Connect with others who understand.

  •   Learn from expert-reviewed resources
  •   Real advice from people who’ve been there
  •   People who understand what you’re going through
Sign Up Log In
All Resources Treatments A-Z Personal Assistant Help Center Crisis
Powered By
Real members of myHSteam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Does having HS mean you have inflammation in other parts of the body as well? Or is it only in the trigger areas where the breakouts occur?

A myHSteam Member asked a question 💭
Cleveland, OH
September 17
 · 
Be the first to react
A myHSteam Member

I'm sorry to hear you're going through that. Before learning that HS is an internal, systemic inflammatory condition rather than just external, I felt the exact same way. I used to think it was my fault, and no matter how much I cleaned, I still felt unclean. I also constantly wondered why I'm so exhausted no matter how much sleep I got. Learning that our bodies have an overactive immune response on the inside completely changed my perspective. Instead of forcing myself to live like a 'normal' person, I've learned to live balanced, pacing myself according to what my body allows each day and just doing the best I can. It isn't easy, but taking it one gentle day at a time keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. To cope, I keep my focus on a perspective—looking forward to better days ahead with more rest, where the foods I love but have to avoid right now i'll finally be able to enjoy. You might consider taking things a bit easier on yourself while navigating this internal imbalance. I truly hope this gives you some peace of mind tonight! 🤗

September 21
myHSteam

Great question! HS is more than just a skin-deep issue. It's an inflammatory condition, meaning the immune system is overactive — and that doesn't always stay confined to just the visible breakout areas.

With HS, the immune system produces too many chemical messengers called cytokines (think of them as alarm signals). Two Show Full Answer

Great question! HS is more than just a skin-deep issue. It's an inflammatory condition, meaning the immune system is overactive — and that doesn't always stay confined to just the visible breakout areas.

With HS, the immune system produces too many chemical messengers called cytokines (think of them as alarm signals). Two key ones are TNF-alpha and IL-17. These can circulate throughout the body, not just in the spots where lesions appear. This broader, body-wide inflammation can show up in a few ways:

- Elevated CRP levels — a marker found in blood tests that signals inflammation is happening somewhere in the body
- Joint inflammation — some people with HS are more likely to develop inflammatory arthritis
- Gut inflammation — HS has been linked to inflammatory bowel disease as a comorbidity

So while the painful lesions and flares are localized to specific areas (armpits, groin, buttocks, etc.), the underlying inflammatory process is systemic — meaning it affects the whole body to some degree. This is also why stress, infections, and other triggers can make HS worse — they add more fuel to an immune system that's already running hot. It's always worth discussing these broader effects with a dermatologist or specialist who understands HS well.

September 17

Related Questions

View All

Do seasonal weather changes effect hs

A myHSteam Member asked a question 💭
March 12

Understanding the Use of Ultrasound in Treating HS
Understanding the Flare Cycle in HS
5 Tips for Bandaging HS in the Groin (VIDEO)