Turmeric for HS (Hidradenitis Suppurativa)

Suffered with HS for about 15yrs now; As anyone who has this knows.... You will try just about anything to ease the pain of it. So I've been taking one tsp turmeric powder in milk and honey for almost 2 weeks now... And truth be told... The first day I was knocking this stuff back hoping it wasn't a practical joke. You do get kinda used to the taste... I've had far worse medications prescribed!! IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!! SEVEN golf ball size boils on inner thighs, bikini area and under boobs have all come to a head and drained!!!!! I've had this batch of boils for at least 4 months; doctor useless. Told me to loose a bit of weight. I cant go from standing to sitting or even walk without wincing in serious agony. So how do I exercise the weight off?? Ridiculous!! But yesterday, I walked for miles, up and down cliffs and hills and no pain... At all!!!! Not cleared completely yet but continuing to improve. I really wish I had known about this years ago so I wouldnt be so badly scarred. Can't recommend enough... Yes Yes Yes

I have been suffering from HS for over 16 years now and have only recently been diagnosed. I was happy to find out that it actually had a name but disappointed that there is no known treatment. So I checked on here and came across the recommendation of Turmeric. I immediately went and bought pure turmeric powder as well as size "0" vegetable capsules. I fI'lled 100 of them and figured I'd give them a chance. When I started about a week ago, I had three nasty bumps that were rather painful. I took 4 capsules and within an hour the pain was almost gone, I was really surprised. I kept on taking four capsules three times a day and now, after a week, the bumps are completely gone, just a dark spot left were they were. They never healed off this fast before! I have reduced the dose to 3 caps three times a day and am hoping to reduce it to 3 caps once a day over time for maintenance. So far I haven't gotten any new bumps and the older ones are all healed off. This treatment is so amazing! Thank you everyone who recommended it!

I started taking about 1600-2000mg of Turmeric a day for my HS and within two days it started to disappear! It DOES work, but the negative side effect is that no matter what I do and how often I shower.. I REEK of curry. My sweat smells like an Indian restaurant... any suggestions for this?

Hi, I know you may not be knowing me but I need your help badly. I do suffer from HS since last 5 year. I am just 17 and my mental condition you can understand well. I have them on both of my armpits, they are big lumps, one open wound is there which has not closed since last 4 years. Always puss is coming from both the arms, it do smells bad. I was diagnosed for HS 1 year back. I ate a lot of antibiotics but none of them work. Now I am applying turmeric paste on it, eating turmeric balls. I started doing this since last 3 days. But there is not a single stage of healing. I need some tips some suggestions. Please please please please........

I just had to say, I'm 18, and have been dealing with this since I was as young as 13, and never said a word to anyone or even my doctor because I had no clue what it was and thought it was life threatening, and it scared me more than anything in the world. Reading what all of you guys had to say and how efffctive it is, honestly brought tears to my eyes. During the summer to this day, I didn't even like to go swimming because my inner thighs make me soooooo insecure and I'm always worried somebody is gonna think that there is something wrong with me. You guys just made me realize 5 years later of living in fear, that I'm completely okay and maybe even be able to enjoy and be confident about my body(: can't wait to give this a shot. Thank you more than words.

I have had HS (self diagnosed) for a few years in the groin area, on the knicker line. The latest boil with tunneling was about 4 inches long and painful and seeped pus and/or blood daily, and I guess I've had it for about 5 months, with it being worse around my period. I started taking turmeric 9 days ago - 2 X400 mg tabs at breakfast and 2 X 400mg with evening meal along with one tab of zinc. I also have been using drops of tea tree oil topically. I have to say, the swelling has gone down by at least 50% and there's little seeping or pain. I also have started using other supplements (at same time) to lose weight so can't rule out dietary influence. Whatever it is, it seems to be working so far! It's not gone completely but going to carry on and see how I go!!

Just an update.

Along with the use of turmeric, I have completely reversed the appearance of boils. What I noticed was eliminating gluten (in the US, everything we buy has gluten except fresh produce and other fresh ingredients). I changed my diet, went gluten free and vegan. Also all the produce I buy is all organic (USDA approved). I stopped eating out on a regular basis, even if I eat I am very aware of what is going in to my body. Please read the "ingredients" before you buy anything from grocery store. Eat fresh and switch to organic produce as much as possible. Trust me guys it has definitely help me. It's worth giving a shot :) good luck.

Apple2012 from Bejing - Yes, definitely linked to my cycles!! Absolutely. I can't imagine life without turmeric. It's kept my HS essentially under control. I experiment with my use of turmeric. I at at least 1/8 teaspoon with black pepper to soup each time I eat it. Top ramen works for me- simple but true! & easy in a pinch. Warm milk with turmeric, black pepper, cinamon, cayenne, & honey is tasty & effective. I sprinkle it on eggs & avocados & experiment with anything I think it might blend with. I prefer eating turmeric with food rather than using capsules, personal preference, & it works well for me! Good Organic turmeric (I get mine in bulk spice section). If you try one brand that doesn't seem to do well don't give up, try another. Good luck!

Hello Melissa,

It's been awhile since I have been on this site... Mainly because the Turmeric has done miracles for me! My HS is totally under control now. Whenever I get the slightest feeling (so much as an achy lymph node) I drink the turmeric. I have not had one get any bigger than an average small pimple since. I just drink the turmeric until it is totally gone... Usually no more than 3-5 days. Sooooo much better than a whole month!! YAY Turmeric and this site!

Absolutely amazing! I started getting HS symptoms when I was 11, when it was ALL OVER my body and spent the next 12+ years jumping from doctor to doctor, diagnosis to theory, hormone supplements to diets, allergy tests to (five years on) antibiotics before I said to myself 'bad skin is not worth all this.' I have had to just put up with it for the last few years and it has seemed to be confined to certain areas (buttox, face, underarms) but a month ago it came back so viciously that I turned to the internet for help.

I found this site and the Tumeric/anti-bacterial soap solution and it worked like nothing else has! I was so amazed - I have been adding the tumeric to my cup of tea every morning, minus the milk, plus a teaspoon of sugar for taste, and it ever tastes great! (just don't chew on the powder at the bottom). It even got rid of one that has been plaguing my chin for over 3 months now (and has left a huge scar). I couldn't believe how quickly it dried up!

Thank you so much!

One question though; how long do I have to take it for? Is this a lifetime thing? Is this an everyday thing? Won't my body become used to it eventually (like so many remedies before)?

I don't normally take the time to post comments on web sites but I must share my results using Turmeric. I have suffered from Hidradenitis Suppurativa in the groin area for fifteen years. My doctors have tried everything from antibiodics to accutane to surgery and nothing has helped me (I've got the scars to prove it). Two weeks ago, one of my abcess' finally put me in the emergency room, where I had an allergic reaction to an antibiodic drip they gave me. That's when I decided to go off all of my medicine and do my own research on Hidradenitis Suppurativa. I came across this site, read all of the positive feedback about Turmeric from other Hidradenitis Suppurativa sufferers, and figured I've got nothing to lose. The day I started taking Turmeric I had two active abcess. One on my inner thigh that was open (you know, the kind you have to put a band aid on because it just leaks and leaks) and one on my inner buttock area that never drained. It just stayed large and turned purple and was very painful. Within two days the boil on my buttock went from purple to pink (that's never happened before) and receeded and within a week the open boil on my thigh was healed over. I have never had any of my abcess' heal this quickly. Even my husband said he couldn't believe how quickly I was healing. This weekend, I actually worked outside in the heat in jeans without having to wear band aids! Those of you who suffer from this disease know how horrifying that can be.

It is interesting to read so many of you here who are like me! I have suffered with HS for as long as I can remember(at least 12 y/o) and I'm now 41. My daughters both 19 and 17 experience breakouts as well so its safe to assume that it could be hereditary. I have taken turmeric for other concerns (fibroids) and never really made the connection that my flare-ups were not as bad when I was taking the turmeric supplement (only 1x day). Now hearing you all and the amazing stories that you have about less flare-ups with consistent use, I'm now going to be more consistent. I will be sure to come back and update.

About me: I have the nickel size boils under one of my arms which does nothing but drain for the past year. I have multiple ones at my panty line which go from really intense stinging to intense itching depending on the day. I am vey excited to try the turmeric salve (turmeric, coconut oil, evoo, black pepper and tea-tree oil) at night and more dosages of the turmeric (at least 4x a day). I'll report back in about a month to let you all know the results!

Hi!

I have suffered from HS for over 10 years. I was prescribed antibiotics for years and always ended up with a terrible yeast infection. Then I was prescribed medication for that... and so on.

Last years, I researched yeast infections and found out it was an overgrowth of Candida. I bought a bottle of a liquid that fights multiple strains of Candida (not sure of I can say the brand) and was surprised it helped alleviate some of the pain and smell of my HS.

I clean my affected areas a few times a day when I have drainage. I use an antibacterial soap to clean the affected areas, dab small amounts of tea tree oil and aloe vera to the entire affected area to help heal any wounds, then cover with gauze and wear looser clothes.

In addition I take Vitamin C, Turmeric and drink roughly 80 fl. oz of water (half my body weight) daily. My wounds usually start to heal within a few days, I don't have a lot of new flare ups and I experience a lot less pain.

Also, if you are already doing a similar type of wound care you may need to see a doctor/dermatologist to see if they can help refer you to a type of wound care expert.

I really hope some of this helps.

I have suffered with HS. I have not had a flare up in a couple of years. I realized there was something I was allergic to (high fructose corn syrup) so now I try and keep that out of my diet. I realized when I eat to much of the hfcs, my blood sugar spikes and HS is the result. Also, I noticed I am super tired and have a fever a few days before the actual boil comes to the surface. Pay attention to your body and when you get too warm, take the juice of wild oregano by North American herb and spices. Just follow the directions on the bottle. The oil of oregano will make it go away. Your diet is key to getting the HS and the PCOS under control. Look for remedies on this site for PCOS (the keto diet or a version of it will help). Food is so important and we have not made it a high priority as we should. We need all of our vitamins and minerals or the deficiency will cause disease. God be with you!

I have been using the turmeric for less than 1 week, it has made an amazing difference. Thank you all for posting about this. It has been a miracle for me.

i was diagnosed with HS when i was 20 years old but had been dealing with it for a year already. I am now 21 and have had my sweat glands removed from my under arms shortly after they started coming out in my groin.I dealt with them for 5 months in my groin a month ago i came across this website and tried the turmeric i am in the process of healing 100 percent.i buy the turmeric in 5 pound bags for 6 dollars! in any indian market and i buy empty capsules from whole foods size 00 (100 capsules for 3dollars) and i fill them myself i take two pills 3 times a day (morning,afternoon,night) i for a long time thought i was the only one with my condition...for anyone who has gone through or has seen anyone go through this can relate when i tell you it is a pain that is almost intolerable i am so thankful for this website anyone going through it now please stay strong and have faith. there are remedies that work as long as you stick to them hopefully one day there will be a cure. until then me and my boyfriend on sunday nights will be filling up turmeric capusles lol

I am following up to confirm all who have been writing about boils and HS. I've had the affliction for almost 2 years in the groin region. After discovering this site, I swear by the Turmeric ____; washing the affected area twice daily with ___soap; using tea tree oil as an antiseptic and an ointment to soothe the skin after. When there is an attack, I take Alleve for the swelling/pain and use hot compresses (if necessary) to help w/ drainage. I am a very active person who is a spinning enthusiast so you can imagine how this was affecting me prior. I also use hypoallergenic bandaids to avoid irritation from the normal adhesive after draining. Although this is incurable, I can live a pretty normal life now. Good luck to all.

I have Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). It is a pus-producing and debilitating skin condition that causes large infected boils on the neck, breasts, armpits, abdomen, buttocks and groin areas. They can grow together and also form a tunnel called a "sinus tract". It sounds like what some of you may have. I was self-diagnosed after doctors didn't know what is was & still didn't after informing them. Their treatment was years of antibiotics which didn't work, by-the-way because in most cases, the pus is sterile. I went online and searched for a Natural/Holistic treatment and found Turmeric. I took as directed ( 1 teaspoon in a cup of warm water 10-15 minutes before breakfast & dinner for 3 days). I felt results in hours - not days. I felt better overall. In 3 days all of my golf ball sized areas on my neck, breasts, underarms ans sinus tract disappeared, along with the terrible deep-purple scars that HS leaves. I went back to my dermatologist 6 months later and they could not believe I was the same person. I have told my HS Support Group Members about it and they, too, have been successful into putting their condition into remission. I have been in remission for 7 months now. For some reason, the capsules do not seem to have the same effects and affects as the powder in warm water, though.

Hi All,

Even I was diagnosed with HS (Hidradenitis Suppurativa) in Dec, it basically started in under my left arm with lumps and the pain is real.. Then doctor did perform local incision and removed it and it was all good for a week and then I started doing research as he told it would return as it's chronic. So I found this site a week back and at the same time and another lump was forming in my right arm, I immediately started taking Turmeric with water, lump size has been reducing and pain is very minimal, probably it will cure in next couple of days. But do not hesitate to take Turmeric and start using Turmeric soaps, if possible or you can also try Turmeric tablets by Himalaya Health care known as "Haridra". Hope more people know this and start using it in their diet immediately once they diagnose with HS.

DMSO is excellent and works fast for HS outbreaks...try putting it on then putting the turmeric on top of it as it will carry in through the skin. Also crushing up a plain uncoated aspirin real fine and adding to DMSO applied topically will reduce swelling and pain very quickly.

Dear Shawny,

I have used turmeric capsules and the powder. It's really just personal preference. It doesn't mix well with water though.

You could try the Golden Milk, aka turmeric tea, if you want to use powder.

I get Turmeric capsules from Costco for convenience. They even come with some black pepper already mixed in which helps to potentate it.

You may find that dietary changes (I assume you will be avoiding sugar as well?) and internal turmeric alone may be sufficient to solve your problem. Be aware that if you use turmeric topically it is pretty messy and can stain clothes. You could try internal remedies and then add the topical if needed.

I would consider adding vitamin C to your regime also.

Keep us posted on your progress!

~Mama to Many~

Hi, Eric -

I have found that taking turmeric regularly helps. You should also wash the affected areas every single morning with 10% benzoyl peroxide to kill bacteria daily. You can find acne washes at drug stories for less than $10. You should see a dermatologist who understands the condition and perhaps get on a antibiotic. The newest thing in the field is laser hair removal in affected areas. While home remedies are great for day to day management, seeing a dermatologist is so important. I hope you are able to manage the condition!

-Mona B.

How about just taking a couple of turmeric capsules every day as a preventative?

I have suffered from HS for 9 yrs. Turmeric is definitely a life saver. I would suggest take homeopathic treatment. If you find any Homeopathic Dr in your area. No other treatment works.

Turmeric & black pepper is a wonderful combination for treatment of any tumour related illnesses & many more. Black pepper is the carrier to the cells. 1tsp of each in hot water as a tea. No honey should be added.

I'm fairly certain HS is caused by a food allergy; and that if you can find out which food you are allergic to, the problem will vanish. Food allergies cause so many organ problems, and your skin is the biggest organ you have and will typically be sending you a message by these odd and painful signs. Strike wheat, dairy, sugar and spices (like cayenne) and potatos/starchy foods from your diet for two weeks. See if the nasty bumps go away or diminish. If you see improvement (and you should), then introduce one of the food agents back for 3 or 4 days.

Have you looked into serrapeptase to help with the healing? My right armpit had 4 to 5 red bumps that were no longer inflamed and were just scar tissue that would not heal. Within a week of taking serrapeptase they had faded to a faint pink and within a month they were gone. My left armpit had a painful inflamed boil too but the serrapeptase didn't help with that, only helped heal the scars. It's worth a try ;)

Rubanant from Cottonwood, Az, I understand your son's pain. I am a 22 year old female who has suffered with HS since I was 11. I hit puberty early (age 9) and received my first boil in the middle of my breasts. Since then, it got worse and progressed. I was not diagnosed with HS until I was 14 and had my first surgery at age 16. Since then, I have had 8 surgeries and about to have my 9th in May. With that being said, I had multiple areas done with each surgery, resulting in many scars and a lot of healing time. It is difficult to deal with the pain and even with having surgery, it is not 100% that it will not come back. I also have issues with not healing and that leads to having another surgery. I have done much research and every doctor I have seen (infectious diesease, surgeon, wound care specialist, dermatologist) has said that my case is the worst that they had seen and they are amazed that I am able to do the things that I do. I am in college and has managed to win awards for academic acheivement and stay on Dean's List and school is what keeps me going. My parents have been very supportive and I just encourage you to reassure your son to think about the positives and that you will always be there for him. I know it can be hard to see your child go through so much pain because my mother in particular had broken down one 2 occassions but I manage to stay strong and look ahead. I've had my entire left and right side of the groin opened up, left open for about 2 weeks and then skin grafts put on it, underarm completely excised and left open (looked like a shark took a chunk out of my underarm) and this took 1 year and 1 month to heal. I definitely know his pain and hope that he can find something to focus on to be his motivation.

I read your review and experience with turmeric multiple times today. I see this post was in 2012. I would love to know a 2016 update?

I wanted to thank the creators of this site and its contributors so much for all the helpful information I found on here. I've had HS for years and always felt as if I was the only person who had this. It was actually just last year when I found out this was HS and not some mystery disease. Unfortunately there is no cure. I've seen different doctors who just didn't know how to go about dealing with this disease. I didn't want to go in for another round of antibiotics, or expensive injections at an expensive dermatologist, so I decided to go the home/organic remedy route. I'm so thankful to have found this site.

I had a really bad flare up last night, a very large and painful boil. It was very difficult for my to walk or sit, and I could only lay on one side of my body in bed, to keep pressure from building on the boil. I drank a mug full of hot water with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and crushed black pepper. When I woke up this morning the first thing I drank was half cup of hot water with black onion seeds. Then I drank the turmeric and black pepper in hot water again this morning at 6 and 11:30, and the swelling and pain have gone down considerably. It's nasty but it works! I will drink it again at 4 pm and 10 pm. My mother has been telling me about drinking milk or water with turneric for a long time now, I don't know why I never listened! Mother really does know best!

I've noticed that sugar and coffee is the only main thing that causes these boils for me. I need to lose weight as well. It may not be everyone, but I've been doing my own research on this disease and have seen that a lot of people dealing with HS are overweight or obese.

I have found that Curcumin the active ingredient in tumeric is the reason it works, so buy Curcumin tablets as they are 95% Curcumin ( turmeric tablets are only 5% Curcumin) this is just my experience give it a go people it may work or you...

Like most of you here, I have suffered with this for almost 15 yrs. Only recently got diagnosed after many many trips to the ER, surgerys to remove skin and infection. Been told that its hormones, use antibacterial soap, some people just get them. Ugh. Feeling like no one cared or wanted to help. Then finally someone puts a name to it, and I felt relieved that NOW they can "fix" it, only to find out that there is no fix, no cure, the surgery doesnt always work, it leaves even more scarring and I will continue to get them. I thought whats the point? Now months after the diagnosis the oozing painful sores in my armpit and groin have worn me down to the point where I said "to hell with it, lets do the surgery in hopes that maybe it will work for me, and if it doesnt, well I'm really no worse than when I started".

THANK GOD my husband found this site just in time! Reading all of your posts I had tears streaming down my face. HOPE! Thats what you all have given me. I started the Tumeric last night and am praying I get the same results that many of you have had. If this works like you all say, I will scream it from the rooftops, tell everyone I meet and show my Dr's my longest "finger" ;} Thank you all so much, my heart and prayers go out to you for all you have been through. I hope to be able to post some "happy" here in the next few weeks. Mwah!

I am so glad that this website was found for me. I have been suffering with HS for about 13 years now, maybe longer and was just recently diagnosed with HS. Unfortunately, I had already had the surgery before I look at this site. Since the surgery of removing nine of the "boils", nine more have come out, some even through the incision that were made to remove it! My mom talked to my uncle about it and he came across this "Tumeric" spice. He and my mom are going to make me a couple of batches this weekend and overnight them to me. He was told to mix the tumeric with baking soda and a crushed aspirin for the ones at the surface and then to add Vick's Vapor Rub for the really deep ones. I am so looking forward to this working! All of your stories have given me hope as I too thought I was losing my mind and using the "my leg hurts" to explain away why I was walking with a limp. Thank God for the internet and the fact that people share their stories!!! I will be back to this site regularly for support for me and to give mine in return!

I have been taking turmeric from the bulk store. I take 1/2 tsp in warm, not hot, 1/2 cup skim milk with 1/2 tsp of honey. I take this daily as maintenance. If for some reason, example, I indulged in chocolate (for me this is a problem) I up the intake of turmeric to 1 tsp in the mixture. I have stayed clear of boils for the better part of a year doing this regime and I recommend it to anyone with the problem. I have suffered with HS since puberty and wish I had known about turmeric from the start. Best wishes with this treatment.

Sara

I have been suffering from HS for 13 years. I have had 5 surgeries in the groin area and 11 surgeries on my tail bone due to pilonidal cyst (almost the same thing as HS, just different location). I found this site today and I went out and bought some Turmeric just to see if it works. I took 1 tablet so far and the pain went away. I also bought some of the kind thats in the spice form and "rubbed" that one my groin and I still feel no pain. I cant wait to see what happens in a week!! I am very excited. Thank you to all the people who have commented on this site and have given suggestions.