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,...
Hey..so I’m 25 and I have recently been diagnosed with Contact Dermatitis and HS under my arm pit. It’s literally under only one arm. It started off very small, and now it’s all the way under my arm and down my side. I get huge lumps and they hurt like hell. This is all new to me and to hear there’s no cure has really put me in a depressed state. They say it comes from deodorant or soap. But I’ve used the same deodorant and soap my entire life. I’ve taken antibiotics and now I have a prescription for Hibiclens, I haven’t tried it yet as I just got it today. But was wondering is it really going to help me? And I’m wondering could this all be happening for the simple fact that I was on birth control for 7.5 years and recently got off.. can someone please help and tell me that this goes away. Also, I haven’t been able to use any deodorant because idk what kind to buy. I was told to get a natural line, any body have suggestions. As well as anything to help with this itching!
This is a pretty debilitating disorder as it can be painful and the scars can last a while BUT if you can work now to find a way to get on top of it.
Try to be open to treatment, because you don't have a lot to lose (except your HS!)
Try to work on stress and anxiety as I've found this is a huge trigger for flare-ups for me personally. Be kind to yourself and BE HOPEFUL.
Losing weight if you're overweight may be beneficial, but don't suffer through a weight loss program, do it gradually with small changes and you'll be surprised how simple it can be. (Also I'm not saying don't love your body I'm just saying it helps diminish symptoms of HS)
I'm sure there are more people in this group with advice too keep reaching out!
-take a bleach bath with Epsom salt at LEAST once a week. the bleach kills off the bacteria on your skin/in your pores, without drying out your skin. however, I always lather up the lotion after my bath to make sure im not over-drying my skin.
-use an antibacterial topical right after every shower/bath. using prescription antibacterial topicals helps HS tremendously, and it helps to prevent flare ups (regular antibiotic creams will not work!)
-oral antibiotics. my doctor knows me by name and just writes me a script for an antibitoc when I call every other month when I have a really bad flare up. sometimes a flare up is so bad, you need to take an antibiotic to clear your system. that being said, im immune to a handful of antibiotics now, so make sure you take the full dose, and don't let your doctor put you on it for an extended period of time without questioning them about the effects it will have on your immune system.
on a side note, please don't get discouraged! many patients with HS suffer from depression (myself included) because of the effects the disease has on the quality of life. yes, this is a chronic, non-curable disease. but, that doesn't mean you let it take over your life, because you have to fight. you have to find a treatment routine that works for you, different treatments work for different people.