Holistic Hidradenitis Help

I know how desperate HS flares can feel 😅 When you’re in severe pain, urgent care or the ER feels like the fastest option. But here’s the hard truth: treating HS flare by flare doesn’t address the condition itself. Incision and drainage might give temporary relief, but HS is a chronic inflammatory disease. If the underlying inflammation isn’t managed, the area often refills and scars over time. That cycle can make future procedures more complicated and can leave you feeling stuck. If you can, try to connect with a dermatologist who understands HS and can discuss longer-term options. You deserve care that looks at the whole condition, not just the moment you’re in. And while procedures matter, so does systemic support. Inflammation management, blood sugar stability, and nutrition all play a role in how flares behave over time. If you want my framework for supporting HS from the inside out, comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the first chapter of my ebook 💜 Disclaimer: Sharing what worked for me personally. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your own care. CC: TikTok @socialcydd DM for removal. #hidradenitissuppurativa #hsflare #hscommunity #hsawareness #chronicinflammation

#hidradenitissuppurativa #aip #autoimmuneprotocol #eliminationdiet @Chronically_brii

The simple reason my HS is in remission and yours might not be… It has nothing to do with willpower, or me being “special” – because I’m not 🙅‍♀️ And if you’ve followed my journey at all, you know I tried a lot of things for years that didn’t work: - Random supplements. - Extreme elimination phases. - Over-restricting. - Treating every flare like a separate emergency. So what changed? My understanding of HS. HS is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by immune overactivation. It isn’t random, and it isn’t just about skin. If you don’t lower the inflammation driving it, you’re just managing symptoms on repeat. There isn’t one magic root cause. But there are patterns. For me, it meant stabilizing blood sugar, identifying my personal trigger foods, lowering systemic inflammation, and being consistent instead of extreme. That’s when things shifted. Remission didn’t come from doing more. It came from understanding what was actually happening in my body and responding specifically to that. Do you know your HS triggers? 💜 Disclaimer: Sharing what worked for me personally. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your own care. #hidradenitissuppurativa #hsremission #hsnutrition #chronicinflammation #hsflare

Cyst vs. HS lesion — they are NOT the same biologically or surgically. A common **epidermoid cyst** (often called a “sebaceous cyst”) is a *true cyst*: a closed sac lined with keratin-producing epithelial cells. It forms when the follicular infundibulum gets blocked and keratin continues accumulating inside a well-defined capsule. Because it has a discrete wall, definitive treatment is complete surgical excision of the cyst **including the entire capsule (“cyst sac”)**. If the sac is left behind, keratin production continues and recurrence is likely. Now compare that to **Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)**. HS is **not a cystic disorder**. It’s a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease driven by follicular occlusion, rupture, and a dysregulated innate immune response (involving TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-17 pathways). Instead of a single encapsulated sac, HS creates: • Recurrent inflammatory nodules • Abscesses without a true epithelial capsule • Interconnected sinus tracts (“tunnels”) • Extensive dermal scarring and fibrosis Because there is **no true cyst wall**, there is no “sac” to remove. That’s where procedure differences matter: **Cyst Excision** – Elliptical incision – Blunt + sharp dissection around the intact capsule – Entire sac removed en bloc – Goal: eliminate the keratin-producing lining **Deroofing (for HS tunnels)** – The “roof” of a sinus tract is surgically opened – Chronic inflammatory tissue and debris are removed – The base of the tract is preserved – Wound heals by secondary intention – Goal: collapse the tunnel and reduce recurrence while preserving surrounding tissue Deroofing is tissue-sparing and targets the pathologic tunnel network — not a capsule, because none exists. Why this distinction matters: Mislabeling HS as “just cysts” delays appropriate medical therapy (biologics, anti-inflammatories, hormonal modulation) and leads to repeated I&Ds that don’t address the underlying disease process. Different pathology. Different surgical anatomy. Different long-term management strategy. Understanding the biology changes the outcome. #cyst #hidradenitissuppurativa #cystremoval

Mindful eating is hard when you have a chronic illness. Because it’s not just “eat intuitively.” It’s “avoid the foods that trigger inflammation.” It’s “manage blood sugar.” It’s “don’t flare.” My journey was backwards. I put hidradenitis suppurativa in remission 9 years ago. And I maintained it with unwavering dedication and diligence. Adding in a GLP 2 years ago did 2 things: ➡️Gave me more flexibility with my diet ➡️Helped my body respond to my healthy lifestyle the way it should! Being on a GLP-1 didn’t make me hyper-restrictive. It did the opposite. I can leverage the anti-inflammatory benefits of the GLP to have more flexibility with my diet. It’s been liberating. I started with restriction — not to lose weight, but to survive my symptoms. Gluten is still 100% off the table. Other triggers like dairy and nightshades? I mostly avoid them, but after years of healing and reducing inflammation, my body tolerates small amounts without spiraling. If I meet a friend for coffee and a sweet treat, I just enjoy it. Maybe we go for a walk after. Maybe we don’t. There’s no drama around it. For years I was the most active, most “disciplined,” most anti-inflammatory eater in the room — and still in the larger body. As a someone who has been a public figure in the wellness space…. That disconnect is heavy. Living in a body that responds normally to food? That’s freedom. For me, this is what mindful eating actually feels like. #hidradenitissuppurativa #mindfuleating #wellness #inflammation

Wound care with HS is a whole skill set no one prepares you for 🥲 It’s not just about covering a flare. It’s about protecting your skin without ripping it apart every time you remove a bandage. When you’re already dealing with pain, the last thing you need is adhesive trauma on top of it. Finding options that are gentler, especially in sensitive areas, made such a difference for me emotionally and physically. Less fear around changing dressings. Less bracing for pain. More dignity. And if wound care feels overwhelming or expensive, please know there are options and sometimes even coverage through insurance. You deserve support that doesn’t make things worse. You’re not dramatic for wanting less pain. You’re allowed to make this easier on yourself. 💛 Disclaimer: Sharing what worked for me personally. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your own care. #hidradenitissuppurativa #hswoundcare #hsflare #hscommunity #chronicillnesssupport

Bone broth is an excellent way to get added nutrients, boost your immunity, and reduce inflammation 🤌 Ingredients: - 4 pounds grass fed beef bones - 10 cups of filtered water - 2 Vidalia onions, halved - 1 tsp salt - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - 3 bay leaves Instructions: 1. Pre-heat oven to 400F. Place bones and ones on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 45 minutes. 2. Next, transfer them to the bowl of your slow cooker (or electric pressure cooker). 3. Add in the bay leaves, apple cider vinegar and water. 4. Pressure cook on high for 3 hours, then cancel and immediately start a slow cook for 22 hours. 5. When done, place a fine mesh sieve or strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Carefully strain broth. 6. Discard the bones and bay leaves. 7. Distribute the broth between three mason jars, about 2 cups each. 8. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. 9. To heat, gently simmer stove top. Disclaimer: Sharing what worked for me personally. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your own care. #recipe #bonebroth #HS #hidradenitissuppurativa #inflammation

I thought these were harmless… until I realized they were keeping my HS flaring 👇 1. Skipping meals then binging - my blood sugar would swing, and my skin would pay for it. 2. Eating too many processed or fried foods - constant inflammation, constant flares. 3. Snacking on sugar or refined carbs all day - every sweet treat seemed to trigger a flare. 4. Not eating enough fiber or veggies - my gut health suffered, and so did my skin. 5. Drinking too much alcohol or caffeine - it messed with my hormones and flares came back stronger. HS isn’t about being perfect. It’s about learning what keeps your body calmer 💜 Disclaimer: Sharing what worked for me personally. Always talk to your healthcare provider about your own care. #hidradenitissuppurativa #hsflare #hsnutrition #foodtriggers #chronicinflammation

One of the hardest parts of HS is realizing there’s no single product that works for everyone 👎 What helped me came down to gentle support, reducing irritation, managing pain, and giving my skin a chance to calm instead of constantly fighting it. Topicals were never about “fixing” HS for me, they were about making flare days more manageable and less overwhelming while I worked on the bigger picture. If you’re still experimenting and figuring out what your skin tolerates, you’re not behind. You’re learning your body. And honestly, some of the best tips I’ve learned have come from this community, so if something has helped you, share it below. We all benefit from comparing notes 💜 #hidradenitissuppurativa #hscommunity #hsflare #hsmanagement #chronicillnesssupport #skinbarrier #inflammation #hsawareness

If you think HS is just ‘another skin condition’ that can be fixed by better hygiene, you’ve been misinformed, and I’ll explain why! I thought if I just scrubbed harder, showered more, changed products, maybe the boil-like abscesses, scars, and pain would stop. But they didn’t.. Because hygiene was never the problem. The fact is, HS is a chronic inflammatory condition. It’s connected to hormones, blood sugar, stress, and gut health. It’s not your fault, and it’s not because you’re dirty. Here are 5 things I wish someone had told me sooner: 1️⃣ HS isn’t caused by poor hygiene; it’s inflammation. 2️⃣ It often goes undiagnosed for years, leaving people isolated and confused. 3️⃣ Nutrition and lifestyle won’t “cure” HS, but can dramatically reduce flare frequency and it doesn’t mean you cant enjoy your life. 4️⃣ Stress is fuel for inflammation, and managing it matters. 5️⃣ Finding a supportive community changes everything. And because knowledge really is power, I put everything I’ve learned, from managing triggers to restoring gut health and calming inflammation, into my brand new ebook. Free guide in bio! 🔗 #hidradenitissuppurativa #guthealth #chronicillness #healingjourney #HS

People ask me all the time, “How did you get into remission?” They’re usually looking for a single answer. A food. A supplement. A surgery. A medication. But remission — for me — came down to one principle: Lowering my overall inflammatory load. HS isn’t just a skin condition. It’s systemic. And your skin is often the last place inflammation shows up. Your body whispers first: Fatigue. Joint pain. Digestive changes. Mood shifts. Poor sleep. When I kept my baseline inflammation high, even small triggers pushed me into flare. When I lowered it enough, I created margin. For 7–9 years, I did that through strict nutrition. Avoiding triggers completely. Stabilizing blood sugar. Living very intentionally. In the last two years, adding a GLP-1 lowered that baseline even further. It gave me more flexibility. More stability. More room for life. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about threshold management. Remission doesn’t mean I never encounter stress, hormones, weather shifts, or unexpected triggers. It means those things don’t push me over the edge anymore. That’s the shift. Not one tool. Not one ideology. But using every lever available to keep inflammation low enough to live. #hidradenitissuppurativa

I always wished I could just find the one thing… I’d be cured. But HS doesn’t work like that. HS is a chronic inflammatory condition. It’s complex, it’s layered, and it’s different for everyone. There isn’t one single cause, and there isn’t a cure, but management is possible. For most of us, it’s a mix of immune over-activation, inflammation, hormones, friction, stress, blood sugar patterns, and personal triggers stacking over time. And that’s why healing often looks less like a quick fix… and more like learning your body, reducing inflammation, and building a routine that keeps things calmer long-term. If you have HS, you’re not failing because you haven’t “fixed” it. You’re managing a real condition that deserves real support. #hidradenitissuppurativa #hsawareness #hscommunity #chronicinflammation #hsflare

Replying to @Patja when it comes to a healthy diet, it’s a lifelong commitment to balance, honesty, and pivoting when needed. It’s also the best investment you will ever make. Not just for HS but for everything.

After PT for a frozen shoulder and later IT band syndrome, I knew I had to change the way I train. Living with an auto-inflammatory disease means it’s *so* easy to get injured. I can’t just push through anymore — I have to move smarter. I started with free mobility videos on YouTube. When I found a creator whose approach really clicked, I invested in their course. Best decision. Now I do 15–20 minutes of mobility every day, get my 10K steps in, and focus on staying pain-free instead of chasing PRs. This is what fitness with chronic illness at 40 looks like: consistent, intentional, and built for longevity. #chronicillness #mobility #fitnessjourney

For a long time, I thought hidradenitis suppurativa only mattered when something showed up on my skin 😅 But my body was sending signals long before that, I just didn’t know they were connected to HS. So many people live with HS symptoms they minimize, explain away, or blame on stress or burnout. It’s not being dramatic. It’s not weakness. And it’s not “all in your head.” HS is a chronic inflammatory condition, not just a skin issue. Understanding that changed everything for me, especially how I approached support and care. If this resonated, you’re not alone. And there are ways to understand your body better, one step at a time 💜 #hidradenitissuppurativa #hssymptoms #chronicinflammation #autoimmunedisease #chronicillnesssupport