!!!!!

Are you worried about the spread of HS? ! HS!is!not!infectious!or!contagious,!so!your!partner!cannot!“give”!you!or!your!family!members!HS!through!contact.

1,2,3!!

! Research!has!shown!that!HS!may!run!in!families.!!In!fact,!about!one!third!of!people!diagnosed!with!HS!have!a!family!history.

1,2!!

!

How does HS impact the life of your partner? ! HS!is!very!painful.

1,2,3!!

! Pain!may!persist!for!years!and!can!prevent!normal!working!and!social!activities.

1,2!

! HS!may!make!it!difficult!for!your!spouse!or!partner!!to!be!intimate!because!of!lowDself!esteem!or!feelings!of!embarrassment.

1!!!

! Those!with!HS!often!suffer!from!depression—!particularly!if!the!groin!or!breast!areas!are!affected.

1!!

! Sometimes!the!boils!associated!with!HS!may!burst.!Your!partner!may!need!to!spend!time!tending!to!his/her!wounds!or!change!clothing.

4!

!

!

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS): What!You!Need!to!Know!!

What is hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)? A!chronic,!painful,!inflammatory!disease!that!affects!the!skin!typically!located!around!the!armpits!and!groin!as!well!as!under!the!breasts,!on!the!buttocks!and!in!the!inner!thighs,!where!skin!rubs!together.!These!inflamed!areas!often!include!lesions,!nodules,!boils!and!abscesses,!which!can!rupture,!leaking!foulDsmelling!pus!onto!clothing.

1,2!

!

How did your partner develop HS? The!exact!cause!of!HS!is!unknown,!but!it!is!believed!that!plugged!hair!follicles!(where!hair!grows!out!of!the!skin)!play!a!role.

2,3!It!is!important!for!you!to!know!that!your!partner!did!not!develop!HS!from!an!infection!or!as!a!result!

of!poor!hygiene,!a!common!misconception!about!the!onset!of!HS.1!

Are there certain factors that increase risk of HS? !

If any of these apply to your partner, speak to him or her about making a lifestyle change, such as quitting smoking or eating healthy.

!

!

!

HS commonly occurs in young adults in their early 20s,

but can occur at any age.2

Women are more likely to develop HS

than men.2

Sex hormones likely play a role because the disease

occurs after puberty.3

The odds of having HS are greater in current smokers than in

non-smokers or ex-smokers.1,2,3

Research has established a link between HS and obesity.1,2,3

! !!!

Your Guide to Understanding HS and Its Impact

IS YOUR PARTNER LIVING WITH HIDRADENITIS SUPPURATIVA!(HS)?!!

!

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To learn more, visit HS Online – www.hsonline.ca – a unique resource to help educate, uplift and empower the HS community with trusted information and support. !

!

What else can you do? ! Although!you!can’t!relieve!physical!symptoms,!!you!can!provide!emotional!support!through!encouragement!and!understanding,!which!is!an!important!step!in!working!towards!wellness.

4!

!! Consider!joining!a!support!group!where!you!can!share!experiences!and!get!support!from!others!who!are!living!with!HS!or!caring!for!those!with!HS.!!

!!!!Visit!www.hsonline.ca,for!a!list!of!local!support!groups!!!!!!!and!resources.!

! There!is!no!cure!for!HS,!but!you!can!help!your!partner!find!relief!for!the!symptoms.4!

!! Encourage!your!partner!to!seek!out!medical!help.!Dermatologists!specialize!in!skin!health!and!should!be!consulted!for!treatment!options.

1,2!!

!! Help!your!partner!get!the!most!out!of!the!conversation!with!a!dermatologist.!Visit!!

www.hsonline.ca!to!help!create!a!custom!discussion!guide!and!symptom!checklist.!!! Also!consider!helping!your!loved!one!make!a!few!lifestyle!changes!that!may!help!alleviate!!

symptoms,!such!as:4!

!

!

!

!

REFERENCES 1. Dufour DN, Emtestam L, Jemec GB. Hidradenitis suppurativa: a common and

burdensome, yet under-recognised, inflammatory skin disease. Postgrad Med J. 2014; 90 (1062):216-21.

2. Jemec G. Hidradenitis Suppurativa. N Engl J Med. 2012; 366:158-64. 3. Zouboulis CC, Tsatsou F (2012) Disorders of the Apocrine Sweat Glands. In: Goldsmith LA,

Katz SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS, Leffell DJ, Wolff K (eds) Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine. 8th ed, McGraw Hill, New York Chicago, pp 947-959.

4. Mayo Health Clinic. Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hidradenitis-suppurativa/DS00818. Published April 9, 2013. Accessed September 10, 2013!

!

!

Caring for Someone with HS: What!You!Can!Do!

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!

!Wearing!looseDfitting!cotton!clothing!!

!

!

Quitting!smoking!!

!

!

Eating!healthy!and/or!losing!weight!!