Body Care Facts & Health Tips

Ovarian cysts are a common problem for women, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is the most discussed variety of this condition. PCOS happens when the ovaries produce more androgen than what is considered as a normal level for women. The increased presence of androgens leads to the growth of hair and can also cause acne. This is a common problem for pre-menopausal women an can sometimes take severe proportions.

PCOS occurs in 5-10% of women worldwide, yet there is no single cause of this problem, which has been identified yet. In fact, it is actually a combination of genetic and environmental factors which cause PCOS. The most commonly noted ones are:

• Genetics, because often it is seen that if the mother has polycystic ovarian syndrome, the daughter has it too. Researchers are still trying to pinpoint the link between genes and PCOS.
• Problems in the blood sugar control system or insulin imbalance. A high percentage of women who have insulin resistance and abnormal levels of insulin in blood, tend to develop PCOS syndrome.

Other factors such as presence of multiple cysts in the ovaries, fetal exposure to male hormones and imbalance in the levels of the hormone LH are also cited as possible reasons for this condition.

So, what are the symptoms which tell you whether you are suffering from PCOS?

Well, this polycystic ovarian problem manifests itself in different ways, some of the most common among which are:

• Excessive hair growth, which is a direct result of the increased secretion of androgen (the male sex hormone). Hair grows in area such as the face, chest, toes etc. At the same time, the opposite effect or hair loss, can also occur in some cases.
• Infertility is a common symptom, which you may not relate to PCOS initially, but later find out.
• Irregular or absent periods can also indicate that you are suffering from PCOS.
• Then there is the outbreak of acne, which is usually something which affects teens. So if you are in your thirties and have a bout of acne, you may suspect PCOS.

Effective PCOS treatment can help you recover well from this problem. The basic objective of most treatments is not only getting rid of polycystic ovaries, but also making sure that the cysts do not become malignant (cancerous). Birth control pills or progesterone hormone injections can help regularize periods and thus reduce the risk of uterine cancer.

For treating acne or excess hair growth, diuretics are used. If the hair growth is really strong, hair-removal creams or processes such as electrolysis can be employed too. To help prevent infertility, medicines are provided to induce ovulation.

A PCOS diet can also help you deal successfully with the condition. This is because losing weight is really effective for neutralizing several threats and complications associated with PCOS. Low glycemic-index foods and vitamin and mineral supplements feature prominently in these diets.

So, if you are diagnosed with PCOS, do not panic and remember what you have just read through.

Acne most often occurs in adolescence and has typically ran its course by the time college ends.  There are some people who have persistent acne far into adulthood however.  There are also people who suffer from acne sporadically throughout their life due to hormonal changes.  Acne is a pretty common occurrence during pregnancy for example.

Many people spend a fortune and slather a variety of chemicals they know nothing about all over themselves trying to treat their acne.  There are a lot of ways to heal acne that are not expensive or full of chemicals.  Here are some of the natural treatment options for acne sufferers.

Avoid Makeup

Makeup can cause break outs especially in people with very sensitive skin.  This is not to say that you should never wear make up again if you want to get rid of your acne, but you should give your skin a fair amount of time to breathe.  Wearing make up all the time clogs up your pores and causes blemishes and infections like acne.

Honey

Honey is a great face wash.  It has natural antibacterial elements that can help acne from becoming infected or causing further trouble down the road.  It is also great for cleaning out the pores and it leaves your skin feeling incredible.  Honey can be used every night or a few times a week.  Let the honey stay on your face for 3-5 minutes before you wash it off.  When you wash it off you will be amazed at how different and rejuvenated your skin feels. Make sure that you remove all the honey with a warm wet rag.

Water

Drinking plenty of water can help your skin out a great deal.  Water helps to make skin look rejuvenated and beautiful by removing toxins that would otherwise remain in the pores.  You should always drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.  The health benefits are astounding and you will definitely notice a difference in your skin right away.

Hands Off

Keeping your hands and other people’s hands off your face can really help to decrease your number of blemishes.  This is one of the biggest beauty secrets of those people who never seem to get pimples. The oils, grease, and bacteria on your hands and the hands of others will cause you to break out in a heartbeat.

Also keep your hair out of your face.  The same basic principle applies to hair as hands.  Oil from your hair clogs your pores and makes your break out.  This is why so many people have severe acne right under their bangs.

The best way to control acne is through prevention like keeping your face clean and free of toxins and harmful bacteria.  If you don’t feel like this is enough then try investing in some witch hazel.  It is a power astringent that is available for around $1 at most drug stores and it is made from herbs.  Women have been using witch hazel to treat acne as well as many other conditions for years and it is not nearly as harmful as some of the chemicals in leading acne treatments.