So what we can see is actually this terminal hair growth. So that means the thick hair growth. And you've got that coming all the way around, all the way underneath, and then up the side as well.
OK, what's been happening with your skin? So I've got excess hair growth on my face. It just started growing, and no matter what I did, it wouldn't go. I went to about five or six different...
facial threaders and one woman went through a whole roll of thread and not even half my face was done because it was just snapping it was that thick and coarse and I've got no other option now but to shave it basically I don't know what else to do and how does that make you feel whenever you're having to shave it I hate it it's so embarrassing and yeah it's just so uncomfortable okay well I'd quite like to get up close and have a look at this is that okay that's fine Turn your wee head to the side for me. So what we can see is actually this terminal hair growth so that means the thick hair growth and you've got that coming all the way around all the way underneath and then up the side as well. Okay, undoubtedly what you've come with is something called hirsutism, which is excess hair growth in areas that you wouldn't normally expect to have that excess hair growth.
And in terms of the rest of your health, what is it like? I got diagnosed with positive covariance syndrome when I was about 13 or 14. Okay, so... 13 is pretty young to be diagnosed with PCOS.
So polycystic ovarian syndrome, it affects the ovaries, and the ovaries just end up not working how they should do. And the hormones tend to be slightly shifted off balance. As a consequence, you have an increased level of testosterone circulating. And in your case, it can also turn those little...
baby hairs into thicker hairs so more male type hairs and especially in this kind of almost a beard-like distribution isn't it like the answer i get now is well the hair growth's your fault because you're too fat you how you need to lose weight i've been through all of the diets nothing's working the hair growth is getting worse day by day well the most important thing that i want you to take away from today okay is that this is not Your fault. Yes, thank you. This is not your fault.
Nothing of this is your fault. Even if some people were to go on the strictest of calorie diets, what happens with PCOS is you would put on weight incredibly easily. So forget about all of that, if you can. Yeah.
Now, when it comes to what we're going to do about it, The first thing is, in terms of getting rid of the hair that's there, we have really effective and very efficient lasers that can do that. OK. Most people need to have about six or seven treatments and that will get rid of about 85% of your hair growth.
So it's pretty good and we'll space them four to six weeks apart. But in your case, and this is the real critical thing, if you have extra drivers in terms of your PCOS, all that's going to happen is it's going to then say, OK, make more hair. So we also have to treat what's underlying it to switch that off. Does that make sense? Yeah.
So both need to be actioned. Is that OK? It sounds really positive and it's quite overwhelming to actually hear that something's going to get done about it. There are going to be two parts to Charlotte's treatment.
The first part is a laser to treat the excess hair that she has. I'm going to do that at one of my other clinics because I don't have the right laser here. For the second part, which is the polycystic ovarian syndrome, I'm going to refer her to my colleague, Dr. Vanderpump.
He's a consultant endocrinologist, meaning that he treats diseases that are specifically related to hormones. You ready? He's going to prescribe a weekly injection and this will actually help her lose some weight and a tablet to regulate her hormones and specifically block the extra testosterone that she has and it's this that will stop the extra hair from coming back and hopefully see the return of her periods.
Doors closing. Please mind the doors. Van der Pomp has prescribed her weekly injections and a tablet to help her hormone levels and weight. I'm going to start under here, okay?
And I'm just going to do one little shot so you know what it feels like. I'm doing a course of eight laser treatments to tackle Charlotte's excess hair. One, two, three.
How did that feel? I got a chill out. The laser works by a process called selective photothermalysis, meaning it's taking the light, converting it to heat, and just destroying the hair follicle. I'm going to be your top pick now.
I want you to hold your breath for me. And come up with me. One, two, three, four, five.
Woohoo! Each session will take about ten minutes and Charlotte's going to notice a difference straight away. Oh, it's not that easy. I'm really out of breath. Three, two, one.
I think they should have that everywhere. I do as well. Makes life easier.
I knew it wasn't going to be an overnight fix, but I just feel so positive. I feel like a different person. Five months ago, I walked in those doors giving up. I know. It's gone really quick, hasn't it?
Really quick. I'm so proud of you. You'll make me cry, don't.
Hey Charlotte. Hiya. Are you okay? Yeah.
Come with me. Are you coming as well, Mum? Yeah, I reckon as well. Great.
She's vanishing, little one. I just like the smile. I have got makeup on, apologies.
I mean, you had makeup on last time as well, but that didn't help. I mean this is just great isn't it we did the last one what three weeks ago now yeah you have to almost see it from the side but they're so they're so fair these ones aren't they yeah it's a lot patchier it's a lot lighter so nothing is as obvious anymore. It's really light, whereas before it was dark.
So you could really notice how thick it was. It's so encouraging, isn't it? And we're probably about halfway through the treatment sessions, and I would hope by the end of it... of but you're really not going to be shaving much at all and by that maybe once every couple of months or something like that.
Hopefully that's okay. It'll be really good. To see Charlotte today in clinic and see this transformation that has occurred in her you know she is a different person to when we first met and she's such a wonderful young woman and the future is really looking much brighter for her now.
What's that on your face?