Hidradenitis Suppurativa Support Group
Hidradenitis suppurativa (hi-drad-uh-NIE-tis sup-yoo-ruh-TIE-vuh) is rare, long-term skin condition that features small, painful lumps under the skin. The disease manifests as clusters of chronic abscesses or boils, sometimes as large as baseballs, that are extremely painful to the touch and may persist for years with occasional to frequent periods of inflammation,...
I was doing some research, on different kinds of soaps and deodorants when I came across Hibiclens. I remembered using this stuff when I first got HS, of course we had no idea that's what it was. I've yet to have an official diagnosis, mainly because I don't want one. I am a Medical Assistant and work closely with multiple doctors, I have been off the record diagnosed because I don't want it labeled as a preexisting condition seeing as they can't do much for it anyways.
As I am getting off topic allow me to regroup, and say I came across the Hibiclens online and couldn't remember if it had worked for me as it has been 10 years ago. I decided I would give it a try and see if it worked. I just started using it last night so obviously I can't say yet but I will update you all after a week worth of using it.
I feel like we are all genuine pigging ourselves but I also feel it's the only way to find out what works for us and how to beat this horrible disease. I hope to one day be able to read they have discovered the cause and developed a cure, until then it's going to continue to be one giant experiment for us all.
As I am getting off topic allow me to regroup, and say I came across the Hibiclens online and couldn't remember if it had worked for me as it has been 10 years ago. I decided I would give it a try and see if it worked. I just started using it last night so obviously I can't say yet but I will update you all after a week worth of using it.
I feel like we are all genuine pigging ourselves but I also feel it's the only way to find out what works for us and how to beat this horrible disease. I hope to one day be able to read they have discovered the cause and developed a cure, until then it's going to continue to be one giant experiment for us all.
I have not been using it long so I don't feel comfortable saying yes or no on if it works.
However I will say that I went to a two day outside concert this weekend and it was hot and sweaty. Everyone with this disease knows how sweat effects this problem and I can honestly say that it wasn't to bad.
My main concern was the smell (not that anyone would have noticed since everyone smelled horrible lol) and I really didn't have any problems with smell and only a small problem with itching from where I was carrying around my bad for two days.
I feel hopeful that this will at least help slightly. Slight relief is better than none at all when it comes to this junk.
My Derm says that the problem areas may be worst off if I wasn't using the Hib so its hard to really know. BTW - You may want to ask your doctor for a prescription for Hib because some insurance will pay it and you get a gallon of it.
I do use Hibiclens regularly, but I have to be careful with it because I find it's extremely drying. More than two days in a row is too much for my skin, and it gets irritated, red, and almost weepy, it stays damp all the time (which is terrible for the HS.)
On the advice of my derm, who works with HS patients, I use Hibiclens one or two days followed by plain yogurt for three to four days. The yogurt is supposed to add healthy bacteria to crowd out the strep (or whatever) and it definitely soothes and hydrates my skin.
Anyhow, in my personal opinion, it's not a solution at all. It's a temporary fix. I take those baths when I'm in need of immediate relief of the pain. And, it does help tremendously. But, only for a couple of hours. It's usually not long before I'm in pain again, but its a lesser pain than before so.
I see it as a quick fix for the pain and the sake of feeling clean. But it's not an actual solution.