Our Guide To PCOS Symptoms 

You are not alone if you think you have PCOS. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a genetic hormone disorder which affects around 1 in 10 women in the UK.

As more women start to recognise their PCOS symptoms, this condition is becoming more common, the cause of PCOS is due to hormonal imbalances and is often linked to diabetes. 

People often assume PCOS symptoms are the same in each individual, but they vary from woman to woman, manifesting as excessive hair growth, irregular periods and ovary cysts. 

Rather than guessing if you have PCOS, our Dr. Kaywaan Khan, the founder of Hannah London, will take you through some less common PCOS symptoms and treatment options.

Common PCOS Symptoms And Treatment 

Let’s take a look at the most common PCOS symptoms and the treatment required to ease this discomfort.

Sleep Apnea

If you wake up feeling unrested, this could be sleep apnea, which has resulted from your PCOS.

Sleep apnea can cause a person to stop breathing during sleep, which can last anywhere from a few seconds to a minute. The main cause of this sleep apnea comes from hormonal imbalances in PCOS, such as excess androgen and low progesterone levels.

Sleep apnea can then, unfortunately, cause other PCOS symptoms to get worse, such as insulin resistance, difficulty in weight loss and hypertension. 

Usually, treating PCOS symptoms will then help to reduce sleep apnea and eventually eliminate it.

Skin tags 

Finding skin tags around your groin, armpits, neck and other skin folds? This may well be a result of PCOS due to the result of excess insulin in the body. 

Before you get worried, skin tags are very common and normal even in women without PCOS, but if you have other PCOS symptoms combined with skin tags, then it could be a sign you have PCOS.

The high amount of insulin resistance in PCOS women means it stimulates the growth of these skin cells. Luckily, you can get skin tags removed; at Hannah London, we offer skin tag removal for both cosmetic and health reasons. 

Skin tag removal is done quickly and with little to no discomfort; removal is either done by a small electrical charge or through cryotherapy, which freezes them and then causes them to fall off.

PCOS Acne

We all suffer from spots, and for women, hormonal acne is very common, but a big cause of acne is PCOS since women with insulin resistance tend to have more inflammation in the body, which can lead to acne. 

Combined with the hormonal imbalances from PCOS, this causes the sebaceous glands to produce excess sebum, which leads to clogged pores and acne development. 

For treating PCOS symptoms like acne, at Hannah London, we would create a bespoke personal skin care plan to help treat the acne while you treat the hormonal imbalances in the body from PCOS. Then, we can use a DermaPen, also known as microneedling, to treat any acne scarring left behind. You can find out more about this acne treatment here.

PCOS & Low Mood

Do you feel depressed and anxious and can’t figure out why? From experience in seeing clients with PCOS, a very common PCOS symptom is low mood; this is often a result of dealing with physical PCOS symptoms such as weight gain and irregular periods. 

However, I think hormones play a big part here, too. The hormonal imbalance in the body, due to the high amount of insulin and high cortisol levels, can cause depression in people who suffer from PCOS.

For low-mood PCOS symptoms and treatment, you would need to speak to your GP or qualified mental health professional, who will be able to help with medication or therapy.

Excessive Sweating

If you find yourself sweating more than usual, even in the colder months, we understand this can be embarrassing and uncomfortable.

Hyperhidrosis is a common PCOS symptom that many people don’t talk about.
You may find yourself sweating on your palms or soles; the excess sweat can also promote unwanted acne as a PCOS symptom.

Treating PCOS symptoms like excess sweating can be done through lifestyle changes and even medication in some cases, which you will need to contact your GP about.

Dealing With PCOS Symptoms And Treatment

If you are struggling with your PCOS symptoms, you don’t need to struggle alone; while seeking medication can help ease your symptoms, there are also treatments you can do to help in the meantime.

At Hannah London, we can help treat various PCOS symptoms, such as skin tag removal, consultations, laser hair removal, or acne treatment. 

We have a PCOS membership at our Harley Street clinic designed to help you manage your PCOS, including events to attend, a supportive WhatsApp community and nutritional advice for weight management; we also offer 50% off our treatments.

We believe trying to treat the root cause of your PCOS holistically through lifestyle change should always be considered along with medication when required.

Contact us today to arrange a 1-1 consultation where you can talk through your PCOS symptoms and treatment to help you feel like your best self again.

Want to find out more on this topic? Read Dr Kaywaan Khan’s press feature in Global Health & Pharmacy News.