The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Katrina (Usa) on 11/20/2014
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Hey everyone.
I am a 21 yr old who has been suffering from HS since I was 14. For the past five months, I have been trying to buy as much organic, non-additive, and non-preservative foods as I can afford. Although I haven't been able to cut all processed foods out of my diet, I have noticed a change in the frequency and degree of flare-ups. I also have been using Tend Skin liquid topically after I shower and I really think it helps. It is intended for prevention of razor burn after shaving but seems to work against HS flare-ups as well. I definitely recommend trying it.
Since I began reading this post, I have now decided to cut dairy out of my diet and begin taking turmeric pills. I shall see how this works out for me. Hoping I don't have to cut gluten out of my diet!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Tove (Seattle, WA) on 10/20/2014
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Hi everyone,
I am also suffering from HS. It runs in my family, and some of my siblings also have it. I have been on the paleo diet for about two years now, and it has helped me enormously with this problem. I haven't had any breakout for about a year and a half now, and my acne has decreased a lot! I started eating regular white potato about two weeks ago (because I need more calories), and now I have a huge irritated boil... I wonder if I'm sensitive to potato.
Anyway, I really recommend everyone to try Paleo diet! That means, dump all dairy products, grains, additives, sugar, cooking oils and processed foods. Also avoid chemicals such as pesticides and additives (choose organic). The foods I mentioned are inflammatory and makes your body prone to things like HS. Instead, eat clean whole foods like veggies(above ground), meat, fish, nuts and seeds. I also recommend drinking applecider vinegar, lemon water and eating fermented foods. These foods removes bad acidity from the body.
Do this, you will not regret it!
/Tove
Dietary Changes
Posted by Bee (Florida) on 01/29/2018
This disease is known to be irritated by nightshade vegetables. That's why you had a reaction to the potato. Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, chayote, paprika and other reddish spices.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Joy-ca (California) on 08/24/2014
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I suffered from mild HS every month just before my cycle. I say mild because never any open lesions but always a couple large painful swellings. Imagine my delight when I gave up gluten (for other reasons) and found that my HS diminished dramatically.
Since that discovery two years ago, I have been eating modified Paleo and grateful for the many health benefits, including not worrying about painful HS swellings each month. The only other thing I had previously tried was a supplement that worked for my HS but unfortunately gave me a rash of tiny bumps on my forehead.
Just recently received a gift of fresh heirloom tomatoes from a friend's garden. Have eaten those for years with abandon but this time had the worst HS experience of my life, textbook photos of lesions, etc. just horrendous so I guess I can safely say this nightshade has been crossed off my list.
Dietary Changes
Posted by George (Los Angeles) on 03/13/2017
Hello, I spoke to sever HS sufferers, and they all told me that they have pets. Would you think pets have anything to do with this. I have googled this online and humans can get certain bacteria from their pets. Any theory to this?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ace (Vancouver, Bc, Canada) on 11/24/2011
I had really bad HS for 3-4 yrs... I just recently obtained a food allergy test, and found out that I am allergic to dairy...
Now that I have figured this out, my HS is virtually almost all gone, and the only time I get it is if I eat something with dairy in it (ex- mashed potatos have a bit of milk in it, etc.)...
I recommend everyone with HS go to a NATUROPATH, and GET A FOOD ALLERGY TEST!!!
A lot of people with HS have food sensitivities!!!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ace (Vancouver, Bc) on 05/17/2012
read attached link as to how certain foods can cause boils:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/448495-can-certain-foods-cause-boils/
FIGURE OUT YOUR FOOD TOLERANCE AND EAT ACCORDINGLY - SOME FOODS YOU CAN TOLERATE, SOME YOU CAN'T - EVERY1 IS DIFFERENT - YOU HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF
I EAT DAIRY --> I IMMEDIATELY GET A BOIL - ITS VERY OBVIOUS CAUSE AND EFFECT - MONITOR YOUR BODY AFTER EATING
Dietary Changes
Posted by Tom (Arlington, Tx, Usa) on 11/03/2011
Hi Dave, just read about you situation. I would advise putting coconut oil into your daily routine and note any changes good or bad, at least 3 tbls per day is recomended. I know you will get relief for this problem and some other benefits as well.
best of luck, tom
Dietary Changes
Posted by Tom (Arlington, Tx, Usa) on 11/03/2011
Hi Karien, don't envy your position. I would recomend you add coconut oil to your diet, it will do wonders for you, not matter what ails you. 3 tablespoons per day is the avgerage daily dose.
You may detox from it in the beginning but stick with, I know it will give well deserved relief. Let me know.
BOL, tom
Dietary Changes
Posted by Dean (Melbourne, Australia) on 04/17/2011
hi susan, I was just wondering how you have got on with your diet and hs on a longer term? did the hs come back?
I am trying a similar route to yourself and have been visiting a naturapath to boost my immune system. I am currently taking antibiotics, and plan to come off these within the next month (though im not convince that the hs wont come back).
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ace (Vancouver, Bc) on 01/31/2012
Get a
food allergy test - a lot of ppl with HS have food sensitivities, ex- natural digestive issues!!
Go to a naturopath and get a food allergy TEST!!! It might be the best investment of your life - it was for me!!!
After struggling with HS for 3-4 yrs - I am finally starting to now live a normal life since I found out that I am allergic to dairy!!
Ppl with HS have weak immune systems & digestive issues, and there really is a way to greatly control it, and almost cure it!!!
Never take anti biotics - handle this naturally - it is a natural issue, and dermatologists are not much help in this matter!
Dietary Changes
Posted by K (Columbus, Ohio) on 04/18/2013
Suzan- Columbus, ohio can you please contact me! I'm 22 & also live in Columbus and have been struggling with this for about 7 years and would really like to talk to you more!! K_nuzzi [at] hotmail (dot) com.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Jeanne (Houston, Texas) on 10/12/2009
I am trying to get the word out to people with HS to try a gluten free diet. Some people might also have to give up dairy. I have several threads with information and people that have success with their HS that try the gluten free diet. Please feel free to email me. Here are the links to the information that I have gathered.
http://www.skincell.org/community/index.php/topic,24751.0.html
Please help me get this information to the people that need it! thank you
Dietary Changes
Posted by Neecee (Los Angeles, Ca) on 02/06/2010
I have been suffering from HS for 31 years, since I was 8 years old. I have always had a healthy body weight. I have experimented with food throughout my life, but never in an attempt to control my HS. I have been a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, a vegan, a raw-foodist, a fruitarian, and currently have a mainly lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet but I also eat seafood now. Currently I'm on the least restrictive diet I've had in the last 23 years. Thanks to you and your links and a KNOWING there are dietary triggers to this disease, I feel the burden of taking on yet another restrictive diet.
But anything is better than the constant fixation of trying to cure myself.
I did experience changes in the disease during my dietary explorations but it's hard to measure since the disease seems to get progressively worse with age and time. What used to be a single eruption at a time is now a multitude. Tobacco use definitely exacerbates the problem.
The reason I'm writing this is because I don't know where to start. Okay, I can google Gluten Free diet. That's not so tough. But what about the night-shade foods. I have definitely noticed spinach is a big no-no for me. I don't know how to do this scientifically. It seems nearly EVERYTHING needs to be analyzed. All foods with caffeine, potatoes, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, citrus, alcohol and now gluten. I often shop in international grocery stores, such as Chinese markets, how will I know the effects of these foods? They don't even have English names and if they do, nothing but the most basic stuff is listed on the internet. And after all of this stress, I can't even drink a glass of wine? WTF. How do I conduct this dietary experiment in a scientific way?
Dietary Changes
Posted by Suezenny (Columbus, Ohio) on 10/01/2010
I highly recommend searching out a good naturopath in your area. If you are needing to fine-tune your diet, they may be able to find out some little details about you that may shout out an allergy. Plus, some of them can look at the bloodwork your regular doctor has dismissed as "normal" to see subtle signs leaning one way or the other. Hope this helps and good luck!
Dietary Changes
Posted by Kim (Columbus OH) on 11/19/2021
Susan @ Columbus. I would like to know which doctor in Columbus that you saw? You post is so long ago and I am desperate to find some help for my son. We avoided nightshades but his boils are still hard and big. He's living with this through his high schools years. Please answer this post. I hope you're still active on this website.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Tony (Sydney, AU) on 05/14/2009
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I have just stumbled across this site and am so happy to read all these cures i have yet to try, but for these 4 years i have realized that some things that i eat also affect the site that i got on my neck, for instance deep fried products, white flour products and anything that has hydrogenated oils and sometimes some red meat that i have eaten and many others that i do not realize. I found that cutting these foods out of my diet has greatly decreased the severity of HS but will not cure. But now hopefully i can try some of these remedies that might work and hope that they will work for everyone because none of us need to have these red spots on us.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ace (Vancouver, Bc) on 09/14/2011
Foods reported that cause a reaction or flare of Hidradenitis lesions included: Cow dairy products, Chocolate, Fried Foods that are fried in hydrogenated oil such as fast foods, Pork, Red Meats, Smoked Meats, Salty Foods, White flour breads and products, Refined Sugar and products containing refined sugars such as, cakes, candies (chocolate), and pies. Some reactions reported to tropical fruits. Alcohol, coffee and other drinks containing caffeine have also been reported as causing major flares in (HS). There have been some reports of known sensitivities to gluten.
Cut all of the above out of your life --> and you are likely to get much much better... if you are willing to make the lifestyle changes, you can really increase your quality of life (like I have)... Best to Eat -
Salads, Vegetables, Fresh Vegetable Juices, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Nuts, Legumes, Fish, Poultry (ex- Chicken, Turkey)
Drink plenty of purified water and herbal tea
Dietary changes are KEY
Read below report - there is a natural way to greatly reduce or eliminate HS!
http://www.truenaturalweightloss.com/HSResearchReport.html
Dietary Changes
Posted by Ace (Vancouver, V5e 2x4) on 11/09/2011
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As a follow-up to my previous msg - I had really bad HS (very ugly) all over my groin, buttocks, and chest. It has almost completely healed.
I would recommend to everyone with HS - go to a naturopath and get a food allergy test. I found out I was allergic to dairy, and have been avoiding dairy, and eating healthy in general, and from a horrible situation, I am actually getting close to living a normal life, thank God... There is a natural way to fight off HS, to make it a minor issue in your life (rather than it taking over your life)...
Dietary Changes
Posted by Sarah Simpson (Brighton, UK) on 11/04/2008
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Giving up coffee gave me back some control of the size of my sores.
I have suffered with HS for a long time and had to have an operation on my armpit 8 years ago but was not actually diagnosed until much later. Once I knew what I was dealing with I started to use tea tree oil and echinacea. But to be honest, particularly when I was stressed, the painful sores would still emerge. Finally a dear friend read on the net that coffee can have a massive effect on sufferers. So I gave up coffee (was on 3 or 4 large expresso's a day). And it worked. I'd occasionally get the odd little murmur of an outbreak but was able to control it with a dab or Tea Tree and up until this weekend, I'd been clear of any real offending sores.
Unfortunately I realise that I've been gradually reintroducing coffee into my diet over the last year (hubby got a coffee machine for Christmas) and I am now suffering for it. Safe to say, I'm off coffee again and will try the Turmeric and the other suggestions to deal with my current and extremely uncomfortable sore. I've also changed my deodorant and now use crystal spray which has been great. What a wonderful site. Thank you all for sharing and making me feel less of an outsider.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Linda (Glendale, CA) on 11/14/2008
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I was advised by my acupuncturist last year, after having been diagnosed with hidradentis suppurtiva (basically means recurring boils in areas around hair follicles and sweat glands...all the fun spots)to eliminate caffeine. I did, and for the past year, I have had no boils. Recently, I started drinking caffeine in small quantities and now have a new boil. Nothing else in my diet changed, so the connection is pretty clear.
No more caffeine for me.
I am trying the tumeric remedy now for the current boil as I detox from caffeine again.
Also, laser hair removal in areas like the armpits has been advised, the theory being eliminate the hair follicle, reduce the likelihood of a boil from an ingrown hair. I will be trying this.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Joanne (Newcastle, England) on 05/10/2009
Hi ive recently been diagnosed with HS after 20 yrs of symptoms. I have had a recent flare up in my arpit area and my buttocks which I can only remember 2 occasions of this happening. I have been drinking a lot of coke lately and wonder if this is a trigger of my HS. I am currently using evening primrase oil which is an anti-inflammatory and have started using tumeric powder, which has good anti-bacterial properties, as does garlic. i have only had the tumeric once as i thought it tasted vile, but im sure i will become a fan of it as it seams to be very benificial to HS sufferers. good luck.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Taj (Coppell, Texas) on 04/24/2011
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I definitely agree that caffeine is a big factor in HS. I am in the process of getting Laser Hair Removal. I have done 4 treatments and I am very happy with the results. I did have one issue when one of the hairs grew back under a keloid scar from a previous HS flare up, but after the swelling and inflammation went down, the hair was able to come out and I have had no problems since. At first, my dermatologist didn't believe the LHR would help my condition, but he has since found a recent study that supports my research and treatment. Also, for those of you who would like to save money on this procedure (as this is not for cosmetic purposes), look into going to a Plastic Surgeon that specializes in Lasers instead of going to a commercial business because your insurance might cover it that way. Mine did! =)
