Vicks Vapo-Rub for Hidradenitis Suppurativa
One of the most common Hidradenitis Suppurativa home remedies, recommended over and over again by patients, is Vicks VapoRub. Obviously, being marketed as a cough suppressant, people have a lot of questions the first time they learn of this! So what is Vicks VapoRub, how is it used in Hidradenitis Suppurativa, and how does it work?
Vicks VapoRub is an over-the-counter topical ointment manufactured by Procter & Gamble and first sold in 1905. VapoRub is intended for use on the chest, back and throat for cough suppression or on muscles and joints for minor aches and pains. Vicks Vaporub can be found readily at nearly every pharmacy or grocery store, but it can also be purchased online on Amazon, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, and through the Vicks website.
Its ingredients are listed as:
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
- Camphor 4.8% (Cough Suppressant And Topical Analgesic)
- Eucalyptus Oil 1.2%
- Menthol 2.6% (Cough Suppressant And Topical Analgesic)
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS
- Cedarleaf Oil
- Nutmeg Oil
- Petrolatum
- Thymol
- Turpentine Oil
With two of the active ingredients listed as a topical analgesic (analgesic means pain reliever), patients report most frequently that they can use Vicks Vaporub for temporary pain relief when applied directly to an HS spot.
Nearly all of the ingredients used in Vicks – both active and inactive – have a strong odor, reported to also help combat any smells related to HS.
Both Menthol and Camphor are used in over-the-counter anti-itch lotions, like Sarna. Patients reporting itch near their HS spots may benefit from the additional anti-itch action from these ingredients.
Among the inactive ingredients, nutmeg oil is reported to reduce swelling and inflammation when applied topically, as well as acting as an antimicrobial agent. Thymol, or thyme oil, has been reported to have anti-fungal properties in animal studies, and naturally occurring fungi in the skin microbiome could contribute to the itch reported in some HS patients.
Patients also report that it can encourage painful abscesses to rupture and drain, providing relief. A clean, dry lesion topped with Vicks and covered with a band-aid, with or without the use of a heating pad, can bring a painful bump to a head.
Because this is a home remedy discovered by HS patients, there are no specific guidelines for the application of Vicks Vaporub on HS lesions, but the manufacturer recommends using Vicks as a topical analgesic (in the case of muscle/joint pain) no more than three to four times daily. It is always a good idea to make sure that an area is clean and dry before applying a topical product such as Vicks Vaporub.
CAUTIONS
Vicks Vaporub is not approved by the FDA for use in HS. There is no scientific evidence that points to its safety or efficacy. It is important to note that the manufacturers say that Vicks should not be applied to broken skin (though patients report that they have no problem applying it near their HS wounds) or areas near mucus membranes (like the eyes, anus, or inner labia) so take careful care in deciding which areas to try this topical product! Vicks has a strong hot-cool effect, so applying to delicate areas is not advised. It is important to note that these same ingredients that provide relief can also cause a skin reaction in some people, including burning, redness, or rash, so use sparingly until you know how your body will react.
Do you use Vicks Vaporub to manage your HS? Have some tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below, and reach other HS patients and doctors curious about how patients are using Vicks Vaporub for Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Anja
It dont helps me with my HS. Greets froh Germany anja
Sandra Guilbault
Thanks for sharing your experience, Anja! Do you have any over-the-counter products that you like?
Telia
Do the Hs cause chest pains i only notice because one i feel chest pain and touch it it leads to my armpits so im wondering do that cause the pain i have had it for 5 years but it seem like ita getting worser than it ever was please help me out with this one
DONNA A PISTOKACHE
I have found that Vicks Vapor rub is a godsend as far as HS,I have bottles of it everywhere in house and car and my purse for when i have a flare up and need relief.To me it not only helps with the itching but it also helps with the pain from skin to skin friction.I love having my vicks with me!!
Sandra Guilbault
I’m so glad to hear that it works, Donna! Keeping some in your car, purse, etc is a great tip!
Pat
Can you put Vicks on fissure down there???
Sb
May seem like too much information but.. it’s the nature of the HS beast..
Has anyone dared to put this “down under”? Should I dare or definitely not?
Vm
I have and trust me it felt great and took the pain away
Rhianna lamontain
Not necessarily there but i get bad flare ups on my inner tighs and often apply the vicks there sometimes it travels and i feel it down there but its just a cooling sensation. I wouldnt recommend apply a lot directly but if u need the relief and dont have reactions with it on other sensitive areas it may work for you
Lisa
Just tried it. My armpits hurt terribly before I put on the Vicks. Feels relaxing now. Not burning like I thought. I would not put it “down under” delicate area. I might try it on a cotton ball in a crease on the leg in that area though.
Kisha
I will definitely try this! I am at the point where I will try anything natural. Has anyone tried turmeric?
Essence
I take tumeric capsules 2-3 times a day. From wat I can tell it doesnt stop my flares but it does decrease the pain, inflammation, and amount of time the flare last. Hope this helps!!!
Rhoni
Yes I take twice a day it does help with the inflammation. I have a friend who drinks the tea and she can tell the difference
Rhonda
What do you take twice daily? Vicks or tumeric capsules? And what kind of tea
Emily
i just did same wow what releif, also i think i will try and start putting under my arms as a preventive measure just a thin barrier? who knows if its anti fungi? I too take turmeric
Christine
Hi ! When I had this the first time a few years ago I trod things doctor said. Nothing worked. So I took turmeric supplement from health food store and Within the week it was almost gone. Fast forward 4 years to second flare up, not having the same great results as the first. But I’m not giving up and I’m taking them again. I bought more today. Good luck!
Erica
Turmeric is a godsend for me! I take two tablets a day. It is costly though. Came looking for information on the use of Vick. Trying it asap!
Ian
I’ve become a recent sufferer of HS, and tried Vapor Rub after seeing someone rub it on their acne…applied it the morning and when i later checked it had ruptured painlessly 🙂 ALL previous abscesses were surgically drained as it would not rupture naturally, even after applying all sorts of medicated creams.
Bernadette
I am definately trying this. Tried almost everything. I have been living with this since I was a teenager, now I’m 29. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling and I hope this finally relieves the pain with out spending so much money on dermatologist and medication.
Brenda Carrera
You should try PRID from Wal-mart. It’s like $5. It helps me with all my flares. They dont errupt, they pretty much disappear. It is so strange. It helps very much. I also wash my break out areas with some baking soda and water and then rinse. I follow with Eucerin calming cream as it can be drying. I also exercise and drink a lot of water.
Steph
Yesss Prid works wondersss!!
Micha
Yess I use PRID before I knew what beast I was dealing with
Christine
Hello, what is PRID?
Karen Henry
I have suffered with HS from the age of 16. I am 50 now and still suffer if I don’t watch what I eat. After reading an article about nightshade vegetables causing flare ups I decided to try my diet without them. I have found that if I eat tomatoes, chillies or peppers I get a flare up within a day. Trying to avoid foods with tomatoes which I love is very hard but over the last 15 years I can honestly say I’ve only had 2 or 3 flare ups in all that time. If your not already avoiding these I would suggest to give it a try. BELEIVE ME IT WORKS. GOOD LUCK XX
Leslie Lopardo
I have found that the essential oil frankincense works well if used at the very first sign of a flare.
It’s potent though, so sometimes I rub coconut oil on first then a drop of frankincense. I’ve made the mistake of having a little go in an open lesion and it burns.
Audrey Moore
I’ve had flares down under (which is horrible for ladies during that special monthly time) and underarms, I tried apple cider vinegar on one on my thigh but it BURNED, and I wasn’t sure what to do, so I chatted w/ other women w/ HS. First the flare must be cleaned, (Hibiclense is best recommended because it deeply cleans the skin), then air or patted dry w/ clean sterile cloth. Next heat may be applied by using heating pads or hot sterile cloth on HS flare directly as warm as you can stand and for about 5 to 10 minutes to assist in forming head. Finally I put VICK’S vapor rub on my flare only and try to cover w/ sterile gauze overnight. It usually pops itself before I wake up, so I clean with the Hibiclense again allow to air dry and apply VICK’S around the open wound area then cover to assist w/ additional draining. It works wonders, even down there. I consider Vick’s and Hibiclense the best sidekicks to have on your team when you’re fighting an HS flare. Happy Healing to all #HS WARRIORS!!!
Tanya
Ive just used vicks on my armpit as im having a bad HS flare up and honestly it has helped the pain, im so glad i heard about this x
Brenda Carrera
I will try Vicks, I have had HS since my teens and I am 40 now. I discovered PRID from Wal-mart and that has helped me for years. It doesn’t burst it just makes the swelling disappear. So strange! I have also started to work out 4-5 days a week and has helped tremendously. I drink a lot of water. I cut out dairy. Certain foods will cause me to break out like milk, peanut butter and certain other foods, I have been washing my break out parts with water and baking soda… just a few seconds and then I rinse. I pat dry and apply Eucerin calming cream. I only apply PRID (Wal-mart $5) to what I call starting break-outs. As soon as I feel that bruise feeling near my panty lines I immediately apply PRID and I notice the sweling go down and down. It does wonders. I pray that my remedy helps someone as I know it is a very painful disease that can be debilitating. I usually break out more when it’s that time of the month. I also switched from deodorant stick to a spray and I haven’t had issues under my arms. Please continue to post as we all need relief 🙂
Alexis L
Is there anyone that lives I the Louisiana area with HS? My fiance has HS an wanted to find him a support group, because he has had this for 4 years an he has be down an depressed the whole 4years and I would like to find someone or a group of people that could help him out with his HS.
Erica
Hi Alexis. I live in Louisiana and suffer from HS. I am in Stage 3. I am not part of any face to face groups because I don’t think there are any around here. I am in a few online though. Please feel free to message me back on here or email me if you ever want to talk about this or have any questions. Good luck to your husband, and to you as an HS caregiver.
Sharon Ross
Great information! Thanks everyone for sharing!
Thibeaux buckley
I too suffer from hsbfor 30 yrs now,several surgeries in,the relief is bread but any is better than none,it is bad on my buttock but have had surgeries under my armpits,clydimician and ryfamprin (antibiotics) help keep it a bay but doesn’t cure,as we all know,but i am willing to talk to and support any Gs warrior,i can be reached on Facebook….Thibeaux Buckley,from Louisiana,living in Mississippi now,this disease is so painful and so nasty,for lack of a better term,ANYONE feel free to contact me,anytime,God bless and good nighy
Heather
Is it okay to put it on the stubborn holes, that refuse to close completely, and you’re stuck with little pinholes draining stuff out of? I’m so aggravated at this point, be cause I suffered with this since a teen, mostly in the groin area where your underwear would rub. I’m now 47 and it seems to have become so much worse in the last few years! Before I had NOTHING under my left arm, and I’d only get an occasional lump under my right arm, now I have scars, and holes that refuse to close, under both! I really need to figure out how to get this under control!
Sandra Guilbault
That described my underarms before I had surgery. I used it under my arms – it helped with pain, and I felt like it encouraged thing to drain if they needed to, but it didn’t help with healing or prevention of new spots in my experience. I hope that helps you!
Jane
My problem is also that the holes are open and i am wondering the same…have you found out anything?
Heather
Jane,
I haven’t, and I totally forgot about the whole Vicks Vaporub up until now. I went to the dermatologist and he gave me a steroid shot under my left armpit. It took the swollen lump away, but didn’t heal the hole. It took MONTHS for that one to close. But now I’m having trouble with my right armpit. There’s a lump the size of a golf ball, and I can barely use my right arm because it’s so painful. The pain is actually making me feel nauseous! I’m going to try the Vicks tonight (like right now) and cover it with a gauze pad to see if it helps. I’ve been putting hot wash towels under my arm to try and draw it out, but it’s not working. I’m just so miserable and cranky at the moment, and I don’t want to go out to the dermatologist again because of this whole virus thing. I’ll check back in and let you know if it worked at all.
Heather
Okay, I’m so very pleased to let you know that I put a thin layer of Vicks on my flare up, and within a few hours it started to drain! This will be my new “go to” whenever I feel a flare coming on. And I actually put it ON the broken skin! I felt a tiny bit of a burning sensation on those areas for a few seconds and that was it. I put a gauze patch on it with some medical tape, and let it sit. I checked it before I went to bed and it was draining already! I cleaned it and put more gauze on it before I went to sleep, and woke up this morning and it was full, so i cleaned it again and put a new bandage on it. So far so good! I’m an extremely happy camper today! I hope this helps ANYONE reading this right now. Much love to my HS family!
Sonja
I’m about to go try this. I made an appointment to have them cut out but if I can relieve the pain and pressure at home until then I’m about that life
Melissa
Long comment. I apologize in advance.
I am so glad I came across this thread! My daughter, who just turned 10, is suffering with this and we didn’t know what it was 🙁 It started a few months ago, as she is now entering puberty. The first time they thought it was water warts and gave her an antibiotic. That worked fine and cleared it up in a few days. Then she got it again within 1 month. We took her to urgent care and they wanted to lance the lump under her armpit to drain it, but she was too scared. They first time around the lumps weren’t too large and the antibiotics alone did the trick. So home with more antibiotics we went. I used a hot compress and the lump ruptured on its own. Over the next couple of days I drained it. She also has eczema so she already uses an unscented body wash (less stripping to the skin). We decided on having her use a separate wash cloth for her armpits since that’s the area the breakouts are prone to. She also changes her armpit washcloth everyday. We switched her to a spray deodorant as well.
Our precautions seemed to have helped as it slowed down how often this is occurring.
So just this past week I noticed another lump under her armpit 🙁 At least this time it was close to 2 months without a breakout. We haven’t taken her to the doctor yet. However, the newest lump hasn’t gotten any larger (about the size of a quarter), but has actually gotten smaller over the last couple of days. I am wondering if that has anything to do with her being in a hot tub a few times while we were in vacation 🤔
I was planning to put a hot compress on it tomorrow, then lance and drain it myself as I had done before. However, now I have some options that may offer her more relief and not be so painful for her.
She starts swimming tomorrow and is self conscious about swimming this year because of her changing body. She voiced this concern tonight because of having to use the locker room with other girls. I don’t want HS to be another thing she has to worry about 😢😔 It’s really hard watching her go through this.
Thank you all for your comments!! I’m going to try some of the tips I got here.
KW
Hi Melissa,
1st try switching up your daughter’s diet. You can start with the AIP diet first to try and eliminate any foods that may cause her to flare. It’ll be hard for a young child to eat such a healthy diet, but we have to get back into the habit of eating to nourish our bodies and not for pleasure, especially HS sufferers. We put so many bad foods into our bodies that are unnatural to our natural body chemistry. For instance cows produce milk for THEIR babies, yet we feed it to our human children, in addition to highly processed foods, etc. Also, I wouldn’t put her in a pool, hot tub, etc. until her HS is under control or she’s in complete remission, those things are breeding grounds for all types of bacteria. I am really sorry that your baby girl has to go through this at such a young age, I couldn’t imagine dealing with this at the age of 10. I was diagnosed at 23 (pretty much diagnosed myself and my doctor agreed), and I what I’ve come to find out is the doctors are pretty much useless in this auto-immune disease. It’s truly a waste of time and money to keep going to the doctors, and the anti-biotics will eventually compromise the immune system even more. Things that have helped me are the following: diet change (mostly vegan at this point), turmeric, aloe vera, Neosporin, tea tree oil, lots of water (I used to hate drinking water), hot baths (or soaks) with Himalayan salt or Epsom salt, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. When showering I use a scrub glove to cleanse my body and I moisturize with pure coconut oil, this method works wonders for me – at minimum shower once a day (I shower at night and in the morning). I no longer use deodorant, I use a mixture of arrow root powder, baking soda, and essential oils (I like lemon and lavender oil). I also decided that smoking was the cause of HS for me (along with very bad eating habits but mainly smoking) and I stopped and I showed great improvement. I recently had some very stressful events happen in my life and decided to smoke to cope – very stupid idea, the boils came back with a vengeance. This disease is very painful, annoying, and can cause you to go into a deep depression, but I believe it’s the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong within, why else would your body be attacking itself in such a way? If you smoke, stop, if you’re eating unhealthily, stop – is this easier said than done? Absolutely, but I know for a fact that I’d rather show great will power and control my eating habits and completely eliminate my smoking habits than have to deal with this disease. Since I’ve made that decision, I’ve truly surprised myself with the amount of will power that I possess.
I hope your daughter can get HS into remission because it truly is possible, but it does require great will power. Blessings to you and yours!
Lisa
Has anyone tried emuaid?
Jane
I have tried it but it did not work for me.
Sydni
I’ve tried Emuaid. I haven’t tried Vick’s but from the comments emuaid does the same as Vick’s and way pricy. I think I’m going to buy Vick’s then compare the two because if I can save $50 a month I will.
Joy
It worked for me! As recently as 3 days ago I was struggling with another flare up and impulsively reached for vicks. Not that I have ever heard of it or read somewhere, it was purely impulse. The menthol helped me sleep and I woke to a ruptured abscess. It’s amazing because typically i would have had to bear the pain for days or go in to get it lanced. So yes, Vicks is a great home remedy. Thank you for the article!
Erica
I’m trying Vicks today. Been dealing with this for 3yrs. Worse pain of my life and embarrassing. Can’t even put my arm down. Thank you.
SD
I am so glad I found this site and thread because HS is difficult to talk about, especially where my flare ups are located. I’ve had a diagnosis for less than a year, but it was an undiagnosed issue for years. GPs were unhelpful because they don’t know what HS is. It’s been months without a flare up but today I got a bad one. Will be trying Vicks, but an a little concerned about applying vicks to an intimate area.
Celeste
PLEASE READ!! If you are suffering from HS and are looking for a dramatic and effective cure, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try turmeric!! It’s all NATURAL! You can find it in the spice aisle or you can purchase it as a supplement in the vitamin aisle. Or do both! I have suffered from HS since I was a child (always in the groin area and buttocks). I have had my share of antibiotics, lancing, and topical scrubs. I am 44 years old now and aside from an occasional HS flare maybe once or twice a year, I haven’t suffered from the condition for about five years now due to TURMERIC! Please Google the miraculous effects that turmeric has on HS. If you’ve tried everything else and are tired of searching for an answer, please try it. My go-to when I start to feel a bump coming on is to warm up 4 ounces (1/2 cup) almond milk, add half a teaspoon of turmeric spice and a teaspoon of honey to sweeten it up. Drink it down. You can use cow’s milk, rice milk, soy, etc. I don’t drink cow’s milk, so almond milk is my preference. Drink this 3 times a day and you will have a SIGNIFICANT reduction in the size of your bumps and they will either recede or start to drain within 24-48 hours. For very stubborn, large, and/or extremely painful boils, I have increased the spice to one full teaspoon three times daily in milk, but this can be harder to drink down since turmeric can be bitter. If you can get past the bitter taste of a full teaspoon, do it! I promise that you will see a difference if you keep drinking the turmeric milk. Once the boil goes away, I stop drinking the milk 3 times a day and I only drink one “dose” of it once a week or so as maintenance. You can also make a turmeric paste and apply it directly to the bump and cover with gauze. Do a Google search for paste recipes to apply topically. The paste, will attack the boils externally and the turmeric milk will work it’s magic internally. Doing both at the same time will increase relief and resolve the issue faster. Turmeric will stain clothing so be careful when applying topically. But I would rather have stained undergarments any day of the week over having these painful HS lumps! Best wishes to you all! Please come back and tell us how well the turmeric worked!
Rachel
Thank you so much for this information. This has helped me tremendously.
I have been suffering from HS since I was 13years old and have been in pain since then. This is life altering, embarrassing, depressing, and emotionally draining, not to mention the Awful pain. I have had surgery, countless of antibiotics, topicals nothing seems to work for me. I am in pain every single day and it makes me feel like a damaged good that got the shot end of the stick when my body was created.
Anyways thanks for this message, this information really helped.
Didn’t know that having Hs was a thing.
CB
I’ve had HS since 19, I’m 44 now. Only ever had them in the groin area. Took years to actually be diagnosed. One MD said it was an std of all things! I’ve been given topical antibiotics and oral antibiotics, offered other medications, but I’m very sensitive to meds, so I no longer try any of them. The dermatologist I’ve had for the past several years injects them with a steroid/lidocaine mix and they’re gone within a day. But that’s spendy, even though I only have to go in a few times a year. This last one occurred on the inner labia (minora), it was absolutely excruciating. I thought it was an inflamed gland, it lasted almost 2 weeks, only when it ruptured did I realize it was a HS flare. I appreciate this site and all the information people are willing to share and I’m definitely going to try these recommendations.
Kathy Everett
I was just diagnosed with possibly having HS today, but I think it’s because I changed from a roll-on deodorant to a stick at the same time I changed from an antibacterial soap to CeraVe soap. This has happened a couple of times in the past too when trying different products and I never seem to learn! I first had a slight break in the crease of one underarm and boy did it sting and it hurt terribly. I put some steroid cream on it and the cut disappeared the next afternoon and then I discovered these painful lumps. Two days later one appeared in my other underarm. I thought it was swollen lymph nodes at first from an infection I had in my sinuses but my ENT said it wasn’t.
I rarely shave because I can’t reach my underarms easily because of muscular dystrophy so I let it grow until I can’t stand it anymore. I keep telling my husband he’s going to have to start shaving for me! I also have psoriasis though it’s mild and mostly in my scalp. I was reading on other conditions related to HS and found high blood pressure among them which I also have.
I’m hoping I might just have a mild case and was wondering if anyone else here has had this happen only when switching these two products as I did? I have never gotten these bumps before but have gotten the break in my skin. I’m hoping this isn’t going to get worse. Wishful thinking on my part. I guess one skin disorder isn’t enough for this life!
Butterfly
Yes..several times…very expensive..not the results I was looking, but it helps, just costs a lot
Lesz
OMG. Vicks is a God sent. I currently have a big flare up seems to just be everywhere I haven’t had one this big in years .I was just looking for anything to relieve this pain.
I thought it would hurt ,But this is the best feeling I’ve had in a long time .
Blackseedoil capsules it have been going fine for me as well . But I guess with all the uncertainty in world I’m a little stressed.
THIS WAS A GREAT FOR ME 😊
Queen
I literally just stumbled on here but omg right now this is going on my inner labia. And I have no clue what to do.. I never knew what it was I just suffer til it leaves but for some reason this one won’t leave! It started to drain stopped and started growing again. Is this normal
Rose
I have a boil on my buttocks and it brought the boil up to the head but my boils are inherited
Hema
After 25 years of suffering and at least 9 boils at any given time in the groin I finally found an amazing dermatologist with whom I shared an article I read about treating boils with Botox which was published by a plastic surgeon in Australia. He happened to know all about it and I started a treatment of injections of Disport in the entire area every 6 months. Very uncomfortable of course which you can avoid with numbing cream. I get about 20 little injections. It’s unbelievable. Lasts for about 4-6 months. Minimal to no boils. But very expensive. I would pay double for this. Please share this with everyone. It truly works. Must use Disport. Not Botox that is used on face. Disport spreads over larger part of skin.
Francesca
Interesting! Can you share a link to the article? Any chance your dermatologist is in the NYC/NJ metro area? I really need to find a very knowledgable doctor here!
Treasure Mills
I will try this method. I just figured out what the name for this skin condition is and I’m glad that I’m not alone. I’m still a teen so talking about these things with my mother is scary and she would probably think it’s an STI but I’m relieved to know I’m not alone
Jamie
I am so grateful to find this page. I’ve been suffering from HS since I was 14. I had no idea why I was getting these cysts and lumps along with excruciating pain. And since it was so embarrassing, I never told my parents. Fast forward so many years (yikes) and after finally doing my own research (doctors were worthless) I’ve found this site and I feel normal again. I am going to buy Vick’s and PRID today and hopefully my pain will be more manageable in no time. Thank you!
Elisa
Hello. My daughter is 22. She has HS also. her area of concern is at bthe back of the neckat the base of her hairline and her face-cheek. This has been going on for 4 years. My daughter is special and has an underlying =medical condition. She requires complete care. She has a trash, a g tube, non ambulatory, now is non verbal. She has so much to deal with but now has this HS. She’s having a falre up on her face and Im using a tumeric paste- not much reduction in size of cyst. She take a med called Dapsone to keep flare ups at bay. But i have to be careful bc she is so fragile. We are from Toronto Canada. I will try the Vicks. Its always good to hear others peoples experience.
Elisa
Sorry for the spelling mistakes. I meant trach.
Serendipity20
After 23 years of having this condition, I finally got a proper diagnosis 3 years ago. I was prescribed an antibiotic (don’t remember which one) and Clindamycin topical solution. It helped at the moment but I’m not a fan of taking too many meds. I have found that using turmeric and raw honey mixed into a paste (I also use it for my face) calms the inflammation and eases the pain. I also use Vicks to ease pain and keep the left over scabs moist to help them heal as well as adding the Clindamycin. They take forever to go away but the Vicks helps. I also use cocoa butter, shea butter and coconut oil body butter for added moisture. Oil of Olay body wash has been the best soap so far since it doesn’t irritate the wounds and keeps my skin soft. I have learned that for me, regular exfoliation (I use exfoliating gloves found in stores and online) also helps to slow the frequency of flare ups, but those who have it know that it will flare when it wants. I keep Vicks and I always have for different uses.
Em
I’ve been battling this massive boil on the crease of my thigh for almost 5 weeks… it took around 2-3 weeks of it growing and filling with puss for it eventually burst and give me some relief and go down in size. I’ve had boils in the past but this was definitely the most monstrous in size. In the past I’ve had smaller boils but the infection was more intense because i would have either a fever or chills. Whereas this time, i didn’t have any fever or chills but instead when the boil became so big that it was impossible to really walk and i was in so much discomfort that it physically drained me. It honestly feels like it’s sucking the life out of me.
Anyway, back to the boil, after it first drained, it was pretty nasty and it was an open wound for over a week, but it was quite small in size compared to what it was but still slightly raised and a bit red around the sore. I continued to apply antiseptic cream and put gauze over it, i was careful with it and eventually it healed. The open wound closed up but it became a hard tip, like a hard pimple that is ready to pop. The tip looked like it had some puss and it was hard. I didn’t do much about it but one day it started to feel a bit sore again.. and i was scared that it would start to swell which it did. When it did, i applied a hot towel compress to try and soften it so the puss could come out again. The hard tip went away but the boil started to grow in size again. It became quite big and tender AGAIN. It grew so big that it started to look a bit purple… i continued with heat compress and hot baths but nothing helped. I also put some magnesium sulphate paste on it which usually helps with drawing puss to the head. I think it did help a bit but it wasn’t effective enough in making this burst again. So i found this thread on Vicks. I was slightly concerned about putting it on but i was so desperate. Last night i applied a thin layer around the boil after a warm bath and honestly within 15 mins i could feel something happening. When i looked down i saw some blood. Clearly, it had burst and blood was slowly draining. This is the first time i’ve seen blood come out of my boil like this so i was terrified. Before bed, i applied a bit more vicks again and went to sleep. This morning ive woken up to it so much smaller in size, definitely looks like it’s drained and it’s stopped bleeding. FYI, it was never that much blood or anything so don’t be too alarmed. However, it’s still raised but just a lot smaller than it was and i feel relief and can walk normally again. I took a shower and put on some more vicks and gauze. I’m not sure what to do now… my fear is that it will fill up again. ANyway, vicks really helped me and im so glad i found this hack. Thank you ALL for sharing your experience. It made me feel so much better in a time of desperation.
Jg
Great info thanks
Summer
Thank you!!! Thank you!! Thank you!!! I have had HS for a few years not and have had to go to urgent care or the ER to have the bumps drained. Usually in my armpit and underwear line. Well yesterday I had a 1st… right next to my nipple on my areola. No joke I thought I was going to die!!! Used the Vicks at 11 this morning and 4 hours later it came to a head!! So much relief!!! Thank you all again!!!
Amber
I am so glad I found this thread!! I have been suffering from HS since I was 16 and I am now 34. I have gone through the ER visits and the countless antibiotics and nothing has helped to keep this under control. I notice when I’m stressed or when it is that time of the month the boils come full force. In the early stages I got them between my buttocks, then it moved to my armpits and now I am getting them on my inner thigh and near my groin area. This is really the worst pain I have rd ver felt in my life and people who dont suffer from this really don’t understand how devastating this disease is. I will definitely be trying
trying this vicks remedy next time. I am a little skeptical because I’ve tried ointments like boil ease which are completely useless. But when you have a flare up you will pretty much try anything to get relief. I also plan on changing to a Mediterranean diet as some people say that has helped them as well. Thanks again to all of you for the tips!
Pat
I have had this condition for many years. It started under my arms in my 20’s. The last several years it has been in the groin area. I now have a fissure in the crease between my leg and my private parts. I have taken two rounds of antibotics, used hot compresses, sitz baths and it still hurts and bleeds. It also sometimes has pus in the blood. I have tried polysporin, Triple paste AF, and medicated gauze pads and it still hurts like crazy. I will be 80 years old in July and I am so tired of this affliction. I appreciate all the suggestions and will try the Vicks and the Tumeric. If you know of anything else that would help I am open to all recommendations. Thanks to all!! Oh yes, if there is a support group please send me the link.
Leslie Lopardo
Sorry Pat, I’m 60 and developed this at 12 years old.
I have found that the essential oil frankincense works well if used at the very first sign of a flare.
It’s potent though, so sometimes I rub coconut oil on first then a drop of frankincense. I’ve made the mistake of having a little go in an open lesion and it burns.
Wes
Wow. I found this thread a few weeks ago and kept the Vick’s info in the back of my mind. Woke up this morning to the worst cyst, could barely move. It is deep and there was no head at all. Applied Vick’s twice and within 12 hours the cyst has now drained. Without the Vick’s this would have continued to grow for days. It was completely under my skin and hadn’t even turned into a raised bump yet.
A miracle. Thank you so much for sharing.
Tammy
Will the vicks help the armpit boil go down mines hurts right now but is not unbearable right now. I am afraid to put the vicks on because I think it will cause it become bigger. Also if I put on there will it take the pain away I can still put mu arm now as of now.
Michelle Westfall
Hi did the vicks work for your armpit boil. I have one right now that I just want to drain. Any help would be soooo appreciated.
Jo boy
Mine is on my left testicle very painful and sore will vicks not make it worse
Michelle Westfall
Hi I have just gotten my 2nd boil & it’s in my armpit. It’s been going on 7 days no sign of a head. I’ve been doing the warm compress & tumeric paste. I got antibiotics from my doctor so I’m hoping that helps. After reading this in bed I decided to get up & try the vicks. I really hope this works cuz the thought of having it lanced scares the crap out of me!!
Rachel
My 17 year old daughter has suffered terribly with us for years and we have tried the Vicks. It helped a bit. Has anyone tried Ichthammol ointment?