Ah, summertime. “Time to sit back and unwind” at the beach, the Juneteenth kickback, or in the backyard with a snack and a glass of wine. But, just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean your HS is too.
Many HS sufferers experience increased symptom discomfort in the summer for five major reasons:
Wearing tight clothing
Bodycon-everything is definitely in, and likely isn’t going anywhere soon. But bodysuits, bike shorts, seamless undies, and (the sometimes necessary) thongs can accentuate your curves AND your HS due to friction. This is especially true when wearing leggings and sports bras during exercise. Constant motion against HS flare zones on the skin can cause or worsen irritation, making an HS flare worse.
Unchecked bacteria growth on the skin
Bacteria live on the skin and we pick up more from our environment daily. Staphylococcal or Streptococcal bacterias can penetrate compromised skin and cause a major infection on top of aggravating established HS lesion zones – and that is the LAST thing you need if you want to enjoy a hot-girl summer.
Sweating from extreme heat and humidity
Anybody disputing climate change only has to step outside in mid-July and feel the burn – literally.
Extreme heat and humidity are irritating to the skin, and tight clothing, staph and strep bacteria, and sweat combined with boils from HS is a NASTY combo.
Antiperspirants irritate HS in the underarms
We all have an underarm antiperspirant that we swear by – I’m a Degree girl myself – but antiperspirants can do more harm than good when the HS location is your underarms. Antiperspirants block sweat glands to reduce moisture. While reduced sweat does reduce skin irritation but can cause underarm irritation in the process.
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Shaving over HS lesions
The location of HS boils and bumps can make grooming difficult. Keeping your underarms and bikini line shaved can exacerbate HS hot zones by agitating and breaking the skin, potentially introducing bacteria and other irritants to already compromised skin.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent skin irritation due to the summer weather and HS.
Wear loose-fitting, breathable clothing
Opt for loose-fitting, breathable, clothing. Matching two-piece sets are in, ladies. So why not select a sexy, shorts set for the barbeque? Trust – the guys are still gonna look, ok?
Maybe you can’t get around wearing form-fitting exercise attire at the gym. That’s ok – when still considering your HS-prone areas. Try wearing the popular underwire-free bras in place of the traditional ones. Choosing athletic wear made primarily of breathable cotton instead of irritating synthetic fibers can also reduce irritation to your HS flare areas.
Can’t get around wearing fitted clothing? Products like chafing powders and other friction-reducing agents can reduce friction for the time being. The most important thing is to keep your HS-affected areas irritation-free, so you can be worry-free.
Wash with body cleansers
Showering multiple times a day minimizes the amount of bacteria living on the skin. Cleansing your skin with antimicrobial soaps reduces bacteria on HS hot zones, like your underarms, groin, or under breast area. Bacteria-reducing cleaners specifically target microbes living on the skin and wash them away, potentially saving you from further HS irritation.
Stay Cool
Sometimes, it’s just better to stay indoors.
Keeping cool in air-conditioned spaces can reduce how much you sweat, reducing the chances of HS lesion irritation. If you must be outside, keeping a portable, hand-held fan at the ready can help keep those parts where the sun doesn’t shine calm and cool.
Start using (natural) deodorants
It might be hard to let your trusty antiperspirant go, but it’s worth a try if it means cutting down on HS symptoms on your underarms. Opt instead for deodorants, namely those without aluminum that boast natural ingredients.
One benefit of natural deodorants is their antimicrobial characteristics. So, while you may still sweat, your deodorant is helping you fight off HS symptoms by killing the microbes on your skin.
A fair trade if you ask me.
Use alternative hair removal options
While shaving is the traditional hair removal route we all learned as tween girls, we’re grown now, and there are other less traumatic options available.
Laser hair removal is one alternative. A nearly painless procedure, it can be done in a professional setting or at home with a less intense, user-friendly device found in your local store. Just be sure if going the professional route, your laser hair removal provider is more than adequately trained to do so.
So there you have it. You are now HS symptoms proof and ready to partake in some summer shenanigans, looking fly and feeling good if I say so myself. 🙂
