Finding a hidradenitis suppurativa treatment that works can be frustrating and difficult, especially with certain symptoms like intense pain. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) pain can severely impact your day to day quality of life — I speak from experience here! When I first discovered a swollen, painful lump in my armpit, I panicked, and immediately worried about getting checked for breast cancer. Fortunately, the lump wasn’t cancer – it was hidradenitis suppurativa. For me, laser hair removal was the key to stopping hidradenitis suppurativa symptoms in their tracks, but that’s not the case for everyone. Plus, laser hair removal isn’t always a permanent solution. Because I personally know how awful this skin condition can be, I want to share more on what causes hidradenitis suppurativa pain, how the immune system and inflammation play a role here, as well as sharing some hidradenitis suppurative home remedies and other conventional treatment options. Dr. Steven Daveluy is back to share more on HS! He is an associate professor and program director at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and holds special interests in teledermatology, noninvasive skin imaging, skin of color, integrative dermatology, and complex medical dermatology, including hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Dr. Daveluy serves on the board of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation. He serves on the editorial board for the JAAD and is building a growing body of publications of his own. Let’s dive into this really important topic! In This Episode: What causes hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) pain?Hidradeniis suppurativa tunnelsImmune response, cytokines + hidradenitis suppurativa symptomsNew research bacteria found in the fluid + pus from HS lesionsStages of HS (hidradenitis suppurativa)Can HS surgery help with pain?Is laser hair removal a permanent hidradenitis suppurativa treatment?Hidradenitis suppurativa home remediesHow to get help with pain management because of HSMedication options for hidradenitis suppurativa treatmentQuotes “Even where you don't have lesions, your skin microbiome is still different than someone who doesn't have HS, which then sort of talks to this picture of HS isn't just something in your hair follicles, it's something that affects your whole body. And things are different in your gut, in your skin, in the skin that doesn't even have HS lesions. Things are just really out of balance.” “...It's not to say that stage one can't be severely painful, but as a general trend, the more tissue damage you have, the more risk you have for the pain becoming more severe.” Links Find Dr. Daveluy on Instagram | Twitter HS Foundation website Healthy Skin Show ep. 103: Hidradenitis Suppurativa: The Tip That Stopped My Flares Healthy Skin Show ep. 232: How Yeast + Zinc Can Play A Role In Hidradenitis Suppurativa w/ Steve Daveluy, MD