PCOS causes symptoms that can negatively affect our appearance, fertility and ultimately our self esteem. This can make dating difficult if you don't feel good about yourself. It is hard enough for women without PCOS!
The unfortunate truth is that some people might be turned off by some of the PCOS characteristics. These people are not the only ones out there in the world though.
I believe there is someone out there for anyone. Someone that will love us for who we are. It is just a matter of putting ourselves out there.
For this post I wanted to discuss the ways to deal with our symptoms while trying to get into romantic relationships. The ones that I will mention can happen to women without PCOS too. If I get anything wrong or leave something out, don't hesitate to let me know.
Dating with acne/oily skin
Whether a person has a mild or severe case of acne, a dislike of it is the most likely feeling. Women with PCOS quite often have high androgen levels (or there body reacts to their levels as if they are high), so having acne is very common for us.
There are types of treatments that will help reduce or get rid of acne but they may take some time to work. If a woman wants to get into the dating world while they are struggling with breakouts, they might feel as though no man or woman will want to be with them.
I believe that the following are ways to go on dates/find a partner while battling acne:
1. Nice hairstyle- Taking good care of your hair and putting it into a flattering style might help. You might feel good about yourself which your date/partner will pick up on. Self-confidence is sexy!
2. Makeup- Too heavy makeup will not look good and may make your skin even worse if it is the wrong kind. Just a light amount might go a long way though. Learning how to accentuate your eye area would probably help in detracting from the acne.
3. Eyebrows done- From what I have seen, eyebrows make your face. Having them look polished most of the time seems to make such a difference in attractiveness. Just my opinion though.
4. Nice outfits- I think that if you are wearing unflattering and frumpy looking clothes, it will make things even worse when it comes to the possibility of finding a partner. You don't need to dress fancy all of the time but just wear things that are at least a little flattering.
Dating with balding/hair loss/hair thinning
This is a really tough symptom of PCOS. I have not dealt with it as of yet so I might be totally off base with what I say. The following are two ways that I think a woman with this problem could deal with it and have a successful love life:
1. Figure out ways to cover it- I think that figuring out a way to make the balding/loss/thinning less noticeable would really help when you are putting yourself out there. This could mean cutting it a certain way, wearing it a certain way, wearing a wig, putting in extensions to cover bald spots etc. Doing any of these things might also increase your confidence which as I said before, is sexy!
2. Explain and show- If you start going on multiple dates with someone, I think that it would be good to reveal the fact that you are dealing with scalp hair problems. Being in a long term relationship with someone means that they need to be able to accept all of you. If you show your scalp hair issues with a potential partner and they are completely turned off by it, then they are not for you.
Dating with excess facial hair
This is one area that I struggle with just like a lot of women do. When I was putting myself out there on OKCupid back in 2011, my excess facial hair was not as bad as it is now. It was still there though.
I am grateful that my now husband doesn't care about my facial hair. There are other people out there in the world that won't care about it or even notice it either. Here are ways to deal with excess hair while dating:
1. Keep removing it if you don't like it- There are a few different ways to go about getting rid of the excess hair. Unless you are able to afford a permanent solution (electrolysis), you will probably always have to deal with it. If you are going on a date, maybe make sure to do some hair removal beforehand.
2. Explain it to your partner- If you have been on multiple dates with someone and things might start to get serious, I think it would be a good idea to talk to them about the excess hair that you have to deal with. They will probably end up seeing it at some point if it becomes a long-term relationship.
Dating with excess belly fat
Admittedly, I do not have this problem. Here are two things I can think of that a woman who deals with this could do when they are starting to date:
1. Find flattering outfits- I do not know anything about dressing for this body type. There are probably tips and tricks for camouflaging a larger belly.
2. Explain and reveal- If you go on multiple dates with someone, I think it is good to talk about your struggles with your excess belly fat. You have to see if they will be accepting of all of you which includes that.
Dating with fertility issues
This is another really tough thing that many women with PCOS have to deal with. Including me! The only way I can think of when it comes to having this issue and dating is to explain it to a potential long-term partner.
If they want children in the future it is important to be open and honest with them that it may be very hard to get pregnant. They will most likely appreciate knowing this before trying for a child with you.
In conclusion
These are all of the things I can think of when it comes to dating with PCOS. It can be really tough but I believe that anyone can find love.
Let me know if you have any tips for dating with PCOS! I probably didn't cover everything.
Thanks for reading!
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