Possible HS? Stressing trying to figure out what this is…..

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hey everyone, I've been experiencing some symptoms that seem to most closely resemble HS but there are some charecteristic symptoms of HS that I don't seem to have. I was hoping someone on this forum might have some insight into my condition or be able to help me keep this at bay as doctors sure don't know whats going on.  I first started getting symptoms when I was probably around 18/19 with one red lump in my right groin. It was diagnosed as an ingrown hair by campus care and the anti biotics they gave me seemed to make it go away. 

Flash forward to last year when I was turned 21. I had put on some weight in college where I went from around 6'2 180 to 6'2 195. I also picked up a small smoking habit of around a half pack to a pack a day. It was the summer and since I had put on a little weight some of my old dress pants I would wear to work didn't fit me and caused my underwear to ride up into my groin. This caused some irritation in my groin manifesting as little red nodules that would be a little annoying as my tight pants would press on them but not what I would call painful. These red nodules would come and go without breaking or leaking puss or anything. Theyd just seem to appear and disappear sometimes leaving a little scarring behind. I have stretch marks in my groin as well due to a growth spurt when I was younger so for me its honestly hard to differentiate between stretch marks and scars. Sometimes it's almost as if the little red nodules form inside of the stretch marks but it is important to note I had these stretch marks way before I ever experienced any nodules and I also have them on my back. 

I have since lost all the weight I gained but I've been experiencing these symptoms ever since with little red nodules coming and going in my groin.  Sometimes they are itchy but I really have not experienced any pain with them unless I scratch the area a lot or poke and prod them too much and even then I wouldn't describe it as pain but more as irritated. My GP diagnosed me with folliculitis but that didn't seem to be the case as the antibiotic cream didn't seem to work very well although it did work a little bit. 

It is also important to note that  have a pilonidal cyst which runs in my family and have had a sebaceous cyst on my head which went away with anti biotics. Sebaceous cysts also run in my family and my grandpa and dad have had a few removed which were confirmed to be sebaceous cysts.  Here is a breakdown of my symptoms and why I think I have HS and a few symptoms that seem to be different that HS:

Similar to HS

Purplish/red nodules in inner groin that sometimes itch and sometimes leave scarring. They generally occur in the same places and seem to mirror each other although both sides are not always there at the same time.  

Pilonidal cyst that drains by itself through midline sinus

Misdiagnosis of folliculitis

Seemed to onset during a time of smoking, tight clothes, and weight gain

Dissimilar to HS

My nodules literally cause no pain. They may become irritated and get a little bigger if i play with them a lot but not painful. I do not even notice them unless i go searching in my groin for them. I go to they gym and lift 6 days a week as well as play basketball and during this activity I do not even notice them. 

They seem to come and go pretty quickly usually around a week but sometimes even in a few days. If they're irritated they usually return to a smaller size until poked and prodded again.

There has been no drainage from the nodules. They tend to just rise up and then go down after a few days. 

If anyone can give me any insight as to whats going on with me it would really be helpful and ease some stress as I've really been worrying about them getting worse and painful. Does this sound like a mild case of HS or maybe some other skin condition you guys may have came across? I appreciate your reading this and your replies. 

 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    Doesn't sound like HS to me, although you're totally predisposed with the family history, pilonidal and other boils.

    A mild case of HS would be one big ugly boil in an area where your sweat glands are (groin, bum, armpits). The diagnosis increases in stages depending how many areas affected, how many boils are connected in one place and the size of the affected area.

    Diagnosing it as HS doesn't really serve much purpose as there's no cure.

    By they way... I've had a lifetime experience with a pilonidal and I think it aggravated many other conditions including the HS itself. Is there anything you can do to get that surgically excised. If I had any regrets it's not getting rid of that disease sooner.

  • Posted

    Hi instead of trying to diagnose yourself why not ask for a referral to a dermatologist?   This is the way to go and not doctors who know very little about HS.  There is no point in going on this way so ask the experts.  x
  • Posted

    Hey,

    I would also suggest a trip to the derm. have your doctor refer you since its bothering

    you. and I would say as of now, your symptoms don't exactly reflect HS.

    I was also wondering what type of scarring you have? HS scars are usually what I describe dips in the skin/black head things. different than one you get from a cut or something. My scarring in my groin is fairly mild, slight discoloration of skin and little black head things.

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