*A woman with thick facial hair like a beard is using her battle with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to serve as an inspiration to other women with her condition.
LaRae Perkins has struggled with self-esteem issues since she was a young girl due to PCOS, a condition in which the ovaries produce an abnormal amount of androgens, male sex hormones that are usually present in women in small amounts, per Johns Hopkins Medicine. Common symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods or no periods at all. difficulty getting pregnant, and excessive hair growth (hirsutism) on the face, chest, back, or buttocks.
When she was younger, Perkins had limited resources to help her learn about PCOS and facial hair growth known as Hirsutism, as reported by 21 Ninety.
“The only thing mentioned at the time was that I had a higher percentage of male hormones known as androgen than most women, ” she said in an interview with Mirror UK. All women have androgen.”
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“I have been experiencing hirsutism my whole life. I didn’t find out it had a name until I was in my 30s, ” she said.
“I will never shave because I love my face and don’t want to cause more issues than just having a beard,” she added. “my appearance is important to me and having skin that has dark marks, pigmentation, or even razor bumps would make me sad and feel less beautiful.”
PCOS impacts 8-13% of women, and women of color are more likely to be affected. Many symptoms of the condition present themselves differently for Black women, which often leads to misdiagnosis.
Perkins said her excessive facial hair has caused her to constantly have to define her gender to people who question if she was born a woman. This prompted her to create the “Yes I Am A Girl” clothing brand.
“I’m not the only woman out here with facial hair. I want to use my platform to be a voice for us,” says Perkins in her video feature for Truly.
WATCH:
@myhairisme Proud Of My Facial Hair! #YesImAGirl #Hirsutism #PCOS #MyHairIsMe #100%Woman #NotTrans ♬ original sound – LaRae Perkins
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