Exercise and Hidradenitis Suppurativa: What You Need to Know

Exercising is a great way to loss weight, reduce flare-ups and stress and prevent and decrease the risk of other health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. But if you have hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory skin condition, you know how challenging exercising can be. Luckily, with a few modifications, you can get the exercise you desire.

What Are Your Best Clothing Options?

When choosing your workout clothes, you’ll want to opt for clothing that minimizes skin-on-skin contact. This means picking clothes that minimize friction in your thighs, groin, and armpits such as compression shorts and skintight tops.

You should also pay attention to the material used in the clothing you pick. Materials that wick sweat away from the skin, such as Coolmax^® and Supplex^® are your best bet.

What Are The Best Activities To Try?

Because you have HS, you may have to tweak your exercise routine, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get in a good workout.

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The key to a successful workout is finding activities that don’t cause you pain and that you enjoy doing. Another important key? Start slowly. Working out requires patience and making small steps to get to your goal.

Swimming is a good option because your skin isn’t rubbing. Also, the water lubricates your skin and chlorine can be beneficial because it controls the growth of bacteria on your skin.

Yoga is another great option because it involves slow movements that cause minimal skin friction. You can also try bicycling, but be sure to find the right bike shorts to avoid friction.

When all else fails, walking is an excellent and simple way to get physical activity. It’s also great if you’re new to the world of exercise or not used to more intense exercise.

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How do you overcome sweat?

Sweat can cause a burning sensation on the skin, which can cause problems for those living with HS as their disease progresses and gets

more serious.

Wearing moisture-wicking fabrics while you exercise can help reduce the effects of sweat. These measures may also help, Everyday Health notes:

• Work out in a well-ventilated area. If you’re indoors at home, try using an electric fan to create a breeze in your workout area. Plan to exercise outdoors only in cooler weather, or stick to shaded areas.
• Use an antiperspirant. A spray-on formulation can be easier than traditional stick or liquid versions to apply to large areas of skin.
• Wear moisture-wicking dressings. These are special sheets, available at pharmacies and other stores that sell medical products, that can be positioned in deep folds of the thighs, groin, and armpits to separate skin and wick away moisture during exercise or at other times you’re prone to sweating.
• Shower as soon as you can after your workout. This will reduce the amount of time sweat stays on your skin. Your dermatologist may recommend an antibacterial body wash to combat bacteria. If you can’t shower immediately, change out of your sweaty clothes and put on clean ones to help stay dry in the meantime.