HS: information for teenagers

Could this be HS?

HS often causes recurring painful lumps in skin folds: armpits, groin, buttocks, under the breasts. Some drain fluid, some leave scars, and sometimes tunnels form under the skin.

Other skin conditions look similar. That is why no website can tell you whether you have HS — only someone who examines it can.

Worth mentioning

• The lump keeps coming back — it heals and then returns.
• Similar lumps appear in the same kinds of areas — armpits, groin, buttocks or under the breasts.
• It drains or leaks fluid.
• It leaves scars or hardened areas behind.
• More than one body area is affected.
• Pain affects sitting, walking, sport or school.
• How long it has been going on — a rough answer is fine.

This is not a checklist and not a test. Nobody is counting how many apply — the list is just here so you don’t forget something that matters at the appointment.

Did I cause this?

Short answer: no. Almost everyone thinks these four things — and all four are wrong.

• “This is because I don’t wash properly.”

  In fact: No. HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It is not caused by poor hygiene, and washing more often or more vigorously does not prevent it.

• “I could give it to someone.”

  In fact: No. HS is not contagious. Nobody can catch it from you — not in sport, not in a swimming pool, not from sharing a towel.

• “If it’s in my groin, it must be something sexual.”

  In fact: No. HS often affects skin folds, and the groin is one of them. Symptoms there do not mean a sexually transmitted infection, and they say nothing about whether someone has had sex.

• “It’s just spots, I have to put up with it.”

  In fact: Maybe — maybe not. Several skin conditions can look similar, and only a medical examination can tell them apart. Recurring painful lumps are a good reason to raise it rather than wait.

More on this: What is HS?

How do I tell someone?

You don’t have to explain everything at once. Pick a sentence that fits — you can copy it out or send it as a message instead of saying it.

You don’t have to tell anyone just because this page suggests it. Getting to an appointment as a minor usually does need an adult to help, though.

What happens at an appointment?

HS is usually assessed by talking about your symptoms and looking at the affected skin. There is no standard test you have to take beforehand.

You are allowed to say that an area feels embarrassing. You are allowed to ask what will be examined before it starts. And you are allowed to say partway through that it’s too much.

Sentences that help in the room

• “Can you tell me what you need to examine before we start?”

• “Can I ask something before the examination?”

• “Can I have a moment to get changed privately?”

• “Could the person with me wait outside for part of the conversation?”

• “I’ve written my questions down — can I give them to you?”

• “Can we stop for a moment if it gets too uncomfortable?”

• “Which of the things I say here stays between us?”

HS at school

School is where HS becomes practical fastest: sitting, changing, PE, the bathroom. For each of these there is something you can ask for.

• Sitting

  A painful lesion on the buttocks or in the groin can make sitting through a lesson difficult.

  What you can ask for: “Could I stand up briefly or change position when I need to?”

• Bathroom access

  A dressing change or a draining lesion cannot always wait for the next break.

  What you can ask for: “Could I be allowed to use the bathroom during lessons when I need to manage a health issue?”

• PE

  During a flare some movements, friction or particular activities can be hard — on other days they are fine.

  What you can ask for: “Could we find an arrangement for the days when things are worse?”

  Important: HS does not automatically mean giving up sport for good. What works right now is something to discuss with your healthcare team — not with a website.

• Changing rooms

  Changing in front of other people is a completely different thing with visible lesions, scars or dressings.

  What you can ask for: “I have a health condition and would prefer somewhere more private to change. Is that possible?”

• If something leaks through

  A lesion soaking through clothing is unpleasant — and it is not a hygiene problem and not something to be ashamed of.

  What you can ask for: “Could I keep spare clothing in my locker or at the school office?”

• Missing school

  If pain, appointments or procedures mean you miss school more often, that becomes a second problem on top of the condition.

  What you can ask for: “How can we make sure I don’t fall behind?”

  Important: If that happens, tell both your healthcare team and someone at school rather than carrying it alone.

Friends, swimming and staying over

What you tell people, and what you do, is your call.

When it’s getting to you

Pain, scars, drainage and worrying that someone will notice can affect your mood, your confidence, school and friendships. That is common with this condition, and it has nothing to do with how “bad” your skin looks.

If HS is making you avoid school, give up things you normally enjoy, or feel low for a while: tell an adult you trust, or your healthcare team.

Reasons to tell someone

• You’re avoiding school, or particular lessons, because of your skin.
• You’ve stopped doing things you normally enjoy.
• You’ve been feeling low or hopeless for a while.
• You’re spending a lot of energy hiding it from everyone.
• It feels like nobody understands what’s going on.

This is not a test and not an assessment. This page cannot judge how you are doing — it is only telling you that talking is worth it.