Today is a great day because I realized that I've almost nearly forgotten that I have Hidradenitis Suppurativa! I haven't thought about it in months, it only crossed my mind because I signed up for personal training sessions at my gym and I thought about it when they asked me if there is any medical conditions they should know about.
Since my last mentioned outbreak on January, I haven't had a single flare up of HS. I've been back on my Seasonique since February and have had 1 more laser hair removal session because there was still a spot where hair was growing. My skin is even looking better where the scars are. I now consider myself in remission, 6 months without any flare ups.
Now to recap what I've done to get to this point. I've gotten laser hair removal on my pubic area and on my butt. I wash with allergen friendly mild detergents that don't have perfumes in them and I wash my body with castile or other natural soaps. I take Seasonique, a birth control that supresses your periods so that you only have 4 per year (this has been awesome!). Through the whole laser hair removal process I inspected my skin frequently, because of my scars my hair would get stuck under my skin where my skin dipped in from the scar. Around the hair there would be a core of hard substance. If I noticed a hair stuck, I would gently squeeze it until the core and the hair pushed up some. I would then take a pair of tweezers and pull the hair and core out. Sounds gross I know, but if I left them there I would eventually get another HS nodule where the hair was stuck. I still check every now and then. I do still shave every week or so to get the random few hairs that still grow.
One of the other things I've been doing the past two months is eating healthier, cutting out a lot of the soda, and trying to drink more water. I did also quit smoking almost 3 years ago, but didn't notice a change with my HS when I did.
I am now happier with life for many reasons, but this is one of them. I no longer fear going to the gym, which I do a lot more of now, about 3 or 4 times a week. I no longer fear going hiking or camping in the summer. I don't fear doing yardwork anymore, in fact I actually enjoy it and look forward to it, it gives me an inner calmness, weird I know. I no longer fear being outside, and that's saying a lot when you live in Phoenix, Arizona.
I've also picked up doing Yoga, I love how it makes me feel. I'm not so much doing it for the "inner peace" I'm doing it for the exercise, I'm enjoying the balance, flexibility, and muscle strength it's been giving me. I'm even doing belly dancing now! I love the exercise of this too, it's really been working my ab muscles and increasing the flexibility there too. The performing aspect of it has helped me become more comfortable with myself and helped me get over some of the insecurities that I feel around people I don't know.
Here are two pictures of my skin now, the redness on them is from bad lighting...not my skin.
Since my last mentioned outbreak on January, I haven't had a single flare up of HS. I've been back on my Seasonique since February and have had 1 more laser hair removal session because there was still a spot where hair was growing. My skin is even looking better where the scars are. I now consider myself in remission, 6 months without any flare ups.
Now to recap what I've done to get to this point. I've gotten laser hair removal on my pubic area and on my butt. I wash with allergen friendly mild detergents that don't have perfumes in them and I wash my body with castile or other natural soaps. I take Seasonique, a birth control that supresses your periods so that you only have 4 per year (this has been awesome!). Through the whole laser hair removal process I inspected my skin frequently, because of my scars my hair would get stuck under my skin where my skin dipped in from the scar. Around the hair there would be a core of hard substance. If I noticed a hair stuck, I would gently squeeze it until the core and the hair pushed up some. I would then take a pair of tweezers and pull the hair and core out. Sounds gross I know, but if I left them there I would eventually get another HS nodule where the hair was stuck. I still check every now and then. I do still shave every week or so to get the random few hairs that still grow.
One of the other things I've been doing the past two months is eating healthier, cutting out a lot of the soda, and trying to drink more water. I did also quit smoking almost 3 years ago, but didn't notice a change with my HS when I did.
I am now happier with life for many reasons, but this is one of them. I no longer fear going to the gym, which I do a lot more of now, about 3 or 4 times a week. I no longer fear going hiking or camping in the summer. I don't fear doing yardwork anymore, in fact I actually enjoy it and look forward to it, it gives me an inner calmness, weird I know. I no longer fear being outside, and that's saying a lot when you live in Phoenix, Arizona.
I've also picked up doing Yoga, I love how it makes me feel. I'm not so much doing it for the "inner peace" I'm doing it for the exercise, I'm enjoying the balance, flexibility, and muscle strength it's been giving me. I'm even doing belly dancing now! I love the exercise of this too, it's really been working my ab muscles and increasing the flexibility there too. The performing aspect of it has helped me become more comfortable with myself and helped me get over some of the insecurities that I feel around people I don't know.
Here are two pictures of my skin now, the redness on them is from bad lighting...not my skin.
And here is one of me belly dancing...
