Struggling with Hair Loss, Acne, and Stubborn Weight? It Might Be PCOS

Did you know that Daisy Ridley, Victoria Beckham, Jools Oliver, and Emma Thompson have all spoken publicly about living with PCOS? They’re not alone.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is thought to affect around 1 in 5 women in the UK, yet many remain undiagnosed or misunderstood.

For some, it starts with difficult or irregular periods. Others only learn about it after struggling to conceive. What’s often missed is how deeply PCOS can affect daily life emotionally and physically.

For many women, PCOS shows up as hair loss, adult acne, or weight gain that doesn’t respond to typical diets or exercise, symptoms that are often dismissed or misdiagnosed.

PCOS Hair Loss, Acne, and Weight Struggles — Could This Be You?

Here are some common signs:

• Irregular or absent periods

• Trouble getting pregnant

• Hair growth on the face, chest, or back

• Thinning hair or hair loss around the scalp

• Persistent acne or oily skin

• Weight that’s difficult to shift, even with effort

• A history of miscarriage

You don’t need to have all of these symptoms to have PCOS. Sometimes the signs are subtle or hidden by medications like the pill, which is often prescribed for menstrual issues and can mask the condition for years.

So, What’s Going On Inside?

PCOS is driven by hormonal imbalances. A key part of the puzzle is a hormone called luteinising hormone (LH), which tells your ovaries to produce testosterone. With PCOS, LH levels can be too high. This overstimulates the ovaries and leads to increased testosterone. That’s why you might notice symptoms like facial hair, thinning hair on your head, or acne.

Insulin resistance also plays a big role.

This means your cells aren’t responding properly to insulin, the hormone that helps move sugar out of your blood and into your cells for energy. To compensate, your body makes more insulin. Higher insulin levels encourage your ovaries to produce even more testosterone and can stop your liver from making sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a protein that helps keep testosterone in check.

If left unchecked, insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time.

Why Me?

There’s no single cause. PCOS tends to run in families, but genes aren’t the whole story. Researchers believe it can also be influenced by hormone exposure in the womb, stress, and even certain environmental toxins.

The good news is, having a genetic predisposition doesn’t mean you’re powerless. With the right support, many women can manage or even reverse their symptoms naturally.

What About Testing?

If any of this sounds familiar, speak to your GP.

Diagnosis usually involves a combination of:

• Blood tests to check hormone levels

• An ultrasound to see if the ovaries appear enlarged with many small follicles

• A review of your menstrual history and symptoms

It’s important to note that you don’t need to have “cysts” to be diagnosed with PCOS. The small fluid-filled sacs seen on ultrasound aren’t true cysts — they’re immature follicles.

Where Can You Start?

Because insulin resistance is a key driver for many women with PCOS, making changes to how you eat can have a huge impact. A low glycaemic load (low GL) diet helps to stabilise blood sugar, which in turn can support hormone balance.

Eating in a way that works with your body can ease symptoms, restore cycles, and improve your energy, skin, and mood.

If PCOS is something you’ve been diagnosed with or suspect might be behind your symptoms, I invite you to book a free Hormone Health Discussion with me.

This isn’t a rushed appointment. It’s a space where we can talk about what’s been going on, how you’ve been feeling, and explore what next steps might support your body best. You don’t have to navigate this alone.

Click here to book your free session.