JuniperHealth

PCOS

PCOS treatment

There is no cure, but treatment can manage symptoms, protect your long-term health and help you get pregnant if you want to.

Written by Neil Hyde Last checked 1 minute read

On this page
  1. Healthy changes
  2. Irregular periods
  3. Extra hair and acne
  4. Metformin
  5. Fertility

Healthy changes

If you are overweight, losing even 5% of your body weight can make periods more regular, improve symptoms and lower the risk of diabetes. Being active helps your body use insulin better, whatever your weight.

Irregular periods

  • the combined contraceptive pill can make periods regular and protect the lining of the womb
  • if you do not use the pill, you may be offered a progestogen medicine to bring on a period every few months, or a hormonal coil

Extra hair and acne

  • the combined pill can reduce hair growth and acne
  • eflornithine cream can slow facial hair growth
  • treatments for acne
  • hair removal, such as laser treatment, is usually not available on the NHS

Metformin

Metformin, a diabetes medicine, is sometimes used to help with insulin resistance, periods and weight, though it is not licensed for PCOS.

Fertility

If you are trying to get pregnant, you may be offered:

  • letrozole or clomifene, medicines that help you release an egg
  • metformin, alone or with these medicines
  • a small operation called ovarian drilling
  • IVF, if other treatments do not work

Sources we used

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