In thinking about an appropriate introductory paragraph for this piece, I found myself twirling my chin hair. It is something I do when nervous, anxious or when I am bored to put it plainly.
But before we delve into why my twirling or lack thereof is of any importance, I would like to make a few things clear.
I am an Igbo woman. I have PCOS. I am hairy. No, I do not think my own hairy nature was caused by PCOS. Yes, it is indeed true that the average Igbo woman has more body hair than other women. No, there is nothing wrong with women–Igbo or not–who have body hair. It does not make us less feminine (whatever that means) and less desirable.
Growing up, when a reference needed to be made about hairy teenage girls, I was often the first to be called. I would never forget a Biology class in secondary school where I was referenced by my mates when discussions of higher testosterone came up in women. They said in a matter of fact way that I had the most body hair and it struck a nerve. Shortly after, I decided to shave my legs and the hair grew back in incredible ferocity and anger. I knew then to leave it alone.
Still, the hair on my chin, chest and belly often make me self conscious. I became even more self conscious when a love interest said he knew I had PCOS without me telling him because of the hair on my body.
For those curious, PCOS is short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and it is characterised by irregular periods, unusual hair growth, prolonged bleeding, dizziness, fatigue, bloating amidst several other factors. Women with PCOS often find it harder to lose weight and may struggle with conceiving children due to our irregular menstrual cycles.
Personally, I was diagnosed with PCOS while at university and I know I have the trait for it genetically because a cousin of mine has it too. PCOS is fairly common as 1 in 10 women will have it. It is also severely undiagnosed and there is no known cure for PCOS. However it can be managed with lifestyle changes such as exercising, taking walks/staying active, eating healthy and managing stress.
Every September marks PCOS Awareness Month and while I must say that we are making progress in creating awareness about the disorder, yet another angle that is often filled with misogyny and tribalism experiences silence.
That angle is the unique shaming of women with body hair who are Igbo and who always had body hair before their diagnosis. That and using the pictures of Igbo women with body hair who may not report PCOS symptoms to body shame all women.
I was reminded of the above when a lady shared a picture of her leg (which is hairy) and she received vitriol and tribalist comments with some calling her a man and some others using her picture to mock Igbo women.
— LO🤍🤎”PH Wigstylist” (@Ezeanichiomaa) September 21, 2025
As an Igbo woman who has experienced being shamed in and out of Nigeria for having body hair, her experience reminded me of why PCOS conversations must be holistic in conversations surrounding how PCOS increases your chances of hirsutism.
In trying to raise awareness about the symptoms that women with PCOS often face such as increased body hair, it is necessary that we do not frame body hair as that which makes a woman less desirable or human.
It is important that body hair in itself is not seen as what makes a woman unclean or a sign of other unhygienic tendencies.
True progress is when the removal or retainment of body hair in women is not clothed in gendered ideals but rather when hair is viewed in terms of its biological benefit or otherwise to the woman in question.
For now though, I maintain that PCOS Awareness Month should hold space for all women living with and without PCOS who desire to live free of the shame imposed on women who have body hair.
Regarding PCOS management tips for women, a good place to start is being active. For me, that looks like taking a lot of walks and living a life that is not sedentary. For some other women that looks like lifting weights at the gym and engaging in non-HIIT exercises. Staying active is the first step to managing PCOS in a non-medicated manner.
The next thing to do is to introduce modifications to what you eat. Personally, I always add spices like thyme, cinnamon and tumeric to my meals.
They help deal with inflammation and also adding the last two makes my period relatively pain free when it comes. Women with PCOS often deal with digestive issues like bloating and constipation. It is highly recommended to eat fruits, vegetables and high fibre meals daily. I try to eat fruit everyday and I eat coconuts every other day.
Also, incorporating proteinous foods like fish, goat meat, turkey and eggs also helps. Eat less red meat like beef and try to limit intake of dairy products like cow milk and ice cream because in my experience, dairy products increase my chances of period pain.
Very important to note is that stress management is crucial to managing PCOS symptoms. By engaging in breathing exercises and being mindful of your inner space, it can help regulate PCOS symptoms. This can look like journalling, staying off triggering topics on social media and sleeping well.
For sources of support and organisations that can be of help to women with PCOS, I recommend Eve’s Circle by Nengi Mina and Cysters by Fareedah Afolabi.
Both are women-only communities created for women with PCOS to seek support and find community. Organisations like FAMASI Africa also have products and curated plans for women living with PCOS.
