THE SCIENCE BEHIND PCOS/ANDROGENIC SYMPTOMS
Same symptoms. Different root causes.
Acne, oily skin, hair loss, excess facial/body hair, fatigue, and irregular cycles are androgenic symptoms that can look identical from the outside. But what's driving them underneath can be completely different from person to person.
WHERE SYMPTOMS ACTUALLY START
Androgen excess is the result, not the cause.
Androgens, like testosterone and DHEA-S, are hormones your body makes naturally. Symptoms like acne, hair loss, excess hair, and irregular cycles show up when something pushes your androgens higher. That "something" is often stress, insulin resistance, or inflammation.
What this can look like
PCOS vs HA
Women with a PCOS diagnosis
Many, but not all, women with PCOS have androgen excess. 60-80% of women with PCOS show elevated androgens, while 20-40% do not.
Women with high androgen symptoms
You can have high-androgen symptoms without meeting the strict criteria for PCOS. This is extremely common and often overlooked.
Women with a PCOS diagnosis
Many, but not all, women with PCOS have androgen excess. 60-80% of women with PCOS show elevated androgens, while 20-40% do not.
Women with high androgen symptoms
You can have high-androgen symptoms without meeting the strict criteria for PCOS. This is extremely common and often overlooked.