Diamond Smith appeared on ABC's The Doctors to discuss her excessive facial hair, which first began growing at age 15.
The 23-year-old tried shaving, waxing and hair removal creams daily, but the hair continued to grow back. After meeting with OB/GYN Dr. Nita Landry, Diamond was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.
PCOS has a dramatic effect on the body's natural hormone levels and excessive hair growth is often a direct result of this condition.
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The underlying problem with PCOS is a hormonal imbalance and because of it's unknown cause, PCOS can only be treated and not cured. As many as 5 million women in the United States are affected by the condition, yet 50% of these cases go undiagnosed.
Causes
PCOS has been linked to an imbalance in hormones due to an overabundance of insulin within the female body that isn't able to be absorbed and used properly. The ovaries of women living with PCOS produce a high amounts of androgen (a male hormone) that affect the development and release of eggs during ovulation and can cause a delayed or an absence of a menstrual cycle. PCOS is the number once cause of female infertility.
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Symptoms
- Infrequent, absent, and/or irregular menstrual periods
- Infertility (inability to get pregnant) because of not ovulating. In fact, PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
- Hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um) — increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes
- Cysts on the ovaries
- Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
- Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist
- Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
- Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are thick and dark brown or black
- Skin tags — excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
- Pelvic pain
- Anxiety or depression
- Sleep apnea — when breathing stops for short periods of time while asleep
Treatment
Making lifestyle changes by incorporating more frequent and rigorous exercising,
a 5-10% weight loss and a diet filled with fiber, low carbohydrate intake and low fat intake can help with keeping the condition under control, as well as help reduce the risks of developing chronic conditions associated with PCOS such as diabetes, heart disease and endometrial cancer. Using birth control as a way to keep a healthy balance of hormones is also a frequently recommended treatment for PCOS.
After being diagnosed, Diamond received laser hair removal treatments to reduce the appearance of her facial hair. The treatments are seen as a means of controlling excess facial and body hair.
Laser hair removal treatments not only reduce excess facial & body hair quickly, but can help restore self-confidence to those suffering with PCOS. With the laser treatment, the hair will dramatically reduce within 2-3 sessions.
Once a satisfactory reduction in hair growth has been achieved after multiple laser sessions, results will need to be maintained. The frequency and number of the laser treatments varies depending on a person's hormone profile.
Diamond returned to The Doctors to reveal her beautiful transformation below.
