How to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally: Full guide

Hirsutism or excessive, male-pattern hair growth is one of the most common PCOS symptoms. Although it occurs naturally due to increased androgen levels, this symptom can be incredibly frustrating and have a negative effect on a female’s self-confidence. Thus, it’s natural for PCOS women to wonder how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally.

If you are looking for natural remedies, you need to focus on compounds that have a pronounced anti-androgen effect. The best options include:

• Spearmint
• Saw palmetto
• Zinc
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B6
• Inositol

These supplements can help you combat facial hair in the most natural way. However, it’s always recommended to consult with a healthcare provider before taking them to ensure the best treatment outcomes and minimize the risks.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in females in their reproductive years. This chronic condition affects a variety of systems and processes in your body–primarily, the work of your ovaries and your hormonal balance. As a result, it comes with a range of symptoms, including weight gain, acne, infertility, and others. Yet, one of the most unpleasant (and confidence-undermining) symptoms is excessive hair growth on different parts of the body, including the face. In this guide, we’ll explore why it occurs and how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally.

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Understanding PCOS-Related Hair Growth

Before we can define how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally, it’s important to understand what causes it in the first place.

As you probably know, PCOS is a condition that affects your ovaries. Although it’s still not fully understood what causes PCOS, it’s known that this disorder can prevent your ovaries from producing the sufficient amount of hormones needed for eggs to mature and get released (ovulation). As a result, your levels of essential female hormones drop.

On the other hand, the levels of androgens (male hormones) start rising. The majority (60%-80%) of women with PCOS show increased levels of free testosterone and other androgens. This shift creates a hormonal imbalance, which lies at the core of excessive hair growth.

How does it work? Our hair follicle structure and overall hair cycle are greatly dependent on hormones. Androgens, in particular, are responsible for terminal hair growth in sex-specific areas. That is, high levels of these hormones stimulate follicles and lead to fast growth of darker terminal hairs, primarily on the face, chest, and back. This condition is known as hirsutism.

Traditional Coping Techniques

Hirsutism affects around 5-10% of reproductive-age females across the world. Those with PCOS generally have a higher likelihood of developing this condition due to increased androgen levels. All in all, the issue is rather prominent and can greatly affect a female’s self-confidence.

Luckily, there are some coping techniques that can help. Traditionally, women with PCOS and facial hair use medical and hair-removing tactics, such as:

• Oral contraceptive pills
• Anti-androgen medications
• Insulin sensitizers
• Prescription creams like eflornithine
• Shaving
• Waxing
• Depilatory creams
• Laser hair removal
• Electrolysis

All these methods are time-tested and can have positive outcomes. Yet, it’s also worth noting that there is an alternative, hirsutism natural treatment that you can consider.

How to Stop Facial Hair Growth Due to PCOS Naturally: The Two-Sided Approach

When we are not talking about medicines and hair removal, there are two parts of the hirsutism natural treatment that can have a positive effect on your facial hair:

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes are typically recommended for women with PCOS as one of the primary management techniques. This involves switching your dietary patterns, embracing regular exercise, improving sleep, and finding effective stress-management techniques.

A combination of such lifestyle changes can give you many benefits. In particular, they can help you lose weight, treat insulin resistance, and, thus, balance your hormonal levels. Respectively, implementing the same lifestyle changes can help improve your hirsutism by reducing androgens.

Supplementation

If you are wondering how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally, a big role in this process is also played by natural remedies, such as supplements.

Certain supplements provide essential nutrients needed to stimulate optimal hormone production. Respectively, they can help you regain your hormonal balance if you choose the right remedies and consume them regularly.

Top Supplements to Stop Facial Hair Growth

Now that you know that it’s possible to address excess hair naturally, let’s move to the most exciting part! So, what vitamins stop facial hair growth? In this part of our guide, we’ve gathered the most popular and effective remedies that you can consider:

Spearmint

Spearmint is the number one among hirsutism supplements. According to studies, consuming spearmint significantly reduces free and total testosterone levels in only 30 days. This herb has a pronounced anti-androgen effect, which makes it perfect for women with PCOS who are looking to balance their hormones and thus, get rid of androgen-related symptoms, such as facial hair.

To gain the benefits, you can consume spearmint in the form of herbal tea or purchase supplements of a spearmint leaf. Choose the option that feels right for you.

Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto is a small palm tree that grows in eastern regions of the United States. The extract derived from it is known for inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which plays a crucial role in the production of dihydrotestosterone.

Simply put, the saw palmetto extract is also believed to have a significant anti-androgen effect. Hence, its supplement is broadly used for hirsutism treatment.

Zinc

Zinc is another supplement with pronounced endocrine effects. According to studies, it also inhibits enzyme 5-alpha reductase (like saw palmetto) and thus, reduces the production rate of dihydrotestosterone, which is a hormone primarily associated with male-pattern hair growth.

Regular consumption of zinc supplementation can optimize your hormones. Respectively, it can have a positive effect on a number of PCOS symptoms, such as hirsutism, as well as other androgen-related symptoms like acne, hair loss, etc.

Magnesium

Magnesium is another potential hirsutism natural treatment. In fact, it’s a potential management option for PCOS as a whole. According to studies, women with magnesium deficiency are more likely to have PCOS. This also means that a lack of magnesium can also worsen your symptoms, which makes it a crucial supplement.

Consuming magnesium supplements regularly can help you balance your hormones and ease a variety of PCOS-related symptoms, including facial hair.

Vitamin B6

If you are wondering how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally, vitamin B6 may not be the first thing to come to your mind. However, studies show that it also plays a crucial role in your hormonal balance. To be more specific, vitamin B6 modulates the activity of androgen receptors. When you have a deficiency of this vitamin, you might have a higher sensitivity to androgens, whereas its adequate levels can help support testosterone synthesis and clearance, potentially leading to a better hormonal balance.

These facts turn vitamin B6 into one of the best vitamins for hirsutism and PCOS. So you can consider taking it as well.

Inositol

Last but not least, inositol is another popular supplement for treating PCOS and related symptoms. According to experts, this compound can have hormone-regulating, insulin-sensitizing, and mood-regulating effects.

Taking Myo-inositol (MI) and D-chiro-inositol (DCI) supplements can reduce your androgen levels and also help stop hirsutism.

FAQ

Why does PCOS cause facial hair growth?

PCOS is a chronic condition that affects your ovarian function and hormonal levels. It commonly causes elevated levels of androgens–male hormones, which can lead to a range of male-pattern issues. In particular, androgens stimulate hair follicles, potentially leading to hirsutism–excessive growth of dark or coarse hair in women. In this condition, hair growth takes a male-like pattern, with hair growing mainly on your face, chest, and back.

How can I remove excessive facial hair?

If you already have facial hair, different hair removal techniques can help. These include waxing, shaving, and depilatory creams. For a more sustained result, you can choose long-term removal methods, such as laser removal, electrolysis, or eflornithine cream. Additionally, you can slow down the growth of unwanted hair by addressing the underlying issue–a PCOS-related hormonal imbalance, with the help of hormonal therapy, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies.

What vitamins stop facial hair growth?

If you are seeking natural remedies, you should pay attention to vitamins and supplements with an anti-androgenic effect. The most effective, science-backed options include spearmint, saw palmetto, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, and inositol. All these supplements can help you balance hormones and reduce androgen-related symptoms, including facial hair growth.

Are there any special considerations to keep in mind?

Of course! While deficiencies of different vitamins and compounds can worsen your PCOS symptoms and overall health, over-the-top levels of the same components can also have a negative effect on you. Thus, it’s always recommended to consult with a healthcare specialist before taking any hirsutism supplements.

Conclusion

Although PCOS comes with many unpleasant symptoms, hirsutism tends to be among the worst ones. This condition stimulates fast growth of hair in a male-like pattern, causing women to deal with excess hair on the chest, back, and, most importantly, on the face. Needless to say, having excessive facial hair is frustrating for every female, so it’s natural to wonder how to stop facial hair growth due to PCOS naturally.

Luckily, now you know that it’s possible to find a natural treatment. Certain supplements, such as spearmint, saw palmetto, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, and inositol have science-backed anti-androgen levels. Taking them can help you improve your hormonal balance and stop hirsutism. However, it’s important to choose your supplements under medical supervision to ensure the best outcomes and maximum safety.

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