Top Remedies for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis. I was researching this disease on the internet since my HS has recently spread to my armpits. I have always had it on my thighs and groin area, but now in my armpits as well. I found that some people had success with Vitamin E since it naturally boosts your immune system. I took 3 of the 400 milligram capsles at night, and when I woke up the next day, the boils were already softer. I took 3 more that night, and they are even better today. The pain is gone, and there is just loose skin where the boils were. I am going to keep taking 3 pills a day as long as it works. Hope this helps.

Hidradenitis supurativa

Zinc supplements are giving me AMAZING results. A study in Nantes France showed great results, taking 90mg of zinc daily. I have followed this regimen for 2 1/2 wks. and have had no new outbreaks, and (dare I say) my infections seem to be healing. This is the first time since I have been in my teens,I am now 55, that anything positive has happened regarding my H.S.

I highly recommend zinc supplements, if you can tolerate it. I have had no side effects at all, although the study said upset stomachs could occur. That being said, an upset stomach is a very minor thing compared to the pain and discomfort with this sad disease. Good Luck to all who try this. I am AMAZED!!!!

I would just like to add a comment in regards to the dosage of the zinc treatment, pioneered in CHU Hotel Dieu, Nantes, France.
According to Prof. Revuz, the posology for zinc HS treatment should be total 90mg of zinc gluconate per day, in the form of 15mg pills taken throughout the day (6 times)- that's how the treatment was administered in the successful Nantes clinical trial.

By browsing the Linus Pauling Institute website, I found that extra zinc intake may influence iron absorption (and subsequent anemia) because of the interactions between zinc and copper. I then decided to also take a small supplement of copper every other day to be on the safe side. I hope this information helps.

I tried 15mg of zinc gluconate 6 times per day for 2 months and it made the boils ALOT worse! However, I now take ZINC PICOLINATE (50 mg 2x/day) and it is AMAZING.... Less than a week and I am in almost complete remission! Run, don't walk to the supplement store for Zinc Picolinate.... Wish I found this years ago! Plus, 2x/day is much nicer than 6x!

WORKED TEMPORARILY

I tried the ZINC PICOLINATE (50 mg 2x/day) after reading the great comment and it worked for about one week.

Everything was starting to heal up, sores that have been open for months and months but then after one week nothing changed. I continued to take the zinc picolinate because I really wanted to see results. After the entire bottle was finished without any really changes I never bought it again.

I understand all the comments on here are advice and everyone is different but it really made me so sad because it zinc picolinate was cheap and easy!

I just figured out what I have tonight on this site. I have had HS for 11 years. It started when I was twelve years old. It started on my neck, causing embarrassing/painful lumps that people could see. A doctor told me that is was in the "fungus family" and told me to use compound W. This got rid of it, and left scarred holes in my neck. A year or two later it started between my thighs and under my stomach, and the compound W had no effect other than severely burning. Tried fungus creams... My husband has been supportive, but I feel for and understand the self-conciousness for the women (or men)who are finding new mates. It is embarrassing. I can't believe a cure may have been in my cuboard the whole time (i may have to purchase the capsules)! Anything is worth a try. I was getting to the point of wanting to scald all of my skin with as many chemicals as I could think of to get rid of it...the turmeric seem like a wonderful alternative, thank you all for the info. I will try to report back if I find this cure helpful!

Suffering from Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), Looking for cures!

Hello, I've been suffering from HS ever since I can remember. I'm now 20, and my mother tells me I've had it since I was very young. Around the age of 11, I saw a [rather uneducated] dermatologist regarding the hideous and painful sores I had in my groin and inner thigh areas. After showing her, she actually had to consult another dermatologist, and refer to some Skin Disease Encyclopedia, based on what the boils looked like. This dermatologist offered me an antibiotic to treat it, and I remained on the drug for roughly 6 months, with no relent in sight. After the antibiotic failed, I was prescribed an ointment (clindamycin), which too failed to have any impact on the sores after months of diligent use. When all this failed, the dermatologist recommended intralesional injections-- they basically inject something (I don't recall what was in the syringe) directly into each boil. Left with really no other options, I agreed to take the injections. The dermatologist administered three injections one day, which were pretty painful (mostly due to the sensitive area of the body) and left scars, BUT scared off the boils. I had two more injections after that day before I couldn't take it anymore. The scars still remain, but I'm happy to say I haven't had any outbreaks in those 5 spots since the injections.

I went a few years in remission, with the occasional flair, however nothing I couldn't handle. About two years ago, I had another outbreak-- a very, very bad one. I didn't do anything about it, thinking it was just stress or irritation, and I'd go back into remission shortly. Long story short, that didn't happen, and the HS actually traveled north, so to speak, and I now have very embarrassing scarring and boils underneath my breasts. When I first noticed the spread to my breasts, I immediately called a dermatologist (a different one from the first, since I moved out of state for college). This dermatologist recognized the disease right away and seemed very familiar with it. She explained the lack of a cure for HS, and after telling her of all the medicines I'd tried years prior, she said the only option left was isotretinoin (sp?), aka Accutane. I was hesitant to begin a cycle on Accutane, since the FDA highly regulates the drug due to its connection with blindness, frequency of headaches, severe depression, and severe birth defects, if the child were to survive birth (miscarriage and stillborn children are common while on Accutane). However, with my options dwindling, I agreed to start Accutane. I'm currently in my third month, and have seen slight improvement, but nothing to jump up and down about. :/

I plan on seeing this cycle through (I have about 6 months left), but don't foresee anymore cycles. The risks are too high, and the payout is too low. I've read some other posters' remedies, such as epsom salt baths, tea tree oil, antibacterial bar soap, etc., and plan on giving some of those a try. I'm hoping something helps, because the condition is extremely embarrassing. I feel exposed, damaged, and don't feel like I can have an intimate life with my boyfriend, comfortably.

I am so happy to have found this site, it's a reminder that I'm not alone in my physical and emotional pain and suffering. I hope one day I live to see a cure for HS, and pray that doctors, especially dermatologists, become more educated on the subject.

Thanks, and good luck to everyone sharing this fight with me.

im sorry for the pain both of you guys are experiencing. Happened to me at 12 always had reoccurring boils went to the doctors they just lanced and gave me meds. At 12 i had my sweat glands removed from under my arms, skin grafts the works. So now im a woman in my twenties i have them sometimes but very small usually around time of my period when the hormones are crazy anyway. then they go away afterwards. This is what i do everyday to keep things clean, i clean the area(s) with dial gold soap or safeguard bars only. i blow dry the area with an hair dryer to keep it dry, then rub witchazel on area and dry it again, thats had worked for e remember to keep the area as dry as possible so try panty liners, and try to keep the hair as short as possible never shave just clipped. Oh yea if i have one i mixed teatree oil a bit it will dry then itch really bad so just a lil mix with a thicker ointment if your want just natural try castor oil, maybe a lil raw honey and place it on it will quickly dry up. remember always keep areas dry. Hugs alicia

Hello

I have discovered stress causes my HS. I did have them a lot when I worked in a job I hated. I left and they cleared. However until this week my last attack was 10 years ago after the death of my father. I have had a great deal of stress lately and "hey presto" HS has returned. I'm trying to stay calm but being in pain doesn't help.

My health took a turn for the worst after an especially stressful 2008 and quitting Birth Control after 10 years to remedy the situation. That may have sent me in a tail-spin, but I'm sure it's healthier in the long run. I got HS about 6 months later. I did have a few isolated boils in my teen years.... Strange. Before BC, hmmmm. I had one bad one tested last year, and it was just regular good skin bacteria. Autoimmmune.... I have had a multitude of other problems in the past year, but one is Adrenal Exhaustion. I think that was the orignal problem. I had mine in remission for about 3 months earlier this year... Until I had surgery and couldn't exercise anymore.... I have been taking L-Tyrosine daily for over a year. And 5-Htp. I love my Yoga Booty Ballet exercise. I shower after I exercise while still hot and sweaty. I had it in remission this way. I haven't exercised really in about 4 months. I prayed when I pressed a boil in a sitz bath and it came loose and drained instantly. I know this is the best thing to do. I want to try oregano and coconut and tumeric for secondary bronchitis from a virus right now, anyways. Curious how the treatments for Bronchitis and HS are so similar. I started taking ACV with the Mother yesterday and ate about 3 tbsps of Cayenne Pepper in a drink yester. Didn't help the HS yet.... Curious I had it in remission before..... I've always smoked additive free organic tobacco and love coffee as well. I don't drink, though, maybe I should. I eat at natural as possible always. NATURAL and organic if I can afford it. ALWAYS.

Wow. I can totally relate to these. I do feel like praying really helps, especially when I am at my breaking point and just trying to get some relief from salt baths and letting the cysts drain. My HS started when I was 13 after a long road trip, while sitting on my bottom for 10 hours. After that, I also got cysts under my arms and learned the hard way I was allergic to the antibiotic Tequin, which I believe is now discontinued. I had surgery when I was 17 for a pilonidal cyst, and have had recurring cysts since. (I am 24. )

I haven't heard about the connection with bronchitis and HS, but I have also had bronchitis as a kid to the point of pleurisy (infection of the lining of the lungs. ) I also had a severe case of Chicken Pox as a child-- I got Staph infection all over my body. Just to make it clear, though, I am 24, in shape and very very clean. I want to help others with the disorder, so I have dedicated so much time trying to learn more about it. Thank God for this site! Just reading these testimonials has made the condition easier to deal with. I've read a lot that HS is connected to stress and food allergies. I can completely understand the stress factor-- I suffer from anxiety every single day, largely in part of HS. I am also a smoker and drink coffee.

I have been researching the diet side of things, and have found that with HS sufferers, their pH balance seems to lean towards the acid side and needs to be balanced towards the Alkaline side, so drinking Alkaline Water (also looking up the alkaline food guide and incorporating those foods into your diet) will help balance everything out. Today I started taking turmeric in warm water with honey and black pepper, diluting ACV with water, and taking vitamin A, and I found this ointment a few months ago online called Emuaid. It worked SO WELL the first time I used it, (2 large bumps gone the next day) then seemed to work less after a few weeks. Here's my shower routine:

-antibacterial soap
-not shaving sides of legs
-after I've dried off, using Witch Hazel to re-rinse the area
-using Emuaid or Bacitracin Ointment

-Maintaining dryness of the area.

God bless all of you. Here's to a CURE! It's out there.

hi im 23 and i have hs. After reading and seeing what other people have gone through and looking at some of the state that their HS have developed into, im really really upset and sad and i just need to know from everyone who is suffering from HS does HS get worse and worse as i age? please someone help answer this. Its really stressing me out. Im heartbroken. PS i really dont know where to post my questions. im so sorry, im new.

Hi Lola, I read your post and really feel for you as I have HS myself and it is a heartbreaking, depressing and stressful condition. Everywhere I read says its a progressive illness meaning to most people it starts with the 1st stage and by time gets worse, the good thing is by taking your remedies (found on earthclinic)and keeping a clean diet it could be controlled. I read in many HS forums that there are people who have been boil free for 2 years since they kept taking their remedies religiously.

I got this for the first time in 2008 under my arm and been very depressed since, I was in constant terrible pain it was the size of a golf ball until I lanced it, I am taking Turmeric 2 to 3 times daily, cayenne every other day, burdock root powder in times I feel pain and tingling under my arm (I add to the turmeric powder)and I take metformin 500g and Zinc 50g one pill each daily.

It is very important to stay away from sugar its really bad for HS, caffeine and stress, focus on vegy's and fruits, also avoid fats it is bad, for some people there are other foods that trigger their HS you will have to be aware of what you eat to know what to avoid.

I hope this helps, always pray for healing.

Good Luck, Dolly

Hi Bill

Thanks a lot for your feedback, I am happy for you for getting rid of tinea. Its so true that HS is difficult to control as its a terrible disease and it has caused me unbelievable pains, I am trying to do my best though trying everything there is possible to handle this. I have tried to find MoM in Egypt months ago, but its not available, I would try to get it online & see.

Thanks again Bill.

Doctor informed me I had hidradenitis supperativa. Symptoms included boils and inflamed lymph nodes. Alternative effective treatments included daily high doses of Vitamins C, E, zinc, mucinex. New information and treatment described below has lead to cessation of symptoms.

Recently received root canal re-treatment and discovered abscess into bone tissue. No longer experience hidradenitis superativa symptoms. Taking Vitamin D and Calcium to support bone restoration, which also appears to be reducing the appearance of scars on skin. Bone damage was not visible on x-rays.

I went to the dentist because my front teeth were aching really bad and they did an x-ray and immediately sent me to an oral surgeon. I had an abscess above my front top teeth that was so big they had never seen anything like it. He went in through my gums and roof of my mouth and removed a golf ball sized abscess. I have had many cases of that size cyst on different parts of my body for the past 20 years. Some were lanced, some surgically removed. Many antibiotics and no explanations. I researched myself and found this site. I found out it was Hidradenitis supperativa and that I should try Turmeric. I drink a Heaping teaspoon of Turmeric in a half cup of water as soon as I feel one beginning to flair up. I continue to drink it 2-3 times a day until its gone and it never gets big. It stops it before it grows big. Thank God and this site!!!

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Eating yogurt every day and putting olive oil on daily prevents flare ups of Hidradenitis Suppurative. I rub olive oil on my groin every morning and every night; it soaks in quickly. Most of the time, I do not get the bumps unless I skip several days of putting on the oil; however, even if I get a bump, it prevents any bumps from getting large. I have had some so large I could not even sit correctly. ____ patches are great for pain relief. You can cut the patch to the exact size you need. I am 49 and have had bouts with these since I was in my teens. About six months ago, I read about the oil in Isaiah 1:6 In the JPS version it reads "From head to foot no spot is sound: all bruises, and welts, and festering sores-not pressed out, not bound up, not softened with oil." I had pressed bumps allot, but I had never softened them with oil. The oil works miracles.

Excellent I love the bible thank you for sharing.

well..I just started taking zinc gluconate for HS. Mayo Clinic recommends this as an alternate medicine. I had been doing well with just ibruprofen before when I would get the abscesses every month with my period under my arms. My family doctor thought it was hormonal so he referred my to an ob/gyn. I got lab work done and all my hormone levels are normal. The ob/gny then referred me back to my family doctor. Good thing that my friend is a surgeon and told me it was probaly HS. I had NEVER heard of such a thing...so here I am. I will keep you posted to see how the Zinc supplements (50 mg/ 1 a day) work.

This is not necessarily in response to Zinc. I have had HS for over twenty years and nothing has ever worked for me but antibiotics and pain meds. I too have had the glands removed from my under arms. My worry is that after taking antibiotics for so long if I get another serious infection my body will be imune to antibiotics and also I'm concerned about being on the pain meds for so long.

To GW from Nashville, TN: I've had HS since 1997 and since that time I have become allergic to Sulfa (hives) and Cipro(necrosis (black spots) like appearance of skin) which I had been prescribed for HS. As a child I was told I was allergic to PCN (I don't remember what the rxn was).

I am a 60 year old woman who has had HS ["my nasty little disease"] since 1988. Here's what I've learned over the years: (1) The only prescription that does me ANY good is Cipro, and it usually takes two courses/rounds. (2) Eating too many refined carbohydrates (e.g., cakes and cookies, say around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays when they're all around us) has consistently led to a very-stubborn outbreak that can last weeks and even months. (3) When I tried to go on the MediFast Diet, I immediately (literally within HOURS) had an outbreak; when I read the ingredients, SOY was throughout their products. [I got a 100% refund.] So then I learned soy was a problem food for me. So be on the alert for certain foods that can lead to terrible problems for us sufferers. It's a demoralizing disease.

hello to all i was reading the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Remedies,i have been battling this since 11 off and on. had my sweat glands removed from arm pits at 12 so i know the pain but now in my twenties i had this lump forming under my breast and i knew what i was.i didn't want any cutting done to me, i still remember the pain and the disfigurement and scars. so it formed about 3 weeks ago size of a large marble but it felt deep. so i did the turmeric 1teaspoon with i teaspoon of organic cinnamon and half a teaspoon of raw honey.the cinnamon and raw honey has a lot of anti- fungal and other properties, mix it with half a cup of warm water twice a day,i want to take it three times but i am a student that works = no time. and i remember what the nurse told me when i was a child which brought it to an head immediately and started draining, was blow drying it with a hot hair blow dryer also i used apple cinder vinegar to help dry it out and of course tea tree oil. im on day 2 and it's totally flat. God bless i really hope this will help others. One more thing eat as clean as possible more veggie than fruit and drink turmeric regularly. thanks

Here's what I have done to completely stop my Hidradenitis now for nearly a month and just for the record, I have had boils in different stages at all times. Some newly forming all the way to healing purple ones and in between. I have NONE now and my scars are actually getting a chance to heal. Morning and evening, I take a body brush and brush under my arms in a circular pattern all over, then reverse the pattern and do it again, both sides. Then I wash with antibacterial bar soap, dry them then swab my armpits all over with Iodine. I use a q-tip to do that. I use the old brown stuff and so far it hasn't stained my clothes. After I put it on, I get in front of a fan and let it dry, which doesn't take long for Iodine, then put my natural deodorant on. I'm thinking I can go back to regular deodorant now cause my natural one isn't so good on me. I get BO regardless by the end of the day. I was desperate and thinking it was my deodorant, but now I don't think that was causing it because I was still breaking out after I switched. You have to be diligient and don't forget. I have forgotten the morning or afternoon swabbing and was ok but I forgot to do it a whole day and started breaking out again. I read somewhere that researchers think it's caused by sweat glands becoming blocked and the dry brushing loosens it all up. I use a natural fiber brush. I would think any stiff brush would do.

I figured after that the iodine would kill any bacteria waiting to get in. That's what surgeons swab you with before they make their incision. Lot of people are allergic to it though and I'm not sure what the alternative would be if you are allergic. If it stops working, I will come back and let everyone know, but so far it's worked for about a month now. I hope it brings relief to others like it has for me. If you're allergic to iodine, google search to see what the alternative to iodine is. I'm sure you'll find it somewhere on the internet.

I read every post on this link and tried what seemed to be most common for my mild case of HS (compared to some of you--how in the world do you do it?). I am taking a tumeric supplement becuase I couldn't find tea, using the yellow bar soap, switched to the spray on crystal deodorant and use acne spot treatment for breakouts as soon as they start. I had a spot that was about the size of a half dollar, swollen out about an inch and within 1 day of trying the combo listed above, it had reduced by half. I had no faith that this stuff would work, but I've noticed that what is appearing are minor spots that I can get rid of in a couple of days. I don't know what is the driving force behind them but I will continue to use/take all of the remedies above if they continue working for me. I just thought I'd share and tell you all thanks for the info--it has really helped me. All of you who are suffering so terribly, I'm so sorry that you can't find relief. One last thing, I was only diagnosed in December after my first break out and immediately, I was referred for surgery. I didn't find this site until after I had both underarms excised. I wish I had found it befor--the areas covered by the surgery do not breakout anymore, but all the areas around the surgical area are now breaking out. Anyway, the remedies above are helping me. I hope they help others too...

I am suffering from HS since last 4 years after two excised cyst (didn't break out again at same place) but my thighs and one side of groan is affected I have like it cycle of boils breakout from one to another, what helps me keep the size reduced of boils and inflammation is I regularly wash affected twice a day with Betadine skin cleanser and apply hirudoid gel 2 times for 3 days during breakouts and Fucidin 3 times as prescribed by My Dr, I have noted that Life style change helps specially in reducing weight as I am on Protein Diet 100% cut all Carbohydrates helps reducing size of boils.

and whenever it gets worst by mean of pain inflamation and size I use one brufen 600mg twice a day almost it takes 3 tablets to get busted.

wish u all goood luck, cheers

I used to get boils in the groin area and just could not figure out why. I finally figured out what was causing this ailment after years and years of wondering. I had for years used bubble bath and I used many different ones throughout the years. Once I ran out and forgot to get some and again kept forgetting to pick some up. I didn't get any boils for a while. I bought some more bubble bath and I again got boils. I finally realized that whatever ingredient was in these bubble baths was causing my problem and I stopped using it altogether thank goodness. I am now boil free. So if you think that products are not harmful something as simple as bubble bath, think again. I won't use it ever again. I am a bath person as I like to soak and relax in a tub and I loved my bubbles.. but have learned to live without them.

My daughter has Downs Syndrome and has been suffering from Hydradenitis Suppurativa since she was 9 years old. She is now 25 years old and in fact she is home today with breakouts under both arms. It seems to flair-up just a few days before her menstual starts. Apparently for her it may be a hormonal deficiency. We have been to numerous physicians but not one has offered any kind of support for this condition. She has been on the Omega 3 after every meal but it does not seem to help. I find that soaks in Epson salt and warm water hastens it to a head. At night I apply Ichthammol ointment 20% to the area (which really damages your clothes - stain will never come out), however it does bring it to a head. Since my daughter has hyperthyroidism and is on Synthroid daily, I am afraid to try different remedies that may compromise the effects of the Synthroid. So if anyone out there who may be in the situation my daughter is in, I am so very excited to hear from you.

i take Synthroid as well i am hypo and what helps my HS is tumeric i take a tsp of tumeric and mix it with a tsp of peanut butter or another nut butter to make a paste and swallow it down that way. depending on the flare up i may do this morning and evening. most times it is just once a day. this does not contradict my Synthroid at all and really helps my HS.

good luck, tina

I have tried several possible remedies for HS if anyone has read my previous post; none of which have worked. Good news! In an earlier post someone spoke of getting as much sunlight to the affected area as possible. Well for those of us with HS of the groin, that's kind of hard to do, so I improvised. I go to the tanning salon! Works great. The sores are drying up and the heat is very soothing to the area. Of course I don't use any lotions on the affected skin but if you time the tanning session just right you won't burn or damage the skin. Obviously if you're prone to burning in the sun I would not recommend using a tanning bed, but for those of us who don't burn, it's a God send. I've only been going for about a month and I already have noticed a significant change in the number of sores and drainage. I'm praying it will continue to work and I may not have to have surgery!