PCOS — polycystic ovary syndrome — is a chronic hormonal condition that affects an estimated 6 to 13 percent of women of reproductive age. Despite being one of the most common endocrine conditions in women, up to 70 percent of women who have it remain undiagnosed.PCOS doesn't show up in just one place. It usually shows up across several at once — your skin, your hair, your weight, your cycle, your mood — which is one of the reasons it gets missed for so long. Most providers are trained to treat the symptom in front of them, not the connection between them.
The mechanics behind it, in plain language: women with PCOS often have elevated androgens (a group of hormones including testosterone), and many also have insulin resistance, where the body produces more insulin than it should because cells aren't responding to it normally. These two patterns drive most of the symptoms PCOS is known for — irregular cycles, hormonal acne, unwanted facial and body hair, hair loss on the scalp, stubborn weight gain, and mood changes.
PCOS is managed, not cured. The good news is that the symptoms are highly treatable when the condition is treated as a system rather than as separate problems — which is exactly how Oana is built to treat it.