Acne, excess facial hair, irregular periods and weight gain, some of the ‘normal’ side-effects of being a teenage girl, could in fact be indicators of an underlying condition.

Between 10-15 per cent of women are now believed to have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition with many long-term implications, including infertility and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“Some clinical or biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenism – excess levels of male hormones – for example excessive hair on the face or chest, or a blood test showing that androgens are elevated, triggering acne.”

– “Evidence of irregular, infrequent or incomplete ovulation, and that typically is manifested with a disturbance in the menstrual cycle.”

– “The typical features of polycystic ovaries – a necklace of tiny follicles around the ovaries – are seen on ultrasound.”

Symptoms will vary from woman to woman. They might typically only have menstrual periods every now and again, and they haven’t linked this with the fact that they might not be ovulating regularly.”

General practitioners, endocrinologists, dermatologists, and general gynaecologists, meanwhile, will usually first meet and diagnose older teenagers and women, whose primary concerns are excessive hair growth, acne or irregular periods.

Though associated with obesity, many women with PCOS have no weight issues, like 16-year-old Ciara McCloskey, recently diagnosed after being referred for an ultrasound by her GP when she presented with stomach and back pain. “When I was told, I looked it up. When I read about the facial hair, and the acne, and the irregular periods, everything started to make sense,” says Gbemi. “I thought the excess facial hair was because I was dark-haired, but the acne was very bad. I’ve been on and off different antibiotics for years.

“I also wasn’t getting regular menstrual cycles. I was told this was normal for a teenager, but it hadn’t settled down after four years. I hadn’t had a period yet this year, and I’ve gone a year before without one, but I get symptoms every month, without actually having it. The moods can also be really bad.”

Painful cramps
When she does have a period it will be extremely heavy and accompanied by painful cramps that can last more than a week. “And I get really tired. I’m in bed the whole time. I can’t even go to school when I’m on it. I’d probably just fall asleep in class.”

Gbemi was recently prescribed the oral contraceptive pill, one of the mainstay treatments for PCOS. “The GP felt that this would help with the skin and the moods and the other symptoms.” The first type she tried helped her pain, but not the acne, and she has now changed to a pill with different hormone levels.

Could this be a cyst?  to be continued……….

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