Claire Atherton

My Journey with PCOS

How I have struggled through PCOS with all the hair growth and loss, infertility, weight gain, oily skin, and acne. I have always been a little on the heavy side, but I have come to realize exercise really is not the miracle it seems to be, BUT a vegan diet with exercise or even just healthier food is the magically remedy. When I was a sophomore in high school, I was in track, gymnastics, and swam regularly. I still didn’t lose anything I just maintained my current weight. Then my mother decided we should start eating healthier and I had dropped 20 pounds in a month without trying that hard. Believe me losing weight with PCOS is a struggle. After I started cutting out bad foods and started eating organic, I didn’t even cut calories, I started dropping weight and I was so happy. Now the struggle with hair growth was another story. It started when I was 14 or 15 and the hair on my face was growing longer and darker only on the sides so it wasn’t too bad but as the years went on it turned into the most embarrassing male growth pattern. I tried everything all the stupid little tricks on Pinterest to make it go away (did not work), tried waxing and that only lasted maybe a few days and when the hair was gone I had a rash, and I tried face nair and I gave myself chemical burns constantly. Nothing was working and as I got older to about 19, I started shaving it because I couldn’t take the burns anymore and it was wonderful as first. After a month of shaving I basically had a full beard and I was shaving religiously in the morning, at night, and even sometimes in the middle of the day. I am almost 20 years old and I finally decided to invest in laser hair removal and let me tell you, I cry sometimes because I don’t have to shave my face or worry about people judging me. I feel like a women... at least with clothes on. The face was one thing I couldn’t hide but my body hair is out of control. My legs and arms have always been ridiculously hairy but when I was about 16 the chest and belly hair came in and it was traumatizing. As a woman and having to shave literally my whole body was truly a punishment. Not to mention my skin is very sensitive so at the end of the day (or at least by the next morning if I was lucky) I was covered in razor burn and ingrown hairs. Eventually at 18 I found a homemade sugar scrub that helped enormously. It is sugar, coconut oil, honey, baby oil, and body wash. You also must use a scrubbing mit and it works wonders for my skin. I will eventually pay for a full body laser hair removal. Now for the hair on my head that recently became an issue. I used to have the most beautiful, thick hair and then about a year ago I noticed my hair was very thin at the front of my hair and on the back of my head. I was extremely embarrassed of this also it was impossible to find a hair style that I didn’t notice the thinning. Finally, I bought some hair gummies from Walmart and I bought at least 2 bottles and it was actually working but I had convinced myself that it wasn’t so I bought A/G PRO pills and they work wonderful too. One thing I truly worry about is that I won’t be able to have children and I noticed that I am not very fertile. I used to have unprotected sex with a boyfriend for five months and I never once thought I was pregnant. At the time I didn’t care but now I fear won’t be able to have children. I am only 19 so I guess I’ll relax while I can and worry about it when the time comes. Now full the last struggle I had was my skin. Since I have very oily skin, I thought for a long time that I didn’t need moisturizer. Now that was a huge mistake, I now use a ton of moisturizer. I wash my face morning and night and ALWAYS put on moisturizer. Now I have beautiful clear skin and it was one simple step that cleared it all up. PCOS has always given me so many insecurities and struggles. I have finally found a place where I can breathe. The saying to love yourself no matter what stage you are at is so important for improvement. So, in conclusion, eat healthy, exercise, wash your face morning and night, exfoliate your skin a lot, and above all love yourself because no matter what you look like you deserve your own love.