It’s been a year since I first outlined my favorite pcos skin care tips. I figured it was time to do an updated blog post sharing current health/mental struggles related to my PCOS. I love having the opportunity to be vulnerable and hopefully it can help someone out there to know they’re not alone!
Read my previous post about PCOS Skincare here!
Reminder: What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?
PCOS is a “complex hormonal, metabolic and reproductive disorder seen in up to 15% of women” (source). It is an endocrine disorder that affects the entire body! Symptoms of PCOS include excess hair growth, male pattern hair loss, missed or irregular periods, acne, ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, and weight gain.
I was diagnosed with PCOS in Spring of 2020 by my OB/GYN. It is important to seek help of your primary care doctor and specialists for proper diagnosis and treatment.
How PCOS Affects My Skin
My skin has changed a lot over this past year since my last blog. Because of my pcos, I am prone to excess hair growth which causes plenty of ingrown hairs, redness and irritation. However, I’ve noticed so much improvement in the redness around my jawline.
Here’s the photos from last year:
Now, let’s look at my skin now:
The skin around my jawline has become noticeably less red and sensitive! Of course I still get flare-ups where the skin is redder than normal. But overall it is much less irritated. I attribute this to several things, but first let’s look at the skincare products.
Read more about how PCOS affects the skin overall here
PCOS Skincare Products
Hero Cosmetics Lightning Pads & Lightning Wand – both of these products are amazing for brightening my overall skin, gently exfoliating and targeting specific areas. This past year I focused a lot on using more gentle exfoliants frequently instead of stronger ones less frequently and my skin loved it.
Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream – one of the best moisturizers for irritated skin! I love pairing this with my exfoliants, or just using along the jaw line when I am flaring up.
One Thing Artemisia Toner – using a light, soothing toner as a first step in my PM skincare routine was a game changer for me. It calms the skin and helps my hydrating serums sink in more!
Along with these pcos skincare products, I also have some helpful tips:
- Soothe, soothe, soothe – the redness caused by hormonal imbalances can be calmed with the right ingredients. I love mugwort/artemisia, ceramides, and other plant extracts.
- Don’t pluck hairs – if you choose to do hair removal, I recommend waxing (by professional), shaving, or laser. Plucking the hairs individually can cause a lot of irritation and ended up damaging my skin more than just using a face shaver.
- Seek professional help ASAP. If you are suffering from painful, cystic acne so commonly seen with pcos, definitely see a dermatologist. They can help with prescription strength treatments needed to help heal the skin.
Overall, my skin has changed a lot for the better. Since the skin is our body’s largest organ, it is quite complex! My skin is not perfect, but finding these products have really helped to keep it healthy.
Health & Wellness
Now although this is a skincare and beauty blog, I really wanted to dive more into how PCOS affects my overall health. This is such a big aspect of this condition for me! I deal with fatigue, weight gain/ issues with losing weight, intense cravings, heavy and painful periods, and struggles with mental health. All of these are connected to my Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome!
A year ago, I was really good at working out. I did strength training 5 days a week (sometimes more), yoga, stretching, walking…all of it. But, recently my mental health took a large decline. This made it super hard to do my exercise. My overall inflammation decreases when I do my exercising but, it was too difficult to get my body moving. My mental health wasn’t good and my physical health also wasn’t great either.
I had to make a decision: focus on my mental health or continue to struggle (the struggle is sometimes “easier” than getting help). After many months of bad lows, I started to focus intensely on my mental health.
Cravings & Diet
PCOS causes some intense food cravings. I describe it as the week before your period…but all the time. LOL. I have intense cravings for sugar and carbs especially at nighttime. I have to make sure I am eating enough protein to help curb those cravings. My health coach told me to try ingesting protein before bed to help reduce my sick or extra hungry feelings first thing in the morning. It has made a difference. After I quit my low-carb diet, I struggled with some weight gain but overall I have a better relationship with food. That’s the best feeling!
Learn more about Insulin Resistance and PCOS here
PCOS & Mental Health
Last year, I saw a PCOS health coach who focused on my symptoms with the disorder and mental health. This quickly became out of budget for me- although it was wonderful. So, 6 months ago I started seeking a regular counselor. We have focused on everything and not just my PCOS. I also recently started on mental health medication too for my anxiety/panic disorder. This was extremely hard for me to seek help due to my medical anxiety. Still, it felt like a better time than ever as my daily anxiety started spiraling out of control.
Fast forward a month after seeking help from my doctor and continuing therapy, and I feel better than I have felt in years. I feel much more in control of my mental health and my physical health is starting to improve, too!
Reminder: it’s okay if you want to try to do things on your own. Remember that having a support system is essential, though. Accept people’s help and know that you don’t deserve to feel overwhelmed all the time.
My PCOS Story Wrap-up
This post became more than just pcos skincare because pcos is about more than my skin. I feel so happy to be able to share more of my pcos story because I know it will help those also struggling with similar issues. As I get older, I become less shameful of the hair on my chest and the bloat in my belly and instead embrace my body. This is who I am and I LOVE ME!
Have you heard of Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome? Check out more resources below:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos
https://crh.ucsf.edu/pcos-research
Oh my gosh! I love this!!
Thank you for sharing! ♥️
Ofcourse, thank you so much for stopping by and reading!