I was dxed with HS about 6 months ago, after dealing with on and off lumps/boil like things for a couple of years. It had gotten pretty bad in the fall, so I finally broke down and went to the dermatologist. They put me on a low dose of antibiotics A couple of the lumps then opened and began draining. And eventually, both of my armpits had open wounds in them. There are 5 in one armpit and 3 in the other. I went back to the dermatologist after dealing for 4 months and she basically said "yeah, that looks like it hurts" and told me to use vaseline and telfa pads to cover, as well as tests to see if it was infected (it was.) So, she rx-ed another antibiotic, a stronger dose.
Well here we are 2 months later, and the wounds haven't healed yet. In fact, yesterday when I went to change the bandage, 2 of the lesions are about to "join" up. It almost feels like my skin is just ripping open. I haven't actually had any new lumps since I was diagnosed, but these open lesions will not close. I think it's exacerbated by the fact that it's in my armpit and therefore never really dry and still.
Does anyone have any secrets for getting these things ot heal? I am so frustrated with the pain, the constant "leaking" and expensive bandages. I have recurring yeast infections due to the antibiotics and I am just so frustrated with my body!!
Hi tabs8... I would have ignored this advice in the past. Since dermatologists dont mention it.
Im starting to think a dietitian would be better to treat these things.
Check out your diet... Hi GI, dairy and nightshades (esp potato) seem to make these fester and continue and get worse.
Have the antibiotics to clear the infection... But read along the lines of diet. I dont think you need to go full paleo... But... Just eliminate some things and try to work out what food you ate 12 hrs before flareups.
Once you work out what it is.. The current lesions will heal as normal. Its hard to work out what the trigger is when its so active.
Hi,
Completely agree with the first comment... After years of trying to find a way to get my HS under control with a vast amount of different antibiotics and contraception changes, the only thing that I can link it to is diet. I, like you had it worse in both my armpits.. And it's a very difficult area to deal with. I have found that cutting out nightshades healed what I thought would never! It took around 3months of very strick diet but I was over moon. You will see a change within the first couple of weeks.. Mainly the irritation. I now just manage my diet.. If I want to eat chips... I will but I just prepare for what will happen. One of the main issues for me if that I wanted to find out why... Why was my body going though this.... So try and find the intolerance... But nightshades is a good start! Good luck!
Hi tabs
I totally agree with what the others say. I have suffered with HS since I was 16 I am now 46. Until I found this site I had been under the knife more than 20 times. I had large lumps in my armpits to the point I was in so much pain my GP sent me to A&E I ended up spending 2 weeks in hospital as they cut deeply in to both armpits to remove the lumps. I had them packed every day by the district nurse. I never had any come back under my arms until a year ago. When I stumbled over this site and looked at the comments about night shades veg etc I eliminated them from my diet. Finally my HS stopped flaring up and the lumps healed. Last week I decided to start to introduce the night shades back in to my diet. I had lasagne for my dinner full of tomato due to the sauce, and as I'm writing this I am once again in chronic pain with a large lump under my arm and a lump the size of and orange on my inner thigh not in my groin. So hence I will not be introducing nightshade back in to my diet ever again. Please give eliminating the night shades a go it really does work may be not for everyone but for quiet a few of us on here.
Hi tabs8, I am officially on the no nightshades diet. I'm just a few days into it, but am optimistic. Also, use antibacterial soaps, I also like tea tree oil to help dry out the boils. I am bandaged every day as I've had an oozy painful lump for over 6 mos in my groin area. I have a mild case, but nonetheless painful. The others who responded have definitely opened my eyes to watching what I'm putting g in my body. I tried neosporin but found that although initially it soothes, the next day it irritates. Just be careful and perhaps keep a journal of what you eat and when you notice flare ups. You might stumble upon your triggers. Hang in there!
Hi Kathy
Have you tried a hot salt bath. If I ever suffered from them in my groin I had hot salt baths this made the lump burst and heal in no time.
I have done epsom salt baths, but the boils just ooze, never seem to burst. But it does relieve the pain. I might try the chamomile compress.
I googled night shades to avoid and have started avoiding them recently. I will miss potatoes and tomatoes, but if the outcome is significant I can live without them and the lesions!
I love that everyone shares advice what worked or didn't work for them and seems the majority has had a higher rate of non inflammation and agitated lesions when abstaining from night shades. So why wouldn't I try it?! Keeping a journal, only been on this food change for 3 days and the inflammation is gone, but I'm sticking to it to be sure...
Hi Kathy, best of luck. Its do worth giving it a good shot for a couple/few of months. Everyone thinks I'm nuts when I tell them I'm allergic to potato's.
I don't seem sensitive to traces of potato starch as some people are. I get HS bad but i really have to obviously eat nightshades. But yeah watch fir traces.
After 3 months you'll know if it's making a difference, when you think back what it is like now The only other part to my current regime is some good daily probiotics.... But that cant be directly associated day to day.. But feel like its really helping my skin via the gut.
Thanks tonster76, I appreciate the encouragement. I have gut issues as,well and have been drinking good belly probiotic and/or Lifeway dairy and gluten-free probiotics. Seems the gut issue is being managed well for now. I just hate the daily bandaging and swim season is coming up which means waterproof bandages. Looking forward to healing and hoping this is the solution!
Hi guys, I was (officially) diagnosed with HS about 3 weeks ago, but I've had it for almost 10 years. First in my right, then the left groin... At the moment, I have two inflamations connected with a sinus in my left groin. I' ve started a no nightshades, dairy, peanuts, rafined sugar, nuts, dairy, alcohol or NSAIDs diet 15 days ago and it seems my current inflamation got worse. I didn't get any new ones, but the existing one's extraordinary active and some days painful. Yesterday it started leaking blood and a bit of watery puss from one end and it seems that it is calming down. Maybe not connected, but some days I feel strange in my body, I can't describe the feeling, like I'm a bit dizzy... Am I detoxing??? Did your inflammations get worse at some point during the diet before they got better?? How did you treat the wounds to get them to heal? Please help, I'd appreciate it, I'm a bit scared now...
Hi ivana, i always foubd it to be surprisingly symmetrical... One side then the other side.
15 days is no time at all. 3-6 months is long enough to decide if it's helping. Ive heard people say it gets worse first.
With nightshades you have to watch all your packet stuff, take aways and sauces. Paprika is in everything. Potato starch is on shredded cheese.
Other studies suggest dairy, nuts and high GI diets.
If you want to get to the bottom of it the most reliable way look up autoimmune paleo diet. The suggestion to focus on nightshades works for many though.
Thanks a lot! I read a lot about food intolerance and paleo diet, I got all the basic info. But the thing that bothers me at this point is the fact that the existing inflammation got worse, so I was worried and wondered if any of you had similar experiences. How long did it take for your inflammations to start healing? How did you deal with it externally (baths, oils?), do you recommend something for that period?
Well, karenh1969 shared hot salt baths, for her it helps her cysts burst whuch would give reluef. For me it soothes inflammation. Someone else mentioned chamomile compresses with loose leaf tea. I like tea tree oil or witch hazel. Witch hazel stings for a minute but does relieve the inflammation and pain. Tea tree relieves my inflammation and dries up the oozing w/o stinging. But everyone is different. I'm bandaged so there's no rubbing or clothing friction too. Don't forget ibuprofen it is an anti-inflammatory.
Hello there,
I haven't had too serious of cases of HS and it definitely self diagnosed but I am 99% sure I have it. I have suffered with it for about 3 years and what I have been using over the last 6 months is CBD topical oil. It is 125mg so it is extra strength. It has helped soothe the skin and I haven't had any cysts occur since using it. Even when looked and felt like it was going to appear, I applied it liberally and religiously to the area and it stopped the growth until it receded.
Otherwise, having a script of doxycycline is always a good backup if a serious case begins but I hate to disrupt my gut biome more than I already have.
CDB oil can be expensive but I would just try it out because it can hopefully make a huge difference for you. I know how difficult and painful this can feel and I hope this information helps you.
Ivana did you get relief from H.S just wanted to see since this was years ago.
hi i was diagnosed with HS when i was 13. Im now 19 and i count my blessings everyday that i was able to have surgery to remove it. Having it for 6 years the things i used to do was use an antiseptic wash (ask your doctor for this) and for dressing i used mepore dressing with aquacel Aquacel is a very powerful dressing that you put on the wound and it soaks up all the pus, blood and it makes the healing process faster. it turns jelly like once the blood and stuff is on it so when you change your dressing it doesnt stick to the wound. This was very effective and GP dont like to give this out due to how expensive it is but demand it because it is very good.
in terms of my experience i too was put onto antiobiotics for like 3 years. i then had my first operation which went wrong and made the condition even worse. They eventually put me of Roccautane which is a Vitamin A. it did a good job for healing then wound but when youre on it for a long time its use becomes less effective. Luckily my doctor sent a referal to a plastic surgeon who took out all the tissue out of my armpits. he went deep you could see my fat tissue and instead of stitching it up he let it heal from the inside. this took a year of going to the hospital 3 days a week for my dressing to be changed, but ever since its healed it has never come back.
Mentally this took a toll on me as with everyone who has HS but stay strong
100% diet.
In my case it was nightshades. I cut out potatoes, tomatoes, peppers etc and have not had issues ever since. I kid you not im healed as long as I dont eat those things.
try it!
Hi there
so i was dealing with HS for 5 years started when i was 38. my mother had it in her underarms around the same age. i had them in my groin which was awful... painful. derm doctors put me on doxy for 30 days at a time which worked for a bit but then came back. i would get stereroid injections also worked for a short time. being so frustrated i would start talking about it to a co worker she mentioned she had them in high school. she even had whats called a cyst necklace which was HS on the back of her neck all the way across that left bad scarring. anywho she had the myrena in at the time & it was coming up on 5 yrs & she had to take it out & either leave it out or put another in she opted to leave it out saying she wanted to see what would happen... well the HS started to return she then went & had the myrena put back in & stopped getting it. here i am no answers from any doctors they come when i start my cycle & then start to calm down & then i get my cycle again over & over. so i said im going to go get the myrena put in & see what happens. its been 6 months & the HS is gone i could hardly believe it. i get one here & there when im due for my period . this is all hormonal. i truly suffered & this worked. now going to all my doctors i say if your patients have this tell them about the myrena. oh & btw i was on humira too reluctintly for 3 months & it didnt work. good luck to you