Hello All,

This is my first time posting to the board. I was diagnosed with pcos 6yrs ago, but I have probably had it since my late teens. I have the classic symptoms, mild hair growth on chin, no periods, dont ovulate, moody, and overweight. I have also these markings on my neck, it seems as though in this forum they are being called skin tags, I have never heard this term.
I have them around my neck, they get darker in the summer months, I figured from sweating more and my long hair. I have a few on my bikini line as well.
I went to the dr. about 2 years ago, it was dianosed as tinea versicolor, he prescribed selenium sulfide, works like a charm if you put it on 10 minutes every day before a shower, for 2 - 3 weeks. It seems what everyone is calling skin tags could be tinea versicolor, if so get the medicine from a doctor, it makes it go away so you dont have to feel self concious about wearing your hair up on hot days.

On another note, I went to the ob last week, she gave me provera to enduce period. I heard there may be a risk to breast cancer if I take it, but if i dont take it, then I increase my risk to endo cancer because I need to shed the lining. So that night I went online and read research, and I found that low carbs may help with my pcos. So I figured I would give it a shot, anything better than taking meds.
So here is the latest, started atkins 5/20/04, I am in ketosis, 20grams or less of carbs per day, and here it is 5 days later and I am spotting. So I will continue on my low carb journey and hope the low carbs and the weight loss will help with my symptoms, and give me a regular period, I dont want to have to take provera. So wish me luck!
And so far I am loving this board!!

Hi,

I have a pcos and a lot of the symptoms you've described (particularly skin tags, menstrual abnormalties and hair on my chin). I also have male pattern hair loss at the front of my hairline and weight that is concentrated on my stomach (which are also classic signs of pcos). I am excited that you mentioned there is medication for skin tags because that will take care of one of my unpleasant symptoms....

I also have the absence of periods like you, but i found when i lc's in the past they came back and eventually fell into a normal pattern of 28 days as I approached my goal weight. I dont' know why i stopped lc'ing, probably i thought I was cured, or something. But with pcos, there is no real cure, other than maintenance of one's weight and blood sugar levels.

good luck to you! It looks like you're hormone levels are loving LC'ing if you are starting to spot. Before you know it, everything should be back and running smoothly again and pcos will be nothing more than a distant memory

Kirsten

are these just patches of colour or are they actually little round balls of extra skin that grow on a tiny stalk? Skin tags are exactly that, tags of skin that can grow anywhere, though they seem to grow in areas of skin friction, around neckline, underarms, under bra bands,straps etc. Having them frozen or burned off by your doctor is a good way to get rid of them. They don't come back in the same spots.


Tinea versicolor is a common skin condition due to overgrowth of a skin surface yeast. This overgrowth results in uneven skin color and scaling that can be unsightly and sometimes itch. The yeast normally lives in the pores of the skin and thrives in oily areas such as the neck, upper chest, and back.

What does tinea versicolor look like and how do you recognize it?

Tinea versicolor has small, scaly white-to-pink or tan-to-dark spots which can be scattered over the upper arms, chest and back. They may sometimes appear on the neck and the face. On light skin, tinea versicolor may be faint or can appear as tan-to-pink spots, while on dark skin tinea versicolor may be light or dark. The fungus grows slowly and prevents the skin from tanning normally. As the rest of the skin tans in the sun, the pale spots, which are affected by the yeast, become more noticeable, especially on dark skin.

I actually had Tinea Versicolor as well. I think this is a pretty common skin affliction, so it may just be coincidence that you had Tinea Versicolor AND PCOS. I used that shampoo as well and it worked like a charm! I still get spots everyonce in a while, but I just use the shampoo and they go away pretty quick. If you have no insurance you can also use Selsun Blue.

My mother has those skin tags, plus hair on her face but her period was always regular (until menopause). I wonder if she has/had PCOS...

i've had these skin tags too. mostly around my neck. i've read that they are related to having insulin resistence/syndrome x. it seems like the more low carb i'm eating the less i have of these now? has anyone else seen them disappear for the most part, since they've been doing lc?

Well I'm no doctor by any means and this isn't medical advice.....but I had several small "skin tags' on my neck which really bothered me cause my shirt neckline would rub them and they would kinda hurt.......so I took a piece of sewing thread and tied it at the base of the tag...and within a few days it fell off. Since I only had a few (and they were small) I did them one at a time.

hobiecat,
I was diagnosed very early on with PCOS but I thought my periods were normal too. What I found out was that even though I was having my period on a regular basis, I would stop for a day or two in the middle of it. My dr. said she considered that an abnormal period. Your mom could very well have it.

Since I was a teenager my neck and armpits were dark and "dirty" looking. My mom would fuss that I didn't wash well enough. I tried everything to lighten the skin but nothing worked. I would never wear anything sleevless. I now know this is a symptom of pcos which i was diagnosed with in my 20's and also IR which I was diagnosed a year or two ago. Had I only known then there was a cause and treatment...... I also have the skin tags, irregular periods, the whole list. It is a shame I have been suffering from an illness for 20+ years and am just now learning about it!!!!

I've had skin tags for years now (ever since I first started having children 18 years ago) but I never knew they could be a symptom of PCOS. My doctor whacked a couple off a few years ago; they are back just as large as ever today. Been thinking about having my husband snip these off for me, but they bled so much the last time...

I hate when my necklace gets caught on them!

Okay, so I can use the sensun blue shampoo for the dark patches? How exactly? Do I just apply and let it sit? I really hate to trudge in to the doctor again for some more meds if I don't need to.

Thanks!
Jamie