Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about one in 10 women of childbearing age, but for those who have it, it can feel like a curse. It's an disorder of the endocrine system and can affect everything from the menstrual cycle to the cardiovascular system and one's ability to have children.
Women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome may have high levels of androgen hormones, may miss periods or have them irregularly, become overweight, develop acne, and may have numerous fluid-filled cysts in their ovaries (which is where PCOS gets its name). One common problem women with PCOS may have is unfortunately a very noticeable one: growth of hair on the face.
In fact, this topic came up on the Feb. 19th "Oprah" TV show when an audience member asked Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah's regular medical consultant, what she could do to eliminate the hair that kept growing on her chin. (Dr. Oz suggested to the woman that she might want to check into taking pills to regulate her hormone levels, but he noted that she didn't have all the typical PCOS symptoms.)
A good resource for learning about polycystic ovary syndrome is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
You can find more reputable information about polycystic ovary syndrome here from:
WebMD.com
The Mayo Clinic
Medicine.net
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