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For the Health of It: Acne Could Signal Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Posted on: Saturday, 5 February 2005, 21:00 CST

Question: I went to the clinic to get a prescription for acne, but now I have to get tested for polycystic ovarian syndrome. Why is that?

Answer: They always tell doctors and doctor-types in school that, with any medical problem, it's good to go beyond just treating a symptom and to find the cause of a problem when possible. For acne, sometimes there are causes other than the usual skin-pore-sealing effects of adolescent hormones. Sometimes knowing the root cause of a symptom can help you head off other problems that you're at risk for because of an underlying disorder.

This is definitely the case with polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. For every classroom with 20 girls in it, there's likely to be one with this disorder, which probably has various causes and might run in the family.

But PCOS can be pretty tricky to figure out. There's no one test that can say whether a person has it. We know that women with PCOS make higher than usual levels of the hormones called androgens. Or at least, their bodies respond to their androgen hormones more than most girls do.

The main thing that happens in PCOS is that the ovaries don't release an egg each month, as is supposed to happen. This can be accompanied by periods happening less often than the typical monthly pattern. But fewer periods is not always the case with PCOS. And there are lots of reasons for irregular periods.

Another thing that can happen is being overweight -- sometimes. Or growing a little hair where girls don't usually grow much, like on the face or elsewhere. But that's not always the case. Or getting acne. But not always.

There can be a lot of cysts (a kind of abnormal lump) on the ovaries, which you can see if you get an ultrasound done. And you'll never guess what: not always.

If a diagnosis of PCOS is made, things can be done over time that can lower the risks of future PCOS-related problems. These problems sometimes include diabetes, difficulty getting pregnant, cancer of the uterine lining and heart disease because of high cholesterol.

For many girls, taking birth-control pills can make a big difference for present and future PCOS complications. These need to be taken early and until you decide to get pregnant, if you ever do. It helps with the acne, the body hair and the risk of cancer, cysts and heart disease. Exercise and heart-healthy food habits are extremely important, as well. There are other options, too. For instance, if blood tests show a pre-diabetes situation, then a medicine called metformin might be helpful.

As complicated as all this sounds, there's a Web site with an excellent reputation for helping with understanding and supporting and such. It's www.pcosupport.org.

Questions can be mailed to The New Mexican, For the Health of It, 202 East Marcy St., Santa Fe, NM 87501; e-mailed to teens@sfnewmexican.com or phone in to 986-3050.

Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican

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