Hidradenitis Suppurativa - WARNING!! Highly graphic photos

I would like to apologize to anyone who is offended by the photos posted, however, I do not believe in sugar coating the truth.

To fellow warriors, please also be warned even as someone with HS myself these photos are shocking!

As if Hidradenitis Suppurativa wasn't bad enough, god thought he would test us some more by creating stages of this disease. In this post, I will try to the best of my ability to describe the stages of this disease. As I only have stage 2 I will have to consult the internet. If I do make any mistakes please feel free to contact me and I will rectify them. 

With HS abscesses can affect any place of a persons body, however, the most commonly affected areas are

• the groin
• Under arm
• Underneath breasts
• Anus
• Bum
• Inner thigh

I myself have experienced the breasts, inner thigh, under the breast the lower thigh, the underarm, the back, the groin and the sides of my abdomen. 

As far as I know there are three documented stages, each for severe as the last. It is hard to limit the criteria of each stage as unfortunately there is very limited research on this disease. A truth that I find very disgusting, but that conversation is for a different day!

Reading what limited medical research there is states that although there are some treatments for HS (at this time) anything offered is aimed at slowing down the progression of disease but ultimately, it is fair to say that all warriors will one day end up at stage 3. Hopefully a cure, or at least an effective treatment will become available in the near future to stop this.  

Stage one 

(on average)

Stage one abscess- taken from google images

It starts with a lump under the skin that is painful to the touch, it may last a couple of days or up to a couple of weeks in that state. eventually, the lump will form into an abscess and open onto the surface of the skin. Hopefully, when it protrudes to the surface it will be draining. unfortunately, this may not always be the case, in that situation the abscess will become extremely painful, leaving the person in constant pain and eventually the inability to use that part of the body. Most commonly the underarm, which will lead to the abscess needing to be drained manually by a doctor/nurse and to be given their first in a long line of antibiotics.  Although the abscess is drained for those of us who know, that dos not automatically mean that the problem is gone it is more of a bandaid. A diagnosis of HS is very rare at this stage but people are more commonly submitted for a blood test for Diabetes. 

Stage two 

stage two is medically reached with the recurrence of abscesses at the same time, the appearance of new abscesses in the same area or the merging of existing abscesses. This is also unfortunately where the pain also increases. With the joining of abscesses, the affected area becomes a lot bigger, from personal experience one of the most painful flare ups I had was 5 inches long. it was on what I call my bingo wing. It became so full that it stretched my skin and was so noticeable I didn't leave the house. At this stage, a foul odour normally rears its ugly head, yet again adding to the horror. 

Stage two - Google images

Again very rare that a diagnosis will take place at this time.

Stage three 

Finally at the last stage - that I know of I was sure there was a stage four but all research says there isn't but then yet again who can trust the research- it is finally easier for the doctors to recognize

Stage 3 - google images

at this stage chronic inflammation and unbearable pain become common accompanied by obvious scarring. In the loser areas of skin- under arms as an example- 'bridged scarring' will occur. This is thick, rope-like bands of scars, in severe cases this scarring may reduce the mobility of a limb or produce a lymphatic obstruction that results in swelling. 

I would just like to say again that some of this information has come from sites online, however the majority of it up until stage three has been from my own experience. I will be posting in the next few weeks detailed posts dedicated to one stage per post. hopefully including a lot more information.

Thanks for listening

XOXO