best peptide for hidradenitis suppurativa FAQ

There is no cure for this condition. However, you can successfully manage your symptoms with treatment and specific lifestyle changes.

Boils, also known as furuncles, respond very quickly to antibiotics. There are many potential treatments for HS, each with its own benefits and possible side effects. Which treatment (or treatments) may be recommended to you will depend on the severity of your condition. It’s important to thoroughly discuss your treatment options with your doctor or dermatologist. Be sure to let them know if you experience any side effects during treatment and if you’re open to trying out any new therapies. Your doctor or dermatologist may suggest surgical treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa if you have a lot of lumps and scars. Options include wide excision, tissue-sparing excision with electrosurgery, local excision, deroofing, cryoinsufflation, laser treatment, and incision and drainage. While dermatologists can do some of these procedures, others can be performed only by a surgeon. Individuals with hidradenitis suppurativa While living with hidradenitis suppurativa can have its challenges, there are a wide variety of treatment options available that can help provide symptom relief. Being proactive about treatment plans and working with your doctor are two key ways to increase your chances of successfully addressing your symptoms and managing your condition. Dermatologists are doctors who specialize in treating skin conditions. They can diagnose the cause of your nodules and prescribe medications — such as antibiotics, biologic drugs, steroids, hormone modulators, and retinoids — to reduce your symptoms. They can also make recommendations for long-term treatment options, such as surgery. Your doctor or dermatologist may suggest surgical treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa if you have a lot of lumps and scars. Options include wide excision, tissue-sparing excision with electrosurgery, local excision, deroofing, cryoinsufflation, laser treatment, and incision and drainage. While dermatologists can do some of these procedures, others can be performed only by a surgeon. Living with hidradenitis suppurativa increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. A psychiatrist, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, or clinical social worker can diagnose mental health conditions and use psychotherapy to help you find ways to cope. A psychiatrist can also prescribe medication, if necessary. People with hidradenitis suppurativa are more likely to have obesity, which can make the condition more difficult to manage. A bariatric medicine doctor specializes in treating obesity and helping people lose weight through lifestyle changes, meal plans, exercise, and behavioral counseling. They can help you lose weight safely, which can reduce your hidradenitis suppurativa symptoms. People with hidradenitis suppurativa face a significantly higher risk of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. If you’re experiencing symptoms like abdominal pain and chronic diarrhea, a gastroenterologist can diagnose whether you have inflammatory bowel disease. This type of doctor specializes in treating gastrointestinal problems. People with hidradenitis suppurativa face a higher risk of heart disease. Cardiologists specialize in treating heart conditions. They can screen you for signs of heart disease and prescribe medications, if necessary. They can also offer recommendations for making lifestyle changes, such as diet adjustments and starting an exercise routine, to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Research has found a link between hidradenitis suppurativa and polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that causes a hormonal imbalance, irregular menstruation, and cysts on ovaries. A gynecologist can determine whether you have this condition and prescribe treatments to manage symptoms. An endocrinologist can also treat hormone imbalances.

Triggers of hidradenitis suppurativa can include:

In general, the earlier the treatment, the better the outcome. If prescribed early enough, the only FDA-approved treatment, Humira, has been shown to reverse the condition. If Humira is not an option, topical clindamycin is the

It's different for everyone, but the painful hidradenitis suppurativa cycle can take a physical and emotional toll. Treatment and support can help you enjoy and fully live life.

Doctors think your immune system can over react to injured hair follicles and cause hidradenitis suppurativa. With HS, the bumps form after your hair follicle makes too many cells that clog and burst the root open. Friction near the area can also trigger pockets form under your skin, which fill with pus. When they break open, they can smell bad, leave scars, and sometimes get infected.

Your symptoms can vary, but usually come on slowly as discomfort, and get better before flaring up again. Your HS can form:

Complications can happen without treatment, but with medical care you can lower your risk for HS problems such as:

Your doctor can group your HS into Hurley stages, based on how serious your bumps get.

Blocked HS hair follicles commonly happen where your hair and skin rub together, such as your:

Your doctor looks for three main things to diagnose hidradenitis suppurativa:

Here are a few lifestyle changes to help you take care of your skin and live fully with HS.

It's still unclear, but a few studies suggest some diets may help your hidradenitis suppurativa.

Your doctor can help you make a treatment plan to best clear up your hidradenitis suppurativa and may prescribe:

Your doctor may suggest treating your HS with:

Hidradenitis suppurative can impact you emotionally but early treatment and support can help you feel better and live normally.

There may be no cure, but the outlook is good for HS because many treatments can ease symptoms and lower your flareup risk.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a long-lasting skin condition that causes painful, inflamed lumps, cysts, and skin tunnels — often near your sweat glands. HS is likely caused by an overactive immune response to clogged, broken hair follicles. If you have HS, you understand how hard day-to-day life can be managing the painful lumps that can break open, heal, and form again. But newer treatments and lifestyle changes can bring relief and lower your risk for flareups. Learn what causes hidradenitis suppurativa bumps, how it's treated, and get tips on how to live your life to the fullest with HS.

Here are some questions to ask your doctor:

It's fairly common; about 1 to 4 in 100 people have hidradenitis suppurativa. In the U.S., HS is more common in African American women between 30 and 39 years of age.