There is an association betweenCrohn’s diseaseand HS, but HS does not lead to Crohn’s disease.
It also explains how doctors determine what to prescribe.
Symptoms can vary widely, and not everyone experiences the disease in the same way.
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Doctors make decisions about which treatments to try based on the Hurley staging system.
Equally important is adopting habits or making certain changes that lower the risk of flareups.
This applies regardless of the severity of your case.
Bleach baths can sting or burn your skin.
They can also dry it out.
Before you take a bleach bath, however, ask your doctor for guidance.
They can guide you on best practices for you.
Also note that if you have asthma, you may be told to avoid trying this remedy.
Inhaling bleach fumes may trigger an attack.
Dietary Changes
Certain foods have been found to worsen HS symptoms.
If you smoke, you may have fewer flare-ups and less severe symptoms.
Kicking the habit also may help your medications work better.
Your doctor can help you find the best approach for you.
Beingobeseor overweight also places extra stress on the body as a whole, which increases the risk of inflammation.
Weight loss can help improve HS in the long term.
Research has shown that dropping 15% of your total body weight is enough to improve symptoms.
Besides cutting calories, regular exercise can play an important role in shedding weight.
If you have HS, though, chafing and sweat can make it hard to work out.
Maintaining a healthy weight can also help reduce symptoms.
Some pain medications can be applied directly to affected areas of skin.
*Aspirin should never be given to children due to a risk of Reye’s syndrome.
Antibiotics
Both oral and topical antibiotics may be prescribed to destroy bacteria that can cause infections.
Oral antibiotics for treating hidradenitis suppurativa includeoral tetracyclines, which most often are prescribed for mild to moderate cases.
Topical Resorcinol
Resorcinolis what’s known as a keratolytic medication.
It’s most effective for mild cases.
Corticosteroids
Two types of corticosteroids may be used to treat hidradenitis suppurativa.
Steroids are never used to treat hidradenitis suppurativa on a long-term, on-going basis, however.
Whether taken by mouth or injected, these medications have a number of serious side effects.
Biologics
Biologicsare medications produced from living cells.
They work by stopping the immune system from producing inflammation.
Biologics are highly effective for treating moderate to severe HS.
Most healthcare providers reserve these drugs for cases that are not improving with other treatments.
Cosentyx is an intravenous (IV) infusion that is typically given every 4 weeks.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are particularly prone to HS.
Hormonal therapies often are effective in these cases.
For adults of all sexes and children with hidradenitis suppurativa, a hormonal medication calledfinasteridemay help.
Pregnant women should not take finasteride as it has been linked to birth defects.
They can help reduce inflammation and minimize flares even after the medication is stopped.
Warning
Oral retinoids can cause life-threatening birth defects.
Regular pregnancy checks are also required.
There are a number of ways this can be done.
The goal of each is to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible.
Those procedures are:
It takes an average of three laser treatments before there are noticeable improvements in skin.
They’ll begin by using a local anesthetic to numb the affected area.
The area will be allowed to heal.
Although the treatment leaves a scar, lesions rarely come back.
This is often done when a person goes to the hospital for emergency treatment for pain.
In most cases, HS boils that are drained do come back.
This procedure is done in the hospital undergeneral anesthesia.
This is known as askin graft.
Removed boils are unlikely to return.
However, thesurgery can leave scarsand, as with any surgery, wounds can become infected.
It also helps wounds heal.
Vitamin D
Like zinc,vitamin Dhelps support the immune system.
Research has found a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and the onset of and severity of hidradenitis suppurativa.
Doses were tailored to each individual based on their blood levels of the vitamin.
you’re free to also get vitamin D through your diet.
Summary
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic skin condition that causes painful and unsightly boils.
There’s no cure for the condition, but there are many effective ways to treat it.
In severe cases, a doctor can remove HS lesions using laser therapy or simple surgical procedures.
You should also consider getting a second opinion.
HS is achronic condition.
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