Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/872903
As Kerry put the finishing touches on her makeup, she tried once more to cover a large blemish on her cheek. She sighed in frustration and wondered why, at age 29, her skin was suddenly breaking out. RESTORING BALANCE: A GUIDE TO MANAGING PCOS KERRY, A BUSY SALES PROFESSIONAL, assumed that her acne and increasingly irregular periods were probably due to the stress of meeting sales goals and her hectic travel schedule. But after a visit to her obstetrician/gynecologist, she learned that her symptoms actually stemmed from a medical condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). As many as ten percent of American women have PCOS, a condition that can cause symptoms like acne, weight gain and irregular menstrual cycles. These warning signs may not seem serious, but PCOS can contribute to infertility and can impact a woman's overall health (see "Beyond Reproductive Health"). MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS The reasons why PCOS occurs are unclear, according to Michael Lewis, M.D., obstetrician/gynecologist and director of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. What doctors do know is that women who develop PCOS have higher-than-normal levels of androgens, often referred to as "male hormones," circulating in their bodies. These elevated androgen levels are suspected of causing PCOS-related symptoms, which in addition to oily skin, acne and weight gain, can include: FA L L 2 017/ / W W W.N Y P.O RG / BRO OKLY N 10 W O M E N ' S H E A LT H 10