Ive suffered with this awful and embarrassing problem for 10 yrs, i get them around my groin and it usually flares up around my period and if im stressed... I have one on my left side at the moment the size of a golf ball, hard and deep under surface, doctors just throw anti biotics at me.. sick of em.. ive had two operations to have them removed but this has not helped.. feeling fed up and in pain walking about like John Wayne.
You can't make the deep ones burst, it will only make them tunnel if you mess with them. Have a surgeon cut it open and rake the cystic material out!
I agree with Crystal. The only way to remove them like this is by a surgeon incising them under a local anaesthetic. You can't burst them and please don't try as you will be causing more scarring and will further damage the lower levels of your skin.
Ab's only work to take the infection away which should stop the pain, I always take doxyclycline which works well for me. If you are lucky everything will clear up but often you are left with the hard pockets of impacted pus. The operations should remove the matter from that particular one but each one will need to be done indivually. x
i wish I was a surgen I'd do it myself !! Thanks for responce.
Sorry to hear you are in such pain, know the feeling all to well. Like crystal said deep ones can't really burst and can be a pain! What I would recommend is the following;
A warm bath with Epsom salts. You can get this in Home Bargains for £2.99 for 1KG. This dries them out and will allow smaller ones to come to a head but even for deeper ones it can provide relief and help soothe the skin and reduce inflammation and pain.
After the bath I'd recommend using vics vapour rub which will also soothe the area. Either that or use vagisil cream which has lidocaine in it which will numb the area.
Also try sitting with a hot water bottle/ heat lad on the area after you come out the bath.
Also have you tried retinoid cream from your gp such as Adapalene? My derm prescribed this and it causes the skin to shed quicker which can help reduce sores and increase reguvination of healthy skin!
Unfortunately the only way I have found permanent relief is surgery and removing the lesion completely but like a lot of things with HS everyone is different. A dermatologist should tailor treatment to your specific case.
But when flares happen I go straight to having an Epsom salt bath. They are so soothing.
Thanks for advice, I agree about the aniti biotics, they take swelling down but can still feel the little buggers deep underneath waiting for another chance to p*ss me off... Ive been to a dermatologist and the treatment offered had too many side effects, I decided it wasnt for me.. ive not suffered one for some time, and not on this side of my groin so I thought I was getting it under control. Im scarred all down there from previous ones, bloomin awful thing and there seems to be no known cure... ive tried homeopathy, and am going to try acupucture too, ive also read that it maybe a reaction to food, but my diet hasnt changed and they dont seem to flare up in conjunction to what i eat.. I will defo ask at my docs to test for any alergic reactions that could be a factor tho. Just want it to bugger off, its nice and sunny today (for a change) and I cant enjoy it cos im in pain !!! generally feeling like poo. xx
Thank you for your response xx Useful info, ive made my own ointment with coconut oil and epsom salts, dont own a bath so will keep applying ointment and keep warm. just wish it would go away now. xx
Cutting nightshades and peanuts keeps me in remission after several horrible years of suffering. It may not be an actual allergy but a food sensitivity. Even if your diet hasn't changed, your body's resistance does change. HS is an autoimmune condition and you should try to find what triggers it. Good luck!
Hibby Scrub, I have been advised to bath in. I had this condition for a number of years but only recently had a name for it. Also Having just joined this group I also read about using a tea bag to reduce the pain and swelling.
its an awful thing to live with, i have hib scub too. Been back to doctor and have been given steroids now, if that hasnt started to take swelling down by Fri it off the the hospital I go (again) for the old knife :-(
Hi Ruth, i encourage mine to burst with a hot flannel... Just hold it over for 10 minites and they seem to open themselves. And it helps the pain. Also i read somewhere u can do the same with a fresh used tea bag so i'll be tryin that one for the pescy boils that need more encouragement!
Thanks Amy xxx
Sounds painful (you don't say!). If its as deep as you say, see the Doctor ASAP, surgery should be performed. Do you see any sort of opening or a slight soft spot on top of the lump? Its worth try to make a compress of Epsom Salts mixed with water. This probably won't work if its deep though, worth a try on other areas.
DO NOT squeeze it. Only squeeze it if has a head/opening. I have learnt that i could have minimised the appearance of my scars had i not damaged the tissue around the surrounding areas via squeezing. You're stressing the skin cells more that way. Visit the doctor and don't worry, stay positive :-)
hi,
ive noticed in circumstances i can quicken one to burst by using either germolene or savlon and a sterile dressing, i apply a lump of savlon to the boil then cover it with a dressing and wait a couple of hours, usually when i take the dressing off the boil has opened and i just drain it myself.
i have just been diagnosed with HS but i have been suffering for about 4 years now.
hope this helps
I have Lidocane which is a numbing cream and that seems to really encourage them to burst on their own, might be worth trying!
Hopefully by now you have found releaf by now.. but someone on this support grip suggested PRID and it has really really helped me out.
I have had this for 14 years. I find some relief by taking Turmeric (a spice) in caspsules. I take one or two, 3 times a day. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflamatory. This will help you keep it in remissions for a while. But don't stop taking it. If you stop, they wil come back almost at once and often worse than before. Clindamycin lotion (prescribed) will help sooth them and under the arms will give you a bit of deodorizing protection because it is antibiotic. If they are bad, wash the area gently and reapply 3 times a day. Clindmycin is not cheap. GoodRX coupons with help with the price. I tried a cream called Emuaidmax recently that was said to help. Didn't do much for me, But I intend to use it until gone...it is soothing. I am thinking of trying one of those lidocaine creams for relief from bad outbreaks...can keep you posted. As of this writing, I still have not found a doctor who knows much about this or has any effective treatment. It is really about pain management at this stage as I am stage 3 as described about the progression of this illness. I find that Motrin (Ibuprofin 800 mg) helps reduce the inflamation and lets me sleep. Sleeping and resting and avoiding tight clothing durng the outbreak is about all you can do, although I think soaking in a tub of water as hot as you can stand it will help to get them to break faster. I hope someone eventually figures this out. It is so painful and miserable to deal with for all of us. And I don't do pain pills so I suffer a lot.
Be careful with Prid if you have any allergy to sulfa drugs. It is sulfer based. I have heard from some people that sulfer does a lot of good for this condition, but I can't take it because I am highly allergic to it. I would love to hear if anyone has had any experience with sulfa drugs and this disease.
Does it actually help with the pain? When I have a bad outbreak I would give anything not to be in pain, but I won't take drugs.
Hi ruth ive had this problem for 20yrs and also effects my groin area. Ive found a hot bath with plenty of salt in the water for at least half twice a day helps to encourage the boils to surface and eventually burst. Its never an exact science and remedys are as individual as the people it affects. I hope the bath remedy brings some relief for your pain. I totally get the john wayne walk and just remember your not alone