Person choosing comfortable clothing in a bright bedroom.

For teenagers, parents and carers

HS for Teens

Two ways in: one written for teenagers in their own language, one for parents and carers. Plus a private card for school.

HS can begin during the teenage years. These pages explain what that means — and what you can do next.

Why these pages exist

Most information about HS is written for adults: for people with a job, sick leave and a home of their own. At fourteen the questions are different — PE, changing rooms, an appointment somebody else has to make, and a part of the body you cannot bring yourself to mention to anyone.

So there are two separate ways in here. A teenager who lands on this page is never redirected into the parent route: the information written for you is written for you.

Where would you like to start?

Both routes work independently. Nothing is preselected, and nothing is stored.

  • I’m a teenager

    Information written for you: what HS is, how to tell someone, what happens at an appointment, and how to get through school.

    Open the teen guide

  • I’m a parent or carer

    How to help a child or teenager get medical assessment without taking over control of their own body.

    Open the parent guide

This page does not ask for your name, age, school, class, town, body area, medicines or photographs.

The essentials

Five points that matter before anything else.

  1. HS (hidradenitis suppurativa, also called acne inversa) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It can cause recurring painful lumps, drainage, tunnels under the skin and scarring.
  2. It frequently begins during adolescence, usually after puberty starts.
  3. It is not caused by poor hygiene and it is not contagious. Symptoms in the groin do not mean a sexually transmitted infection.
  4. Recurring painful lumps in skin folds deserve medical assessment — particularly when they come back or leave scars.
  5. How much someone is affected cannot be read off their skin. Daily life can be substantially affected even when visible changes are limited.

What these pages are not for

  • They do not diagnose. There is no test here, no score and no image assessment.
  • They recommend no treatment and name no medicines. What has been studied in adults does not automatically apply to adolescents.
  • They give no advice about weight, diet, hormones or contraception. Those belong in a consultation.
  • They make no promises about what stays confidential from parents. The rules depend on age, maturity, setting and country.
  • They are not a forum or a chat. There is no direct messaging here and there are no profiles.

Common questions

Can teenagers get HS at all?

Yes. HS often begins during adolescence, usually after puberty starts. Reviews of younger patients describe the condition as frequently recognised late in this age group — not as rare in it.

Can this website tell me whether I have HS?

No. These pages do not diagnose, do not score anything and do not assess photographs. Several skin conditions look similar, and only a medical examination can tell them apart.

Is HS caused by poor hygiene?

No. HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It is not caused by a lack of washing, and washing or scrubbing more does not prevent it.

Do I have to tell my parents, my school or my friends?

You never have to tell your school or your friends — HS is not contagious, and nobody is entitled to your diagnosis. Getting to an appointment as a minor usually does need an adult’s help, which is why there are sentences here for raising it without explaining everything.

Can a doctor tell my parents everything I say?

That depends on age, maturity, the setting and the country, so this website cannot answer it for you in general. If privacy matters to you, ask at the start of the appointment what stays confidential — before you share something you are worried about.

Is the school support card a medical certificate?

No. The card is a text you write yourself to make a conversation easier. It is not a medical certificate, not proof of anything, and it does not establish entitlement to any particular school arrangement.

Do the treatments for adults apply to teenagers too?

Not automatically. The evidence base in younger patients is more limited, and age, developmental stage and other conditions all matter. Our treatment pages explain which categories of treatment exist; which of them apply to you is for your healthcare team to decide with you.

Is there a forum or chat for teenagers here?

No, deliberately not. There is no chat, no direct messaging and no profiles. Community questions are moderated before publication, and personal details are removed.

Evidence and editorial review

Last editorially reviewed: · Next review:

That HS often begins during adolescence, usually after puberty starts, is described in reviews and in patient information from national health bodies. That it is not contagious and not caused by poor hygiene is well established.

That the condition is often recognised late in young people has been described repeatedly. The reported delays differ substantially between studies, because they use different data sources and definitions.

Quality-of-life research in younger patients consists mostly of small cross-sectional studies. They show that substantial burden can occur even when the skin looks relatively unaffected. They do not support any statement about how often that is the case overall.

A higher rate of new-onset depression among young people with HS has been reported in large retrospective cohorts. That says nothing about any individual — which is why these pages run no test and make no assessment.

Treatment recommendations for adults cannot be transferred to adolescents unexamined. The evidence base in younger patients is more limited, which is why these pages name no medicines and give no age-based treatment recommendations.

Editorial policy and review process

What is Acne Inversa? The basics of the condition, scientifically researched, editorially reviewed, and readable without prior knowledge. What HS can look like An illustrated, non-diagnostic guide to affected body areas and skin changes. When to get medical help The page to turn to when it is unclear whether something needs looking at quickly. HS, Shame & Stigma Why shame is so common with this condition — and how to prepare a conversation. Hair removal with HS Shaving, trimming, waxing and laser hair reduction compared — a common question in the teen years. Find a specialist A directory of practices and clinics with experience in treating HS. Patient stories Accounts from people living with HS — lived experience, not evidence.

Sources

  1. Hidradenitis suppurativa — overview, including onset often after puberty and that the condition is not contagious NHS (United Kingdom) · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  2. Hidradenitis suppurativa self-care — why washing and scrubbing do not prevent the condition American Academy of Dermatology · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  3. Hidradenitis suppurativa — onset usually after puberty, arising from several interacting factors MedlinePlus Genetics, US National Library of Medicine · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  4. Diagnostic delay in paediatric and adolescent hidradenitis suppurativa — reviews and cohort studies PubMed, US National Library of Medicine · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  5. Quality of life in younger patients — predominantly small cross-sectional studies PubMed, US National Library of Medicine · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  6. New-onset depression among children and adolescents with hidradenitis suppurativa — retrospective cohort studies PubMed, US National Library of Medicine · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  7. Guideline work on special patient populations, including paediatric patients PubMed, US National Library of Medicine · Link checked: 2026-08-07
  8. Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation — patient organisations and materials, explicitly including families HS Foundation · Link checked: 2026-08-07