{"id":130839,"date":"2025-05-20T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/how-does-pcos-affect-skin-health\/"},"modified":"2025-07-14T15:36:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T15:36:06","slug":"how-does-pcos-affect-skin-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eu.intelligentlabs.org\/en-gb\/how-does-pcos-affect-skin-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Does PCOS Affect Skin Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PCOS, or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, is a head-scratching disorder. No one knows for sure how it starts. There\u2019s no cure yet, but studies show that taking Berberine<\/a><\/strong> may help. It\u2019s common enough that it\u2019s said to affect 1 in every 10 women! In this blog post, we\u2019ll focus on how PCOS affects skin health. We\u2019ll also share actionable tips to help manage this condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But first, what are the hallmark symptoms of PCOS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A medical professional can diagnose PCOS if the patient experiences at least two<\/em><\/strong> of the following symptoms:1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0 High androgen levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Androgen hormones are male sex hormones that give boys and men their male characteristics. The female ovaries also produce androgen, but in lower quantities than males.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excess androgen contributes to many of the skin issues associated with PCOS. It can also lend to the male characteristics typically associated with PCOS women, e.g. hirsutism and male pattern baldness. A blood test can help detect androgen levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0 Irregular periods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the most common symptom of PCOS. Women who menstruate less than 9 times a year and have abnormally heavy periods may have PCOS. Irregular periods can disrupt the normal ovulation process, which affects fertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0 Polycystic ovary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The word \u2018polycystic\u2019 may be in the name of PCOS itself. But interestingly enough, not all PCOS women have cysts in their ovaries! For women that do have them, there will need to be at least 12 cysts present for a PCOS diagnosis to be made. These cysts may also be larger than normal.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does PCOS affect women\u2019s skin health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard enough being a woman. But add in PCOS and skin issues, and being female just became a lot harder! Unfortunately, poor skin health due to PCOS can affect women’s self-esteem and self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the different ways PCOS can affect skin health:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0 Really bad acne<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Acne is a very common skin condition, often making its first appearance in teenagers and young adults. This coincides with when androgen levels are at their peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clogged pores full of dead skin cells, bacteria, and excess sebum (due to excess androgen) can cause acne breakouts.3<\/a><\/sup> If you’ve ever experienced a breakout, you know how painful it can be when touched! These breakouts noticeably worsen when menstrual periods occur. Even worse, the acne lesions are bigger, deeper, and take much longer to heal than regular acne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PCOS acne also follows a certain pattern. For example, clusters of angry-looking, pus-filled pimples may form in the jawline, chin, and upper neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0 Excessively oily skin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our sebaceous glands produce sebum to help protect and moisturize the skin. But excessive androgen hormones can cause sebaceous glands to produce too much sebum, leading to oily skin and acne. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0 Excessive hair growth (hirsutism)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s another symptom brought about by excessive androgen levels in the body. Women usually don\u2019t have mustaches, beards, or overly hairy bodies. But many PCOS women live with this unwanted hair growth. These aren\u2019t fine hairs, unfortunately. Hair growth from hirsutism is thicker and darker. Moreover, there may even be hair growth on the chest, back, and buttocks in PCOS women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0 Hair thinning (androgenic alopecia)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Male pattern baldness can occur in PCOS women, too. It\u2019s understandably very upsetting to lose hair on the head but then see them grow in unwanted areas! Unfortunately, up to 40-70% of PCOS women experience this condition.4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0 Acanthosis nigricans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Acanthosis nigricans presents as dark skin patches in body folds and creases. Examples include the armpits, back of the neck, navel, the area below the breast, the groin, elbows, and knees. The affected skin also develops a thick, velvety texture. Some women say affected areas are itchy and have an odor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women with acanthosis nigricans tend to be overweight or obese and are at high risk of getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.5<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6)\u00a0\u00a0 Skin tags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These small bumps may not be a common PCOS symptom. But skin tags can grow on areas where acanthosis nigricans appear. So, they\u2019ll most likely be visible in the armpit, neck, and groin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to effectively manage PCOS and improve skin health?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The traditional way to treat skin issues is by visiting a dermatologist. They can prescribe various medications to treat specific symptoms. However, the root cause is often untreated, so the issues may continue to re-occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We believe a holistic approach<\/strong> is the best way to manage PCOS symptoms and improve skin health. Here are our recommendations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0 Eat a PCOS-friendly and anti-inflammatory diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Low-grade chronic inflammation is said to be one of the root causes of PCOS. Avoiding foods that can trigger inflammation may therefore be one of the best ways to treat PCOS naturally.6<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, obese and overweight PCOS women who went on a 12-week anti-inflammatory diet reported amazing results! Many women lost excess weight and body fat and regained their periods. Also, all hormonal, metabolic, and inflammation markers went down, which proves this type of diet works.7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wrote an in-depth blog post about the PCOS diet<\/a><\/strong> here, where we list down the food groups to eat and avoid if you have PCOS. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0 Berberine may help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our Berberine supplement<\/a><\/strong> may be the right choice if you want a more natural and healthier approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berberine is a compound found in many different plants, including barberry, tree turmeric, goldenseal, and Oregon grape. It is hypoglycemic, meaning it can lower blood glucose levels. This helps improve insulin sensitivity and reduces inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To know more about taking Berberine for PCOS, check out this article: Berberine For PCOS: Is It A Viable Treatment Option?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0 Take an Inositol supplement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Inositol is a water-soluble sugar alcohol found naturally in the human body. Our kidneys make about 2 grams per day. It\u2019s also found in many foods, including meat, veggies, citrus fruits, grain, nuts, and seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking inositol for PCOS<\/strong> may have benefits, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n