I would like more information about Surgery for Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

I had HS on my buttocks starting when I was 22. I am 72 now and had a recurrence 10 years ago. The surgery I had at 25, after 3 years of failed therapies, removed everything right down to the muscle. This is the only way to get a "cure". I was given skin grafts, my butt wrapped in a ton of bandages, fed a liquid diet and kept still for 11 days in the hospital and, sure enuff, all the grafts took. I was free of HS untill 10 years ago. No skin surgeon I have seen was willing to do what was done to me 50 years ago. One regular knife surgery failed. That was 2 years ago. They  wanted to give me a colostomy in the second attempt at removal. Screw them. I kept researching and found that CO2 laser surgery, a relatively new type of surgery for HS is having a very low recurrence rate.The low recurrence rate is due to the fact that this type of surgery produces little blood. Little blood means the surgeon can see much  better and identify diseased tissue and sinus tracts much easier and remove all diseased tissue very precisely. I get my lesion removed at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio in late October. It is not a big lesion and I am a good candidate for this type of surgery. Not everyone with HS is. The wound will be left open and should heal in 6-8 weeks I am told. 

Hey Chuckles! Every procedure is different depending on the severity. The best way to look at it it as where the surgurey occurs the likely hood of it coming back is very very low. I had a removal under my right breast. There it was drained and the tunnels it makes were packed with a mesh-like meterial(forgot what it is called!" The doctor did that so that anything that was in my tracks all swelled up in the mesh he left the incision open so that I could take out an inch and cut it daily until all gone it then healed close on it own or some doctors may stitch it up. Now my breasts still get them just that overall area is low likeley just because the surrounding area has had the fluid fully drained and absorbed from the packing and cutting. He did an on site anesthesia and gave me an iv for the pain. You still feel it because it doesn't get totally numb.. I sure felt him cut but I have a high pain tolerance. That was my surgical experience 

I got both of my arms done at one time the went from one side of the arm pit and cut all the way to the other side I was doing pretty good til I busted my stitches open on my right side now I'm currently waiting on Monday to get here so I can go get it re stitched back up 

I had surgery under both armpits two weeks ago. My surgeon removed all the damaged tissue and sweat glands.  He closed the incision with a skin flap taken from my back.  I woked up in a lot of pain. The pain pills helped but cause constipation. My armpits got infected but my doctor said that was normal. Infection was cleared with antibiotics and the pain is minimal now. I have to work on lifting and moving my arms again. Idk how long the healing process is since I'm still going through it. But I will keep you updated. 

Hey guys! I have had HS (THE DEMON CURSE) since February of this year and it has been a horrible experience, I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, I am 49 yrs old and this started in my groin area back in February. Not one doctor knew what it was. They just kept draining the “boils”, which hurt like Hell!!!! And kept giving Clindamyacin. During 4th of July weekend, I got it under my left armpit along with those on my groin area. Needless to say, I was miserable!!!!! I had to come back home, where I went to see my PCP. He looked at me and right away told me I had HS. I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was hospitalized and I contracted MRSA. I even got one on the top of my head, which had to be drained and packed. It gave me a bald spot on my head. Anyway, I started going to see my Dermatoogist who just kept draining my abscesses and giving me more Clindamyacin. I got a huge ball of pus on my right armpit and it even gave me a pencil eraser sized hole. He suggested I get skin grafts done on both my groin and my right armpit. By this time, my left armpit had cleared up. So, today I am on week 2 after having my skin graft surgery, Luckily, I only had to get my right armpit done cuz my groin had cleared up. Thank God cuz I couldn’t even imagine getting a skin graft down there to boot. I am a petite person and normal bandages don’t fit me and the tape really tears up my skin, My graft started out all black and now there are red blotches on it where the graft has come off, I guess. I have been in a lot of pain through all of this so far and I really don’t want to have to get the graft redone. I don’t know what to expect or how long this is supposed to take to heal. Does anyone have any info they can share with me?

Thank you,

Shorty2017

I have suffered from this nasty issue for over 15 years. I was only diagnosed properly after I begged my family doctor to refer me to a dermatologist. Which was about 5 years ago. Before that I was sliced and diced by many ER doctors, put on several antibiotics, and told to stop shaving those areas. After I began seeing the dermatologist I finally got some relief! First, I was assured it was not because I was a "dirty" person. Second, I was given a skin care regiment to follow and an antibiotic that actually eased problems for awhile. Two years ago I had my first surgery to remove cysts and tunnels on my right leg and groin. I have had only 2 cysts pop back up in that region, since then. Yesterday I had a second surgery on the left side. Yeah I'm sore but staying DOWN helps lots and I am so excited to have had it done. I not my doctor dragged my feet on this surgery. It never seems like a good time to take time off from the world. However, I promise if you do it early on there is Sooo much relief, afterwards. No feeling sick sick cause your body consistently has infections it's fighting.

Just as an extra, I use 10% benzoyl peroxide fash wash everywhere I have ANY activity going on. Also, i use the generic.

I had a HS lesion removed Dec. 4th from my buttocks that I have had for 10 years. Regular knife surgery was a failure 2 1/2 years ago. This time I researched and found CO2 laser surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. CO2 laser surgery literally burns away the skin without any blood like knife surgery. The Doc can see diseased tissue quite clearly and remove it all. My nodule has flared to the size of a golf ball at times. Between taking minocycline and using a steroid cream, for severeral straight months, I was able to get it down to  about the size of a standard  marble but pretty flat against my skin before surgery. About 1/2  “ in size. Well, because the Doc could see diseased tissue so easily, the Doc wound taking all the skin right down to the fat in an oval size 2” long and and 1” 1/4 wise. A regular knife surgeon could never see how much diseaed there really was. It is slowly closing and caused quite a bit of pain for 10-12 days. I clean the area with Hibiclens then a non-stick bandage covered with 40% zinc oxide diaper cream. I change it twice a day. No infection this way. Will take 6-8 week so to close over. Don’t know  if HS  CO 2 laser surgery  can be performed on all lesions. 

Hi everyone. I need information. I’m 21 I have been suffering from HS SINCE I WAS 16. Right now I’m starting Humira injections hasn’t anyone had them before? DO they help? If they don’t work would they offer me the surgery or do I have to talk to them about having a surgery done. I don’t think they would let me have it done as they was wary of me having the injections. They said it’s dangerous for me to have the injections because of how young I am?