[YEA]  09/01/2007: Jackie from Chicago, IL: "Hi. I wrote in last month about the wonders of baking soda for underarm body odor. Well I still agree that it's a great remedy, however I had a side effect that I wanted to share. A few days ago I shaved and after getting out of the shower, put baking soda under my arms. I guess I had knicked an area because it hurt like crazy after the baking soda hit it. That night, I started to feel shooting pain in the same area... it lasted all night. The next morning, still in pain, I looked in the mirror at my armpit and discovered a big ole boil forming. I am guessing that a chunk of baking soda got in and irritated the area. Knowing how great turmeric is for cysts and boils, I immediately went and got some warm water and put a teaspoon of turmeric in it and chugged it down. The shooting pain stopped in about 3 hours and the next day the boil was half the size. 2 days later it is gone. My suggestion is not to apply baking soda to your armpits if you have knicked them while shaving! I continue to use the b.s. but haven't had any more inflammation in that area."

07/31/2008: Rebecca from Woodbridge, VA replies: "Could you please email me, I would like to know if I could ask you a couple of questions concerning your allergy. I think that I may have found that the alluminum may be in other products, such as my body wash, etc. Thanking you in advance."

08/01/2008: Sam from NY, NY replies: "Baking Soda for BO- what to do when you shave

If Baking Soda is used after shaving your armpits will become extremely sensitive even irritated. I use VCO after shaving for a few days until any small wounds (invisible to the eyes but there nonetheless) heals. VCO's effect is not as long lasting as Baking Soda - so on a very hot day a few application might be needed. However, VCO expedites the healing then one can return to the Baking Soda. Hope this helps!

Anyone has a better interim solution than VCO - please share.Thank you."

09/23/2011: Johnsonshan from Perkiomenville, Pa, United States replies: "Hey everyone! I'm 23 years old and had sufferend from HS from the age of 16 - 22. I tried turmeric, tea tree oil, anitbiotics, surgery, antibacterial soap, natural deodorant, no deodorant, no shaving, creams, accutane, birth control... none of it worked.

What finally worked for me was Baking Soda. Just plain old, straight up, arm and hammer baking soda. After I shave, I just pour some into my hands and rub it on my underarms and inner thighs. I haven't had a flare up for a good 6 months and I'm happier than ever. I know this solution may not work for others, but everyone's body is different, and it's possible this may help someone. I understand the shame and the pain involved with this disease, but I want to encourage you all that there is a solution. As I said before, everyone's body is different, so each of us need different solutions. Here was mine. Hope it helps someone.

With Hope, Shanay"

01/26/2011: Prasanna from Mumbai, Maharastra / India replies: "Hi
i have been suffering from HS for more than 20 years. I did homeopathic medicine which resulted in reduced occuring of boils but it started again. I have notice lack of sleep creates more of infections in the armpit. If any one has permanent remedy for this please let me know..."

12/01/2011: Luna from Miami, Usa replies: "Dear Prasanna,

Just started trying a Turmeric cream, made in India and it seems to be working - Sattvik Acne Cream but I figure anything with Turmeric should work."

[YEA]  11/02/2011: Dave from Los Angeles, Us: "Hi,

I thought I'd share my story in hopes that my experience will help others.

I've been suffering from this horrible condition since I was 18 - I am 36. I went through the vicious cycle of antibiotics (many different kinds) and lancings with little success. My aliens were all in the groin area. At first, this process did help with flare ups. I would go for several months and somtimes over a year without serious flare-ups - the condition was manageable, minimal discomfort and pain that would heal quickly. it stopped being manageable about 8 years ago.

During this period I was partying often (drinking, smoking, etc. ), not sleeping much, eating very poorly (I have never been overweight, a bit underweight... just eating a lot of fast and processed foods) and not exercising much if at all.

Several years back it got really bad (constant pain and discomfort, it was painful getting out of bed). I had sores that constantly drained, never healing. I did some serious googling on remedies and ran into this site among other sites that provided information that I was looking for.

I tried remedies looking for a quick fix still maintaining the lifestyle drinking, smoking, poor sleep, bad food, etc. without any improvement. Acv, turmeric, vitamins, tea tree oil, epsom salt baths, etc were all in the mix. I was pretty down as there was minimal improvement. I did this for a few months.

I then read posts about detoxing with raw organic foods. So I gave it a try. I went 100% raw for about a week and continued at about 90% for a month - I also added probiotics to the regimen and ate some cooked foods, but removed processed foods almost completely. I was also continued the other remedies. I was still smoking but drinking much less with my sleep slightly improving. I don't exactly remember the progress or when everything clicked, but I remember waking up one morning and noticed the pain and the draining coming to a complete stop. Everything flattened out! I continued the strict diet for a few more months with zero flare-ups. I then began adding bad foods back into the diet and increasing the partying forgetting how horrible things were. The aliens did reappear but would go away quickly, nothing like it used to be. Zero medication during this period.

Thinking I was in the clear, I discontinued the strict diet completely. I was eating poorly , but still taking the probitics and other remedies mentioned. At this point I quit smoking but continued to drink. I was good for about a year. flare-ups did occur but they healed quickly with minimal discomfort - more like zits instead of cysts.

About 2 months ago an angry alien came to visit and has not left. It is in a new area and has been very painful. It grew and continued to drain. I've been back on the strict diet (95% raw, daily green juices, no processed foods, etc) for about a week now as I've been rudely reminded of this horrible condition I have and will likely always have. I've also quit smoking and have limited the drinking. I'm also trying to rest as much as possible. The alien has, today, stopped hurting and is flattening out with minimal drainage. From previous experience, I'm confident the sore will heal as long as I continue the lifestyle change.

Your body does a good job of telling you when something is wrong and I believe, from experience, what we ingest plays the biggest role is HS. All the processed foods we ingest, I believe, act like poisons to our system. From my research, medical conditions have increased dramatically since processed foods were introduced. These foods do not have any nutrients and not having the balance by consuming nutrient rich, raw, living foods results in our bodies breaking down. if you really think about it, it makes sense and I suggest all of you to do your own research.

A dramatic change in food required a huge lifestyle change for me and I think it will be for most of you, but it's so worth it. As I've found and as many of you already know, there isn't a cure or a simple fix for HS, but I believe there is a long term solution that will keep me symptom free. This is my experiece for those suffering. I tried most everything and I feel that I've found what works for me and I hope this helps with many of you suffering."

11/03/2011: Karien from Gardena, Ca replies: "I too have suffered from HS all of my adult life. I'm a 52 year old African American woman. Within the past two years I finally found a solution that really works. I changed my diet from predominately fast and processed foods to 80-90% raw foods. The boils began to dry up immediately. Now whenever I fall back into my old habits, the boils return with a vengeance. I can actually feel the sinus of the boil swell within hours after eating the wrong foods. I only regret not being aware earlier in my life of the suffering I was causing myself: by ingesting bad foods. I believe HS victims are more sensitive to these poisons than most people. I pray that my words can help another sufferer."

11/03/2011: Tom from Arlington, Tx, Usa replies: "Hi Dave, just read about you situation. I would advise putting coconut oil into your daily routine and note any changes good or bad, at least 3 tbls per day is recomended. I know you will get relief for this problem and some other benefits as well.

best of luck, tom"

11/03/2011: Tom from Arlington, Tx, Usa replies: "Hi Karien, don't envy your position. I would recomend you add coconut oil to your diet, it will do wonders for you, not matter what ails you. 3 tablespoons per day is the avgerage daily dose.

You may detox from it in the beginning but stick with, I know it will give well deserved relief. Let me know.

BOL, tom"

[YEA]  03/25/2013: Catherine435 from Georgia, Us: "The first time that I had read that HS might be due to a food allergy, I remember thinking, "Oh sure" The best doctors in the world can't figure this thing out, and I am supposed to believe that I get these miserable lesions because of what I eat. But I kept reading a post that had been generated through out Earth Clinic by a woman who had gone to see a Naturopath. She went, was tested for food sensitivities, found out the offending food and her HS went into remission and she has not had a problem with it since. It couldn't be that easy.... Could it?

But after trying everything by the book -- antibiotics, topicals, washing with a specific soap, trying to de- stress my life. Losing weight - and I lost 50 pounds. And finally the most invasive of all, surgical removal of tissue - I was no closer to a cure than when I started.

It was time for me to do the research. Articles, I read everything I could get my hands on. I read blog after blog and came up with some amazing information. In essence our bodies are screaming at us through the HS lesions. We have and are consuming a food group whether it be gluten or nightshades or dairy or eggs that are making our bodies attack themselves. Simple. Find out what the offending food is and remove it. Either by going to see a Naturopath for an IgE and an IeE food sensitivity tests. Or if you financially aren't able to do that, then simply put yourself on a diet of protein, simple salads and green vegetables. Once you have done that, introduce one food group at a time and wait to see if you flare. No flare. Wonderful, now try another and another until you isolate the group that causes you to flare. Be vigilant at looking at labels. Because I was sensitive to nightshades, I had to look out for paprika and it is in so many different foods. Vigilance.

If you are like me, you have lived with the fear of this disease on a day to day basis. You have kept yourself isolated for fear that someone might find out. The pain is so intolerable as is the stigma of this disease. But you can take your life back. You can be happy again. It is a process and it will take time and diligence. You deserve a chance at living a normal life. God be with you."

09/14/2011: Ace from Vancouver, Bc replies: "Foods reported that cause a reaction or flare of Hidradenitis lesions included: Cow dairy products, Chocolate, Fried Foods that are fried in hydrogenated oil such as fast foods, Pork, Red Meats, Smoked Meats, Salty Foods, White flour breads and products, Refined Sugar and products containing refined sugars such as, cakes, candies (chocolate), and pies. Some reactions reported to tropical fruits. Alcohol, coffee and other drinks containing caffeine have also been reported as causing major flares in (HS). There have been some reports of known sensitivities to gluten.

Cut all of the above out of your life --> and you are likely to get much much better... if you are willing to make the lifestyle changes, you can really increase your quality of life (like I have)... Best to Eat -
Salads, Vegetables, Fresh Vegetable Juices, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Nuts, Legumes, Fish, Poultry (ex- Chicken, Turkey)

Drink plenty of purified water and herbal tea

Dietary changes are KEY

Read below report - there is a natural way to greatly reduce or eliminate HS!

http://www.truenaturalweightloss.com/HSResearchReport.html"

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  11/09/2011: Ace from Vancouver, V5e 2x4 replies: "As a follow-up to my previous msg - I had really bad HS (very ugly) all over my groin, buttocks, and chest. It has almost completely healed.

I would recommend to everyone with HS - go to a naturopath and get a food allergy test. I found out I was allergic to dairy, and have been avoiding dairy, and eating healthy in general, and from a horrible situation, I am actually getting close to living a normal life, thank God... There is a natural way to fight off HS, to make it a minor issue in your life (rather than it taking over your life)..."

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  10/01/2010: Suezenny from Columbus, Ohio, Usa: "I want to start off by saying that I've been suffering from H.S. since I was five.... At least that is when I had my first boil in my groin. I believe that I've had it my whole life and the boil was really just my first symptom, rather than the start of the disease. I grew up eating highly processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, and very little fruits and veggies. I believe now that because H.S. is really a reaction to a poor immune system, that my body was trying to rid itself of toxins in the way it knew how.... Through the skin. Having developed stage II H.S. in middle school and going through the extensive western treatments, ie; antibiotics, antibiotics, and more antibiotics, sitz baths, compresses, antibacterial soap, and even accutane, I tried everything, to no avail and eventually just learned to accept H.S. that is until now. At age 33, I progressed into stage III, where half of my buttock was inflamed with a baseball size "boil" painfully making it difficult to sit, walk, or even lay down. I went to my doctor, hoping it could be lanced. After much pain and torture, she gave up, gave me a list for a surgeon and said I have to have it removed through surgery. After hearing all you out there with horror stories, I said to myself, "No way am I doing that! "

I've truly believed for some time now that food can be either a medicine or a poison. Although I've known this intuitively, I've never really tried to eat to the standards I knew I needed. I thought "now or never, ya gotta do it Susan! " So after two days of using the antibiotics (it just got worse anyway, which I knew would happen) I decided to cleanse out my system and give my body what it needed.

Here is what I did:

1. ) having read everyones praise about turmeric, I started take 1/4 tbs 3x day. (I've taken it before without much improvement, but have considered the fact that it might not be all I needed to do)

2. ) I only ate vegetables, mostly greens such as swiss chard, kale, spinach, and mixed salad greens. I sometimes would juice these to get more in one setting.
3. ) I drank distilled water with lemon added (roughly 84 ounces each day.
4. ) I took vitamin D and a multivitamin.
5. ) I avoided sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, meat, dairy and gluten.
6. ) I saw a naturopathic doctor who agreed that gluten-free dairy free was the way to go if you have H.S. She is currently looking into my blood work to see how we can adjust my diet to be more appropriate. Additionally, she has several H.S. patients that are in remission! A doctor who actually has positive feedback!!!

So the results: After two days of this my boil came to a head and started draining. After one week it shrunk to the size of a pea! Additionally, the rest of my smaller symptoms of H.S. are dried up and gone, my skin overall is smoother, my hair shinier, face glows more, and I have energy like never before! I'm not 100% yet, as I have days where I cheat (I'm only human ;) but I strive to eat well at least 90% of the time. My final conclusion is that our bodies are actually totally amazing at healing once we nurture ourselves. Disease is Dis-Ease. Sickness is our bodies being out of balance and striving to re-balance themselves. When a condition is acute (such as my baseball size boil on my buttock) I nurtured myself completely. Got plenty of sleep, flushed my system with clean water, and gave my body the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it has been craving for years and years.

I would say the turmeric is also essential with this as after I would take it initially, the pain would stop altogether. I wanted to share this story because, like I said, I've tried the turmeric in the past with not much in the way of results, but I was really looking for a quick solution rather than a total revamp to how I treat my body. Once I gave my body what it needs to heal, the turmeric had a friendly playground so to speak to clean up all the junk! The good new is that there really are a bunch of healthy options for food out there now days, especially if you have a whole foods or trader joes near by. Luckily, even grocery stores are coming around with organic throughout. (Oh, that being said, try to eat as much organic and clean food as possible). The initial period of switching your diet will be difficult, but the results are worth it! The longer you eat clean food, the more you like it and the less you want all the junk/processed foods that you used to think tasted good. Good luck to all my brothers and sisters out there who deal with this dis-ease. Love yourself and give your body what it needs!"

04/17/2011: Dean from Melbourne, Australia replies: "hi susan, I was just wondering how you have got on with your diet and hs on a longer term? did the hs come back?

I am trying a similar route to yourself and have been visiting a naturapath to boost my immune system. I am currently taking antibiotics, and plan to come off these within the next month (though im not convince that the hs wont come back)."

01/31/2012: Ace from Vancouver, Bc replies: "Get a food allergy test - a lot of ppl with HS have food sensitivities, ex- natural digestive issues!!

Go to a naturopath and get a food allergy TEST!!! It might be the best investment of your life - it was for me!!!

After struggling with HS for 3-4 yrs - I am finally starting to now live a normal life since I found out that I am allergic to dairy!!

Ppl with HS have weak immune systems & digestive issues, and there really is a way to greatly control it, and almost cure it!!!

Never take anti biotics - handle this naturally - it is a natural issue, and dermatologists are not much help in this matter!"

04/18/2013: K from Columbus, Ohio replies: "Suzan- Columbus, ohio can you please contact me! I'm 22 & also live in Columbus and have been struggling with this for about 7 years and would really like to talk to you more!! K_nuzzi [at] hotmail (dot) com."

[YEA]  11/04/2008: Sarah Simpson from Brighton, UK: "Giving up coffee gave me back some control of the size of my sores.

I have suffered with HS for a long time and had to have an operation on my armpit 8 years ago but was not actually diagnosed until much later. Once I knew what I was dealing with I started to use tea tree oil and echinacea. But to be honest, particularly when I was stressed, the painful sores would still emerge. Finally a dear friend read on the net that coffee can have a massive effect on sufferers. So I gave up coffee (was on 3 or 4 large expresso's a day). And it worked. I'd occasionally get the odd little murmur of an outbreak but was able to control it with a dab or Tea Tree and up until this weekend, I'd been clear of any real offending sores.

Unfortunately I realise that I've been gradually reintroducing coffee into my diet over the last year (hubby got a coffee machine for Christmas) and I am now suffering for it. Safe to say, I'm off coffee again and will try the Turmeric and the other suggestions to deal with my current and extremely uncomfortable sore. I've also changed my deodorant and now use crystal spray which has been great. What a wonderful site. Thank you all for sharing and making me feel less of an outsider."

[YEA]  11/14/2008: Linda from Glendale, CA replies: "I was advised by my acupuncturist last year, after having been diagnosed with hidradentis suppurtiva (basically means recurring boils in areas around hair follicles and sweat glands...all the fun spots)to eliminate caffeine. I did, and for the past year, I have had no boils. Recently, I started drinking caffeine in small quantities and now have a new boil. Nothing else in my diet changed, so the connection is pretty clear.

No more caffeine for me.

I am trying the tumeric remedy now for the current boil as I detox from caffeine again.

Also, laser hair removal in areas like the armpits has been advised, the theory being eliminate the hair follicle, reduce the likelihood of a boil from an ingrown hair. I will be trying this."

05/10/2009: Joanne from Newcastle, England replies: "Hi ive recently been diagnosed with HS after 20 yrs of symptoms. I have had a recent flare up in my arpit area and my buttocks which I can only remember 2 occasions of this happening. I have been drinking a lot of coke lately and wonder if this is a trigger of my HS. I am currently using evening primrase oil which is an anti-inflammatory and have started using tumeric powder, which has good anti-bacterial properties, as does garlic. i have only had the tumeric once as i thought it tasted vile, but im sure i will become a fan of it as it seams to be very benificial to HS sufferers. good luck."

[YEA]  04/24/2011: Taj from Coppell, Texas replies: "I definitely agree that caffeine is a big factor in HS. I am in the process of getting Laser Hair Removal. I have done 4 treatments and I am very happy with the results. I did have one issue when one of the hairs grew back under a keloid scar from a previous HS flare up, but after the swelling and inflammation went down, the hair was able to come out and I have had no problems since. At first, my dermatologist didn't believe the LHR would help my condition, but he has since found a recent study that supports my research and treatment. Also, for those of you who would like to save money on this procedure (as this is not for cosmetic purposes), look into going to a Plastic Surgeon that specializes in Lasers instead of going to a commercial business because your insurance might cover it that way. Mine did! =)"

[YEA]  01/30/2009: DJ from Pensacola, FL: "I went through a period where I was getting genital boils or pimples that would be very painful and sometimes had to be lanced. I began to get them with ever increasing frequency until finally I was getting them every 2-3 weeks. They would take 7-10 days to develop and resolve and I would be relieved only to get a new one within a short time. That made it kind of difficult to work and I used up a lot of vacation time and annoyed my employers. The gynecologist thought I had something called hydradenitis suppurativa. My dermatologist agreed. There was no real treatment, so they said.

Looking it up on the internet I found lots of painful stories but not much help to be had. I did come across a doctor's explanation to a poster, though, that I would remember later. The doctor said that the problem was that the oil in the hair follicles was too thick and was clogging up the pores because the poster was not getting enough essential oils. That made no sense to me so I forgot about it. Later, at the height of my boil problems I decided that losing weight would help so I started the Atkins diet program. If you do it right, you take their supplementary oil capsules - esential fatty acids, ie. Omega Oils. I did that. After a period of months, I suddenly realized that I had not had a boil in a long time and I remembered that doctor's comment. Eventually I stopped the diet and stopped taking the oils. The boils came back. I started taking the oils again - they went away.

Connecting the dots, I now make sure that I supplement with Omega oils regularly and that keeps the little beasties away. If I get one, which is rare now, I usually realize that I haven't been taking my oils again and when I restart, they disappear. We need these essential fatty acids anyway for other reasons so why not? To me, it seems a reasonable trade and a very easy cure for a tough problem that I have discovered is a lot more common among women than I would have expected."

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED]  07/09/2011: Ck from Anchorage, Ak: "After trying the gamut of internal and external treatments for the past 30 years - everything short of surgery - I have had some promising results (touch wood) with two simple products: exfoliating body scrub and a tea tree oil-based deodorant. This will not necessarily clear up an existing outbreak but it may help prevent or reduce the severity of future ones.

Try an exfoliating body scrub daily on problem areas. I have been using a Neutrogena acne scrub containing salycilic acid, as well as a delightful coconut scrub from Pure Fiji. They help keep pores and follicles clear and may keep nasties from getting a foothold.

Have also switched to a tea trea oil-based deodorant (by Jason), applying it to armpits as well as other problem areas.

I started this about 4 months ago after an especially nasty and persistent outbreak that affected several parts of my body at once. It finally cleared up with a course of heavy antibiotics supplemented by several of the home remedies described on this forum (especially turmeric tea, turmeric paste, and tea trea oil). In 4 months I have had only a couple of very small and superficial "pimples" that subsided in 1 or 2 days. Good luck.

CK"

01/23/2012: Ace from Vancouver, Bc: "Everyone with HS needs to go to a Naturopath and get a Food Allergy TEST!

I am trying to get this message out to as many ppl that have HS as possible - THIS can be the cure for 80% of you!!

Most of us have digestive issues and weakened immune systems, and our bodies are reacting to what we put in our bodies, which are bodies can not handle, and it shows up on our skin in the form of boils.

For me it was dairy, for you it could be dairy, it could be gluten or wheat, or something else!

TAKE THIS MESSAGE VERY SERIOUSLY - THIS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER!!!

My dermatologist told me to take anti biotics for the rest of my life - I had really bad HS - I just went to see him recently, and showed him I was almost 100% cured... He was shocked!

It is very simple for me, and will be for most of you, my body can not digest or handle certain foods, and that causes HS reactions. You need to figure out what foods!!! Day by day figure out what you ate, and see how it reacts on your body. For me, if I have diary, it will immediately show up on my body (ex- within a few minutes)... it is very obvious what is effecting me..

Allergy test is only step 1... healthy lifestyle is step 2 (yoga, gym, healthy diet)...

DONT LIVE YOUR LIFE IN MISERY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO!!!"

[YEA]  04/09/2013: Catherine435 from Georgia, Us replies: "Dear Ace, Thank you so much for repeating the message that HS was a disorder directly affiliated with our diet. I couldn't afford to see a Naturopath, however I systematically removed all possible offending groups and reintroduced them one by one. When I finally found the offending food group (Nightshades) and removed them from my diet, I stopped having the lesions. The ones that I had either ruptured and weeped or went flat. All I have now is the scars and I can live with that. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for never letting up. You saved my life. God bless you. Catherine"

05/17/2012: Ace from Vancouver, Bc replies: "read attached link as to how certain foods can cause boils:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/448495-can-certain-foods-cause-boils/

FIGURE OUT YOUR FOOD TOLERANCE AND EAT ACCORDINGLY - SOME FOODS YOU CAN TOLERATE, SOME YOU CAN'T - EVERY1 IS DIFFERENT - YOU HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF

I EAT DAIRY --> I IMMEDIATELY GET A BOIL - ITS VERY OBVIOUS CAUSE AND EFFECT - MONITOR YOUR BODY AFTER EATING"

03/16/2013: Emma from Reno, Nv: "Hi, I'm Emma, 20 years old. Earlier this week I was diagnosed with HS. I've only had one outbreak prior to the one I'm currently having, but it was nowhere NEAR as awful as this one. A couple years ago when I had my first outbreak, it just surfaced as really tender cysts in my right armpit. I thought it was a bad reaction to my deodorant, so I stopped using it for a few days and it went away. A week and a half ago, those deep, tender cysts started resurfacing, so I stopped using my deodorant, again. That didn't help, and the cysts came to the surface as extremely painful boils/pimples. I went to the doctor and all he could tell me was that I had HS and that it was a recurring disorder of the sebaceous glands. He prescribed me 2000 mg of Cephalexin per day for a week. I feel like that's an EXTREMELY excessive dosage (so does my gut... *yarf*). I'm wondering if there's any dietary/home remedies that'll clear it up. I'd rather have an ugly, super painful armpit than the gut-rot these antibiotics have been giving me, but if I can avoid both, I'll do it. Thanks!"

03/17/2013: Chiquita Banana from Pacific Nw replies: "I'm so sorry. :( I have HS on my lower half and it's just an awful disease. I believe that it's an autoimmune disease so did a lot of research on how to naturally treat it that way. Since September of 2012, I've been eating a paleo diet (no grains, dairy, soy and limited sweets - honey, maple syrup or stevia only occasionally) along with drinking only water or herbal teas and it's cleared up. I still have one boil on my butt that starts to flare up and then goes away, but other than that I'm good. I also take turmeric capsules every day along with a whole foods multivitamin and I'm adding msm to my supplements this next week. Anyhow, that's what has worked for me so far, but every person is different. Good luck finding what works for you and I hope you start feeling better soon."

03/19/2013: Citygirl27 from Richardson, Tx, Usa replies: "I had one of these about a year ago. Never saw a doctor but it went away untreated. It was about the size of a marble when it was largest. I had to feel for it each time bc it wasn't visible from the outside. It took about 4 weeks to go away completely but gradually decreased in size over the 4 weeks til it completely disappeared. I got it from a nick from a razor. If I remember correctly, during that time I began the baking soda/lemon protocol and that may have helped. Hard to say, but that protocol (Ted's) helps a lot of things."

01/25/2013: Sara from The Beach, Canada replies: "Hi, glad you found us. I have had HS for over 30 years, but it has been under control for the last five because of this site. I take turmeric every day with warm almond milk and a little honey. And if I do something stupid like eat a lot of chocolate and one pops up I also take a neem capsule everyday for a couple of weeks. Neem keeps infection away, and what pops up goes away quickly without becoming a angry boil. Best wishes for your recovery. Sara"

03/06/2013: Amber from Albuquerque, Nm replies: "HI April. I grew up in Killeen. I actually had a pediatric surgeon in Temple diagnose my HS at the age of 14. Luckily he was very commited to finding out what the heck it was that I had."