Patients affected by hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) may experience clinically significant improvement from a variety of lifestyle modifications, according to a study published in Archives of Dermatological Research. Although clinical experience suggests that many patients with HS ask about potential lifestyle modifications that may help alleviate their symptoms, data are lacking to support well-informed lifestyle modification counseling, leading many patients to defer to anecdotal endorsements found via social media support groups. To clarify what lifestyle modifications can improve HS symptoms, investigators conducted a survey-based study to examine modifiable risk factors and their association with HS severity. They calculated average improvements in both subjective and objective ratings of symptom severity before and after various lifestyle modifications among 591 patients with HS. Among the numerous lifestyle interventions associated with both subjective and objective improvements in symptom severity were substantial weight loss, smoking cessation, use of gentle skin and depilatory products, and menstrual regulation.
