Featuring Dr. Sabrina Gill, MD, MPH, FRCPC

Treating High Testosterone Levels From PCOS Duration: 1 minute, 49 seconds

There's no particular cure for polycystic ovary syndrome.  

The treatment is just primarily based on the treatment of symptoms. Now for symptoms of excess testosterone and that such as acne or hair growth, there are medical treatments that we can use.  

Unfortunately, these treatments work as long as you use them and they don't completely eliminate the symptoms but they can alleviate them to some extent. And those would be in the form of a birth control pill.

Again, by decreasing hormone production in the ovary which is what the birth control pill does; it also decreases the testosterone production that the ovaries produce. 

Secondly, you can use medications that block the effect of testosterone and thirdly, there are cosmetic treatments so there are creams for acne, there are depilatory creams, laser therapy, electrolysis to promote hair loss.  

With regards to hair loss as a problem, besides medication such as the medications that block testosterone, you could use lotion such as Rogaine. It works well in men and women and it's effective as far as promoting hair growth.

And it's also important to check other things such as iron deficiency so things such as iron replacement can be helpful as well.

Other treatment options for polycystic ovary syndrome include medications that decrease insulin production, the most common one being metformin. Its use is relatively controversial but it could be considered in some women. 

So if you have any of these symptoms, it's important to discuss this with your physician and then choose the appropriate treatment that's right for you.

Presenter: Dr. Sabrina Gill, Endocrinologist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Endocrinologist