Is it contagious?

No

Is it a rare disease?

No. A rare disease is has a prevelance of approximately 1 in 2000. It is estimated that around 1% of the population suffers from HS, though it may be more due to many cases being misdiagnosed, and patients not comming forward due to embarrassment.

Is this an STD/STI?

No

Is it an infection that I picked up whilst in hospital?

No

Have I inherited the disease, and will my children develop it?

Possibly, approximately 1/3 of cases have a family history of HS

Is HS caused by being obese/overweight?

No, is it not caused by being overweight, however sweaty skin folds can aggravate the illness

Does smoking cause or aggravate HS?

HS is not caused by smoking, however smoking does indeed affect the skin and could therefore aggravate the HS. Some HS sufferers have never smoked

Is HS caused by poor hygiene?

No

Can you develop HS through blood transfusion?

No

Can I still donate blood?

Yes

Can I still go swimming?

If severe leakage is present, it may be best to avoid public swimming pools

What are the methods of diagnosis?

Diagnosis is made by examination and investigation. As infection is not the cause, there is no specific bacteria to look for. Certain questions would need to be answered, such as family history, frequency of recurrent lesions, location of lesions, etc.

Swabs or biopsy may be used, and although they normally appear clear, it is neccessary to eliminate other diseases or causes, and although HS itself is not an infection, secondary infections may occur due to open wounds and lesions being prevalent.

How can it be treated?

Unfortunately there is no cure, but ongoing treatment is possible to help control any flaring lesions. A variety of medication is available, however there is no specific treatment for everyone, so trial and error is the way to go.

Is HS Known by any other name?

Yes. HS has called many names over the years, all of which are medically correct. These are listed below:

How can it affect my life?

HS can affect your life in many ways, from just having to wear dressings, right up to hampering your ability to work. Due to the areas that it can affect, the ability to lift or walk could be an issue, making everyday tasks such as shopping or driving quite difficult. Of course everyones HS will be different, meaning everyone will be affected differently.

Is HS disabling?

Yes, HS can be disabling

Is there anything I can do to ease my HS?

The following may help to relieve some of the symptoms:

Apply a hot cloth to aid help onset of draining.
Gently wash the affected areas with antibacterial soap.
Wear loose fitting cotton clothing and underwear to prevent skin irritation.
Avoid shaving the affected areas to prevent skin irritation.
Avoid all perfume and deodorants on affected areas.