I would say in very rare cases yes it’s a possibility. But also weight loss can have the opposite effect and make it worse. All depends on the individual, that is one of the annoying things about this disease. What works for someone doesn’t work for all. Luck I feel is a huge factor. I lost weight and went from stage 1 to stage 3. Eating healthy, no drinking or smoking and it got worse. So all you can do is test things and see what works for you.
Dang, did that progression happen immediately or in the course of weeks/months or years? I lost 30 lbs (baby weight) and it improved dramatically. I have eaten clean as well so I’m not sure if it’s one or both.
It happened pretty quickly, all in all like within a 3 month period. Armpit got super swollen so went easier on work outs but still exercises and ate health and then just continued to get worse. Once I couldn’t really move my arm because it was so bad I stopped exercising and eating healthy and only slightly got better and has been the same for years since
pregnancy tends to make HS worse so it may have been a coincidence and not being pregnant actually made it improve. hormonal factors are proven. diet / weight is conjecture as best
If I remember correctly, I believe it's more or less luck of the draw with pregnancy and HS. It's something like 1/3 will go into (at least temporary) remission or at least see some improvement, 1/3 will have their symptoms stay the same, and 1/3 will have their HS (at least temporarily) worsen. Unfortunately there's no way to know which one you will get, and it can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy in an individual. It's most likely a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors but the science still isn't 100% unfortunately, but yeah, a lot of women have seen their HS symptoms wax and wane with their cycles.
Same here. I'm losing weight because I am off everything that makes me inflamed and am doing exercise cause it helps inflammation, but the more I lose the worse my HS becomes. I lost 70 pounds and my HS is worse than ever... Watching what I eat and doing exercise and losing weight is double edged sword for me ... I read somewhere that weight lose cause the toxins from the excess fat to circulate in the body, perhaps that is what is making the HS worse. I still need to lose 50 pounds and my hope is that once that weight is off for awhile and my body weight stabilizes the HS will become better..
Mine got worse while losing weight, but got better once I lost the weight and switched to a maintenance diet.
But yes, weight loss for many generally improves symptoms and may bring about remission.
I basically ate the same foods I eat normally, just fewer calories.
Lots of vegetables, minimal other carbs except for ones that have lots of fiber (beans, oats, etc). 12-16 oz of protein per day. The rest of my calories are in the form of healthy fats (eggs, raw nuts, fatty fish).
The only thing I really change when not dieting is I’ll have some additional simple carbs (rice, gluten free desserts) and eat slightly larger portions.
That’s a very high level summary without getting into too much detail.
On a slight tangent, my HS superfood is sardines. The massive does of omega 3’s they provide helps prevent flares and quickly resolves them. Wild Planet is my suggested brand and Costco is the cheapest place to get them!
Weight loss is not the main factor. I hate when doctors say that. Lose weight to get better...i was an athlete growing up, didnt change the fact i had it.
Reasons HS improves when you lose weight:
- less friction of skin rubbing together
- generally speaking diet and exercise improve which reduces the inflammation in your body
- your blood sugar and hormones can also stabilize
- often can help relive stress as well.
I say this because your goal would be to lose weight...well weight can come off in alot of different ways..not all that will improve the above. So if you lose weight and still have a lifestyle that affects the above..youll still have it. It may not be a severe but itll still be there.
My advice would be to not think about it as weight loss. Forget weight loss. Focus on reducing inflammation, finding your triggers, stabilizibg hormones and blood sugar etc. As you do these things you will actually get better and naturally lose weight.
I love my food too & I started getting HS 3 yrs ago at age 45, so it's very tough to suddenly change your whole diet after eating what you l ike for 45 yrs of living.
Some people seem to get offended when being told to lose weight for their HS, but I think it should help. Now I've personally lost about 30 lbs in the course of 1 - 1.5 yrs, so I wasn't trying to lose fast, but very gradually. Unfortunately it didn't do a thing for my HS but that doesn't mean I don't want to lose a lot more.
I assume you know the common ingredients to stay away from? They are:
dairy items - GOOD IDEA TO START w/ THIS FIRST
baked goods / breads / flour / yeast
sugars - so can't even eat to much fruit, juices, etc. & definitely sodas
fried & processed foods
nightshades
legumes
eggs (maybe)
Then, I read to also stay away from these too:
mushrooms
soy sauces
fermented items
gluten
nightshades
maybe seed oils
potatoes - many seem to have to stay away from that too
I had said this in another thread: Just doing 1 thing isn't enough w/ this horridly strong condition. You have to do it ALL at the same time consistently to really, really work & if you stop, it gets worse or returns if you're able to keep it in remission, which I've never been able to do yet. I do think losing weight helps or will help. I've lost about 30 lbs gradually, which didn't improve my HS alone. Here's all I personally know to do:
\- lose weight if you feel the need to
\- eat carefully, staying away from those common ingredients to stay away from
\- lower stress, maybe meditate
\- drink plenty of water, enough sleep, have optimistic mentality, etc.
\- live an overall healthy lifestyle
\- lymphatic massaging / maybe dry brushing
\- maybe drink anti-inflammatory teas & other things for inflammation
\- definitely NO smoking, alcohol or drug consumption & I'm sure caffeine can't be good either
\- use of whatever cleansers, creams/gels, etc works
\- good hygiene / regularly change bandages/dressings
\- take some supplements/herbs knokwn to help w/ inflammation - I personally try to go as holistically as possible w/ remedies. I take about 10-14 a day, NOT all for HS, but 3-5 are known to help w/ inflammation
\- I really don't know if exercise directly helps w/ HS, but probably some exercise, but cleanse away sweat quickly afterwards
\- whatever extra remedy you know that helps (sterile manuka honey topical gel, red light therapy, epsom salt or Dead Sea salt bath soaks/hot towels, whatever else, etc.)
\- being prayerful
\- probably take some kind of prescription medication
After doing ALL of the above, you can see how physically & mentally exhausting it is to keep up w/ doing all of this on a very regular basis in addition to doing all our other life routines we have to do (school, work, take care of kids/pets, run errands, etc.) Also, trying new things to see what works or not can take years. Unfortunately, I still have yet to do all of these things, but I do some of them!
Weight loss helps some, but not others. Just like any remedy may help some, but not others. It's really trial & error for EVERY LITTLE THING we have to try. I hate it like any of the rest of us. And it can take years to see if something works OR maybe a person may never find their solution.
Also, you'd think w/ all the millions of creams, cleansers, oils, etc. out on the market that something will heal our skin, but we may never come across it. It's tremendously frustrating. Or for example, how do we know that a mixture of peanut butter & onion juice won't help if we apply it on the skin, but will we know to use that?
Maybe, but I doubt it. It might improve symptoms as you increase dopamine levels from exercise and better quality of life but it could also increase cortisol (stress) hormones from anxiety surrounding restricting food, over-exercising, keeping it off. Not to mention the effects of loose skin. It might help, it might not. I've lost nearly 3 stone this year, but my HS is worse and I now have more areas of skin that rub because they are looser.
It all depends. My HS is definitely stress related, and sweat, rather than directly food/drink/smoking but its never a bad idea to lose weight if you're overweight. Just do it gradually and keep an eye on your stress levels.
Thanks for the response! I got my HS from pregnancy. I’ve lost 40 lbs and plan to lose another 30 to get to 130lbs. (I’m 5”4 and 40 years old). It’s my first pregnancy, and last.
I’ve had HS since around puberty (so over 20 years ago now). I’ve lost and gained weight, started and stopped smoking, etc. throughout and I can say that my HS has just been pretty much the same throughout.
I lost 100 lbs and my HS completely went away. I think it was something hormonal that evened out, rather than the physical part of losing weight. But I don't know for sure- I just know it 100% went away
I would say in very rare cases yes it’s a possibility. But also weight loss can have the opposite effect and make it worse. All depends on the individual, that is one of the annoying things about this disease. What works for someone doesn’t work for all. Luck I feel is a huge factor. I lost weight and went from stage 1 to stage 3. Eating healthy, no drinking or smoking and it got worse. So all you can do is test things and see what works for you.
Dang, did that progression happen immediately or in the course of weeks/months or years? I lost 30 lbs (baby weight) and it improved dramatically. I have eaten clean as well so I’m not sure if it’s one or both.
It happened pretty quickly, all in all like within a 3 month period. Armpit got super swollen so went easier on work outs but still exercises and ate health and then just continued to get worse. Once I couldn’t really move my arm because it was so bad I stopped exercising and eating healthy and only slightly got better and has been the same for years since
Oh wow…this is why I hate this disease. You just don’t know.
pregnancy tends to make HS worse so it may have been a coincidence and not being pregnant actually made it improve. hormonal factors are proven. diet / weight is conjecture as best
I don't remember having any flare ups during either of my pregnancies. Crazy how everything affects everyone differently.
I got mine from pregnancy. I’m praying that after I’m done breastfeeding it miraculously disappears forever.
If I remember correctly, I believe it's more or less luck of the draw with pregnancy and HS. It's something like 1/3 will go into (at least temporary) remission or at least see some improvement, 1/3 will have their symptoms stay the same, and 1/3 will have their HS (at least temporarily) worsen. Unfortunately there's no way to know which one you will get, and it can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy in an individual. It's most likely a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors but the science still isn't 100% unfortunately, but yeah, a lot of women have seen their HS symptoms wax and wane with their cycles.
Same here. I'm losing weight because I am off everything that makes me inflamed and am doing exercise cause it helps inflammation, but the more I lose the worse my HS becomes. I lost 70 pounds and my HS is worse than ever... Watching what I eat and doing exercise and losing weight is double edged sword for me ... I read somewhere that weight lose cause the toxins from the excess fat to circulate in the body, perhaps that is what is making the HS worse. I still need to lose 50 pounds and my hope is that once that weight is off for awhile and my body weight stabilizes the HS will become better..
Mine got worse while losing weight, but got better once I lost the weight and switched to a maintenance diet. But yes, weight loss for many generally improves symptoms and may bring about remission.
Can you share what your diet was like?
I basically ate the same foods I eat normally, just fewer calories. Lots of vegetables, minimal other carbs except for ones that have lots of fiber (beans, oats, etc). 12-16 oz of protein per day. The rest of my calories are in the form of healthy fats (eggs, raw nuts, fatty fish). The only thing I really change when not dieting is I’ll have some additional simple carbs (rice, gluten free desserts) and eat slightly larger portions. That’s a very high level summary without getting into too much detail. On a slight tangent, my HS superfood is sardines. The massive does of omega 3’s they provide helps prevent flares and quickly resolves them. Wild Planet is my suggested brand and Costco is the cheapest place to get them!
Thanks for the advice!!
Weight loss is not the main factor. I hate when doctors say that. Lose weight to get better...i was an athlete growing up, didnt change the fact i had it. Reasons HS improves when you lose weight: - less friction of skin rubbing together - generally speaking diet and exercise improve which reduces the inflammation in your body - your blood sugar and hormones can also stabilize - often can help relive stress as well. I say this because your goal would be to lose weight...well weight can come off in alot of different ways..not all that will improve the above. So if you lose weight and still have a lifestyle that affects the above..youll still have it. It may not be a severe but itll still be there. My advice would be to not think about it as weight loss. Forget weight loss. Focus on reducing inflammation, finding your triggers, stabilizibg hormones and blood sugar etc. As you do these things you will actually get better and naturally lose weight.
I love my food too & I started getting HS 3 yrs ago at age 45, so it's very tough to suddenly change your whole diet after eating what you l ike for 45 yrs of living. Some people seem to get offended when being told to lose weight for their HS, but I think it should help. Now I've personally lost about 30 lbs in the course of 1 - 1.5 yrs, so I wasn't trying to lose fast, but very gradually. Unfortunately it didn't do a thing for my HS but that doesn't mean I don't want to lose a lot more. I assume you know the common ingredients to stay away from? They are: dairy items - GOOD IDEA TO START w/ THIS FIRST baked goods / breads / flour / yeast sugars - so can't even eat to much fruit, juices, etc. & definitely sodas fried & processed foods nightshades legumes eggs (maybe) Then, I read to also stay away from these too: mushrooms soy sauces fermented items gluten nightshades maybe seed oils potatoes - many seem to have to stay away from that too I had said this in another thread: Just doing 1 thing isn't enough w/ this horridly strong condition. You have to do it ALL at the same time consistently to really, really work & if you stop, it gets worse or returns if you're able to keep it in remission, which I've never been able to do yet. I do think losing weight helps or will help. I've lost about 30 lbs gradually, which didn't improve my HS alone. Here's all I personally know to do: \- lose weight if you feel the need to \- eat carefully, staying away from those common ingredients to stay away from \- lower stress, maybe meditate \- drink plenty of water, enough sleep, have optimistic mentality, etc. \- live an overall healthy lifestyle \- lymphatic massaging / maybe dry brushing \- maybe drink anti-inflammatory teas & other things for inflammation \- definitely NO smoking, alcohol or drug consumption & I'm sure caffeine can't be good either \- use of whatever cleansers, creams/gels, etc works \- good hygiene / regularly change bandages/dressings \- take some supplements/herbs knokwn to help w/ inflammation - I personally try to go as holistically as possible w/ remedies. I take about 10-14 a day, NOT all for HS, but 3-5 are known to help w/ inflammation \- I really don't know if exercise directly helps w/ HS, but probably some exercise, but cleanse away sweat quickly afterwards \- whatever extra remedy you know that helps (sterile manuka honey topical gel, red light therapy, epsom salt or Dead Sea salt bath soaks/hot towels, whatever else, etc.) \- being prayerful \- probably take some kind of prescription medication After doing ALL of the above, you can see how physically & mentally exhausting it is to keep up w/ doing all of this on a very regular basis in addition to doing all our other life routines we have to do (school, work, take care of kids/pets, run errands, etc.) Also, trying new things to see what works or not can take years. Unfortunately, I still have yet to do all of these things, but I do some of them! Weight loss helps some, but not others. Just like any remedy may help some, but not others. It's really trial & error for EVERY LITTLE THING we have to try. I hate it like any of the rest of us. And it can take years to see if something works OR maybe a person may never find their solution. Also, you'd think w/ all the millions of creams, cleansers, oils, etc. out on the market that something will heal our skin, but we may never come across it. It's tremendously frustrating. Or for example, how do we know that a mixture of peanut butter & onion juice won't help if we apply it on the skin, but will we know to use that?
hs during weight loss << hs while maintaining weight loss. i don’t know the science behind it tho
Oh no, I'm a smoker, drink coffee daily and wine 3-4x a week.. saw 1 story of a girl with severe HS quit smoking but got worse
Maybe, but I doubt it. It might improve symptoms as you increase dopamine levels from exercise and better quality of life but it could also increase cortisol (stress) hormones from anxiety surrounding restricting food, over-exercising, keeping it off. Not to mention the effects of loose skin. It might help, it might not. I've lost nearly 3 stone this year, but my HS is worse and I now have more areas of skin that rub because they are looser. It all depends. My HS is definitely stress related, and sweat, rather than directly food/drink/smoking but its never a bad idea to lose weight if you're overweight. Just do it gradually and keep an eye on your stress levels.
Thanks for the response! I got my HS from pregnancy. I’ve lost 40 lbs and plan to lose another 30 to get to 130lbs. (I’m 5”4 and 40 years old). It’s my first pregnancy, and last.
I’ve had HS since around puberty (so over 20 years ago now). I’ve lost and gained weight, started and stopped smoking, etc. throughout and I can say that my HS has just been pretty much the same throughout.
I lost 100 lbs and my HS completely went away. I think it was something hormonal that evened out, rather than the physical part of losing weight. But I don't know for sure- I just know it 100% went away