That frustration makes total sense — and honestly, the science is starting to catch up! HS is driven by chronic inflammation, and that same underlying inflammation can affect other parts of the body too.
Researchers have found that HS shares inflammatory pathways with several other conditions. The immune system in people Show Full Answer
That frustration makes total sense — and honestly, the science is starting to catch up! HS is driven by chronic inflammation, and that same underlying inflammation can affect other parts of the body too.
Researchers have found that HS shares inflammatory pathways with several other conditions. The immune system in people with HS already produces too many chemical messengers (called cytokines), even when there's no infection present. This overactive response doesn't always stay contained to the skin. Some conditions that are linked to HS through this shared inflammation include:
- Joint pain and arthritis — People with HS are more likely to develop certain types of inflammatory arthritis
- Digestive issues — Inflammatory bowel disease shares overlapping immune pathways with HS
- Mental health — Stress and depression are connected to increased inflammation, which can worsen HS
The key takeaway is that chronic inflammation is the common thread. It's really worth bringing up any inflammation you're experiencing in other areas with your doctor or dermatologist, so they can look at the full picture rather than treating each thing separately.
June 21
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