Hidradenitis Suppurativa Remedy: Home Remedies and Natural Treatments
Written by Montoya Sigafoose, founder of Home Remedy Shop · Medically reviewed by Veronique Claes d’Erckenteel, D.C., chiropractor since 1991 · Last reviewed: 26 October 2026
There’s no single hidradenitis suppurativa remedy that makes it disappear, but you can manage HS and have far fewer flares by treating your whole body. The home remedies that help most: an antibacterial chlorhexidine wash every 48 hours, plenty of (alkaline) water without alcohol or sugary drinks, ginger, turmeric and garlic for your lymph, an alkaline diet low in dairy and sugar, enough zinc and vitamin D, gentle weight loss, no smoking, and an environment cleaned of toxins and stress. Use them alongside your dermatologist’s care: HS gets worse if it isn’t treated early.
My approach to health isn’t the one most people take, and my view isn’t always the same as how the medical system approaches things. Still, I believe the link between medical research on HS and general health is a must to consider with any chronic disease that supposedly has no cure. It means approaching health as a whole and putting the effort into new habits. For more natural healing, browse all our natural home remedies or our guide to home remedies for boils.
The short version
- Wash: antibacterial soap with chlorhexidine every 48 hours.
- Drink: alkaline water or natural electrolytes; no alcohol, sodas or sugary drinks.
- Lymph: ginger, turmeric and garlic juice, movement and deep breathing.
- Eat: alkaline and Mediterranean-style; test cutting dairy, sugar and brewer’s yeast.
- Check: zinc and vitamin D.
- Lifestyle: gentle weight loss, no smoking, loose clothes.
- Detox your environment: relationships, cosmetics (Yuka app), drinks, fast food, cleaning products.
See a doctor or dermatologist if you have painful bumps in your armpits, groin, under the breasts or between the buttocks that keep coming back: an early diagnosis really matters, because HS can create tunnels under the skin and scars if it isn’t treated. Get help the same day for fever, chills, red skin that spreads quickly, or feeling very unwell. Never squeeze, cut or drain HS bumps yourself: it pushes the inflammation deeper and spreads infection. The home remedies on this page support medical treatment; don’t stop any treatment without talking to your doctor.
Table of Contents
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa: What Is It?
- Cause of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- My View: Lymph, Bones and the Whole Body
- 12 Natural Remedies for Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- How to Treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Skin Care
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid
- My Daily Lymph Routine
- Genes, Epigenetics and Stress
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Pregnancy
- Frequently Asked Questions
Hidradenitis Suppurativa: What Is It?
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), also called acne inversa, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. A hair follicle in a skin fold plugs up, bursts under the skin and triggers an intense immune reaction: painful lumps, abscesses that leak pus and, over time, tunnels and scars. It usually starts after puberty, is more common in women and affects roughly 1 in 100 people (Jfri et al., 2021).
What Does Hidradenitis Suppurativa Look Like?
Early HS looks like deep, painful pimples or boils in the armpits, groin, inner thighs, under the breasts or between the buttocks, returning in the same places. Later come paired blackheads, tunnels, draining wounds and scars.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa vs Ingrown Hair
An ingrown hair is one small bump around a hair, usually after shaving, that clears in days. HS bumps are deeper, more painful, last weeks and keep coming back. Recurring “ingrown hairs” in your armpits or groin? Ask a dermatologist to check for HS.
Staging of Hidradenitis Suppurativa (Hurley Stages)
- Stage 1: single or a few separate lumps or abscesses, without tunnels or scars. Groin stage 1 hidradenitis suppurativa looks like a few recurring bumps in the bikini line. Natural remedies make the biggest difference here.
- Stage 2: recurring abscesses with tunnels under the skin and scarring, with healthy skin in between.
- Stage 3: large areas of connected tunnels, abscesses and scars.
Cause of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
HS isn’t caused by poor hygiene and isn’t contagious. Although HS isn’t considered an autoimmune disease, there is a big dysfunction of the innate immunity, the body’s first line of defence. Some of the genetic mutations found in HS are shared with the classic autoinflammatory diseases (Zouboulis et al., 2020; Nomura, 2020). The skin’s own defences against bacteria are also weaker (Dréno et al., 2012). Main triggers: smoking, excess weight, insulin resistance, friction, hormones and stress.
My View: Lymph, Bones and the Whole Body
The basis of immune function is bone health and lymph health. Your bone marrow makes your immune cells; your lymphatic system carries them through your body and clears away waste. Both are heavily connected to blood and fluids.
HS supposedly appears in areas with creases, like the armpits and the groin. But if you research the lymph areas and the common areas of HS breakouts, they overlap: the armpits, groin and under the breasts are exactly where the large clusters of lymph nodes sit. That’s a correlation I find quite important, and it’s why I believe these two systems need to be taken care of with precision and lots of self-love.
An honest note: these areas also have the most skin folds and sweat glands, and a direct link between lymph flow and HS isn’t proven. But long-standing HS can damage lymph vessels and cause swelling (lymphedema) (Micieli and Alavi, 2018).
12 Natural Remedies for Hidradenitis Suppurativa
These natural treatments work best together, as new habits. Give each 8 to 12 weeks.
1. Antibacterial soap with chlorhexidine
A wide range of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium and anaerobes such as Prevotella and Fusobacterium, have been found deep inside HS lesions. So my logical approach is to only use an antibacterial soap with a percentage of chlorhexidine.
- Wash the affected areas with a 2% to 4% chlorhexidine wash every 48 hours.
- Leave it on for a minute, rinse and pat dry.
- On the other days, use a mild, fragrance-free soap.
- Keep it away from eyes and ears; stop if it stings or dries your skin.
What the research says: The North American HS guidelines list antiseptic washes such as chlorhexidine as part of daily care, while noting the evidence is limited (Alikhan et al., 2019). Sticking with washes is the hard part (Leiphart et al., 2019); every 48 hours is gentle enough to keep doing.
2. Alkaline water, and leave alcohol and sugary drinks behind
Your lymph is mostly water: without enough fluids it moves slowly. So the first step is drinking alkaline water while leaving behind alcohol and sugary drinks.
- Sip water all day; more in summer or when you exercise.
- Difficulty drinking water? Buy natural electrolytes that are both yummy and beneficial.
- Swap sodas and alcohol for water or herbal tea.
What the research says: Alkaline water doesn’t change blood pH, and it hasn’t been studied in HS. After exercise, high-pH electrolyte water lowered blood viscosity more than ordinary water (Weidman et al., 2016).
3. Ginger, turmeric (curcuma) and garlic juice
Ginger, curcuma (turmeric) or garlic juicing can be of extreme benefit for helping the lymph’s secondary function, which is detoxing. All three are also anti-inflammatory.
- Juice a thumb of ginger and turmeric with lemon, apple and greens.
- Add black pepper and a little oil to absorb the turmeric.
- Add a clove of garlic, or eat it crushed in food.
- Large amounts can thin the blood: careful before surgery or with blood thinners.
What the research says: Turmeric for hidradenitis suppurativa is popular among patients, but a review of complementary therapies found the evidence is still early (Peterson et al., 2024).
4. An alkaline, anti-inflammatory diet
Adding an alkaline diet on top of that can only improve your health in general. Its green vegetables, fruit, nuts and olive oil overlap with the Mediterranean diet.
- Half your plate green vegetables.
- Olive oil, nuts, seeds and oily fish for healthy fats.
What the research says: Italian researchers found that people with HS who ate less like a Mediterranean diet had more severe disease (Barrea et al., 2018).
Free guide
Feed your lymph and calm the inflammation
With a chronic skin condition like HS, what you put in your body every day matters as much as what you put on your skin. Our alkaline diet list shows you which foods to eat more of (all the green vegetables, herbs, fruit, nuts and seeds) and what to cut back on.
- The most alkaline foods, by food group
- What to swap: sugar, sodas, alcohol and fast food
- Easy green meals for every day
- A gentle start, no strict rules
Free guide on Home Remedy Shop.
5. Cut back on dairy and sugar
Dairy and sugar raise insulin and hormone signals that can plug hair follicles.
- Try 8 weeks without milk, cheese and whey.
- Cut sweets, white bread and pastries.
What the research says: Early observations suggest a zero-dairy, low-glycaemic-load diet may slow the progression of lesions and help prevent new ones (Danby, 2015). Larger trials are still missing.
6. Test a brewer’s yeast break
Brewer’s yeast is in beer, bread, pizza and yeast extracts, and some people with HS react to it.
- Leave these out for 8 to 12 weeks.
- Keep a skin diary.
What the research says: In a small Italian study, people who avoided brewer’s yeast after surgery saw their lesions stabilise quickly and slowly clear within a year (Cannistrà et al., 2013).
7. Zinc
Zinc supports the innate immune system and wound healing, the two things HS needs most.
- Eat pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews and seafood.
- Supplements only with your doctor’s guidance: high doses lower copper.
What the research says: In a pilot study, all 22 people with mild to moderate HS taking zinc gluconate improved, 8 of them completely (Brocard et al., 2007). It was small and had no placebo group.
8. Vitamin D and bone health
Your bone marrow makes your immune cells. Vitamin D, minerals and movement keep bones, and immunity, strong.
- Daylight on your skin daily.
- Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level.
What the research says: In a Jordanian study, people with HS were much more likely to have low vitamin D than healthy people (Seetan et al., 2022).
9. Gentle weight loss
Weight loss for hidradenitis suppurativa is one of the most effective natural treatments: less friction, less sweating, calmer inflammation.
- Focus on the diet changes above, not calorie counting.
- Walk daily: it also pumps your lymph.
What the research says: In a Danish study, people who lost more than 15% of their body weight had 35% fewer HS symptoms and fewer affected areas (Kromann et al., 2014).
10. Stop smoking
Smoking is one of the strongest triggers for HS: it irritates the hair follicles and feeds inflammation.
- Make a quit plan and ask for support.
What the research says: A meta-analysis confirmed a strong link between smoking and HS (Acharya and Mathur, 2020).
11. Warm compresses, loose clothes and tea tree oil
Warmth and less friction relieve painful bumps.
- A warm, damp cloth for 10 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day.
- Loose cotton clothing; nothing tight on the area.
- Tea tree oil: 2 drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil, on unbroken skin only.
What the research says: Heat, sweating and friction are among the most reported flare triggers in patient surveys (Thompson et al., 2021). Tea tree oil hasn’t been studied in HS.
12. Clean up your environment
Toxins and emotional stress can switch genes on and off. See the checklist in genes, epigenetics and stress below.
- Start with one swap a week: a cosmetic, a drink, a cleaning product.
How to Treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Skin Care, Deodorant and Hair Removal
The Best Antibacterial Soap for Hidradenitis Suppurativa
An antiseptic wash for hidradenitis suppurativa with 2% to 4% chlorhexidine, every 48 hours (remedy 1). Dry your skin folds well.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Deodorant
Choose a deodorant without aluminium, fragrance and alcohol, which can irritate inflamed skin. Check it in the Yuka app. Skip deodorant on open or draining lesions.
Laser Hair Removal, Waxing and Shaving
HS starts in the hair follicle, so laser hair removal for hidradenitis suppurativa can help in early stages by destroying the follicles. In a small trial, Nd:YAG laser treatment reduced HS severity in the treated areas (Tierney et al., 2009). Avoid hidradenitis suppurativa waxing: pulling hairs from the root irritates follicles and can trigger flares. Trimming with clippers is gentlest.
Should You Drain Hidradenitis Suppurativa at Home?
No. Wanting to drain hidradenitis suppurativa at home is understandable, but squeezing pushes the inflammation deeper and causes tunnels and scars. Use warm compresses, cover a draining lesion with a clean dressing, and let a doctor drain it if needed.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Diet: Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
There’s no single proven diet for hidradenitis suppurativa, but researchers increasingly see nutrition as an essential part of HS care (Marasca et al., 2020). The Mediterranean diet for hidradenitis suppurativa and an alkaline diet overlap a lot: lots of vegetables, healthy fats and few processed foods.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (Foods to Eat)
- All green vegetables and herbs.
- Berries and colourful fruit.
- Olive oil, avocado, nuts, pumpkin seeds, oily fish.
- Legumes, ginger, turmeric and garlic.
- Fermented foods and prebiotic fibre for your gut (see prebiotic foods).
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Food to Avoid
- Dairy and whey.
- Sugar, white bread and pastries.
- Sodas and alcohol.
- Fast food.
- Brewer’s yeast, if you react to it.
Read more about eating for your whole body in what is a holistic diet, and about the gut and immunity in healing your gut naturally and how to heal a leaky gut.
My Daily Lymph Routine
Your lymph has no pump: it moves when you move, breathe and drink.
- Start with water: (alkaline) water with lemon on waking.
- Juice: ginger, turmeric and greens.
- Breathe deeply: 5 minutes of belly breathing.
- Move: walk, rebound or swim daily.
- Gentle lymph massage: light strokes on healthy skin only.
- Rest: 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
For natural ways to support your body against bacteria, see also natural antibiotics.
Genes, Epigenetics and Stress: Why Your Environment Matters
Some genetic mutations are shared between HS and the classic autoinflammatory diseases. And genes can be influenced by epigenetics: certain genes you carry can actually be switched on and off. They switch on and off depending on external factors, and those external factors include emotional disturbances (Russo et al., Epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation). In a patient survey, stress was one of the most reported HS flare triggers (Thompson et al., 2021).
The point is that cleaning up your environment from toxins of any kind is a must. Think of:
- Relationships that drain you.
- Soaps, shampoos, creams and serums: use Yuka to find out the quality.
- Drinks: sodas, alcohol and energy drinks.
- Fast food, including too many carbs and sugars.
- Substances to clean the house: vinegar, baking soda, natural soap.
An honest note: epigenetic research in HS is young, but every item here is good for your general health.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Pregnancy
HS in pregnancy can go either way: some women improve, others flare, and many flare after giving birth. Stick to gentle remedies (compresses, loose clothing, hydration, whole foods) and skip supplements and essential oils unless your midwife agrees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best hidradenitis suppurativa remedy?
A combination: a chlorhexidine wash every 48 hours, plenty of water, an alkaline diet low in dairy and sugar, zinc and vitamin D, weight loss, no smoking and less stress, with your dermatologist’s care.
How do you get rid of hidradenitis suppurativa?
You can’t always get rid of it completely, but you can bring it into long periods of calm. Treat it early, manage the triggers and combine home remedies with medical care.
Can hidradenitis suppurativa go away?
It can go into remission for long periods, especially when it’s caught early and the triggers are managed. Some women find it calms down after menopause.
Can hidradenitis suppurativa be cured?
There’s no cure yet, but it can be managed well. Natural remedies, lifestyle changes and medical treatments together can greatly reduce flares and pain.
Can hidradenitis suppurativa kill you?
HS itself is very rarely life-threatening. Rarely, severe long-standing HS leads to serious infection or skin cancer in old scars, and it raises heart and metabolic risk.
Is hidradenitis suppurativa an autoimmune disease?
No, it’s not classed as autoimmune, but it involves a big dysfunction of the innate immune system and shares some gene mutations with autoinflammatory diseases.
What soap is best for hidradenitis suppurativa?
An antibacterial soap with chlorhexidine (2% to 4%), used every 48 hours on the affected areas, and a mild, fragrance-free soap on the other days.
What foods make hidradenitis suppurativa worse?
Dairy, sugar and high-glycaemic foods, alcohol, sodas and fast food are the most common culprits. Some people also react to brewer’s yeast in beer, bread and pizza.
Does zinc help hidradenitis suppurativa?
A small study found zinc gluconate improved mild to moderate HS in all 22 patients. Eat zinc-rich foods and only take high-dose zinc with your doctor’s guidance.
Recommended
- The Alkaline Diet List
- Home Remedies for Boils
- Eczema on Hands: Natural Treatment
- More natural home remedies
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