Have you recently been diagnosed with HS? You’re undoubtedly relieved and perplexed at the same time. Your condition has a name…But what precisely is it? We have the solutions you’re looking for.
Anyone diagnosed with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) likely have a lot of questions, especially if you’ve never heard of the disease before. So let’s start with the most basic definition: HS is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can create painful lumps, open sores, and permanent scars, most commonly in the armpits, groin, buttocks, and beneath the breasts (basically anywhere the skin rubs together). Now, let’s get to the other answers you’re looking for:
Is HS My Fault?
No, you are not to blame. For the record, HS does not develop as a result of “bad hygiene,” as some doctors wrongly (and even brutally) suggest. According to Dr Adil, such guilt-tripping is “deeply unfair” because “none of us fully understands where HS comes from.”
So, what do we know about the causes of HS?
“We’re still trying to understand the fundamental mechanisms behind HS,” explains Dr Adil Ayurveda Skin Specialist, Bangalore, India, where he runs an HS clinic. We do know that persons with HS have inflammation around their hair follicles, particularly in intertriginous areas. When those follicles break, skin cells and microorganisms that normally exist on the skin become stuck in locations where they should not be. As a result, the body’s immune system activates, causing an even greater inflammatory response that results in pus-filled HS boils.
There are certain established risk factors that can increase the likelihood of HS:
It usually appears where skin rubs against skin, such as beneath the arms, the vulva, or in the folds of skin in overweight people.
Hormone levels may also contribute to the problem, such as having high insulin and/or androgen levels, which begin to rise throughout puberty and stimulate pubic and underarm hair growth, among other functions. In reality, many cases arise after puberty has reached its peak.
According to the National Institutes of Health’s Genetics and Rare Diseases Information Centre, up to 30% to 40% of patients have a family history of the disease.
Numerous studies have revealed that smokers had a greater risk of HS, and one recent article published in Dermatology Reports discovered that 67% of participants were current smokers who had smoked for an average of eight years before beginning. As with most things related to smoking, the less you do it, the better off you’ll be.
Is HS uncommon?
No, HS is not rare, despite being treated as such for decades. The perception of the disease as rare “was probably due, in part, to misdiagnosis or under-diagnosis,” says Dr Adil, “but also to the shame and stigma that a disease like HS can bring.” People did not seek medical help right away.” The fact that the onset of HS frequently occurs around puberty, when young people might be highly self-conscious about their bodies, may also contribute to the under-diagnosis.
According to current estimates, approximately 1% of Americans are impacted. That may appear insignificant: However, as Dr Adil points out, for a condition of this severity—HS can be a disfiguring disease—that’s a colossal quantity. To put this in context, nearly the same percentage are diagnosed with HS as with IBD (either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), and even fewer are diagnosed with more generally known disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (less than.5%).
Is HS considered an STD?
“Is HS an STD?” is a totally reasonable concern when you have itching, uncomfortable, cyst-like pimples, or, in the late stages of the disease, excruciating, draining open sores in sensitive regions like the groin and anus. However, the answer is no. “In some cases, if these patients visit a physician unfamiliar with HS, they may be told they have a sexually transmitted disease,” such as herpes or HPV, according to Dr Adil. Such misdiagnoses can and do delay useful and appropriate treatment while exacerbating the embarrassment and shame that HS so frequently causes in people.
Bottom line: HS is not infectious or contagious, and it is not transmitted sexually.
What Are the HS Stages?
“There are three clinical stages to HS,” Dr Adil explains. The symptoms are distinct in each stage (but early diagnosis and therapy can help manage those symptoms, particularly in the earlier stages):
During Stage I, you may notice little (possibly pea-sized), sometimes itchy, and typically painful pimples in the armpits, groin, near the breasts, and (more commonly in men than in women) around the anus. These may look like hard cysts or conspicuous razor pimples.
In Stage II, inflammation and infection have grown, and many abscesses on the skin may continue to form. Under the skin, pus-filled tunnels or tracts grow; eventually, the abscesses rupture, resulting in exposed sores.
Advanced tunnels emerge in Stage III, often connecting numerous lesions. According to Dr. Unwala, the damage is permanent at this time. “The tissue has been blown out, and multiple areas have scarring.” She claims that an entire armpit could be inflamed with big boils that are not only excruciatingly painful but also emanate a foul odour from the draining pus and fluid.
Is There a Treatment for HS?
How old were you when you first noticed signs of HS?
12 years old or less
13 to 20 years old
over 30 years old
between the ages of 21 and 30
The good news is that there are, and the sooner you begin treatment, the better your prognosis will be, according to Dr Adil. Doctors have a variety of strategies for treating infection, preventing new boils, and managing pain in early and moderate instances of HS.
Finally, more severe stages of the disease may necessitate surgery. Outpatient operations involving tissue removal—allowing the “tunnels” beneath the skin to drain (a technique known as “unroofing”)—to more difficult surgeries involving significant areas of damaged skin removed and replaced by reconstructive skin grafts are examples.
The degree of risk varies depending on the surgical treatment. Which is the greater danger. Because HS is a systemic illness, treating one area of skin does not prevent the disease from spreading to another. Outside of the treated region, new tunnels will frequently form.
A recent study discovered a 35% recurrence incidence among HS patients who underwent surgery.
There are always hazards associated with every medical practice. According to Dr. Adil, all skin operations, for example, include a risk of bleeding or infection. “Scarring will also result from these procedures, and the appearance of that scarring will vary greatly,” she says.
There are a variety of treatments and drugs available to help control its symptoms.
Allopathic Treatments – Antiseptic washes, antibiotic lotions, and keratolytics, a type of exfoliator, are examples of topical treatments. “Your doctor may prescribe you a biologic, which is an injectable medication that works on the immune system to stop the inflammation, for example Humira is a biologic for HS. You may also be given oral drugs such as antibiotics , retinoids (to help reduce keratin overproduction), or hormone therapy such as birth control pills (since doctors believe androgen hormones play a role).
Ayurveda Treatment – Medicines for HS involving biologics, antibiotics or hormone therapy come with their own set of side effects like impacting the immune system balance (Biologics), or impacting the microbiome balance (antibiotics), or leading to hormonal imbalance (hormone therapy)
In Ayurveda, hidradenitis suppurativa Treatment is to restore the body’s natural equilibrium by detoxifying it with potent herbal therapies.
The treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa at Elite Ayurveda comprises balancing the Kapha and Pitta doshas, as well as providing harmony to the metabolism. The treatment comprises body detoxification, internal drugs to balance doshas, and external applications to heal scars.
The treatment involves combinations of herbs created based on individual Prakruti and Vikruti analysis.
The most successful treatment usually necessitates a multidisciplinary strategy that includes medicine, surgery, and lifestyle modifications (such as stopping smoking, decreasing weight, and exercising more).
Ayurveda has a root cause treatment for HS with many long time sufferers now living without any relapse or recurrence of HS.
Who Are the People Most Likely to Develop HS?
Hidradenitis suppurativa affects three times as many women as males, and while experts aren’t sure why, hormones are likely to play a part. Do they understand why this is the case? No, not yet. More research, like so much else in HS, is needed to identify why certain racial or ethnic groups may be more prone to having HS.
Can Diet Help with HS? (Or make matters worse?)
To be honest, either is conceivable. And, surprise, there isn’t much data to assist us determine what improvements would make a difference. According to the article in Dermatology, most respondents in a poll of more than 200 patients had limited at least one food group, and approximately 86% had cut out multiple groups. Gluten, dairy, refined sugar, tomatoes, and alcohol are the top targets. About 30% of those polled reported their symptoms improved, while a handful indicated they deteriorated.
According to the Mayo Clinic, sugars, milk, cheese, and other dairy items can boost insulin levels, which can lead to an overproduction of androgens, a type of hormone that appears to be a factor in HS. Similarly, avoiding gluten-containing meals, particularly those that use yeast to rise (bread, pizza dough, etc.), may aid in the healing of lesions.
What is the key to determining your food triggers? Maintain a food journal and keep track of your symptoms. Working with a trained dietician might also be beneficial.
Is There a HS Treatment?
As doctors and researchers seek answers, the greatest option for people living with the condition is smart, cautious management, which can keep symptoms under control for many patients.
Ayurveda has a root cause treatment for HS with many long time sufferers now living without any relapse or recurrence of HS.
Our Outlook –
Under one roof, we at EliteAyurveda Clinics have a panel of specialists in numerous dimensions of medical domains such as endocrine, autoimmune, gynecology, and so on. We are well-known for taking a multifaceted and root-cause approach to treating chronic and difficult-to-treat disorders.
Contact us to learn more.
According to Ayurveda, hidradenitis suppurativa is a cause of Kapha and Pitta dosha. When the digestive fire (Agni), or Pitta, is out of balance, the Kapha Dosha becomes vitiated, which slows down metabolism. Due to the disruption of fat molecules, they start to build up in muscles and impede bodily passageways, causing painful, swollen sores in the groin, buttocks, thighs, and armpits.
In Ayurveda, hidradenitis suppurativa Treatment is to restore the body’s natural equilibrium by detoxifying it with potent herbal therapies.
The treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa at Elite Ayurveda comprises balancing the Kapha and Pitta doshas, as well as providing harmony to the metabolism. The treatment comprises body detoxification, internal drugs to balance doshas, and external applications to heal scars.
The treatment involves combinations of herbs created based on individual Prakruti and Vikruti analysis. Visit our website to know more
Connect with us to get our patient testimonials and also to speak with our patients directly about their experience in getting their disease treated by us and by Ayurveda as a whole.
Medically reviewed by Dr Adil Moulanchikkal, Lead Ayurveda Specialist at EliteAyurveda Clinics. With over 15 years of experience in treating Neurological, Skin & Autoimmune Diseases.
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