Summer is here!
It’s the start of the summer and time for a bit of reflection. According to the BBC weather, it was the hottest and driest May on record in the UK. I love the sun, and I love being in the garden. However, what I don’t love is the way my HS reacts to the heat. For some, hidradenitis suppurativa and heat are not a good combination. I think I have more flares during the hotter months. More flares mean more pain and discomfort which subsequently can affect my mood and mental wellbeing. Certainly a rollercoaster nobody wants to be on!
What can we do about hidradenitis suppurativa and heat?
So, given that I have noticed this pattern, I have to do something about it. Otherwise, the HS wins, and I can’t let that happen. Below are some of the things I do that seem to help – remember try the ones that suit you as we are all different and our bodies react differently.
1. Wear loose clothing – I find if I wear tight jeans then it’s a recipe for disaster so loose cotton clothes help a lot.
2. Limit how much walking you do – exercise is good for us all but not in the heat of the day for me, so if you do enjoy a walk, pick either end of the day to ensure its cooler for your body.
3. Use good dressings – those of us with long term Hidradenitis will know that good wound care is a cornerstone of managing HS
4. Let the air get to your body when you can (at home!)
5. Try cool showers, wash away any sweat that can gather – I find a shower at either end of the day helps me feel cool and clean.
Keep calm and stay cool
Its really hot in my lounge right now so I am typing this blog in the garden – again a way for me to stay cooler. Lastly, I find that a bit of mindfulness helps keep me in a positive state of mind. Even just a couple of ten-minute exercises, there are plenty if you search the web. Or maybe just sit as I do in my garden, watching the birds and the wind through the trees. This gives me something else to focus on instead of the pain and inflammation. It also helps me reduce any issues I have with my hidradenitis suppurativa and heat.
I will leave you with a short quote that I feel caries much meeting for this of us who have Hidradenitis;
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Dennis P. Kimbro
About the Author
Clare Knighton is a Peer support worker from Worcester, England. Clare lives with HS and has done so for the past ten years. She is passionate about helping others to talk more openly about the condition and about improving our mental wellbeing.
