The health condition polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, can affect a teen girl's menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, heart health, weight and appearance, according to the website WomensHealth.gov. If you or your daughter has been diagnosed with PCOS, treatments will work toward managing the condition to prevent more serious diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, that have been linked to poorly managed PCOS.
Causes/Symptoms
Almost 10 percent of young women suffer from PCOS, which results from a hormonal imbalance in your body, according to the website YoungWomensHealth.org. When you have PCOS, your ovaries fill up with multiple tiny cysts, causing them to make more male hormones than normal. Symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, hair growth in a male pattern on your face, acne and weight gain.
Treatment Basics
Treatment for PCOS consists of a combination of prescription medications along with diet and lifestyle changes, according to the website YoungWomensHealth.org. Although many teens are more concerned with clearing up acne and eliminating unwanted hair growth than with reducing their risks of serious diseases down the road, proper treatment can accomplish both goals.
Prescription Medications
Prescription treatment for PCOS usually starts with birth control pills, which can reduce the excess male hormones in your body and regulate your menstrual cycle, according to the website KidsHealth.org. Birth control pills may also help reduce acne and hair growth, but they don't work for every teen. In those cases, your physician may prescribe another hormone-based drug, such as spironolactone, or may prescribe a diabetes drug called metformin. Both of these drugs might regulate your hormone levels if birth control treatment fails.
Lifestyle Changes
Teens diagnosed with PCOS should try diet and lifestyle changes to help control their condition, according to KidsHealth.org. If a teen is overweight or obese, sometimes all she needs to do is lose weight to control her PCOS symptoms and reduce her risk for heart disease and diabetes. If you have PCOS, you should avoid foods filled with starchy or sugary carbohydrates because they may worsen your condition. Instead, focus on eating nutritious meals filled with fruits, vegetables, low-fat protein sources and whole grains.
Considerations
Teenage girls with PCOS likely will want to manage the outward signs of PCOS, such as acne and unwanted hair growth. Options for controlling unwanted facial hair include waxing, tweezing and depilatories, which will work temporarily, along with permanent methods such as laser treatments and electrolysis, according to the website YoungWomensHealth.org. In addition, dermatologists offer a variety of prescription options for treating acne, including topical and oral antibiotics.
