Hi Ladies,
I just stumbled onto this website and, being an acne sufferer for many years with a misdiagnosis, I wanted to put my message up in the hopes this info might help someone that might have what I had: HIRSUTISM.
From an early age (12ish) I noticed that I had more hair on my arms and legs than my friends. By 14 I began to have moderate acne. It got progressively worse through the years. I began my period at 15 and they were usually painful. Sometimes I would even feel like I was going to pass out. My mother took me to a dermatologist after dermatologist about my acne. I would get the usual treatment of being given ointments, antibiotics, and the doctors would tell me not to pick or touch my face and back. Nothing helped. Throughout the years my complexion didn't help my self esteem at all.
Even though it seemed like a losing battle, I continued to buy water based foundations, used acne medications, and ate a well-balanced diet.
I moved to the big city of Houston when I was 21 and thought that those things called facials might somehow help. I made an appt. and had a nice facial. The lady that gave me my facial commented on how clean my skin was and I told her I usually gave myself at home facials several times a week. At the conclusion of my session she asked me to sit up so that she could massage my shoulders and back. I told her I didn't want her to do that because I was embarrassed about the acne on my back. She asked if she could look at it and I agreed. She asked to look at my toes and belly button. I reluctantly showed her. Not saying anything more to me, she said to get dressed and she'd meet me out front. I was out in the waiting area for a while before she came and had a chance to look at some of the products they had to sell. I had decided one or two might work well for me and had them in my hands ready to pay for. She came out and said "I'd love to sell you that but you don't need it." Although she was not a medical doctor, she said that she thought that the cause of my acne was medical, something called Hirsutism, which basically meant I had too many male hormones. I was embarrassed to listen to what she was telling me. I told her I had been to at least a dozen dermatologists over the last 8-9 years...why had no one mentioned this to me or bothered to test me. She did not know but she said that I needed to go to an Endocrinologist. I did. She was right.
Not only does Hirsutism affect your skin, but it can also prevent you from being able to conceive. I also lost 20 pounds and my friends said I looked like a new person. I was not moody anymore and laughed alot. I felt like a new person and had unbelievable energy. By day four I thought that my doctor must have prescribed some type of upper or narcotic and called my doctor. He said that it was not an upper but that my body was becoming accustomed to working and functioning like a normal person. That for the first time I was actually experiencing what it felt like to feel good. I believe that a normal woman's testosterone level is up to 200. (I'm not sure what the unit of measure is.) Mine was in the 800 range.
Within 2 weeks or so I had no more acne and within six months my blood tests were normal and he took me off all medication. I did not have not one single pimple for over a year. That was about 14 years ago.
I guess what I wanted to pass along to the ladies here if you have the symptoms of acne, hair on toes and around belly button, possibly bad cramps, and moodiness, you might have what I had. My doctor said he feels around 80% of the women that have Hirsutism never get treatment or know that they have it. The only thing I don't understand is why I was not diagnosed sooner.
Thank you.
[This message has been edited by Janet in Texas (edited 05-14-2003).]
[This message has been edited by Janet in Texas (edited 05-30-2003).]
Hirsutism/acne/oily skin/excess hair
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