A few thoughts/my opinions:

I have had this disease since I was 11 years old. I was not properly diagnosed until 21. So, I have had this disease for over 20 years now. I am not in remission and I have never achieved remission. I believe that remission is not possible, but you can manage the severity.

Here are some remedies I have worked through:
1. Tea tree oil (pure)- rub on the area you get boils...even if the boils aren’t present. This helps boils pop quicker, reduces scarring and the pinching pain
2. Baths - tea tree oil, witch hazel. & epsom salt ( original kind with no additives) I mix a bath with warmer water, 2 cups of epsom salt, 10 drops of tea tree, 10 drops of witch hazel. Soak in this bath for at least 20 minutes. I do this bath at least 5 times a week.
3. Food - stay away from gluten and sugar. Both gluten and sugar make this disease worse and increase hormones.
4. Stress- as hard as it is, increased stress increases hormones and produces more boils. Reducing stress is the hardest part of managing HS in my opinion
5. Birth control- I have tried many pills and shots. I did get an IUD and the placement has helped me slightly with increased boils around my monthly menstration time
6. Dry- keep the areas you have boils in dry. So looser clothing, pat dry and let a fan help you dry post shower. Also good to mention here that I always apply tea tree oil post shower and let that air dry as well.
7. Skin to skin contact- boils love skin to skin contact. There are times that I will tape on non stick pads to my skin so the skin doesn’t have the chance to touch and create the boil.
8. Open wounds- triple antibiotic cream on a nonstick surgical pad. This prevents infection, decreases discomfort, and allows the boil to slowly drain any remaining gunk.

Overall, surgery and antibiotics have never helped me and in most cases have made everything worse. I suggest reading “The Hidden Plague” by Tara Grant if you have not already. It is very eye opening for anyone with Hs.

Disclaimer: the above remedies are items that I found worked for me over the 20 some years of this disease

I am unsure about pregnancy, as I have an iud.

Mine are always caused by food. I’ve been eating clean with great success. I broke down and ate a couple of Halloween MnMs and now I have a lump.

Since it is around your period, try taking a supplement that balances your hormones.

I find that one Evening Primrose capsule per day eliminates all of my PMS symptoms.

A friend recommended Vitex to me and I just started it. It supports the pituitary gland which regulates hormones.

Both of these supplements are inexpensive. Try them both for a few months.

Thank you so much will defo give them all try I feel like I'm in a loosing battle I even question why my partner would love me my scars are horrendous so anything is worth a try another quick question what do people do about shaving ? I don't mind not shaving my private area it's my armpits that I shave ? It's always around my period and when I'm on so deffo something around my hormones something I've worked out myself other the last few years x

I feel you lately I have felt so down about this condition. It used to not be so bad and was contained to groin only but now it’s all over and I feel like it’s taking over I feel like I’m crawling out of my skin and I also feel you I have a boyfriend of 3 years and wonder how he can be ok with them since there so ugly and leave scars lately it’s been really getting to me I have tried antibiotics and creamed from doctors .... with no luck

I am also in my 20s 26 and it deff gets in the way of a lot of things and is very embarrising

I totally understand what your saying how can someone look at us when we can't even stand to look at our self's I even told my partner of 5 years he could go and I would understand but he said he loves me for me so that's a bonus lol sometimes I struggle daily in constant pain if you ever need someone to rant or to talk to just give me a message xxx

A little late here but ask your Dr for clyndamiacin gel it is used for severe acne. I have suffered with Hurley stage 3 hs for 15 years and have had over 12 surgeries belly twice under both arm pits around my neck so on so forth. Nothing had ever stopped this but the gel makes the biggest impact of helping to pop quicker or slowly go away. I use it religiously.

I'm 23 and have had hs since I was 15. A few things I've learned:
• Epsom salt baths every day. Twice a day if possible.
• unscented dial soap and diluted hibiclense to clean hs areas. Try doing this two to three times a day
• avoid refind sugar and yeast. Trust me on this.
• loose fitting t-shirts and pants during outbreaks
• no tight fitting undergarments
• no deoderant and nothing scented
Cover the hs with bandages but if they begin to irritate your skin, let the hs breath for a couple hours.

As for whether or not you will be able to have kids, I just had my first child in August. During pregnancy I didn't have a single hs outbreak. After I gave birth, I got hs everywhere. It's been challenging but I know it will clear up if I go back to my old diet and routine.

I'd like to add that following the list I put above kept my hs at bay for literal years. From 17 to 22.

First time comment here - I've been fighting HS for over 30 years. I don't have any golden cures, Im actually off all meds right now due to a heart issue. Luckily, few of my heart meds are used off-label for HS, but are only so effective. In the meantime, I'm on hibiclens with only.

My main reason for commenting is, if your sores are in the groin area, I highly recommend these brief undergarments from TomboyX. (Not employed or compensated by them, just love them!) They come in 3 different leg lengths - 4 inch, 6 inch, and 9 inch. These aren't your grandma's underwear either, they're super cute AND comfortable. Best wishes to all.
B

Awesome ill have to give the TomboyX a try. Thanks

It's awesome to hear that an IUD helped out menstrual flares!

For everyone worried about what men think; this guy I was with never noticed a severe flare I was having XD and when we showered together he thought one of my scars was a bruise! I tried to tell him I had a skin condition and he didn't believe me haha! We're definitely overthinking things too much sometimes, let the good times roll.