If you’ve been diagnosed with the skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), you may sometimes feel like you’re the only person in the world dealing with it. However, HS may be more common than you think.

Finding a good therapist and support group can help you feel less alone. It can also help to know that other people, including some well-known figures, live with chronic skin conditions like HS.

Some celebrities have shared their experiences with HS. Read their stories below if you’ve ever wondered, “What celebrity has hidradenitis suppurativa?” These well-known people have spoken openly about their HS diagnosis and what it’s like to live with the condition.

Jhonni Blaze

Jhonni Blaze, a singer from Atlanta, learned she was living with HS while seeking care for recurring, painful boils under her arm. When one flare caused a high fever, she returned to the doctor and was diagnosed with HS. Now, Blaze uses her platform to raise awareness, share remedies that have helped her, and offer support to others living with the condition.

Blaze has been open about living with HS. People from around the world have reached out to her on social media to share their experiences.

Part of Blaze’s mission involves raising awareness about HS. She makes it clear that HS isn’t caused by poor hygiene and is not contagious. She’s also working to help people cover the costs of treatment, knowing that financial challenges often keep people from getting the treatment options they need.

Jackson Gillies

Jackson Gillies is an American musician best known for his time on “American Idol.” He used his rise to fame to not only share his music but also speak openly about HS.

Gillies struggled for years before getting an accurate diagnosis for HS. The first time he got an abscess, in 2013, he saw five doctors from different specialties, but none knew the cause. They removed the abscess and prescribed long courses of medication, hoping to prevent it from coming back.

The first time Jackson Gillies got an abscess, he saw five doctors from different specialties, but none knew the cause.

About a year later, Gillies had flares that were so bad he didn’t walk for six weeks, he said in an interview with the Santa Barbara Independent. More doctors eventually gave him the correct diagnosis: HS. Since then, Gillies has had five surgeries for HS and has shared his story in detail, inspiring many others living with HS.

Gillies also lives with type 1 diabetes. He has spoken about what it’s like to live with both HS and diabetes.

Mary Cosby

Mary Cosby is known from “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.” In an interview about the show, she explained that she once had her sweat glands removed. Sweat gland removal, an older treatment for HS, is rarely used today.

When asked more about the surgery during the show, Cosby revealed she had HS. She described flare-ups with cysts and lesions as large as an egg, affecting up to 70 percent of her body. Many fans realized that this may be one reason Cosby — unlike some of her co-stars — often wears clothes that cover most of her skin.

The interviewers seemed skeptical, likely because they had never heard of the condition before. This is one example of why advocacy around HS is so important.

Jonathan Kumuteo

Jonathan Kumuteo is a British boxer who lives with HS. Kumuteo has a deep understanding of what causes HS, and he’s open about his journey. He has spoken openly about having multiple surgeries to drain abscesses and about the excruciating pain he endured before treatment.

Despite these surgeries, his HS kept coming back, even as he trained and fought across the U.K. Many people with HS experience this cycle of returning boils and abscesses.

Kumuteo has also been honest about HS-related mental health challenges, which are shared by many people living with the condition. Constant pain, setbacks, and stigma took a toll, but Kumuteo kept moving forward.

His story gives hope to others who have pushed through despite chronic pain from HS — they may see their own struggles reflected in his journey.

Jasmine Ivanna Espy

Jasmine Ivanna Espy, a journalist and a filmmaker, spent her teenage years dealing with painful boils and pus-filled lesions. Like many people with HS, especially people of color, she went years without the right diagnosis.

Because of her own challenges, Espy is now raising awareness about HS. She produced “The Beacons: Illuminating HS Stories,” a documentary that highlights people who are living well and thriving with the condition.

She’s also working to improve her own body image and mental health, both of which have been deeply affected by HS. Overall, Espy said, she wants people to know this: “There is life on the other side of having a diagnosis like this.”

“There is life on the other side of having a diagnosis like [HS].”

— Jasmine Ivanna Espy

Lonnie White

Lonnie White, a beloved football player and sports writer, died in 2014. In 2010, the Discovery Health Channel aired a TV show about his lifelong battle with HS.

Before White died, his HS became more aggressive. He also lived with Crohn’s disease and diabetes — two common conditions in people with HS — as well as pancreatitis. White’s story can be an inspiration for people who are managing HS along with other serious health conditions.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you’re feeling alone because of HS, talk with your dermatologist. Someone on your dermatology care team can help you find ways to manage pain, cope with stigma, and feel less isolated.

They can also connect you with a support group or a mental health specialist who understands HS. You don’t have to face this condition alone — your healthcare team is there to support you.

Join the Conversation

On myHSteam, people share their experiences with hidradenitis suppurativa, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you heard of any other celebrities living with hidradenitis suppurativa? Let others know in the comments below.