Well because if you are reading this, then you suffer from PCOS and your skin has been acting all crazy. If yes then welcome to the club. You would be shocked to know this but PCOS is very common now. Every 4th girl/women suffer from PCOS in India and the numbers are increasing.
There are a number of things to keep in mind when it comes to PCOS so let’s get that out of the way first.
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Only a proper lifestyle change can do anything for you: Well this is true but sometimes your lifestyle isn’t your choice. It’s something you just have to live with then in that case any small changes can make a difference too.
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Losing weight will solve all your problems: This isn’t true. Yes, if you are overweight then losing some weight helps but doesn’t solve all your problems. There are a lot of slim healthy girls who still suffer from PCOS.
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You have to live a stress-free life: Okay find me that one person who has achieved this especially in this year of doom. People who did not know what stress was are also stressed now. Controlling and managing your stress levels is key but again it is not everything.
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Give up sugar: Well yes sadly this is true. Giving up refined sugar is the major key when it comes to PCOS. You can replace your regular white sugar with coconut sugar or jaggery or honey. We can be a chocolate lover but it needs to be dark instead of sweet milky ones.
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Dairy products are the worst: In most cases yes, I get terrible breakouts when I drink milk. I also get a bad stomach and a bloaty feeling. But I still have butter and cheese every once in a while and that’s okay. I haven’t gone completely vegan yet that’s because I hate almond milk. So I prefer lactose free milk in my coffee. I have a friend who suffers from PCOS and milk doesn’t affect her at all. So diary again is a personal experience.
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Exercise works wonders: This is true. Any form of physical activity really helps. It can be walking, jogging, yoga, or even dancing. Do what makes you happy. For me, yoga worked for a while till it didn’t anymore and I realized because I stopped believing in it. So enjoy what you do then only it will show results.
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No two cases of PCOS are the same: Don’t compare your symptoms or your lifestyle with your friend what worked for her may or may not work for you.
My Story with PCOS:
I am personally suffering from PCOS from the last 9 years and in no way I have it under control. A good lifestyle isn’t my thing right now, I have tried but I can never keep it up for too long. I don’t believe in diets and I love chocolates. Well, none of these things help me at all. I have gone the medication route and that just made it worst for me. I went through the whole ayurvedic way and again it gave me side effects worst then medication.
So after a few years of trying everything from medication to diet to exercise, I have realized I can’t keep it up and it just makes it worst then before for me. So my way now is to live one day at a time and see what I need today instead of worrying about what I want tomorrow. This keeps me sane enough and is something I can keep up with. Hopefully, I will reach a point where my lifestyle is better and healthier and PCOS better managed.
My Skincare Story:
I had oily skin before I started PCOS medication. Basic breakouts were normal as a teenager but it was never worst for me. Personally I never got crazy acne, I suffered from rashes and allergies more which I still do since that’s hereditary for me.
I always have had sensitive skin so I have been careful in choosing my skincare products. Keeping it simple with few products works for me. My staple was face wash, moisturizer, Lacto calamine, sunscreen. I never needed much back then.
Then I started medication and that just destroyed my skin texture so I went to a dermatologist because that’s what you do. Doctors put me on more medication and ointments which used to work but for a while then back to the same issues. I did go to different doctors for 3-4 years then I stopped.
I stopped my PCOS medication and my skin & hair medication. My skin got normal the moment I stopped everything. I went on a diet, did yoga, and lost a few kgs and I was good till I wasn’t again. Something in life changed that got me stressed again. I gained double the weight I lost and I kept gaining, my periods stopped happening and my skin went from normal to worst again. This is where I got into skincare and research.
My main focus was to concentrate on what my skin was doing and why. This helped me understand my skin better. I am gonna share here whatever I have learned over the years.
Remember skincare is very subjective what worked for me may not work exactly the same way for you so understanding your skin is the key.
How do you listen to your skin?
We all have a skin type. You could be categorized as either normal, dry, or oily. When you have two types out of the three it means you have combination skin. Now, this can happen due to weather change but in most cases, it happens because of hormonal changes.
We all know the sudden acne party that happens when we have our periods. It can happen before or during our periods. This is known as hormonal skin changes. Acne doesn’t just happen if you have oily skin you get it even if you have dry skin. In most cases acne is normal.
Acne pops out when you eat unhealthily or have a stressful life or if you use dirty pillows or dirty phones. These are something you can manage and control, what you can’t control is your hormones. They act the way they want to and they want to have an acne party.
So What do you do in terms of Skincare for PCOS?
You give it what it wants. When acne pop out treats those. Use spot treatments. The same logic applies to other things related to skincare. You have dry skin but your T zone is acting all oily and clogged up then apply skincare that controls and balances oil in that are. You may have oily skin but suddenly you are getting dry patches again treat those patches with a hydrating moisturizer. Instead of doing one single routine change it up according to the current situation.
Now that’s confusing you say:
Yes, it is confusing but then PCOS is confusing too. You may have a very healthy and active life and your skin still misbehaves on occasions. Instead of blaming your habits or hormones just treat the issue and move on. Believe me, at some point your skin will get fed up and just act normal.
A lot of people will tell you don’t change your skincare routine that often its not good and then nothing works for you because you are inconsistent. But that’s not true when it comes to skincare for PCOS.
If you have oily acne-prone skin and you know its the same and doesn’t change. Then you can obviously follow a routine for that. But if you have dry skin and you are getting sudden acne are you gonna still just apply thick moisturizers knowing it is not doing anything for your acne. Obviously not right, this means you tweak your routine a little bit till you manage that pesky acne.
Follow a skincare routine according to your period cycle:
This trend is new and it is definitely very effective. You can keep a track of your period days and make a note on how your skin behaves and adjust your skincare routine accordingly. This really helps in preventing unwanted guests and the scars they leave behind.
But if you have severe PCOS which means you don’t have a proper period cycle, what to do then. You still follow the same pattern you keep track of how your skin is behaving and treat it according and wait for the blood flow to happen.
Skin Issues other then Acne:
Acne is not everything, you may even have discoloration in different parts of your body or your face. Pigmentation, blemishes, texture, uneven skin tone are issues you can have or get any time when you suffer from PCOS. Adding and subtracting skincare ingredients that deal with these issues accordingly helps. Also, PCOS skin ages faster than most so starting an anti-aging skincare routine in your late 20’s is a better idea. Ingredients like Vitamin C (for pigmentation) & Retinoid (anti-aging) help.
Your neck is the worst affected when it comes to PCOS so be careful and keep a watch. I personally have really bad discoloration and thick dark skin around my neck and that’s because of the fluctuating sugar levels in my body that are related to my PCOS. In most cases like mine, it is an internal issue and can’t be solved externally but taking care in advance helps. If I had I wouldn’t be suffering from the worst case of stretch marks and discoloration.
Black marks and discoloration also occur on your underarms & elbows & knees or any joints and folds. Again Its internal but taking good skincare measures in advance really helps. Dry patches on your body is also another issue that PCOS causes.
Chemical Exfoliation really works:
I have noticed that chemical exfoliation works better for me compared to physical exfoliation. I think that’s because chemical exfoliation works on a deeper level. Everything related to PCOS is stubborn and needs an extra dose of attention. But finding the right balance is very important. BHA works the best when you suffer from acne & AHA works the best when you have pigmentation and blemishes. A combination of AHA & BHA works the best.
To understand chemical exfoliation and what products are available in the market:
PCOS Skin is Sensitive:
Indian skin is already known to be sensitive and PCOS doesn’t help. It makes your skin more sensitive and products react in bad ways on your skin for no good reasons. Suddenly some products you loved and used for years just stop working for you or just plain give you a bad reaction. In this case, adjust accordingly. Switch up your products and see what works for you. Anything that has ALOE VERA is your best friend. It really helps with the sensitivity that happens in PCOS skin.
Also, use products with ingredients like ceramide, peptide, and vitamin E. These help your skin to repair itself faster and keep your skin barrier intact that in turn helps with the sensitivity.
Niacinamide really helps with the large pores issues that occur. Even if you have dry skin you may still suffer from large clogged pores. This also occurs because of hormonal imbalance so using niacinamide serums really helps.
Double cleansing really helps when it comes to clogged pores and managing skin texture.
To know more about double cleansing: CLICK HERE
Food makes a huge difference:
Eating healthy is everything when it comes to PCOS and having good skin. I agree with this and I hate this since I am not a healthy eater in any way. I don’t eat junk all the time but I am not the salad and vegetable person either and that does affect me in some ways.
So what I do is concentrate on seeing what effects my skin the most. Milk is the worst for me. I can still have other dairy products but the moment I have milk I get acne and breakouts all over my skin especially my face, jaw & cheeks area. So I avoid it, I go lactose-free in most cases and the day I know I had milk related food items I am prepared for the breakouts in advance and treat my skin accordingly and it really helps.
Sugar again a no-no. Gives me breakouts or itchy skin. I tend to not deprive myself of everything if I do that I have more cravings. I see that whatever I eat, I do it in moderation.
Bread also doesn’t help but I prefer wheat bread but it doesn’t really affect me much. Carbs are actually a big no when it comes to PCOS. I personally can never give up carbs so have it moderation.
Never overdo anything:
Whatever you do see that you do in moderation. Dry skin needs good moisturization but going overboard with layers of skincare products will only give you clogged pores instead of hydration. If you use too many anti-acne products you will dry out your skin. Too many chemical products will over sensitize your skin. Everything has side effects even food so control and manage whatever you are doing and keep a track of everything, that really helps you in understanding.
I never deprive myself of anything that helps me manage my cravings. Everything in moderation works. Just find your balance.
Face & body hair growth is another issue with PCOS:
I started getting a lot of hair growth on the body parts I never got hair growth before when my PCOS got worst. My face is the worst affected. So I started shaving but there are lot of things to consider before shaving. If you already shave you have to follow a certain routine to not overdo it or ruin your skin.
I have talked all about face shaving in another post and shared my experience & routine which will help much better. To know more: CLICK HERE
As far as body hair is concerned I’ll talk about it soon and link it here later.
Understanding what your skin needs and acting accordingly will take you far but what I suggest may work for you or it won’t. Find what works for you. If you are lucky you will know in your first try but in most cases, it will take you a few tries before you find what really works for you.
Positive results are the end game but peace of mind is more important. So till you don’t believe in yourself and your instincts you won’t get there.
Never doubt yourself especially when others give you advice on things you don’t do.
There are days when I hate myself and my skin, but there are also days where I accept it the way it is and those are my happy days. Skincare has bought me joy in times where I was depressed and fed up because of what PCOS had done to my life, my body.
Most things are out of my control but my skincare routine is the thing that I can control and do it my way, so it makes me truly happy. I hope it brings the same joy to you.
Sorry if this was too long. I had a lot of ground to cover and you know I love to talk. 😉
If you liked this post and thought it was helpful then let me know and I’ll make a hair care version of it too.
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