Food wise, just eat healthy with a balanced diet, and keep your BMI in your normal levels.

That means avoid processed food, saturated fat, sugar, alcohol (occasionally it's fine), smoking and so on.

Eat lots and a variety of vegetables and fruits, white meat and fish, red meat 1-2 times a week max, variety of nuts, oats, wholemeal bread, brown rice, potatoes, yogurt (some avoid dairy for HS, but yogurt is considered fine) and so on.

If you are in a state that you can exercise in any way, definitely do, it does help.

Supplements I take vitamin D, Vitamin B (complex), Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Turmeric, zinc, omega 3, Spirulina and multivitamins extra as well for the missing Ingredients. Also make sure you take the supplements in the recommended levels each, since they can be bad for your health when exceeded. I'm not sure if they really work to be honest, especially when diet is balanced already. I personally take them just in case they work and since I have nothing to lose (but benefit instead).

However, most important in my opinion is to do quite frequent routine checks with the doctors (dermatologists and surgeons) and get the most appropriate treatments and actions every time. They know best how to treat every stage and by learning your HS, your body and health history over time, they will optimise what works best for you and at the stage you are at that time.

Generally try to manage your HS and not allow it reach stage 2 or 3, and if it reaches then try to bring it back to healthy stage. For me the most effective are biologics (humira) on any stage, corticosteroids injections on the inflammations (when in stage 1 or 2), doxycycline (any stage) and wide excision surgery (stage 2 or 3). Hair removal in the areas that the inflammations are likely to develop is def a great option, but it is only effective only when the HS is mild on that area, before the tunnelings below the skin develop. Tunnelings in general are the biggest trouble and hardest to manage.. In my opinion and from my experience (twice) they need to be removed by a surgeon the soonest possible, otherwise they can expand and make it much harder to manage afterwards.

Last, be aware that sometimes we are confused that the anxiety increases the HS symptoms, when it is the opposite that the condition causes anxiety. There are no studies yet that prove that anxiety or depression casually affect HS, when for the opposite, that HS can cause anxiety and depression there are. Therefore for your mental health and life quality, manage your HS and live appropriately, not the other way around.

Final note,
I notice nothing makes it worse than Stress and lack of enough sleep
However, Bodies are different,
I had have this issue all over my body so far for the last 22 years.
First, showed up on my legs and my back when I was 16 years
I thought that the worse when it was between my legs in the hairy areas
Then it developed on my stomach, chest, and even inside my eye(Trust me, it is horrible) Thank God it stopped in my eye for many years, the solution was:
I am a programmer, and I used to sit in front of an old monitor and look at it all day and night. I changed my monitor, used glasses and tried to sleep enough.
I was fine for 5-6 years! Then the Devil one raised up ten years ago; I can say six months after I stopped using finasteride. Both armpits, chest, under the stomach, and one behind my ear(WHY) got big flares. It looks like I was flares bombarded. I have been using finasteride for six years, and I almost forgot I have this issue. I was eating everything and not having any major issues with my skin. I stopped using finasteride as my Dr said I must not use it for more than two years.
The Doctors I worked with in Canada are amazing. They were never able to diagnose my disease.
How did I find out:
I had to go hospital every month to drain the painful flares. After many times, I was diagnosed with HS by a nurse whose daughter has the same issue, and the nurse got it as I explained my situation to her!
Neither of my family Dr or dermatologist Dr couldn’t get my issue, and they keep giving me cephalexin.
When I told my family doctor, "I believe, I have HS",
she sent me to a different doctor, and it got confirmed.

Anyway, I had three Surgeries and removed the cysts from my chest and two from each Armpit. I still have one under my stomach and a small one on one of my Armpits. I wanted to take it out, but the Dr likes her medicine, instead of removing the *** cyst.

I am not complaining, but I am saying that if a flare comes up at the same place over and over, please don’t get fooled by your doctor. Go and find a surgent to it cut down. It will make a big difference in your life.

Thank you all again
Wish you all happiness and fewer HS’ish moments

Sam.
1. Supplements that actually make it
better include Tumeric, Vitamin D
with K, and Zinc.
Calcium/Magnesium/Potassium
in one pill also helps me. When I
was in the hospital, they kept
giving me potassium.
Zinc interferes with some antibiotics so check that if you take cephalexin or others
2. As far as food, cut down on the sugar to almost none. Not too much cheese, pasta, 🍕 pizza, or spicy foods. Many ppl with h.s. have problems with diary but I love milk and it has never been a problem for me.
3. I have had many incise and drains done on my groin area and my breast area. For me, the h.s. tends not to reappear over scars I have not had laser treatment but I am considering making an appointment with Houston Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center. I have been using a Clindamycin antibiotic solution which is prescription. If I knew how it was earlier I would have gotten the gel. The solution goes everywhere. I have been taking Humira for 8 months now It is helping to dry out my boobs, but is slow to work, and I have still had flares.
4. As far as environment goes, I live very close to the Gulf of Mexico and oil refineries, bad pollution. Just moved here, glad have not lived here all my life. For h.s , always keep your body cool. Wear loose clothes to prevent friction. I use Dermoviva soap which you can find on Amazon. Tumeric soap good also. Wash with hands or soft brush. If you use body wash, Aloe Vera or Aveeno oatmeal work for me.

I have had h.s. since I was 28 in groin area only. STRESS is the main thing to keep low. After being flooded out of our house 🏠 in Harvey and Imelda, then two remodels, and being in a shelter, then a FEMA hotel, then a RV, then family and selling that home and moving. Run-on sentence, LOL After all that, at age 54 h.s. appeared on my breasts. Tons of imaging has been done, they say it is not cancer. I do not get it under my arms but fear to say that or it will attack, on site Baz and others call it h.s. 👿devil. But in case you get it under arms, only use a clinical strength deodorant or a natural one.
In the pic, I am the one in the blue shirt. Sorry I wrote a novel. Hope it helps you.

Hi Sam. Humidity bothers mine. But worse offender was hormone changes. I went 4 years without air conditioning and never had an outbreak. But began having them at menopause. High blood sugar will flare it. Antibiotics don’t seem to work. I do better with common house hold herbs made into compresses and poultices, gentle cereve soap. I don’t cross contaminate body parts bathing, Use 3 different wash cloths to wash. Meticulous with hygiene. Hot tub baths help. Full hot tub or shower daily is a must. Sometimes use a hand held squeeze bottle bidet inbetween baths. Using wipes to clean just doesn’t work well enough except for extra cleaning during the day. Use Benadryl antihistamine topical solution and Preparation H on bleeding holes that won’t close and hurt. Presently in remission, Worst foods that cause flares for me is cheese and alcohol especially wine. Have to use very loose 100% cotton underwear and stay dry. I cut up thin 100% cotton undershirts in horizontal strips and use those as loose liners in under wear and change them a few times a day to absorb perspiration. I sleep in Men’s boxers because they are looser. Main thing is avoid friction. The soft t-shirt liner helps with that. If I get a boil drawing salve or triple antibiotic salve and a heating pad brings it to a head, along with 2 to 3 hot bathtub soaks during the day until it breaks open and everything comes out. Then I use products after that known to shrink the holes.

Linda, OMG, I feel so bad you have pneumonia and your husband. Yes, when it rains, it pours. I am having a hard time of it to Some of it is just personal worries about my half brother and his wife who live in Killeen, Tx fixing to lose their housing. He is 47, ten years younger than me. Then, this infection which was cut out and in general needing good medical people and them not being available. I just have to humble myself and talk to the good Lord about it all.