Blogger shares pictures of herself shaving her face to raise awareness of polycystic ovary syndrome

'I feel that this will really help spread the word'

A blogger's Facebook post has gone viral after highlighting the lesser-known symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.

26-year-old Tina-Marie Beznec, who runs the blog Fight against Fat, wrote a Facebook post to popular parenting blogger Constance Hall, asking her to share the message to her page to raise awareness.

'Hey Hun! You'll probably never read this but it's worth a try lol I would love for you to share this photo and my spiel on PCOS to help raise awareness. You have so many followers (most of which are woman) and I feel that this will really help spread the word!!' she said to Constance.

'Hi my name is Tina and I have Polycystic ovary syndrome. As well as depression, anxiety, infertility, weight gain, hormonal imbalances, bloating, abdominal pains, acne, cysts, increased risk of cancer and everything else, a lot of woman including myself have to deal with facial hair!'

'Do you know how UNFEMININE this can make a woman feel?!? I've always been super self conscious about it, but really just have to put this out there because I want create more awareness around this syndrome and how much it can impact someone's life especially if they don't know they have it.'

'When you see someone who is overweight, has bald patches, or a woman who has facial hair DO NOT JUDGE.'

'You never know what a person is going through and it's unfair to put someone into the "lazy and unhealthy" category without knowing their story. I know it's only natural for some of us to judge someone based on how they look but remember we are all fighting our own battles and you can never understand if you aren't willing to learn and listen...'

'If you think you may have Polycystic ovary syndrome please don't be afraid to reach out and seek medical advice, it's a hard battle but the sooner you get diagnosed the sooner you can manage your symptoms xx'

https://www.facebook.com/fightagainstfat/photos/o.1019711431407015/1157178384345860/?type=3&theater

Soon after Tina uploaded her heartfelt post, Constance shared it to her own page and responded, 'I have shared this, you gave me goosebumps. I love it so much', to which Tina said, 'Omg you shared it!!! 😱😱😱😱 you rock Hun!! Thank you for spreading awareness ❤️❤️❤️❤'

The post has since received more than 10,000 reactions and been shared almost 2,500 times.

'I have pcos as well. Great post for awareness,' one supportive commenter said, while another added, 'I have PCOS and this was perfectly said. Dont ever judge because you never know what is going on underneath the surface.'

What is polycystic ovary syndrome?

Polycystic ovary syndrome, often referred to as PCOS, is a common condition which affects a woman's ovaries.

The NHS lists three main symptoms:

  • Irregular periods – which means your ovaries don't regularly release eggs (ovulation)

  • Excess androgen – high levels of "male hormones" in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair

  • Polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) which surround the eggs (it's important to note that, despite the name, if you have PCOS you don't actually have cysts)
  • Symptoms generally become apparent during your late teens and twenties, although it is possible to have PCOS without presenting any of the typical signs.
    If you think you may have PCOS and want further help and advice, visit your GP - whilst there is no 'cure', there are many ways to help you manage the condition and its side effects.
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