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My Story, 7 Years Later: Remission
Seven years after starting the AIP protocol, I share how I am doing today: remission, food reintroductions, occasional exceptions, and what living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa has taught me.
Remission journal
Everything I know about HS.
Every article comes from what I have lived through and studied. I share my personal experience for what it is, alongside information and its sources. I am not a doctor, and this is not a cure. Choose the path that feels most useful to you right now.
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Understanding HS
Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa Contagious? An Honest Answer
No, hidradenitis suppurativa is not contagious: not through touch, sex, towels or pools. Why bacteria show up anyway, why HS runs in families, what to say.
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Diet & Supplements
Foods to Avoid With Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Evidence and My Experience
Sweets, dairy, refined carbs and brewer's yeast are the foods most often linked to HS flares. What the evidence really shows, and how I tested my own triggers.
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Understanding HS
Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa a Disability? A Guide for Work and Benefits
HS can count as a disability under the ADA and for Social Security benefits. What US law says about work accommodations, FMLA leave and SSDI, from a patient.
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Understanding HS
Laser Hair Removal for Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Does It Help?
What randomized trials and guidelines say about laser hair removal for HS, and what more than a year of Nd:YAG sessions was really like for me.
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Understanding HS
Does Antibacterial Soap Help Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
No soap treats HS, but guidelines name three washes: chlorhexidine (Hibiclens), benzoyl peroxide and zinc pyrithione. What the evidence says, how to use them.
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Understanding HS
Does Hidradenitis Suppurativa Smell? An Honest Answer
Yes, HS can smell during flares. Draining lesions and anaerobic bacteria cause the odor, not poor hygiene. What helps, and what I did in my worst years.
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Understanding HS
Dating With Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Guide for Both Sides
Disclosure, sex and what partners of people with HS should know. What research says about dating with hidradenitis suppurativa, and what helped me.
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Understanding HS
Best Bandages for Hidradenitis Suppurativa: What Works in Real Life
Abdominal pads, gauze and panty liners top what dermatologists recommend for draining HS. Adhesive-free options for skin folds, and how to stop leaks at work.
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Understanding HS
Can Hidradenitis Suppurativa Go Into Remission?
There is no cure for HS, but remission is real: a 10 year community study found 63.6 percent reached it. What shifts the odds, and my seven years in it.
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Understanding HS
Acne Inversa: Is It the Same as Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Acne inversa and hidradenitis suppurativa are two names for the same disease. Where both names come from, how it presents, and which complications to know.
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Understanding HS
Why Won't My Hidradenitis Suppurativa Lump Drain?
Deep HS nodules can sit under the skin for weeks without a head. Why it happens, when it needs a doctor, why not to squeeze it, and what a dermatologist can do.
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Understanding HS
What Is the Best Deodorant for Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Deodorant does not cause HS. In a 2023 survey solid sticks irritated most and sprays rated best. How to choose one, and why fragrance-free beats natural.
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Diet & Supplements
Does the Mediterranean Diet Help Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Does a Mediterranean-style diet help HS? The real evidence, and why my own AIP-style elimination approach went further than the Mediterranean pattern.
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Understanding HS
Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa with a Holistic Approach
What does a holistic approach to Hidradenitis Suppurativa really mean? What helped me personally, and where can you start without false promises?
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Understanding HS
Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Stress
Does your HS tend to flare during stressful periods? Explore how stress, cortisol, aldosterone, and insulin may interact with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
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Understanding HS
How Insulin and Sugar Affect Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Learn how insulin and sugar may affect Hidradenitis Suppurativa and why understanding the underlying mechanisms can help us make more informed choices
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Understanding HS
Hidradenitis Suppurativa and the Menstrual Cycle
Does your Hidradenitis Suppurativa seem to flare around your period? Learn how hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle may affect HS symptoms.
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Understanding HS
COVID-19 and Hidradenitis Suppurativa
What should people with Hidradenitis Suppurativa know about COVID-19? Here are the key points about HS treatments, biologics, and precautions.
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Understanding HS
Histamine
Histamine and itching: which foods are highest in histamine, how histamine intolerance works, and how it may affect HS symptoms.
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Diet & Supplements
Vitamin D
Explore vitamin D deficiency in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, safe supplementation, immune function, and the risks of the high-dose Coimbra protocol.
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Diet & Supplements
Hidradenitis Suppurativa and Supplements
Explore how supplements may support people living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa when combined with a balanced diet and guidance from a healthcare professional.
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Diet & Supplements
AIP Protocol: The Reintroduction Phase
How to reintroduce foods after the elimination phase of the AIP protocol, track possible reactions, and assess your individual tolerance.
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Understanding HS
Hurley Stages
What are the Hurley stages? Learn how the three levels of Hidradenitis Suppurativa are classified, from recurrent armpit lesions to interconnected tunnels.
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Understanding HS
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Symptoms and Stages
Learn about common Hidradenitis Suppurativa symptoms and Hurley stages, including how HS can affect the armpits, groin, and other areas, from a patient's perspective.
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Understanding HS
What Is Leaky Gut?
What is leaky gut syndrome, and which symptoms are associated with it? We look at intestinal permeability and its possible connection with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
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Understanding HS
What Is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Cysts and bumps under your arms or in the groin that keep coming back? It could be Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Here is what it is, how it appears, and what I have learned as a patient.
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Diet & Supplements
AIP Protocol: The Elimination Phase
How I started the AIP diet (Autoimmune Protocol): which foods I eliminated, for how long, and a practical example from my experience with HS.
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Diet & Supplements
Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa with the AIP Protocol
A personal look at the AIP protocol for Hidradenitis Suppurativa: what the Autoimmune Paleo diet is, why I tried it, and how it became part of my remission journey.
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My HS Story
My Journey Toward Hidradenitis Suppurativa Remission (?)
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: how I began changing my diet in the hope of moving this difficult condition toward remission
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Understanding HS
How I Manage Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Is there a definitive cure for HS affecting the armpits and groin? After months of research, I found a dietary protocol that became a potential turning point for me. Here's what happened.
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My HS Story
My Hidradenitis Suppurativa Story
My Hidradenitis Suppurativa story: how I realized my life was about to change, my diagnosis, my first steps, and my early attempts to manage HS
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My HS Story
I Am One of Many People Living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Looking for a Hidradenitis Suppurativa or acne inversa forum and community? Read my story, explore the blog, and connect with other people living with HS.