.
Other factors are linked to PCOS
as well, including high levels of
insulin in the body.
“People with PCOS are
often insulin resistant, which
means your body does not
effectively utilise the insulin you
produce,” explains nutritional
therapist Michele Scarr. “The
body may try to increase the
levels of insulin it produces to
keep your blood sugar levels
normal. Higher levels of insulin
can lead to an increase of
testosterone, which may disrupt
the hormonal balance and
exacerbate PCOS symptoms.”
PCOS can be linked to
your mental health
Like many long-term health
conditions, PCOS can impact both
your mental and physical health.
A study by the University of
Cardiff found women with PCOS
were more likely to be diagnosed
with mental health conditions
such as depression, bipolar
disorder, and anxiety. While
another study in the Journal of
Pharmacy & BioAllied Sciences
showed that 40% of those with
PCOS can experience depression.
There are a few reasons why
that may be. PCOS is driven
by hormones, so the altered
hormonal levels may impact
mental health. It may also be due
to the stress and worry of living
with PCOS – the unpredictable
nature of periods, or undergoing
fertility treatment to conceive.
Those with PCOS still need
to use contraceptives
While having an irregular cycle
could make trying for a baby
more tricky, those with PCOS can
still fall pregnant – so if that’s not
on your agenda, contraception
is important. The contraceptive
pill is often used as this can also
help regulate cycles in those
with PCOS, but it may take some
experimenting to find one that
works best for you.
“There is evidence that
combined pills are beneficial
for women with PCOS due to the
oestrogen, which counteracts high
testosterone levels and improves
symptoms such as acne,” explains
GP and medical director of The
Lowdown, Dr Frances Yarlett.
“However the progestogen part of
the combined pill can also help to
improve symptoms.”
76 | September 2021 | happiful.com