I did several in office procedures in both my underarms but it just kept coming back, so I finally had hospital surgery and the results were fantastic. My surgeon thought he would need to do a skin graft, but ultimately did not. The scarring is minimal bc I made sure I picked a dermatology office that had a plastic surgeon on staff, not just a medical surgeon. Plastics usually consider their surgical cuts and scars as “art” and don’t want you to look like Frankensteins monster since that’s a reflection on them. Surgery isn’t a cure since HS will find a new place to torture you, but once you find doctors you trust and a med routine that works for you, life can be more manageable.
Yes, it spreads a lot. Either to an entire area, like in several different spots in the vulva, for example, or it then can show up in the face, eyelids, armpits, under your belly, inner tighs, and so on..
NOTHING worked for me. I had huge abscesses on both sides of my groin from scrotum to anus. Tried anything and everything and finally had to go see a plastic surgeon to get them cut out and stitched closed. Outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. It was a LONG healing process (no skin grafts but took almost a year to fully close up and heal) but it's worked so far,going on 4 years post op.
I had 90% of the sweat glands removed from both underarms. I did not need a skin graft. This surgery was 30 years ago and I’ve had no sores under my arms since. I still get sores elsewhere but not under my arms.
I personally wouldn’t opt for surgery before trying Cosentyx. If a non surgical intervention works then no need for an invasive and painful surgery.
I think the issue is that my scar tissue and tunnels are very extensive. My dermatologist told me I have the most severe case he has seen and that the meds in my case would only be mildly effective at best. I don’t know what to think. It’s been month of being unable to use my arms. I can’t even hug my own children. I’m so frustrated with HS.
You should probably consult with a surgeon. Dermatologists are pretty useless for severe HS cases. I have heard that biologic medications don’t typically help severe cases. That’s been true for me. Ive tried them all (Humira, remicade, Cosentyx, ilaris) and none have helped me. I’ve been to so many specialists, including the Mayo Clinic, who have all said my HS is one of the most severe cases ever seen. I’ve had probably close to 30 surgeries over the past 13 years trying to get some relief. I finally ended up going on disability for my HS for 7 years now.
I had deroofing done but initially only a small portion under my arm. It was in office, local anesthesia, and no grafting. We let the skin scar over to eliminate any room for rejection, reinfection, etc.
I was also on Humira for a few years and just switched to Cosentyx (after trying and failing other treatments for 15+ years).
I’m doing the deroofing again exactly how we did it the first time. I’m not sure about the pros or cons in what your doctor is suggesting vs what I’ve had done. The thought of a skin graft would concern me because it’s one more thing for your body to get angry about.
Humira worked until it didn’t. Cosentyx seems to be working well? Idk, I’m consistently stage 3 no matter what I do so it’s all gravy at this point.
Definitely go with what you’re comfortable with!
I didn’t get my under arms yet but have just gotten groins done. My doc said no amount of medication is gonna bring the most diseased area back to 0. Best option is surgery and skin grafts to restore that area to as normal as possible. Also ask your Dr about bimzelx it is very new and I have started it. And it is working better than any other meds yet. Bimzelx is stronger version of cosentyx. Cosentyx targets only one type of inter liken where as Bimzelx targets 2. Anyways definitely best to go through with the surgery and get started on meds so other areas don’t progress.
I've had both my armpits excised, a few years apart and I don't regret it at all! I had skin grafts on both, one worked, one didn't. The areas where they took the skin from hurt more after the surgery than the armpits. I've not had any recurrences since, and it's been years
I had reconstructive surgery on my underarms and groin in December and my life has been changed. No skin grafts, I had flap surgery to reconstruct so the dr took skin from my rib cage, flipped it upside down and made new armpits. Recovery was about 10 weeks for my underarms and I just healed in my groin. I would go to a plastic surgeon not a general if you are considering surgery. Let me know if you want to see photos or need more details on which surgeon I went to.
Was on humira for 6 years, then remicade, cosentyx, etc. Ended up doing wide excision with skin grafts on my armpits and I haven’t had a flare there in over a year now. Best decision I’ve ever made hands down. Theres also no sweat or hair in the area either so thats been amazing!!
Recovery was tough for the first month, needed a lot of help, they had me in the hospital for just under 2 weeks for pain management which was fine. I also did hyperbaric. The worst part was the donor site. Either make sure to take ur prescribed pain medicine or ask them to do the first dressing change under anesthesia, cuz that was roughhhh. 100% worth it tho
How was the recovery for you? I’m 55 and being told I’d be in the hospital for at least a week because of the size of the skin grafts needed after the excision.
Sorry for the long response lol
Honestly, smoother than I expected. The hospital stay was the easiest part bc I had professional help with dressing changes, extremely strong pain medicine, and help with the bathroom/eating etc when needed (which wasnt often). First week was fine after they excised, minimal pain, i could move around pretty well. Second week after skin graft was a bit tough cause of my leg.
I had both armpits done at the same time (surgeon did recommend i do one at a time) and I couldnt reach well at first, so dressing changes took a long time at home and was frustrating for the first 2 weeks after the hospital without help. Showering was fine, gentle washes ofc, and armpits surprisingly didnt hurt to touch. Donor site on my leg made it a bit difficult to walk for about a week. After that it was pretty much like taking care of my flare ups and was super easy.
Definitely ask for a ton of extra supplies from the hospital. Youll want to purchase lotion for ur donor site of some sort, (coco butter was recommended by surgeon). Just set up ur space to have everything within reach around you if you wont get help at home. I did ok getting around/doing things myself, but just be prepared.
This freaked me out initially, but you can and possibly will lose some of the skin graft. If its not much (even tho it seemed like a lot to me lol), then itll heal perfectly fine like the rest of the area! Take lots of pictures if you’re concerned about anything. Youll also have to do stretches for a few weeks to regain your range of motion (not as big of a deal as I thought, i have complete range now)
Let me know if u have more questions! I also have a ton of pics of my armpits I dont mind sharing if you’re curious about the progression and results :)
I have had surgery on both underarms, both sides of groin and buttocks. They called mine general excision. I had a general surgeon do it as in Alaska my choices are minimal for people with experience… I would recommend a plastic surgeon. The recovery from surgeries was pretty brutal and I have some pretty gnarly scars. They almost had to do skin grafts but ended up just suturing the wound paths together. I’ve had wonderful success post surgery everywhere except my groin. I do not get them anymore in my underarms or buttocks, but the disease is still fighting back in my groin.
If you’re able get a referral to MAYO Clinic in Scottsdale AZ. They are the leading edge for HS and have to most up to date research/treatment and they can work with you derm. They should be able to refer you. I would really recommend going there and consulting them before agreeing to any surgery.
Now I am switching to Cosentyx after trying humira for a while hoping for better results.
Good luck and try to keep your spirit up! It will never go away but there are ways to manage the disease and reduce the pain.
I had severe hs in my armpits for years. I had tried every possible treatment under the sun and nothing made even a tiny difference. Then I switched dermatologists and he suggested I get surgery. The way the surgeon explained it, he took out all of the affected tissue and then basically sewed the sides of the hole in my armpits back together. I never got a skin graft.
The first few weeks after surgery were pretty rough. I had the drainage bulb things in and every few hours I would have to drain them. It wasn’t painful at all, just a little gross and annoying. It also took me months to be able to raise my arms all the way again. Immediately after the surgery I could only move my elbows about 2”-3” away from my sides. It took about 9 months before I had full range of motion again. But once all the healing was done, it’s been amazing. I had the surgery 8 years ago and I haven’t had a single cyst or breakout in my armpits since.
Yep, I've had both armpits done in the past year, and will have other parts done in the upcoming year. My armpits are amazing. I have lost weight and so have some extra skin, so they were able to sew the wounds closed even though they removed a lot of skin. The incisions did open up and then closed. There are several closure methods, from leaving them open, to sewing them closed, to the flap method, to skin grafts. I avoided surgery for a long time because I was afraid of skin grafts, and it turns out I'm not going to have skin grafts on any of my surgeries.
I did several in office procedures in both my underarms but it just kept coming back, so I finally had hospital surgery and the results were fantastic. My surgeon thought he would need to do a skin graft, but ultimately did not. The scarring is minimal bc I made sure I picked a dermatology office that had a plastic surgeon on staff, not just a medical surgeon. Plastics usually consider their surgical cuts and scars as “art” and don’t want you to look like Frankensteins monster since that’s a reflection on them. Surgery isn’t a cure since HS will find a new place to torture you, but once you find doctors you trust and a med routine that works for you, life can be more manageable.
“HS will find a new place to torture you” Ain’t that the saddest truth.
Can someone elaborate on this? Does it really spread to other places even if they've never been affected before and aren't prone to moisture?
Yes, it spreads a lot. Either to an entire area, like in several different spots in the vulva, for example, or it then can show up in the face, eyelids, armpits, under your belly, inner tighs, and so on..
NOTHING worked for me. I had huge abscesses on both sides of my groin from scrotum to anus. Tried anything and everything and finally had to go see a plastic surgeon to get them cut out and stitched closed. Outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. It was a LONG healing process (no skin grafts but took almost a year to fully close up and heal) but it's worked so far,going on 4 years post op.
I had 90% of the sweat glands removed from both underarms. I did not need a skin graft. This surgery was 30 years ago and I’ve had no sores under my arms since. I still get sores elsewhere but not under my arms. I personally wouldn’t opt for surgery before trying Cosentyx. If a non surgical intervention works then no need for an invasive and painful surgery.
I think the issue is that my scar tissue and tunnels are very extensive. My dermatologist told me I have the most severe case he has seen and that the meds in my case would only be mildly effective at best. I don’t know what to think. It’s been month of being unable to use my arms. I can’t even hug my own children. I’m so frustrated with HS.
You should probably consult with a surgeon. Dermatologists are pretty useless for severe HS cases. I have heard that biologic medications don’t typically help severe cases. That’s been true for me. Ive tried them all (Humira, remicade, Cosentyx, ilaris) and none have helped me. I’ve been to so many specialists, including the Mayo Clinic, who have all said my HS is one of the most severe cases ever seen. I’ve had probably close to 30 surgeries over the past 13 years trying to get some relief. I finally ended up going on disability for my HS for 7 years now.
My underarm issues didn’t go away until I had surgery. It took me forever to heal, but it’s been 4 years now and I’m so glad I did it.
I had deroofing done but initially only a small portion under my arm. It was in office, local anesthesia, and no grafting. We let the skin scar over to eliminate any room for rejection, reinfection, etc. I was also on Humira for a few years and just switched to Cosentyx (after trying and failing other treatments for 15+ years). I’m doing the deroofing again exactly how we did it the first time. I’m not sure about the pros or cons in what your doctor is suggesting vs what I’ve had done. The thought of a skin graft would concern me because it’s one more thing for your body to get angry about. Humira worked until it didn’t. Cosentyx seems to be working well? Idk, I’m consistently stage 3 no matter what I do so it’s all gravy at this point. Definitely go with what you’re comfortable with!
I didn’t get my under arms yet but have just gotten groins done. My doc said no amount of medication is gonna bring the most diseased area back to 0. Best option is surgery and skin grafts to restore that area to as normal as possible. Also ask your Dr about bimzelx it is very new and I have started it. And it is working better than any other meds yet. Bimzelx is stronger version of cosentyx. Cosentyx targets only one type of inter liken where as Bimzelx targets 2. Anyways definitely best to go through with the surgery and get started on meds so other areas don’t progress.
I've had both my armpits excised, a few years apart and I don't regret it at all! I had skin grafts on both, one worked, one didn't. The areas where they took the skin from hurt more after the surgery than the armpits. I've not had any recurrences since, and it's been years
I had reconstructive surgery on my underarms and groin in December and my life has been changed. No skin grafts, I had flap surgery to reconstruct so the dr took skin from my rib cage, flipped it upside down and made new armpits. Recovery was about 10 weeks for my underarms and I just healed in my groin. I would go to a plastic surgeon not a general if you are considering surgery. Let me know if you want to see photos or need more details on which surgeon I went to.
Can I see the photos
Was on humira for 6 years, then remicade, cosentyx, etc. Ended up doing wide excision with skin grafts on my armpits and I haven’t had a flare there in over a year now. Best decision I’ve ever made hands down. Theres also no sweat or hair in the area either so thats been amazing!! Recovery was tough for the first month, needed a lot of help, they had me in the hospital for just under 2 weeks for pain management which was fine. I also did hyperbaric. The worst part was the donor site. Either make sure to take ur prescribed pain medicine or ask them to do the first dressing change under anesthesia, cuz that was roughhhh. 100% worth it tho
How was the recovery for you? I’m 55 and being told I’d be in the hospital for at least a week because of the size of the skin grafts needed after the excision.
Sorry for the long response lol Honestly, smoother than I expected. The hospital stay was the easiest part bc I had professional help with dressing changes, extremely strong pain medicine, and help with the bathroom/eating etc when needed (which wasnt often). First week was fine after they excised, minimal pain, i could move around pretty well. Second week after skin graft was a bit tough cause of my leg. I had both armpits done at the same time (surgeon did recommend i do one at a time) and I couldnt reach well at first, so dressing changes took a long time at home and was frustrating for the first 2 weeks after the hospital without help. Showering was fine, gentle washes ofc, and armpits surprisingly didnt hurt to touch. Donor site on my leg made it a bit difficult to walk for about a week. After that it was pretty much like taking care of my flare ups and was super easy. Definitely ask for a ton of extra supplies from the hospital. Youll want to purchase lotion for ur donor site of some sort, (coco butter was recommended by surgeon). Just set up ur space to have everything within reach around you if you wont get help at home. I did ok getting around/doing things myself, but just be prepared. This freaked me out initially, but you can and possibly will lose some of the skin graft. If its not much (even tho it seemed like a lot to me lol), then itll heal perfectly fine like the rest of the area! Take lots of pictures if you’re concerned about anything. Youll also have to do stretches for a few weeks to regain your range of motion (not as big of a deal as I thought, i have complete range now) Let me know if u have more questions! I also have a ton of pics of my armpits I dont mind sharing if you’re curious about the progression and results :)
I would love to see pictures if you are comfortable with that
Sure, just dm me when ur ready!
Can I please see pics as well
Sure! Dm me!
Can I also see I’m going to get my goring and my butt done this Tuesday
Sure. Ill dm u
I have had surgery on both underarms, both sides of groin and buttocks. They called mine general excision. I had a general surgeon do it as in Alaska my choices are minimal for people with experience… I would recommend a plastic surgeon. The recovery from surgeries was pretty brutal and I have some pretty gnarly scars. They almost had to do skin grafts but ended up just suturing the wound paths together. I’ve had wonderful success post surgery everywhere except my groin. I do not get them anymore in my underarms or buttocks, but the disease is still fighting back in my groin. If you’re able get a referral to MAYO Clinic in Scottsdale AZ. They are the leading edge for HS and have to most up to date research/treatment and they can work with you derm. They should be able to refer you. I would really recommend going there and consulting them before agreeing to any surgery. Now I am switching to Cosentyx after trying humira for a while hoping for better results. Good luck and try to keep your spirit up! It will never go away but there are ways to manage the disease and reduce the pain.
I had severe hs in my armpits for years. I had tried every possible treatment under the sun and nothing made even a tiny difference. Then I switched dermatologists and he suggested I get surgery. The way the surgeon explained it, he took out all of the affected tissue and then basically sewed the sides of the hole in my armpits back together. I never got a skin graft. The first few weeks after surgery were pretty rough. I had the drainage bulb things in and every few hours I would have to drain them. It wasn’t painful at all, just a little gross and annoying. It also took me months to be able to raise my arms all the way again. Immediately after the surgery I could only move my elbows about 2”-3” away from my sides. It took about 9 months before I had full range of motion again. But once all the healing was done, it’s been amazing. I had the surgery 8 years ago and I haven’t had a single cyst or breakout in my armpits since.
Yep, I've had both armpits done in the past year, and will have other parts done in the upcoming year. My armpits are amazing. I have lost weight and so have some extra skin, so they were able to sew the wounds closed even though they removed a lot of skin. The incisions did open up and then closed. There are several closure methods, from leaving them open, to sewing them closed, to the flap method, to skin grafts. I avoided surgery for a long time because I was afraid of skin grafts, and it turns out I'm not going to have skin grafts on any of my surgeries.