The new year 2024 is closer than ever. But Hidradenitis Suppurativa is still a problem for many people.
That includes me despite the progress I’ve made.
So what’s the solution?
Let’s talk about that from a 2024 perspective.
I’ll share:
- What to do.
- Things to avoid.
- What helps Hidradentis.
- And vice versa.
Here’s a list.
Vitamins and nutrients:
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is the “skin” vitamin with known benefits for healing and repairing skin damage.
If you have Hidradenitis and it’s severe and nothing you can do has made it go away, Vitamin A (lack of it) is a likely reason for this.
Vitamin A isn’t only for the eyes but for the immune system.
Foods with the highest amount of Vitamin A:
- Liver (chicken, lamb, beef, etc).
- European Cheese (cheddar, Brie, Feta, etc).
- Local cheese (assuming you don’t live in the USA or places like it).
- Eggs.
- Seafood.
- Butter.
- Ghee.
Liver is the highest Vitamin A food and should only be eaten occasionally rather than daily since it’s so nutritious. The difference it will make to your skin is staggering.
Eggs, butter, and cheese are your next bets.
It’s a myth that Veg and fruit are high in Vitamin A since they only have Beta Carotene (an inferior version that has to convert to vitamin A).
Related: Hidradenitis Suppurativa Facts And Associations You NEED To Be Aware Of
2. Vitamin B
Vitamin B is loaded with many versions like B1, B6, B12, B3, and so on. But B12 is especially important.
It has already been shown that Vitamin B12 helps those who suffer from Hidradenitis, so increase this vitamin in 2024 to improve your Hidradenitis condition.
B12 best food sources:
- Red meat.
- White meat.
- Seafood.
- Shellfish.
- Butter.
- Eggs.
- Cheese.
- Liver.
For other b vitamins, there are Brussel Sprouts, berries, and similar foods.
If you decide to NOT eat animal foods which is where you get B12, there is also Spirulina which is a good choice, but terrible when compared to meats and animal products across the board.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D has also been observed to help those with Hidradenitis Suppurativa. As someone who’s been taking it for a good while, I can agree with the results.
Vitamin D isn’t as strong of an indicator as Vitamin A, but it does help along the way.
Vitamin D foods:
- Eggs.
- Cheese.
- Dairy.
- Mackerel.
- Organic meats.
- Salmon.
- Butter.
But the best way to get Vitamin D is through supplements UNLESS you’re able to get enough from the sun, and you’ve checked this by measuring your Vitamin D levels.
Personally, 10,000IU is where I noticed a difference for reasons other than just H.S.
4. Zinc
Zinc helps the immune system in 100s of ways, and is also known for its skin benefits as well.
Pairing this with Vitamin A will make a world of difference and zinc has been shown in limited studies to make a difference to those with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Foods for zinc:
- Shellfish (Mussels, Oysters, etc).
- Beef.
- Soybeans.
- Tofu.
- Organ meats (very high).
- Pork.
- Eggs.
- Kale.
- Spinach.
- Brussel Sprouts.
- Chicken.
- Seafood like Salmon, Mackerel, etc.
- Cheese.
- Pumpkin seeds.
- Other nuts and seeds.
You have to be careful with seeds and nuts as they#retriggering foods and may trigger your Hidradenitis.
Test it to see the results.
5. Copper
Copper works with Zinc and unsurprisingly, they’re both good for skin issues and help the skin heal. Both also work for hair and other parts of your “skin” and body.
High copper foods:
- Organ meats.
- Shellfish.
- Cheese.
- Eggs.
- Regular meats.
There are also Apricot, Mushrooms, Green Peas, and soybeans.
6. Iron
Iron is known to also help the skin, but not as pitently as the others. Since Iron helps with the blood and oxygen, this can also help skin issues like Hidradenitis if other solutions are failing or you have low iron.
It has also been shown that Hidradenitis and Iron deficiency are associated.
High iron foods:
- Red meats.
- Shellfish.
- Cheese.
Eggs, Fish, seeds, and berries work as well.
7. Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps with collagen production and helps the skin, so it’s not surprising why it’s on the list.
While this is an unlikely reason for you to have severe Hidradenitis, it does help when paired up with the more potent solutions.
Vitamin C foods:
- Sauerkraut.
- Fruits.
- Vegetables.
- Organ meats.
- Shellfish like Mussels.
- Fish like Salmon or Trout.
Sauerkraut should be given special attention for its other benefits as well (like gut health). The latter is linked to Hidradenitis problems.
Relevant: 17+ Vitamin C Food Sources WITHOUT Eating Vegetables Or Fruits
8. Vitamin E
While Vitamin E is said to be an anti-inflammatory for the skin, its association with Hidradenitis is WEAK. So it’s not a miracle solution or one you should be too concerned about.
But again, it’s always wise to have everything in order for your health and skin to heal and be optimal.
Vitamin E foods:
- Butter.
- Cheese.
- Dairy.
- Eggs.
- Seeds and nuts.
- Shellfish.
- Seafood.
- Organ meats.
- Olive Oil.
- Olives.
- Organic meats.
9. Omega 3
Omega 3 is known for its skin-healing benefits because it heals inflammation in the body. At the heart of Hidradenitis Suppurativa is inflammation.
This is why your skin is inflamed.
Adding omega 3 to your diet unless you lack omega 3 won’t make a massive difference, but you’ll see an improvement.
Omega 3 foods:
- Seafood.
- Shellfish.
- Organic meats.
- Cheese.
- Eggs.
- Red meat.
- Ghee.
Serums, creams, shampoo, etc:
Benzoyl Peroxide
Benzoyl peroxide is something I used years ago when my skin issues first started showing up all over my face, scalp, hair, and neck.
The shampoo didn’t do too much, but the serum for Benzoyl peroxide worked somewhat.
While many Hhidradenitis sufferers do say Benzol has helped them with their H.S., keep in mind that Benzoly can’t get rid of Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
It works as an additional boost to your nutrition, and nutrition is the most important solution to healing Hidradenitis.
Everything else is secondary to that.
Salicylic acid
A solution even more effective than Benzoly in my opinion is Salicylid acid. You can get it in serums, shampoos, creams, and so on.
You add a little to your face similar to tea tree oil, and leave it at that.
Again, don’t expect this alone to change the game and make your Hidradenitis disappear. It can speed things up a little if you get your nutrition right.
Most importantly, it can help with prevention.
Tea tree oil
Tea Tree Oil has been used forever, so it’s not something new or “untested” like other solutions.
Like the other solutions, you can get tea tree oil as:
- Shampoo.
- Serum.
- Body wash.
- Creams.
And so on.
It’s best to test this with your skin because each person can react differently, or sometimes violently to tea tree oil.
Nothing too crazy, just adding to the skin problem rather than anything dramatic ot threatening (unless you’re allergic). The latter is rare.
Foods to avoid:
Fizzy drinks like cola
Goes without saying.
Cola, Fanta, Lucozade, and all the rest of them are full of sugar and full of problems that will make you look your worst and have you feeling your worst.
Sweet desserts like syrup pudding
https://www.lylesgoldensyrup.com/recipe/steamed-syrup-sponge-pudding/
I used to devour syrup pudding back in the day, without questioning or even thinking about it.
I loved that sweet taste, or I should say, that rush I experienced when eating it and would laugh about the “sugar high”.
I didn’t know any better.
If it’s too sweet, don’t eat it. Your Hidradenitis will thank you for it.
Related: 16 Signs You Have A Sweet Tooth That Won’t Go Away
Pastries like cookies, muffins, etc
Pastries taste good but don’t feel good when you eat them. And they don’t lead to positive outcomes when you’re on the toilet doing your business, or when you’re going about your daily life and run into health issues.
Skin issues are the most clear problem.
Breads in the 100s of grams
Flour products like bread, pasta, pancakes, and so on, will keep your Hidradenitis the way it is and has always been. You’ll never recover from eating this bullshit diet.
Breads have no nutrition as it is, but they do spike your blood sugar too fast and cause more inflammation which is what we’re trying to get rid of.
Gluten
This ties in with pastries and flour products, but gluten is loaded with carbohydrates and none of the good kinds either despite the narrative they tried pushing.
Test the facts on your own body, and your eyes won’t deceive you unlike these “studies” that can be bought and paid, or altered to fit a bias.
The day I stopped gluten Is the day I noticed a change in my skin back in March 2020.
Foods to eat more of:
Fruits (Organic or from nature)
Living in countries like:
- Turkey
- Spain
- Greece
- Jamaica or the Caribbean
- The Philippines.
- Thailand.
- Many parts of Africa.
and so on, you get fruits from nature.
Oranges, lemons, coconuts, Papaya, mangoes, and more. And when you eat it from nature? No problems or aggravation for Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
The same can’t be said in Western countries when you buy fruit from the supermarket where it sits for days and has been sprayed to death.
Not to mention it has been sitting on a plane traveling from another country before it arrives.
The alternative is organic, but you have to be sure it truly is organic and you can prove it by seeing how it affects your skin.
If the fruit is certified organic, eat more of it (don’t overdo it) and it will help rather than hurt.
Vegetables (Organic or from nature)
Eat vegetables from any other country outside the West and you’ll see how much fresher, tastier, and genuine it is.
These vegetables are grown from nature and then packaged right away if sold in a supermarket (without a middleman spraying them with insecticides and so on).
Or the pesticide use is much lower than in countries like the USA.
Organic is the next best thing, but you need to be sure it’s certified organic to avoid any potential problems with your skin that are perplexing at its worst.
Vegetables should make your skin better (the best kind).
Meats (includes red meat)
Red meat is good for you despite the meat propaganda campaign they’ve been running for years in the West. Of course, you want to buy the freshest meat you can buy.
That means organic, or what they call “grass-fed” in the USA, or both.
The closer to nature you can get the meat as far as it being natural, the better your skin will heal and your body.
Fish like Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, etc
Mackerel is one of the more underrated foods, and it’s the highest omega-3 food even more so than Salmon or Sardines.
It’s also relatively high in Vitamin D, magnesium, and potassium, and has a fair bit of calcium, iron, b vitamins, and so on.
The fresher you can buy it, the better for your health. These foods shouldn’t trigger you and if they do, the food has been tampered with.
Shellfish like Mussels, Clams, Crab
Mussels have high amounts of minerals and even vitamins C, E, A, and b vitamins.
Clams are high in iron, and crab has a nice nutrition balance.
Shellfish might be the best food to eat with Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Supplements that may help:
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is associated with Hidradenitis Suppurativa, which has been tested in limited but relevant studies.
Don’t bother trying to get it all from dairy or food. Make sure you have a supplement with your food, that’s the best way alongside your food, sun, and other methods to absorb vitamin D.
CoQ10
COQ10 helps your Mitochondria, which is the energy factory of the body. When the energy factory of your body is damaged, it can cause all sorts of issues including skin issues.
You can take COQ10 in supplement form but obviously, find out if you can benefit from having it first from your doctor or talk it out with a health professional.
Low level activities that may help:
Exercise
Exercise helps with almost every issue you can imagine. Skin, bones, muscle, inflammation, heart health, pain, and the list goes on for eternity.
Getting your physical body in better shape will help your body improve from the inside out.
Sauna
With Sauna’s healing properties for the body, including your face, skin, acne, H.S., and other skin conditions, it only makes sense to take advantage of Saunas as much as you feel is necessary.
This is another weapon to add to your arsenal of H,S. solutions in 2024.
Steam
Getting a bucket, putting a towel over your head, and letting the steam hit your face from the hot water is one way to get therapy for your skin.
This is a form of therapy so it won’t reverse your Hidradenitis Suppurativa in 2024 or any other year, but it works alongside everything else.
Avoid oil moisturizers like Argan
Argan oil made my face explode with the heads, Hidradenitis, spots, and everything else associated with it.
It may be different for you, but oils are known to cause problems when used as moisturizers for so many people. Tea Tree is the least problematic.
Jojoba oil and others could be problematic as well, and you’re free to test it if you want to know for certain.
Helpful Hidradenitis videos:
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In the end, to defeat Hidradenitis Suppurativa in 2024:
- Get food as close to nature as you possibly can.
- Eat organic food as often as you can.
- Find ways to spend on the best food available wherever you may live.
- Don’t compromise or settle on your health.
- Avoid oils that can disrupt your skin.
- Focus on Vitamin A and Vitamin D more than any other vitamin.
- Copper and zinc are the most important minerals to focus on.
And think holistically when it comes to your health and Hidradenitis.
The bigger picture matters most, and when everything is synergistic, things work a lot better.
Don’t quit.
Nutrition is the way forward and will do more for you than any surgery or procedure could ever hope to (without side effects as well).
Have a blessed 2024!
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