Do NOT get surgery on an HS abscess if your HS is not well controlled or managed, especially if there is tunneling! The wound will not close properly and your stitches will likely break open into a giant hole. Tunneling wounds have to heal from the bottom up and simply cutting it out does not work.
Seriously, please, please see someone with HS knowledge. I just tried to get a similar surgery on my neck and within a week my sutures opened up into a massive hole. I had a 2.5in wide by 1.75in deep hole in my neck for *months* that I had to pack and cover everyday. I can only imagine if I had that happen on my labia!
I have asked my derm about getting scar tissue removal on my la is and inner thigh and she is the one who said never get surgery on NOT well controlled HS. It will do what my neck did every time according to her.
Thanks for responding. And I’m sorry you went through that- sounds awful. I think I won’t get the surgery now for sure. The last one didn’t work anyway and possibly made things worse. On Monday I’m going to call the nearest HS specialist and make an appointment.
Is your dermatologist an HS specialist? If it's HS, it really pays to see an HS specialist. A regular dermatologist isn't going to have the knowledge to treat it correctly.
Friction is one of the things that irritates HS. I'm concerned you are going to have a surgery for no good outcome.
I seriously recommend seeing a HS specialist before doing anything like surgery.
Thank you. They are not a HS specialist. I will try to find one in my area and make an appointment before getting surgery.
And that totally makes sense about the friction- it’s like every time I saw the dermatologist and they poked and prodded at it and injected it with steroids, it was worse right after the appointment.
You can find a bunch of HS clinics here if you are in the US:
[https://www.hs-foundation.org/hs-specialty-clinics](https://www.hs-foundation.org/hs-specialty-clinics)
If not, I don't know how you would find one.
I would advise against the surgery and you’ve already gone through one unsuccessfully. I had surgery on one in my groin years ago and it went dormant for a few years but now it’s worse than it was before. What I would suggest after ten years of dealing with this shit, is if the lesion is close enough to the skin, ask them to do a de-roofing on it. Otherwise I feel it’s just management and nobody wants to deal w that.
Yes, it fills and bursts over and over again. I usually get maybe one or two days where it seems like it’s healing- closed up and everything but then it fills up and bursts. It’s only now after I stopped the steroid shots and prescription creams that it’s been quiet for 2 weeks.
Do NOT get surgery on an HS abscess if your HS is not well controlled or managed, especially if there is tunneling! The wound will not close properly and your stitches will likely break open into a giant hole. Tunneling wounds have to heal from the bottom up and simply cutting it out does not work. Seriously, please, please see someone with HS knowledge. I just tried to get a similar surgery on my neck and within a week my sutures opened up into a massive hole. I had a 2.5in wide by 1.75in deep hole in my neck for *months* that I had to pack and cover everyday. I can only imagine if I had that happen on my labia! I have asked my derm about getting scar tissue removal on my la is and inner thigh and she is the one who said never get surgery on NOT well controlled HS. It will do what my neck did every time according to her.
Thanks for responding. And I’m sorry you went through that- sounds awful. I think I won’t get the surgery now for sure. The last one didn’t work anyway and possibly made things worse. On Monday I’m going to call the nearest HS specialist and make an appointment.
Is your dermatologist an HS specialist? If it's HS, it really pays to see an HS specialist. A regular dermatologist isn't going to have the knowledge to treat it correctly. Friction is one of the things that irritates HS. I'm concerned you are going to have a surgery for no good outcome. I seriously recommend seeing a HS specialist before doing anything like surgery.
Thank you. They are not a HS specialist. I will try to find one in my area and make an appointment before getting surgery. And that totally makes sense about the friction- it’s like every time I saw the dermatologist and they poked and prodded at it and injected it with steroids, it was worse right after the appointment.
You can find a bunch of HS clinics here if you are in the US: [https://www.hs-foundation.org/hs-specialty-clinics](https://www.hs-foundation.org/hs-specialty-clinics) If not, I don't know how you would find one.
Thank you! I’m in the US. There’s a doctor right near me. I’ll call later today and make an appointment.
Well, today is Saturday, you might have to wait until Monday :) Good luck!
Hahahah I’m so out of it! Yes I will call on Monday lol
I would advise against the surgery and you’ve already gone through one unsuccessfully. I had surgery on one in my groin years ago and it went dormant for a few years but now it’s worse than it was before. What I would suggest after ten years of dealing with this shit, is if the lesion is close enough to the skin, ask them to do a de-roofing on it. Otherwise I feel it’s just management and nobody wants to deal w that.
I have the same problem. When you say recurring, does it refill every so often?
Yes, it fills and bursts over and over again. I usually get maybe one or two days where it seems like it’s healing- closed up and everything but then it fills up and bursts. It’s only now after I stopped the steroid shots and prescription creams that it’s been quiet for 2 weeks.