Symptoms 101: PCOS and Acne

As I'm sure you know, PCOS and acne go hand in hand. I've had acne since I was 10 years old. I'm now 25. So, I've been dealing with acne for well over half of my life. Lovely. I went to a few different dermatologists during my teenage years, but nothing seemed to help. I bounced from one product to another, never with much continued success. Adding to the frustration was the fact that I have been "blessed" with extremely sensitive skin and eyes.

My skin is certainly not perfect. There are good days and bad. The few days before my period are guaranteed to be atrocious. However, my skin is light years ahead of where it used to be. This is what works for me:

1. I wash my face with Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser every morning in the shower. I've been using this face wash for 5 years now, and it really makes a difference. The active ingredient is 10% benzoyl peroxide. This will bleach your towels and sheets though, so you need to convert to all white linens (it makes laundry easier anyway).
2. I use Philosophy Hope in a Jar moisturizer every day. This is my favorite product of all time. I sometimes think I would rather go without food than go without this moisturizer.
3. I only use bareMinerals makeup. This was spurred by my eye sensitivity more than anything, but it seems to have helped clear up my skin too.
4. At night I apply a tiny bit of Tazorac cream to any active acne.
5. I wash my sheets and makeup brushes at least once a week.

What do you do to keep your acne under control? Please feel free to share your tips!

Do It For Your Children

A co-worker of mine who also struggles with her weight shared this story with me, and I found it particularly indicative of how our own struggles with weight actually affect a much larger audience than we realize.

This woman is a single mom with an 8 year old son. She works the night shift while her son sleeps at her sister's house. One morning last week, she picked up her son after work and asked him how his night went. Here is his reply, "Mom, I had the happiest dream of my entire life. You lost a lot of weight, and then we went to Disneyland and you could go on all of the rides with me. I was so happy!"

She was nearly in tears while she was relating the story. Her son's happiest dream was that she lost weight and could more fully participate in his life.

After we talked, I had the distinct impression that I have been given this time now to prepare so that I can lead a healthy life and be an example for my children later. This is not a diet, quick fix, or temporary change--it's a complete lifestyle revolution. It can be done.

Is There An End?

One of the most frustrating parts of PCOS for me is that there isn't an end. I'll never be cured of PCOS. There's no test that will say "Congratulations, you are PCOS-free! Come back in 2 years and we'll look again!" It's never going to be something that can be checked off of a to do list. With a lot of things there is an end point. PCOS has no end. PCOS is a part of me. Forever. So, I need to switch my mindset. I can live with this. I can get it under control. I can move on with my life. I can be happy. I can decrease my chance of cancer and heart disease. I can manage my symptoms. I can learn to live harmoniously with PCOS.

Musings

You Are Not Forgotten

"Sisters, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love."

Source: President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

If we believe our fate is set in stone, then it probably is.

This morning's message on Music and the Spoken word was particularly poignant.

"What we think about others and ourselves has the power to shape our world. How often have we heard ourselves say things like "I’m not a morning person” or "I’m not very smart” or "That’s just the way I am”? If we believe our talents and personality will never change, then they probably never will. If we believe our fate is set in stone, then it probably is.

On the other hand, if we believe that desire, hard work, and persistence are much more important than intelligence or natural ability, then change and growth are possible.1

A high school valedictorian observed that her classmates always thought she was so successful in school because she was naturally gifted with talent and intellect. They thought that everything came easily to her. But she will tell you that the only reason she excelled academically was the simple fact that she studied more and worked harder.

Anyone who plays a musical instrument or runs a marathon will tell you the same thing. Their achievements come of sacrifice and serious effort, not luck or good fortune. Of course, there are those who are naturally gifted in one way or another. But we were not created with a fixed set of abilities; rather, we were created with a deep-seated ability and yearning to improve, to grow, to become more than what we are.

While we don’t have much control over innate ability or natural talent, we can usually control how much we try. We cannot do much about how tall or short we are, but we can control how dedicated we are and how intently we resist giving up. Such a mindset empowers us to step outside our comfort zone and seek new opportunities for progress and change—creating growth and development in place of rationalization and regret. We will then find—to our joy, but not to our surprise—that we can achieve remarkable things."

1. See Carol Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology (2006).

Source: Program #4279

Equipment for Exercising, part 1

In order to feel comfortable with exercising, you need to have the right equipment. Unfortunately, true workout clothing for plus-size women is difficult to find. I wish it weren't so. If anyone could benefit from well-fitting workout clothes, it's the women who are overweight, not those who are already a size negative 4. The mentality out there seems to be "Here! You're fat. Toss on a shirt that is three sizes too big and then a pair of pants guaranteed to make you too hot. Underneath all that, try an ill-fitting sports bra that will guarantee lots of bouncing. Have fun!"

I've been able to find a few things that have helped my exercising go much more smoothly. I share them in the hope that they will help you too. Now, I realize that it is expensive to renovate your wardrobe. You don't have to buy these things. However, if you have a birthday coming up or a reason to celebrate--how about suggesting one of these as a gift?

1. Enell Sports Bra.This bra is amazing. Really. I had no idea it was possible to run and not have some degree of uncomfortable bounciness. They come in sizes from 32C to 52DD. If your size is out of that range, they make custom ones too! When you first put it on it will be tight. Incredibly tight. You'll have no idea it was possible for your chest to look so flat. Make sure you do the hooks from the bottom up. Then, take a moment and realize that you really can still breathe. Move side to side, jump up and down--no bounce! You'll notice a positive difference the first time you exercise with it on.


2. Shorts. You can not exercise in pants. You've been (trying) to do it for years. Stop, and switch to shorts. You'll be much more comfortable. I'm not talking the super short ones that barely cover your backside, I mean modest shorts of the knee-length variety. Champion sells them up to a size 28. I know, you have reasons you don't wear shorts. You have varicose veins, you're not tan, and the hair. Oh the hair. I know all about those things--I have PCOS too. Really though, who cares? You're doing this for you, not for random judgemental passersby. Shave your legs and put on some shorts. Stop worrying about what other people think.


3. Hair Elastics.I've found that hair elastics that are made for thick hair are much better at keeping my thin PCOS hair in a ponytail. I've used the various regular and thin ones, and my hair always ended up in my face. Once I switched to the thick hair elastics (and I in no way have anything resembling thick hair), my hair stayed in place.