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At first,Selina Ferragamothought she had ingrown hairs in her groin area.
I was being told I wasnt changing my razor blade enough, says the 26-year-old.
I never thought it was a chronic illness.
But this procedure wasnt curative.
Only a few months later, they came back, and this time, they were worse.
That surgeon was the first person to ever mention hidradenitis suppurativa, she tellsAllure.
But it was never fully explained, and I was never told it could be lifelong.
Hidradenitis suppurativa affectsbetween 1 and 4 percentof the world population.
This painful, difficult journey can also contribute toanxiety and depressionin many HS patients.
It was really hard.
I wasnt aware of how big a problem HS is and how many people have it.
Because her pain didnt totally resolve after her surgery, Ferragamo continued advocating for her health.
She went back to her primary-care provider and asked for a dermatology referral.
In some cases, people take oral antibiotics or undergo surgical interventions to cut out the affected area.
Nothing changed until she got a new insurance plan, which allowed her to find a different general surgeon.
As a result, many doctors focus on helping patients manage their symptoms.
According to Lancer, lifestyle adjustments can help reduce inflammation and HS flare-ups.
Her Instagram account, which now has more than 5,000 followers, opened up a whole new world.
Sometimes, she gets messages from people who share their diagnosis story with her.
Read more onHidradenitis Suppurativa.
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