Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

My 24 year old daughter has this and there is no cure or magic fix for the excess of male hormones the body produces in a woman. Just controlling various aspects of one's life in order to reduce the symptoms, such as keeping weight under control reduces some symptoms. My daughter has severe pain with hers and since she has been regularly going to the gym and managing her weight to next to nothing all those symptoms had disappeared. Today though there has been a flare up (possibly due to being diverted from going to the gym as regularly and some excesses in the past few months) and she is too poorly to go to work which has an impact on me as I then do not have to set out earlier in order to give her that lift.

At work I have clients with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) who come to have their excess hair growth zapped with a laser. There are young girls at the beginning of their life adventures who have to shave their faces daily. To think what that does for their confidence and self esteem to be hiding this abnormal hair growth and coping with stubble. Whilst the medical side can not provide a cure for this syndrome there is something that could be done but isn't being offered and that is IPL laser hair removal. So women are finding the money (because with a good laser it does cost a lot to run) to have this treatment.

Some women with PCOS have terrible period pains to contend with. The medical profession say there is no pain associated with PCOS. I have been with my daughter to a specialist Specialist (sic!) who was contradictory and not helpful in the end. I bet, like the field of migraines, there is still much to be realised. Some women with PCOS have pains and some don't.

Last week I had a client who was telling me how much this IPL treatment had changed her life. This woman is younger than my daughter and since having just a few treatments it is already starting to have an effect in that although she still needs to shave daily it is more like a flick around with the razor. In time she should be able to get away with rarely any shaving and just the occasional maintenance treatment with the IPL. In just a few months she has felt happier about herself and for the first time in her life wants to take care of herself in a really positive way. Without any problem she has shed three stone in weight with more weight to come off and this has had an impact on her PCOS symptoms and reduced them. She is more confident and more outgoing.

Which brings me back to the point about not being a cure or a magic fix. If only the NHS could be less short sighted and offer IPL treatments this is a therapy in itself. The NHS sometimes used to pay for this treatment and in some areas of the country they have their own IPL machines but I gather the waiting lists are massive and their machines not as good.

My field of work as a beauty therapist is life changing and that feels amazing to be part of making a difference to someone's life. I just wish there was something I can do to help take away the pain for my own daughter.