Good morning! My short history. It all started maybe 5 years ago under my armpits (one and then the other - initially I had just thought it was my bra irratating me - guess not) and then has since spread to my inner thigh area and under my stomach (a litte) and butt checks (a little) and under breast (a little). The absolute worst area though is inner thigh. It completely sucks. I went to see a doc about a year ago (when I was mostly still just worried about my under arms).

Doc recommended:

- A long term course of antibiotics. First set of antibiotics were horrible. Made me very ill, hungry and grumpy/mean. And I think even was turning my skin a greyish color. It wasn't good. Second set of antibiotics was an amoxicillian and I'm not sure that helped at all. Perhaps things would have progressed more had I not been on it?

- Hibiclens soap at every shower. Leave it on for 5 minutes then wash off. I have been doing this.

- Two differnt topical antibiotics - one and then the other - first for an antibiotic roller-aplicator thing and then later for an antibiotic gel. I am just now running out of the gel but I had been using it even thought it is super expensive about $70 a month or more depending on how much I use.

- That I use apovodine-iodine solution (that gross surgical yelllow stuff) on it at night but I found this was very sicky and I couldn't sleep using it so i stopped. I did try for a couple weeks though.

Other then that, doc said don't cover the wound (but when I did not cover it, bad stuff oozed ovder my undies). And her other suggestion was to lose weight.  

In my opinion, it doesn't seem like any of the above makes a differnce - stuff has absolutely gotten worse but maybe the progression as slowed more then it would have otherwise. I just dont know. It is hard to tell. But now its hard to sit sometimes between the inner thigh stuff and the butt issues. Very dibilitating. Recently I've been going a bit rouge from what the doc suggested - and I skipped my last appointment - because it did not seem like her suggestions help. LIm considering a new doctor but not sure where to look. For now, I'm looking to the internet for advice. Not sure if that is the smart thing but there you go.

Anyhow I am left with lots of open questions. I found this forum while searching today and was hoping that you all could help. Please please.

Do other people use hibiclens? Have any of you found it too strong? Could it be causing the issue to worsen? Is there another soap you use and like?

I started putting bandages on my wounds, one 4X4 opened up on either side of my undies, using my undies to hold them in place. I change them every time I use the bathroom.  And everytime thisis a fair amount of little dots of pus and blood on them. Seems like a good thing because it isn't getting on my undies and it is wicking away to bad. And maybe things look a bit better down there. But OMG it all hurts so much. Its less like the little pink caves/holes of my arm pits, and more like small dark flat wounds that leak. Well some leak and some seem to be doing nothing. Its all pretty flat though which makes me think things have improved. I don't attach the bandages but instead just hold them in with my undies. How do you all hold the bandages in?

For those of you that bandage and change through out the day, how do you clean the area when you remove the bandage before you put on a new one? In looking at forums, I saw that at one there was a  hibiclens wipe that seems like it would be a great idea but I think maybe its not available anymore. I tend to use toliet paper to dab it up but I have been wondering if maybe that is making things worse because the fibers of the TP get in there?

I have been using witch hazel some to clean the are between showers. Witch Hazel using small cotton pads. Hurts a ton but again it seems to be helping. Any one else use witch hazel? What are your thoughts on it?

I have read that tea tree oil can help. For those that use it, I was wondering HOW do you use it? Do you dab on directly? Or mix it. Can I rub it over the whole area or should i just dab on each open sore? I just bought a bottle but have not tried yet.

I have been reading about people taking theraputic baths and that helps. For those that bath and it helps, what do you put in the bath?

I also read about taking zinc. Does any of you use this? Thoughts?

Just read about Manuka Honey and people using that. Do you just dab it on? Any one have experience with that?

I'm on birth control pills and I've read both that it helps HS get better and makes it get worse. Not sure what to believe. Thoughts?

I read on one site that you need to make sure the wounds are hydrated. Have you heard this? Any one have any thoughts on how to do this?

Thanks for everything.