Four in 10 adults have not heard of a common condition which can leave many adult females suffering excess hair growth - and even infertility. A study, of 2,000 men and women, revealed just how many were unaware what polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is, or what symptoms it can cause. The condition, where ovaries don’t regularly release eggs, produce high levels of ‘male’ hormones and cause polycystic ovaries, is said to affect one in 10 UK women.
And seven in 10 were not aware that excessive hair growth, infertility (53%) and irregular periods (46%) were symptoms of the condition. And 72% of women experience at least one of the signs without necessarily knowing it could be linked to the disorder, with weight gain (24%), acne or oily skin (17%) and excess hair growth (10%) most common. As a result, 57% wish there was more awareness of polycystic ovary syndrome, to stop it being such a taboo subject.
Chloé Fallon, beauty expert for Philips Lumea IPL hair removal devices, which commissioned the research to support PCOS Awareness Month this September, said: “This is a remarkably common condition that there’s not enough awareness of. “It is something that affects literally millions of women around the world but is rarely spoken about openly. Instead, lots of women are left struggling to deal with a wide range of symptoms that can really impact their health and their confidence on a daily basis.
” The study also found 76% of all adults believe men should be more info.