Hidradenitis Suppurativa (also known as HS) can be a nightmare. From painful abscesses to scarring and tunneling, HS can be extremely debilitating for women who suffer from it. As of this article, there is no known “cure” for HS, as it is still a fairly new concept when it comes to research. However, researchers are finding more ways to treat HS and provide relief to those who struggle with it.

What is HS?

HS is a chronic skin condition caused by an autoinflammatory disease of the hair follicles. Breakouts often occur in places with sweat glands and where skin touches skin such as the armpits, inner thighs, genitals, and beneath the breasts. 

HS can cause a range of skin symptoms including burning, itching, excessive sweating, and often leads to bumps that form into collections of foul-smelling, pus-filled lumps known as abscesses. These lumps range from the size of a pea to the size of a marble and can be extremely tender and painful. Abscesses can heal and then reopen, which can cause tunneling, sinus tracts, and permanent scarring.

Researchers aren’t positive as to what causes this condition, but there have been links to hormones, genes, diet, immune deficiencies, smoking, and obesity. As HS is a chronic condition, it will never go away entirely. However, new research is emerging to prevent and ease flare-ups.

Hair Removal For HS

Getting rid of hair between flare-ups can help keep the hair follicles from getting clogged, leading to less severe break-outs. Laser hair removal can improve HS symptoms by 32-72 percent, but not if the breakouts or scarring is so severe that lasers cannot penetrate it. 

Many women have reported that waxing is their preferred hair removal method, as shaving can make HS symptoms way worse. If you nick yourself when shaving, bacteria can get into the open wound. 

It’s best to attend an actual waxing studio that specializes in waxing or sugaring rather than a nail salon that offers waxing as a service. It’s actually illegal in some states for nail technicians to perform waxes unless they have a cosmetology or esthetician license. 

Establishments that don’t specialize in waxing may not practice all the necessary sanitary measures such as not double dipping (re-dipping the same tool into the wax pot multiple times after it touches your skin) and using fresh, clean products. Double dipping or using previously-used or unclean tools can cause the bacteria to spread and worsen your symptoms. Also, places that don’t specialize in waxing often don’t do enough waxing to be experts in dealing with people who have skin conditions. 

Many waxing salons will offer and encourage consultations beforehand, especially if you have a skin condition such as HS. A consultation is a great way to ease your waxing anxiety and have an open, informative conversation about your condition so that they may take extra precaution and give you the proper treatment in order to protect your skin and give you the best experience possible. It can also show them which areas might need extra care or which should be left unwaxed, as skin with scar tissue (especially thin tissue) can become injured during waxing. 

Diet Changes For HS

Changes in your diet can also help relieve HS symptoms by giving your body extra nutrients it needs to prevent infection and break-outs. L-lysine is an amino acid that can help with everything from anxiety to gut issues to herpes outbreaks, and can help with HS breakouts as well. You can take it as a supplement or eat food that contains it including meat such as beef, lamb, poultry, and pork, and other products such as soybeans and parmesan cheese. 

There are a lot of benefits to an anti-inflammatory diet, such as the Whole30 diet which focuses on the importance of eating whole foods. Fiber-rich foods (fruit, veggies, beans, barley, oats, brown rice), foods with healthy fat (salmon, sardines, walnuts, avocado), and foods that are high in antioxidants (berries, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, carrots, potatoes) have also proven to benefit HS warriors. 

Foods with a lot of brewer’s yeast (wine and beer – sad face), dairy, or sugar can trigger HS symptoms, so it is best to limit these in your diet as much as possible (but still have a donut every now and then, because that’s good for the soul).

Washing Tips

HS is NOT a result of poor hygiene. These rumors are incredibly damaging to people who suffer from HS, and are detrimental when it comes to research and searching for a cure. Having a skin condition does NOT mean you are “dirty” or not washing well enough. However, using special washes can help clear up break-outs and potentially prevent areas from getting inflamed. 

Scientists have been researching zinc’s effects on HS, as zinc has anti-inflammatory properties. Using a zinc pyrithione wash on areas with hair can help the areas from getting inflamed. Soaps or washes that contain benzoyl peroxide and/or chlorhexidine can help as well. Using an antiseptic or antimicrobial wash in areas you often get breakouts is another way to minimize bacterial overgrowth.

Use antiperspirant to keep your break-out areas as sweat-free as possible and wear loose-fitting clothing, especially when exercising. Bacteria form in warm, damp places, so it’s best to keep your skin as dry as possible to prevent this from happening. 

Hope For A Cure 

Research into a cure for HS is ongoing and hopefully (fingers crossed) will become a possibility sometime in the near future. It’s important to take extra precautions for this condition when it comes to your hair removal habits, diet, and washing routine. If you’re looking for a few more secret HS-fighting hacks, check out our other article here. 

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